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By Daniel J. Lehmann
Church moves on to Orlando
Much focus remains on mission I
t’s August and time for the ELCA Churchwide Assembly (page 12). The 12th biennial gather- ing doesn’t present the same air of anticipation as did the 2009 assembly. Why? Starting on a less serious note, consider meet-
ing in central Florida in the middle of summer. Don’t be fooled by the location, the Orlando World Center Marriott, or by photos of this hotel and convention center. The venue is isolated and the average daily high is 90 degrees this time of year. This isn’t meant to pick on the site—indeed, the ELCA got a very good rate. And this facility is built for those doing work, such as an assembly, as well as those with time for leisure. Don’t look for The Lutheran staff at the pools. That doesn’t mean gatherings of this sort aren’t fun. They usually are. If
you don’t get excited about associating with more than 1,000 others from across this country and delving into the work of a national church body, then you’re missing out on what it means to be in community with so many folks who are not just like you. While the lay-clergy mix will be 60-40 percent, and people of color/first language other than English a tested 10 percent, some 13 percent will be peo- ple age 30 and under. If you’ve ever attended a synod assembly, you should immediately notice the lower average age. The bigger issue is the lingering effects of decisions made at the 2009
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Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis. The impact of votes on the sexual- ity statement and changes in rostering requirements to allow gays and les- bians in committed relationships to serve as pastors is still being sorted out. While there are four items for consideration relating to those decisions, it has become fairly clear over the past two synod assembly seasons (page 34) that the denomination is moving on. Just look at the articles in this issue. They tell a tale of a church engaged in mission, of people living out lives of faith through their actions and deeds. And increasingly doing so in a manner that stretches members in new and different ways. This issue is typical of what The Lutheran offers each month beyond the cover story: four pieces on our members doing God’s work, be it intentional transformational ministry at a declining congregation (page 14) or new ways of conducting church in a mission start (page 16), teens trained to take on disaster relief projects (page 18) or helping build a better world for some in India (page 30). Throw in a piece on spirituality (page 28) and one on theology (page 32) and you’ll get a sense of the vitality pres- ent in the ELCA. Clearly, the church keeps moving forward. We’ll see what else may be in store for us as we gather in Orlando. M
They tell a tale of a church engaged in mission, of people living out lives of faith through their actions and deeds.
MICHAEL D. WATSON
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