13th Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Year C
Luke 12:49-56
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America held our biennial (becoming triennial) Churchwide Assembly last week, in which 1000 voting members from all over the country came together in Pittsburgh, PA to do the work of the church. Today I provided a summary of the work we did at CWA (as it is known to insiders), including electing a new Presiding Bishop, approving a new Social Statement on Criminal Justice, resolutions on various public issues, and an effort to increase the church's commitment to youth and young adults. The Gospel lesson for today is a frightening one, Jesus bringing fire and division instead of the oft-expected hugs and kumbayas. It's still the Good News for us, if you know what to listen for.
Below the sermon audio I'll include a summary and links to the major work done at the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, much of which I described in this sermon.
Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton:
ELCA Press Release
TIME Swampland Q&A
Pittsburgh Gazette article
Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber
Memorials: ELCA positions on public issues
ELCA Press Release
The ELCA Churchwide Assembly passed memorials relating to peace in Israel / Palestine, community violence, pastoral care of same-gender couples, immigration reform, and more.
“The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries”
-- a social statement on criminal justice
Webpage and text of Social Statement
ELCA Press Release
Campaign
of the ELCA
– First-ever fundraising campaign
5 Years (starting in 2014); Original proposal $190 million
Congregations
$12 million - $8 for renewing congregations; $4 mission starts
Leadership
$15 million - increase endowment for fund for leaders
Relief and development
$130 million - ELCA malaria campaign, ELCA world hunger, ELCA disaster response - all in support of long term change – about 2/3 of total campaign.
Global church
$33 million - grants to ELCA companion churches, women leadership development, expand and support ELCA missionaries and YAGM.
5 Years (starting in 2014); Original proposal $190 million
Congregations
$12 million - $8 for renewing congregations; $4 mission starts
Leadership
$15 million - increase endowment for fund for leaders
Relief and development
$130 million - ELCA malaria campaign, ELCA world hunger, ELCA disaster response - all in support of long term change – about 2/3 of total campaign.
Global church
$33 million - grants to ELCA companion churches, women leadership development, expand and support ELCA missionaries and YAGM.
Amended to add: $4 million for youth / young adult, $4
million for disability ministries
Final TOTAL: $198 million fundraising campaign, 2014-2018.
No comments:
Post a Comment