wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Receives Young Adult Convocation Report

[News News <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 12, 2001

ELCA ASSEMBLY RECEIVES YOUNG ADULT CONVOCATION REPORT
01-CWA49-MR

     INDIANAPOLIS (ELCA) -- Voting members of the 2001 Churchwide
Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) received a
report from the young adult convocation under way in conjunction with
the assembly.  About 30 Lutherans -- ages 18 to 30 -- are participating
in the convocation.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the Indiana Convention Center.  There
are more than 2,000 people participating, including 1,040 ELCA voting
members.  The theme for the biennial assembly is "Making Christ Known:
Sharing Faith in a New Century."
     "It is a good time to be the church," Brett Murphy, 18,
Brookhaven, Pa., told the assembly.  Murphy is a member from the ELCA
Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, Norristown, Pa.
     "We have come here to the young adult convocation as a diverse
group with diverse gifts.  Throughout the week, we have met and
discussed issues that are relevant to us and the entire church body.  We
feel strongly about many issues, but we have found four [topics] about
which we are particularly passionate," Murphy said.   The four topics
are worship, evangelism, social justice and the "young adult voice."
     The young adults said they envision worship where there is "an
expansion of Lutheran tradition while maintaining relevance and faithful
theology, and a passionate spirit-filled experience within the entire
spectrum of worship settings."
     Regarding evangelism, they envision "a continued excitement within
[young adults] to take part in the ELCA's new and ongoing efforts; a
building of relationships with young adults who are inactive in the
church, while also building a faith foundation for those who are
unchurched; support the needs of all young adults by all people of the
church, including but not limited to young adults, youth, pastors, lay
people, seminary professors, definitely-abled persons, [people] of color
and all believers in Christ; and [support] for an inter-generational
ministry."
     Young adults also made clear their vision for social justice.
They hope that the ELCA "will take a leadership position in defeating
stereotypes and negative generalizations," and take action on the issue
of ordination of gay and lesbian people while "affirming their gifts to
the body of Christ."
     The convocation expressed their interest in having a staff member
employed at the churchwide office to work "exclusively" for young adult
ministries.  They wish to have a "greater utilization of the wisdom and
resources [from the church] for empowering and nurturing young adult
ministries" in the ELCA and to "complete participation and
representation of all young adults within all levels of the life of the
church."
     Murphy closed the convocation's report by asking all the voting
members of the assembly who are considered young adults to stand up.  He
said, "These people represent the small voice for young adults currently
within the ELCA.  We, as the young adult convocation, challenge the
[2001] assembly and the [65] synods [of the church] to empower a larger
percentage of young adults to represent the whole church body."
-- -- --
     Information about assembly actions is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/01 on the ELCA's Web site.  Recorded
updates during the assembly are available by calling 773/380-2477.

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