August 14, 2005

ORLANDO, Fla. – Voting members at the 2005 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted six memorials Aug. 13 that related to a social statement on bioethical research; refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants: faithful conversations about Scripture; a mission- support covenant; HIV and AIDS education; and licensed lay ministers.

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."

Memorials are resolutions submitted by synods seeking specific action. Prior to Aug. 13, the assembly had time only to consider two memorials offered by the memorials committee – one affirming and stepping up the ELCA's commitment to ending world hunger, and another calling for continuing and expanding dialogues between Jewish and Christian people. Voting members approved both those memorials.

The memorials committee co-chairs – the Rev. Diane "Dee" H. Pederson, St. Cloud, Minn., and Karl D. Anderson, Lakeville, Minn., announced that a proposed memorial on the composition of the ELCA Church Council would be covered by a separate action of the assembly.

In all, the memorials committee was planning to offer 12 memorials for assembly action. This means that three remain for consideration on Aug. 14.

Following is a brief description of each of the six memorials voting members adopted Aug. 13:

• Bioethical research: Responding to a memorial from the ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod, the memorial calls on the ELCA Division for Church in Society to develop a social statement that "addresses significant theological, ethical, public, and pastoral challenges arising from developments in genetics" for possible consideration by the 2011 churchwide assembly and "encourages continued faithful conversations on the topic throughout the church."

• Refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants: Based on memorials from 12 synods, voting members approved action to "welcome and encourage task forces to empower this church in its engagement with refugee and immigrant issues" and mandates strengthening the church's work with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. It also calls on the U.S. Congress "to end immediately the detention and imprisonment of non-criminal asylum seekers, undocumented laborers," and others who are incarcerated and to "implement just, consistent and humane practices regarding the treatment of asylum seekers."

• Faithful conversations about Scripture: This action refers to a memorial from the ELCA North Carolina Synod on "foundational issues of the authority of Scripture and principles of biblical interpretation" to the ELCA Office of the Secretary, in consultation with others in the church "for development of a report and possible recommendations" for consideration at the April 2006 meeting of the ELCA Church Council.

• Mission-support covenant: In response to a memorial from the ELCA Lower Susquehanna Synod, this action calls for renewed efforts on the part of synods to forward at least 55 percent of the unrestricted gifts they receive for mission and ministry at the churchwide level. It also supports "further study and consultation" to find new ways of increasing such support and refers the synod's memorial to the ELCA Church Council and the ELCA Office of the Presiding Bishop for a report and "possible recommendations" to the November 2006 Church Council meeting.

• HIV and AIDS education: Growing out of memorials from the ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania and ELCA Southeastern synods, this measure refers those synods' memorials to the ELCA Division for Church in Society. Voting members approved an amendment that calls on various groups in the ELCA to urge the U.S. Congress to take action on two matters before it by fall – re-authorization of the Ryan White Act and approval of the Bush Administration's initiatives "to secure major funding ... and release current funding ... to fight HIV [and] AIDS in Africa."

• Licensed lay ministers: This action refers a memorial of the ELCA Northern Great Lakes Synod calling on the ELCA to "amend its documents" and take other measures that would allow licensed lay ministers to "solemnize weddings ... subject to the laws of the state in which [their] community is located" to the ELCA Division for Ministry, "as information for [a] study requested by the ELCA Church Council." The memorial adopted by the churchwide assembly also "anticipate[s] that a report and possible recommendations" about licensed lay ministers might come to the ELCA Church Council at its April 2006 meeting.

ELCA News Service