Title: Lutheran Youth Organization Delegates Act on Resolutions ELCA NEWS SERVICE
July 13, 2006
Lutheran Youth Organization Delegates Act on Resolutions 06-102-JB
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (ELCA) -- More than 300 delegates attending the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) convention here acted on a series of proposals, addressing such issues as Lutheran unity, prayer, peacemaking, advocacy, the ONE campaign, the conflict in Darfur, immigration and world hunger. The delegates met July 9-12 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
The LYO represents the high-school-age members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Its convention meets every three years between ELCA Youth Gatherings.
About 40,000 high-school-age and adult Lutherans from the United States and around the world are participating in the 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering here. The gathering is taking place in two back-to-back events. Some 15,000 young people, chaperones and volunteers participated July 5-9; this week more than 24,000 people are participating through July 16.
At the LYO convention resolutions were proposed by delegates, local or synod youth organizations, or the LYO board. The delegates' actions included:
+ Lutheran unity: Stating they "feel moved to reach out to our brothers and sisters in other Lutheran churches by strengthening communication and realizing we are all people of God," the delegates encouraged all Lutheran church denominations "to seek unity and cooperation."
+ 4:24 campaign: During the convention, delegates paused at 4:24 p.m. each day to pray. The effort was based on the Book of Acts 4:24, which says:"When they heard (that the disciples were released from prison), they raised their voices together to God." Noting that the ELCA's evangelism strategy calls the church to prayer, the LYO invited ELCA members, congregations, synods, churchwide organizations, agencies and institutions to join young Lutherans for one minute of prayer at 4:24 p.m. each day.
+ Kairos 2006: Delegates encouraged the ELCA to enter into moral discussion "concerning our nation's foreign and military policy," suggested use of peacemaking resources, and asked members to "prayerfully consider becoming involved in studying, developing and signing 'Kairos 2006,' as one step in being a 'public church' following God's command to be peacemakers." Kairos 2006 is a statement of concern drafted by Seattle-area Lutherans and others, and is available at http://kairos2006.tripod.com/ on the Web.
+ ELCA advocacy: The board of the LYO said it would work to establish a liaison position with the ELCA's advocacy offices "to engage youth in education and advocacy on issues that affect our communities, nation, and the world, (on) which the ELCA has taken a position."
+ ONE Lutheran campaign: Delegates joined with the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, and the ELCA Conference of Bishops in endorsing the ONE campaign, an effort to end global poverty. The LYO delegates "strongly encouraged" LYO members to sign the ONE pledge and join the ELCA e-Advocacy Network at http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy, and asked LYO representatives to plan outreach campaigns in their synods to promote the ONE campaign.
+ Darfur: In response to Hanson's statement in May 2006 urging ELCA members to take action on behalf of the people of Darfur, Sudan, LYO delegates asked the organization to "raise awareness about the Darfur conflict and world genocide" through a variety of methods, and resolved that the LYO use (its) talents and tools "to help those in need in Darfur and around the world."
+ Immigration: While saying they do not condone illegal immigration, the delegates said the ministry of LYO "should not be contingent on (the) legal status of immigrants." Delegates supported an April 2006 immigration statement issued by Ralston H. Deffenbaugh Jr., president of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Baltimore, Hanson and most members of the ELCA Conference of Bishops, promoting a path toward permanent residence for all immigrants currently in the United States. Delegates asked the LYO board to establish communication among synods on immigration issues, and asked that the board work with its Multicultural Advisory Committee to "call for development of resources to guide members of the LYO to set forth a youth ministry to immigrant youth."
+ World hunger: Delegates challenged every congregation youth group or synod LYO in the ELCA "to raise money toward (the) ELCA World Hunger Appeal and Disaster (Response) to fight to end world hunger and raise awareness of extreme hunger and poverty" in 2007. They asked the church to provide resources and tools to assist the youth in meeting this challenge, and encouraged each youth group and synod LYO to set a fundraising goal.
Delegates acted on other issues such as developing a partnership with ELCA outdoor ministries; called for an amendment to the ELCA Constitution and Bylaws to permit ELCA Church Council youth advisory members to serve a three-year term instead of a two-year term; and adopted LYO's priorities for the next three years, focusing on being a community of faith, engaging in conversation, training leaders, developing and sustaining partnerships, being servant leaders, and working to address the lack of involvement by young people in congregations. They also approved a series of proposals on internal LYO concerns.
The delegates spent considerable time debating a resolution on the war in Iraq before tabling it and taking no action. The proposal was aimed at promoting conversation about the war.
Delegates defeated a proposal on environmental stewardship that asked the LYO board to compile resources to increase awareness of environmental issues and stewardship. The delegates asked that the LYO board reconsider this resolution.
The convention included worship, prayer, workshops, conversations on a series of contemporary topics, elections of officers and a new board, discussions about the organization's future and inspirational presentations.
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Information about the Lutheran Youth Organization is at http://www.ELCA.org/lyo/ on the ELCA Web site.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog