wfn.org | ELCA Council Addresses Bishop Election, Other Issues

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 11, 2001

ELCA COUNCIL ADDRESSES BISHOP ELECTION, OTHER ISSUES
01-82-JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) adopted a procedure for nominees for
presiding bishop to respond to questions during the balloting process
at the 2001 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.  The council took other actions
related to the work of the church.
     The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves
as the legislative authority of the church between its churchwide
assemblies.  The council met here April 6-7.  Assemblies are held
every other year; the next is Aug. 8-14 in Indianapolis.
     The Rev. H. George Anderson, ELCA presiding bishop, will
conclude a six-year term as presiding bishop Oct. 31.  His successor
will be elected by the churchwide assembly this August, using an
election process specified by the ELCA Constitution.  The election
may require as many as five ballots before a person is elected.
     The council adopted a proposal that, at the time of fourth
ballot, the three remaining nominees respond to questions submitted
by assembly voting members.  Dr. Addie J. Butler, vice president of
the ELCA, is to appoint a council committee to review the questions,
the resolution said.  Questions will not be given to the nominees in
advance, the resolution said.
     The council resolution said the vice president will moderate
the session.  The nominees will respond in a rotation determined by
lot and be given up to three minutes to respond to a question, the
resolution added.
     In other actions, the council adopted resolutions related to
churchwide budget authorizations, asked for action on a possible
message to gay and lesbian people, and transmitted to the churchwide
assembly a report on homosexuality and a request for support for a
campaign for Africa.
     + Budget authorizations: For fiscal year 2001, the council
approved a current fund spending authorization of $85,040,000 and
approved a spending authorization of $16 million for the ELCA World
Hunger Appeal.  It asked the 2001 Churchwide Assembly to approve
income estimates for the current fund and the ELCA World Hunger
Appeal for 2002 and 2003.
     + Gay and lesbian people: The council referred a request for a
possible message on gay and lesbian people to an interunit working
group on homosexuality that exists within the ELCA churchwide offices
in Chicago.  It asked that a report and possible recommendations be
brought to a council committee, after review by the board for the
ELCA Division for Outreach (DO) and the steering committee of the
ELCA Commission for Women.  The request for the message originated
with the DO board and was endorsed by the commission.
     + Homosexuality report: The council transmitted to the 2001
Churchwide Assembly an interunit report on conversations about
homosexuality and the church.  The report was requested by the church
council last year.  The ELCA Division for Ministry and interunit work
group produced the report summarizing activities and conversations
about the inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the life and mission
of the ELCA.
     + Africa campaign: The council recommended "individuals,
congregations, synods, the churchwide organization and related
agencies and institutions" be strong and active partners with "Stand
With Africa: A Campaign of Hope." The campaign will focus on issues
significant to Africa, including HIV/AIDS, food security, and peace and
reconciliation.  The three-year campaign is being coordinated by the
ELCA World Hunger Program, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
(LCMS) World Relief and Lutheran World Relief, the overseas relief
and development agency of the ELCA and LCMS.
     + Following an executive session, the council announced its
members will offer personal gifts in honor of Anderson for his
service as presiding bishop.  The gifts will be given to the ELCA
World Hunger Appeal or the Lutheran School of Theology at
Philadelphia.  In addition, Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL) and
Lutheran Brotherhood (LB) announced they will share evenly in a
$50,000 gift to the ELCA Fund for Leaders in Mission in Anderson's
honor.  The endowed fund's long-term goal is to provide full tuition
support for all qualified students who attend an ELCA seminary and
are committed to ordained or lay ministry.
     AAL, a fraternal benefits organization based in Appleton, Wis.,
and LB, a fraternal benefits organization based in Minneapolis,
provided substantial financial support to underwrite the fund.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html