In just over a week from now the national denomination of which we are a part will meet at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It will begin with worship at 4:00 on Monday, August 17 and will conclude at noon on Sunday, August 23.
Visitor registrations will be accepted at the Assembly Registration Desk in the Minneapolis Convention Center as space permits. The Registration Desk will open at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, August 17, 2009, at the Minneapolis Convention Center and remain open throughout the duration of the Churchwide Assembly.
The decisions made at this "ELCA churchwide assembly" are not binding on us as a local church. They do, however, influence our future, especially as regards the next generation of pastors and church teachings.
A paper copy of a "2009 Pre-Assembly Report to Congregations" has been received in our church office. Included in the Pre-Assembly report are the following:
*OFFICIAL NOTICE
*INTRODUCTION TO THE 11th ELCA CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLY
*RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ELCA CHURCH COUNCIL
- ELECTION OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
- FULL COMMUNION WITH THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
- FUNDING OF THE HIV AND AIDS STRATEGY
- LUTHERAN MALARIA INITIATIVE
- SOCIAL STATEMENT: "HUMAN SEXUALITY: GIFT AND TRUST"
- MINISTRY POLICIES (regarding homosexual pastors & other "rostered leaders")
- SOCIAL STATEMENT ON JUSTICE FOR WOMEN
- AMENDMENTS TO THE ELCA CONSTITUTIONS, BYLAWS AND CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS
- 2010-2011 BUDGET PROPOSAL
If you would like a paper or PDF copy of all or part of this report that is now in our church office, please call or email and let us know.
I am pre-registered as a congregational observer and plan to attend as much of the assembly as seems prudent. If you plan to come down during the assembly as a visitor, let me know!
Please share your thoughts, questions, concerns and ideas. Please be in prayer.
Your bold faced comment, not binding on us, is intriguing. How does that square with Lutheran polity? I believe that Lutheranism does not practice a congregational polity, but you are taking the position that an action of the church in assembly is only advisory to local congregations. Does this apply to decisions of the synod in assembly as well? What positions of church wide or synod are binding? Are creeds or the Lutheran understanding of the sacraments binding on Lutheran congregations? Are congregations bound to call recognized Lutheran pastors as their pastors or do congregations have the option to hire anyone they choose?
ReplyDeleteNo congregation is ever forced to call any particular pastor, so the ELCA does have "congregational polity" in terms of calling pastors. The proposed revisions of the ministry policies would give local congregations an official option (unlike the unofficial option some exercise now) to call those in same sex unions to be pastors, etc. That's probably the center of what I was talking about. As a practical matter, the ELCA exercises very loose oversight except when there is a major breach of policy, such as in the case of sexual misconduct, so, in practice, congregations act very independently. That's why there is such variation among ELCA congregations.
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