August 11, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. – The five full communion partners of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) brought official greetings to the 2005 Churchwide Assembly, each expressing gratitude and blessings for the deepening ecumenical relationships that have developed.

The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 8-14 at the World Center Marriott and Convention Center. About 2,300 people are participating, including 1,018 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Marked with the Cross of Christ Forever."

THE MORAVIAN CHURCH

"The full communion partnership is enriching the lives of congregations and indeed our denominational structure and programs," said the Rev. Robert Sawyer, president of the Moravian Church.

He spoke of how the partnership has moved the denomination to engage in "fruitful conversations with the Episcopal Church and the Reformed churches," also full communion partners with the ELCA.

"We value our ties with the ELCA," he said. "You have found favor with God."

REFORMED CHURCHES

Robina Winbush, ecumenical officer of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who represented that church, the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ in her greetings, also spoke of how the full communion partnership with the ELCA had influenced their other ecumenical efforts.

"Because you are in communion with the Moravians, we are moved to learn what we can from them," she told the ELCA assembly.

Speaking to the fruits of the full communion partnership, Winbush said, "We give thanks to God that we are able to share pastors one with another. We give thanks to God for the many congregations who are finding ways to worship and work together. And we look forward to 2007 and the joint multicultural conference of our four churches."

Both Winbush and Sawyer spoke of the difficulties of being an aging church, a church divided over social issues, and of declining membership as common issues between the denominations.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH GREETINGS

Thomas Ferguson, associate deputy for ecumenical and interfaith relations of the Episcopal Church, drew applause from the assembly as he spoke of how he was influenced by "the great Lutheran theologians, Davey and Goliath – the [Martin] Luther and [Philip] Melanchthon of my generation, Generation X."

He went on to give thanks for "the movement of the Spirit between our two communions. Our relationship is one driven by our mission together," he said.

Like previous speakers, Ferguson also addressed current common struggles facing the two denominations.

"We stand in solidarity as both our churches face difficult questions on evangelism and matters of sexuality. Like you, we are not all of one mind," he said. "We hold this relationship to be all the more important because of our struggles. Know that we are praying for you."

Information on the full communion partnerships can be found online at http://www.ELCA.org/ecumenical/.

Information about the ELCA Churchwide Assembly is at http://www.elca.org/assembly/05/ on the Web.

ELCA News Service