August 20, 2009

MINNEAPOLIS – By a vote of 958-51, the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a full communion agreement with the United Methodist Church (UMC). The agreement is the ELCA's sixth full communion relationship.

In 2008 the UMC General Conference adopted the same agreement.

The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 17-23 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,045 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "God's work. Our hands."

The assembly also adopted an implementing resolution by a vote of 922-15.

Full communion makes possible a variety of joint ministries, sharing of resources and interchangeability of clergy.

Information on the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at http://www.elca.org/assembly/, on the Web.

ELCA News Service