ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 11, 2007
ELCA Assembly Acts to Strengthen the Church's Financial Future 07-CWA-048-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Striving to strengthen the future financial resources of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly accepted a report with recommendations Aug. 10 from the ELCA Blue Ribbon Committee on Mission Funding -- a committee appointed to study the funding policies and practices of the ELCA.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, met here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall. About 2,000 people participated, including 1,069 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"
Since 2006 the Blue Ribbon Committee studied mission support -- funds from congregations through synods to the churchwide organization -- stewardship education, planned giving, designated and restricted giving all aimed at strengthening the ELCA's finances.
From its study the committee developed a report -- "Mission Flowing from God's Abundance" -- that includes a history on patterns of giving in the ELCA and its predecessor church bodies, a description of the pattern of decline in mission support, a theology of stewardship, a philosophy of mission funding, mission support outcomes and goals.
With a 623-52 vote, the assembly received "with gratitude" the report of the Blue Ribbon Committee, commended the content of the report for study and reflection throughout the church, and fostered a renewed commitment to "vigorous mission-support efforts." These efforts include the examination of best practices for mission funding, evaluation of stewardship education programs, education of financial stewardship for new professional church leaders, and dissemination of regular, concise communication on mission interpretation.
With an 811-154 vote, the assembly amended the resolution to include a proposal -- for presentation to the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly -- that calls for the development and implementation of a resource to "help congregations assess their responsible and accountable use of God's resources commended to their care."
John Litke, voting member, ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod, offered the amendment. "The motion, as stated, talks a lot about income and it talks a lot about giving. But stewardship, by the report's notes, also includes a more comprehensive understanding how all of us, individuals and congregations, make full use of the resources entrusted to our care," he said, adding that he advocates for a resource to guide congregations on making "the most effective use of our resources," particularly when the financial "survival of a congregation" and benevolence suffers.
Another amendment designed to encourage congregations to share with synods and the churchwide organization a minimum of 10 percent of their mission support, with planned annual increases of at least 15 percent, was defeated with a 139-535 vote.
The idea to create the Blue Ribbon Committee originated with the ELCA Conference of Bishops, an advisory body of the church consisting of the 65 synods bishops, secretary and presiding bishop of the church, and a proposal was approved by the Church Council in November 2005. - - -
Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/ on the Web.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news