The 2022 ELCA Churchwide Assembly concluded Aug. 12 at the Greater Columbus (Ohio) Convention Center. Day four included a service of Holy Communion and the seventh plenary session.
Imran Siddiqui was installed as ELCA vice president during the closing worship service, which included a prayer led by Secretary Sue Rothmeyer with intercessory response from the voting members and church leaders.
Patricia Davenport, bishop of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, offered the sermon. “Our call is God’s call for us to live in faith and hope and peace in the world, that people might see Jesus in all that they do and all that we do,” she said.
During plenary, the assembly acted on the remaining memorials removed for separate consideration:
- Memorial B11 – Specialized Ministries and On Leave from Call Status: Directs (642-76) the Church Council to establish a process for examining policies, procedures and constitutional provisions related to specialized ministry calls and on-leave from call status, as well as protocols for removal from rosters and communication on such actions. The memorial also urges bishops and synod councils to use sparingly any action that removes a minister from the roster for nondisciplinary reasons until this review process is complete.
- Memorial A4 – Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Reaffirms (672-45) the church’s commitment to engage in creation care and to act in support of 50% reduction in 2005 U.S. levels of greenhouse gas pollution by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, including having the churchwide organization meet these goals. The memorial also urges continued work with the Creation Care Network, encourages congregants and rostered ministers to witness to the climate emergency and affirms the Mission Investment Fund’s “Green Building” initiative.
- Memorial B5 – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility (DEIA) ELCA Governance Audit: Authorizes (538-175) the Church Council to determine parameters, expenses and revenue sources to provide for an external audit of the “Constitution, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the ELCA” that examines diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the church’s governing documents. The memorial calls on the Church Council to report the findings of the audit and directs the legal committee to recommend changes.
The assembly also acted on the remaining resolutions from the Reference and Counsel Committee, honored outgoing synod bishops and recognized Church Council members completing their service.
The 2025 Churchwide Assembly will be held in Phoenix.
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 3 million members in more than 8,700 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
