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News Synod assemblies:


Mission, marriage and more A


s synods continued to meet this spring, assemblies discussed mission, urging support for the


ELCA Malaria Campaign and cam- pus ministries, sharing their stories and more. Others debated state legis- lation and marriage.


Western Iowa, April 27-28, Spencer, Iowa. • Held a festival assembly where congregations were challenged to “show off their ministries” and share their stories. • Signed a covenant with visitors from its companion partner, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile, to strengthen each other for life and mission within the body of Christ.


Metropolitan Washington, D.C., April 27-28, Leesport, Va. • Committed to pray for peace among Iran, its neigh- bors and the U.S. • Gave support to the Maryland Civil Marriage Protec- tion Act, calling on congregations and members to welcome, care for and support same-gender couples and their families and to advocate for their legal protection. • Asked congregations to use the expertise of the Lutheran Association of Christian Educators. • Supported the Dream Act’s commitment to provide all immigrant children, documented or not, the chance to attend college at in-state and in-county tuition rates.


Eastern Washington-Idaho, April 27-29, Wenatchee, Wash. • Urged leaders to read again the ELCA social state-


Reports submitted by John Dellis, Vicki Han- rahan, Amanda Highben, Karen Krueger, Robin McCants, Rachel Pritchett, Sue Shallow, Rebekah Wedge and gathered from synod websites.


36 The Lutheran • www.thelutheran.org


ment on human sexuality; invited congregations to conduct forums on the “broader and complex issues of human sexuality from which then informed and intelligent voter deci- sions can be made.” A referendum on the state’s marriage equality law may come before voters in Novem- ber. • Requested that the ELCA advocacy office solicit the federal administration to lift the require- ment that ethanol be part of all motor fuel and ask Congress to phase out subsidies that “fund research into the conversion of food crops into fuel and the manufacture of these.”


Oregon, April 27-29, Sunriver, Ore. • Urged congregations to seek out, learn from and help support ELCA ethnic ministries throughout the synod. • Called on its council and synod staff to develop benchmark indicators for congregational health to be used for conversations with churches facing declining capacity or concerns around sustainability.


Northeastern Minnesota, April 27-29, Grand Rapids, Minn. • Affirmed its welcome, care and support of same- gender couples while opposing legislation that would prevent them and their families from “pursuing ordinary legislative or legal means to gain the support and protections afforded to all others.” A Minnesota amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman will come before voters in November. • Defeated a resolution calling on members to have conversation and moral deliberation about the marriage amendment to assist the “individual voter to vote their conscience.”


Southeastern Pennsylvania, May 4-5, Telford, Pa. • Committed to support- ing the ELCA Malaria Campaign through prayer, advocacy, education and financial resources. • Urged congregations to participate in the Lutheran Association of Christian Educators. • Asked congregations to increase awareness of and participa- tion in lay theological education.


Southeastern Minnesota, May 4-5, Roch- ester, Minn. • Voted to oppose the proposed Minnesota amendment that would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. • Urged congregations to pass on a minimum of 10 percent of undesignated income to synod and churchwide ministries. • Called for an increase in the synod’s giving to the churchwide organiza- tion. • Sought support of Lutheran Campus Ministry through prayer, a Campus Ministry Sunday and finan- cially. • Resolved to raise at least $100,000 a year until 2015 for the ELCA Malaria Campaign in addition to giving to ELCA World Hunger.


Florida-Bahamas, May 4-6, Lake Buena Vista, Fla. • Passed a resolution on racial healing that invokes prayer for the Florida justice system and the families involved in recent events in Sanford, Fla.; urges congregations to study the ELCA social statement on racism and the proposed state- ment on criminal justice; and calls for congregations to develop compe- tency in cross-cultural ministries. • Asked the synod and congregations to buy fair trade products that reflect the justice values of the gospel.


South-Central of Wisconsin, May 5-6, Wis-


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