number of congregations withdraw- ing has slowed considerably. The ELCA now has 9,540 congregations, the report said, with 155 congrega- tions in the development stage. In 2012, 43 congregations withdrew from the ELCA. Combined with congregations that closed, merged or were removed, there was a loss of 106 congregations last year. Glimpses of ELCA activity in world missions were presented to the assembly. Bishop Philip Lok of the Lutheran Church of Malaysia brought a gift of cherry blossoms, a symbol of new beginning, and recalled that there was no church in his village “until the Lutherans came.” With the assembly theme of “Always being made new,” emphasis was laid on new ministries, new inter- national outreach, and new ecumeni- cal and interreligious partners. Ruban Duran, director for new congregations, told the assembly that since its founding, the ELCA has established 435 congregations, with 330 new starts currently being devel- oped, including 56 starts in 2012. At least half of the new starts, he said, are part of the ELCA effort to develop ethnic-specific ministries or to work in areas of deep poverty.
A farewell D
Boerger elected on fifth ballot
Serves up ‘yummy’ parts of ELCA Constitution W
m Chris Boerger, a former bishop of the Northwest Wash- ington Synod, will serve as the third secretary of the ELCA. Boerger, 64, succeeds another synod member—David D. Swar- tling, a trial attorney who didn’t seek a second term. Boerger, who once recommended Swartling for a stint as the Churchwide Assembly par- liamentarian, told him, “I think I got you into this. … Payback is, in fact, fun.”
Boerger received 489 of the 867 votes cast on the fifth and final bal- lot, over Michael Cooper-White, president of the Lutheran Theologi- cal Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.). Cheryl G. Stuart, an attorney from the Florida-Bahamas Synod, had led on the first three ballots. Speaking to voting members,
Boerger remembered his mother, who before her death asked for the entire book of Ephesians to be read at her funeral. Her words: “I know
avid D. Swartling bid farewell as ELCA secretary, heralding numerous changes in the church over the past six years while acknowledging “there always will be unfinished business.” “I frequently have referred to
service as secretary of this church as a multidimensional odyssey,” he said in his report. “This odyssey has consisted of geographical and spiri- tual journeys, and I value all I have learned along the way.”
Swartling didn’t seek re-election and will return to Washington where he was a partner in a law firm. He called the ELCA’s constitution both a legal and planning document that “provide(s) templates to facili- tate both strategic and operational planning,” thus making it a “mis- sional document.”
He pointed to the work of the
office that keeps the church’s record and implements Churchwide Assem- bly actions, among other duties. It also provides legal counsel and coor- dinates insurance coverage. Further, as secretary he served on the boards
that’s too long. Then read Ephe- sians 2. If that’s too long, pick the yummy parts.” Boerger said
Boerger
Ephesians 2:8-10, his confirmation verses, could really be considered the first four chapters of the ELCA Constitution. It “points us in the direction God wants us to go and gives us the structure to accomplish it,” he said.
As the church shares the good news of Jesus, we must know our rules, gifts and history, he said. “And that’s what the secretary does: plans events, makes sure the records are up-to-date, makes sure the con- stitutions are working, makes sure the manual for the maintenance of the roster is in the hands of every synod office and that everybody knows what they are,” he said. Boerger begins serving his six- year-term Nov. 1.
of two separately incorporated church units, Portico Benefit Services and Augsburg Fortress, Publishers. Swartling said “development of lay leadership” that works with clergy is crucial, but “the level of col- laboration [is] uneven.” In addition, he cited a “lack of ability to develop and disseminate ‘best practices’ ” that resulted in “painful lessons ...,” such as embezzlements in six synods. Still, Swartling said he and his wife, Barbara, “depart with the expectation that the Holy Spirit will continue to infuse and animate the work of this amazing church.”
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