Synod assemblies this spring continued to vote on resolutions related to Called to Common Mission, the ELCA's full communion agreement with the Episcopal Church. While two synods called for exceptions to CCM's ordination requirements, seven assemblies defeated such resolutions. The Eastern Washington-Idaho Synod sent two memorials to the Churchwide Assembly, asking it to explore changes that would "allow ordinations and installations of otherwise approved candidates to occur outside the historic episcopate." The synod also asked the assembly to "recognize that receiving the historic episcopate should not be an act that is required of any Lutheran bishops, pastors, seminarians, lay ministers or members, in order to enable full participation of all members in the ELCA." The Pacifica Synod voted 151-130 to ask the Churchwide Assembly to make constitutional and bylaw changes that would "provide for the ordination by another pastor" of pastoral candidates who have theological objections to the historic episcopate. The resolution also asked that any newly elected bishop's theological objections to being installed into the historic episcopate be "honored by the appointment of an appropriate bishop to preside for the newly elected bishop's installation." The resolution acknowledged significant "diversity of opinion" within the synod itself. The Oregon Synod and six other synods defeated resolutions to allow exceptions to CCM. Calling CCM-related exceptions "inconsistent with this church's previously adopted full communion agreement with the Episcopal Church," the Southeastern Synod voiced its opposition to a proposed bylaw to come before the 2001 Churchwide Assembly that would allow exceptions to CCM's ordination requirements. The New Jersey Synod assembly defeated a resolution asking the Churchwide Assembly to allow exceptions to ordination by bishops within the historic episcopate. The assembly noted that the Conference of Bishops and ELCA Church Council were already moving to consider exceptions for ordinands as a matter of pastoral care, but that exceptions for bishops' installations would be considered out-of-bounds in light of the ELCA's full communion agreement with the Episcopal Church. The Southeastern Michigan Synod defeated all resolutions seeking to change or alter the way CCM is implemented, but passed a resolution asking its congregations to "carefully and thoroughly study" CCM's provisions. The Rocky Mountain Synod opposed asking the Office of the Presiding Bishop to "explore ways" in CCM's implementation to realize "full participation in the ELCA of all members." The Montana Synod defeated resolutions asking for a new vote on CCM and for congregational votes on any action passed by less than 75 percent of the Churchwide Assembly. In the Southeastern Iowa Synod, a resolution failed (194-184, with 33 abstentions) to amend the ELCA constitution to allow "bishops and other pastors in the ELCA to remain outside the historic episcopate." Focusing on mission The Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana, Southeastern, Southeastern Iowa, and Southeastern Pennsylvania synods called for a comprehensive strategy to strengthen ELCA discipleship and evangelism efforts. Included in those resolutions were calls for the establishment of a churchwide task force to develop the evangelism strategy by working with congregational leaders representing a variety of sizes, settings and worship styles. In a separate, 12-year evangelism initiative, the Oregon Synod voted to make each of its congregations a mission outpost. Sexuality The Rocky Mountain Synod encouraged its congregations to consider becoming "Reconciling in Christ" ministries that are welcoming to lesbian, gay, transgendered and bisexual people. The Southeast Michigan Synod established a task force that would "set forth biblical Christian teaching about marriage, sexuality and human relationships." The assembly also approved a resolution recognizing that although "faithful people differ" in their positions on same-sex unions, those differences shouldn't "negate the unity we have in Jesus Christ." The resolution said the decision of whether or not to bless same-sex unions would be left "to local pastoral discretion in consultation with the congregation's leadership." The New Jersey Synod launched a one-year study of the relationship between gays and lesbians and the church. In 2002 it will consider a resolution to become a Reconciling in Christ synod. Meanwhile, the Alaska Synod postponed a decision on becoming a Reconciling in Christ synod for one year to provide more time for study, conversation and discussion in congregations. Global, domestic actions:
The Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Synod assembly asked LWR to extend that campaign's work to include amputees in Sierra Leone.
During the New Jersey Synod's 2000 campaign to stem the tide of AIDS deaths in Africa, it collected $111,000, which it sent to specific ministries that have a relationship with the synod.
"We are very dissatisfied with being under the office for disability ministry," said Beth Lockard, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran, West Chester, Pa., one of the ELCA's 12 deaf congregations. "They don't understand that we don't consider ourselves disabled but another culture with our own language, our own culture ... our own liturgy."
Lockard said 98 percent of deaf people in North America are unchurched, calling it "a wide field to draw on."
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