wfn.org | ELCA Assembly Adopts Rules Of Procedure

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ELCA Assembly Adopts Rules Of Procedure
CWA-07-05-KK

     ORLANDO, Fla. (ELCA) - After four hours of debate, the
"Rules of Organization and Procedure" for the 2005 Churchwide
Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
were adopted in the assembly's first business session Aug. 8.
The "standing" rules describe the composition, functions and
responsibilities of the churchwide assembly as transmitted by the
Church Council in November, 2004.
     The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of
the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott
and Convention Center.	About 2,300 people are participating,
including 1,018 voting members. The theme for the biennial
assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."
     A clause was inserted into rules governing the vote to adopt
certain recommendations from task force reports.  A two-thirds
majority vote had previously been required to adopt
recommendations that require amendment of a constitution or bylaw
provision for implementation from a task force report. The
assembly voted to extend that two-thirds majority vote
requirement to "amendments or substitute motions related to" such
recommendations as well.
     The Rev. William "Chris" C. Boerger, voting member and
bishop of the ELCA Northwest Washington Synod, said, "[T]o have a
simple majority amend [amendments or substitute motions] could
create confusion at a later time." This change, Boerger said,
treats amendments or substitute resolutions "with the same
certainty and confidence" as the recommendations themselves.
      Larry I. Rank, voting member, ELCA Oregon Synod, did not
support the change. "In the past eight assemblies, there were a
lot of very contentious subjects ... I don't know that the rules
were changed in order to go through these subjects, and I don't
know that the time is now to go ahead and change that rule."
     Hanson and the assembly parliamentarian, David Swartling,
Seattle, Wash., were frequently in conference as voting members
attempted to understand the implications of their vote to expand
the decisions requiring a two-thirds majority.
     "My goal is to help you be as clear as you can on what
you're voting on and the implications of what you're voting on,"
said Hanson. "What this amendment did is [spread] a larger
blanket over the possible actions that would require a two-thirds
vote."
     The requirement of a two-thirds majority vote was extended
to "amendments or substitute motions related to" recommendations
from a task force report that would establish a new practice or
policy that is contrary to an existing policy that was adopted by
the Church Council upon recommendation of a board or committee.
     The Rev. Stacie R. Fidlar, voting member, ELCA Northern
Illinois Synod, made a motion to allow registered visitors to
speak at hearings on issues before the assembly. Currently only
voting members may ask questions at hearings. "A number of
registered visitors come with hope to be heard.  Anyone who has
registered can bring wisdom and experience to those hearings,"
she said.
     The Rev. Lowell G. Almen, ELCA secretary, clarified the
background of existing policy. "Evaluations [after earlier
assemblies] indicated that voting members had not had adequate
opportunity to engage in conversation in the hearings and ask
their questions because there was a feeling expressed that time
had been heavily used by visitors, and in some cases advisory
members, rather than voting members," Almen said. The amendment
to this policy was defeated.
     Mr. Frank J. Slagle, voting member, ELCA South Dakota Synod,
moved to close the assembly proceedings on the sexuality studies
proposals to all but voting members and advisors. The assembly
ruled this request not germane to discuss.
     After several hours of debate and over 30 votes on the
rules, the voting members adopted the Order of Business of the
assembly swiftly.
     
    Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at
http://www.elca.org/assembly/05 on the Web.
     
For more information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org 
http://www.elca.org/news