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From August 12-17 in Pittsburgh  PA, fifteen voting members from the Rocky Mountain Synod joined together with fellow ELCA members for the 2013 Churchwide Assembly.  Below are reflections on their experience:

Responses of gratitude – It is such an honor to be part of the church wide gathering not only to learn about the celebrations and concerns but also to watch the body in action. After each vote result was announced, whether it was for elected position or social statement or other proposal, the gathering’s response seemed to embody gratitude. Applause offered, folks supporting one another when the result was not what they had hoped, leaders involved in preparing the matter to present to the assembly, exchanging hugs of celebration and/or support… this is something not captured by the live streaming or video replays.
                                                                                                                -Pat Holman

It was a joy to be a part of the Rocky Mountain Synod delegation. We were fifteen strong and dedicated to the idea that we were  God’s hands at work. I saw this reflected in the election of our new Presiding Bishop, Elizabeth Eaton. During the ecclesiastical ballot, there were many votes for Bishop Mark Hanson.  As the process continued it was obvious that the Spirit was at work in our group and throughout the Assembly. Our members were prayerful, thoughtful, and spirit-led as the decision was finally reached that Bishop Eaton was the person to lead our church into the future.
                                                                                                                -Earline Bohling

Individual voices are heard and make a difference.  I believe that was true when Bishop Eaton got up and spoke.  Her words significantly changed the outcome of the vote each time she spoke.  One person got up to the microphone to advocate for ministry with disabled persons, making an amendment to add an additional four million dollars to the 25th Anniversary Fund Campaign.  While I personally disagreed that simply adding more money was the right approach, the assembly listened to this one voice and passed the amendment.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                -Susan Candea
I believe this is indeed what it means to be a community of faith centered in Christ:  welcoming all, using our varied gifts, feeding the hungry, proclaiming the reign of God.  And that is what we do together as members of individual communities who gather together regionally in synods and work together nationally as churchwide.  We are Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and what a gift we are to the world!  

While I am personally sad that Bishop Hanson was not re-elected, I am hopeful that God is doing new and exciting things in the ELCA. In fact, the theme of the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly and the 25th Anniversary year of the church is: Always Being Made New! Apparently the Holy Spirit agreed with the message of the theme and moved the voting members in a new direction. Bishop Eaton represents the first female to be Presiding Bishop of the ELCA or any of our predecessor church bodies. This indeed is an historic time in the life of the church. My sense of the Assembly, however, is that the voting membership did not set out to make history but to allow the Holy Spirit to guide them in choosing the person best equipped for leading us forward in the mission of Jesus over the next six years.
                                                                                                                                -Doug Hill

Summary of Actions from the 2013 Churchwide Assembly
  • Elected the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton as ELCA presiding bishop
  • Elected Wm Chris Boerger as ELCA secretary
  • Adopted “The Church and Criminal Justice: Hearing the Cries”.
  • Approved ELCA’s first major fundraising campaign
  • Moved to extend the Book of Faith initiative
  • Adopted ELCA budget proposals for 2014-2016
  • Considered proposals from the Memorials Committee
  • Considered resolutions from the Reference and Counsel committee

    More information and full reports can be found here.

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