April 20, 2007

CHICAGO – The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recommended the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopt a resolution designed to affirm the church's work on renewing its worship life.

The council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. It met here April 14-16. Assemblies are held every other year; the next is here Aug. 6-11.

Released in October 2006, Evangelical Lutheran Worship – the ELCA and Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada's (ELCIC) new primary book of worship – is an outcome of a project initiated by the council in 2000 to renew the worship life of the ELCA. The "Renewing Worship" project invited the 4.85-million-member ELCA and the 182,077 members of the ELCIC to engage new worship materials. The ELCIC began its participation in Renewing Worship in 2001. Evangelical Lutheran Worship is published by Augsburg Fortress Publishers, Minneapolis, the publishing ministry of the ELCA.

The resolution to be considered by the 2007 Churchwide Assembly "applauds" "The Use of the Means of Grace: A Statement on the Practice of Word and Sacrament" – a 1997 statement that contributed to the development of new worship resources. It also acknowledges the 2005 ELCA Churchwide Assembly actions that encouraged the Renewing Worship effort, and it conveys appreciation to members of the ELCIC for their participation.

"The heart of the resolution is to receive with thanksgiving (Evangelical Lutheran Worship) as the primary worship resource of our church," said the Rev. Joseph G. Crippen, Northfield, Minn., council member, adding that the resolution also commits the church to the ongoing work of renewing worship.

Worship Jubilee 2007, an event celebrating the renewal of worship in the ELCA, will take place here Aug. 3-6 at Navy Pier. Worship Jubilee will feature keynote presentations, worship, workshops, and educational opportunities for children. Pre-Jubilee events Aug. 2-3 will include visiting some of Chicago's churches for "pilgrimage and prayer" on Aug. 3.

Information about Worship Jubilee 2007 is at http://www.ELCA.org/worship/jubilee/ and information about "Renewing Worship" is at http://www.renewingworship.org/ on the Web. ELCA News Service