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Synod assemblies


Synod elects first gay, American Indian bishop Assemblies debate rights, fossil fuels, peace in the Holy Land


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t its May assembly, the South- west California Synod elected R. Guy Erwin, the ELCA’s first synod bishop who is gay and in a partnered relationship. An active member of the Osage Indian Nation, he is also the first American Indian to serve as bishop.


Erwin played down his elec- tion as the ELCA’s first openly gay bishop but acknowledged his very “existence” was a symbol for broader acceptance. “The work of a bishop in our church is to lift up the church’s mes- sage of grace and peace in the wider society, to administer the church’s work in our area, and to teach and preach,” Erwin said in an email to CNN. “In this regard, the sexual orientation of the bishop may not be very important.” In May, four other synods also


elected new bishops, while six were re-elected (see page 38). Of the synods reporting in by presstime, resolutions brought before the assemblies dealt with the ELCA Malaria Campaign, rights for same-sex couples and their families, fossil fuels, nonviolence, the Holy Land and more.


Rocky Mountain, May 2-4, Colorado Springs, Colo. • Affirmed Peace Not Walls as the means by which the ELCA implements its strategy for engagement in the Holy Land con- flict; asked for study of the Kairos Palestine document (issued by Palestinian Christians as a word of hope and a challenge for churches to work for the end of Israeli occu- pation); sought an evaluation of developing investment screens and positive social investment to imple-


36 The Lutheran • www.thelutheran.org


ment policies in Peace Not Walls. • Encouraged fostering a climate of good physical, emotional and spiritual health for rostered leaders and church professionals. • Urged congregations to provide rostered leaders and church professionals one paid day a month for dedicated prayer and meditation.


Arkansas-Oklahoma, May 2-4, Tulsa, Okla. • Heard the story of the “tal- ents,” with its bishop distributing checks to congregations to see how they could increase the “talents.” Congregations are to bring stories and videos of their efforts to the 2014 assembly. • Celebrated the ELCA’s 25th anniversary with its current bishop, Mike Girlinghouse, and retired bishops, Bob Studtmann and Floyd Schoenhals, speaking at its banquet.


Sierra Pacific, May 2-4, San Jose, Calif. • Recommended study of the Kairos Palestine document and advocacy for a just and peaceful solution in the Holy Land. • Urged support for the ELCA Malaria Campaign. • Affirmed the moral imperative to reduce violence, death and injury caused by guns; asked the Church- wide Assembly to divest funds away from organizations involved in the manufacture, sale or distribu- tion of guns and ammunition. • Promoted increased donations of healthy food to pantries and estab- lishment of community gardens. • Asked the Churchwide Assembly to call for legislation prohibiting employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. • Invited conversa- tions regarding ways the church can


advocate for equal protections for same-gender couples and their fam- ilies. • Backed the Uniting Ameri- can Families Act, which would give binational same-sex couples the same immigration rights afforded to heterosexual couples. • Asked the Churchwide Assembly to urge all branches of government to rec- ognize the freedom to marry for all people; sought further conversa- tions on this topic.


Pacifica Synod, May 2-4, San Diego • Continued its involvement in the ELCA Malaria Campaign (www. elca.org/malaria) beyond its $250,000 goal. • Established a task force to study increased coopera- tion with the Southwest California Synod, including a possible merger. • Memorialized the ELCA Church- wide Assembly to promote a culture of nonviolence through educa- tion and advocacy for background checks for all gun sales “regardless of point of origin” and “improved mental illness and domestic vio- lence services.” • Requested that the 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopt the proposed social statement on criminal justice, “The Church and Criminal Justice: Hear- ing the Cries” (www.elca.org/ socialstatements).


Southeastern Pennsylvania, May 3-4, Telford, Pa. • Learned that the syn- od’s youth-led malaria campaign exceeded its goal by more than $20,000. With time left in the school year, more than $120,000 had been raised.


Northeastern Minnesota, May 3-5, Grand Rapids, Minn. • Encouraged its congre-


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