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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

February 6, 2002

ELCA HOSTS HEARINGS ON HEALTH, HEALTH CARE
02-024-FI

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- As part of a four-year study process to develop
a social statement on health and health care, the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) is hosting a series of hearings across the
United States.  The hearings are to begin collecting reactions to
"Health, Healing and Health Care," the first draft of a social statement
the ELCA will consider adopting in 2003.
     The ELCA Division for Church in Society (DCS) sent each of the
ELCA's 10,816 congregations, as well as pastors and lay leaders serving
in other settings, a copy of the document last year.
     A churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the
ELCA, must adopt a social statement on health and health care for it to
become an official statement of the church.  A proposed statement is
expected to be considered at the next assembly in August 2003 in
Milwaukee.
     ELCA members are to offer their responses to the first draft by
Sept. 1, so the responses may inform the development of a proposal for
the assembly.  The draft includes a response form.
     DCS assembled a 16-member task force on health and health care to
prepare the draft.  The task force will use the hearings and responses
to assist its work next fall, while writing the proposed social
statement.  Each hearing will be conducted by at least one task force
member.
     Hearings were held Jan. 27 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church,
Atlanta.  Three themes emerged from that first gathering, said the Rev.
Ronald W. Duty, associate director for studies, ELCA Division for Church
in Society:
 + People appreciate the fact that the church is working on a statement
on health and health care, but would like the draft to be more focused,
specific and practical for the average member in what it states and
recommends.
 + People appreciate the section on personal responsibility for our own
health, and want the church more engaged in health education at a
congregational level.
 + People want the church to be bolder in the final draft about
"solutions" it recommends to address the country's health care problems.
     Duty said many more hearings are being scheduled.  There are 19 on
his current calendar:

FEBRUARY
7    Health Sciences Center, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, Wis.
10   Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Phoenix
10   Faith Lutheran Church, Fairlawn, Ohio
16   Christ Lutheran Church, Cape Coral, Fla.
27   Good Shepherd Home, Allentown, Pa.

MARCH
2    St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Beaverton, Ore.
16   Site to be announced, Toledo, Ohio

APRIL
4    Martin Luther Manor, Bloomington, Minn.
13   National Lutheran Home for the Aged, Rockville, Md.
13   Columbia Center, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash.
14   Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Baltimore
17   ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod Office, Manhattan, N.Y.
20   Grace Lutheran Church, State College, Pa.
20   St. John Care Center, Mars, Pa.
23   ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod Office, Chicago

MAY
4    First Lutheran Church, Albany, N.Y.
11   All Saints Lutheran Church, Albuquerque, N.M.
18   St. John Lutheran Church, Bloomington, Ill.

JUNE
1    Christ Lutheran Church, Orange, Calif.

     The DCS board will discuss the draft during its March 14-16
meeting here at the Marriott O'Hare Hotel.
     A Spanish version of the draft will be available soon, said Duty.
Complimentary copies will be sent to 450 church leaders, and a hearing
in Puerto Rico will be added to the schedule, he said.
-- -- --
     Any schedule revisions, a copy of the draft and details about the
process are available at http://www.elca.org/dcs/healthcare.html on the
ELCA Web site.

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