Churchwide Assembly 2009

Summary: (See also FAQ about Churchwide Assembly)

  • The Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America met Aug. 17-23 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,000 people participated, including 1,045 ELCA voting members. The voting members come from 65 synods and 10,448 congregations serving on behalf of the 4,709,203 baptized members of the ELCA. The theme for the biennial assembly was "God's work. Our hands."
  • The assembly adopted the social statement on human sexuality with a vote of 676 to 338 on Aug. 19. "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" is the ELCA's 10th social statement. (Read more in the ELCA news release.)
  • The assembly adopted a full communion agreement with The United Methodist Church with a vote of 958 to 51 on Aug. 20. (Read more in the ELCA news release.)
  • The assembly approved a resolution committing the church to find ways for congregations that choose to do so to "recognize, support and hold publicly accountable life-long, monogamous, same gender relationships," though the resolution did not use the word "marriage."  (Read more in the ELCA news release.)
  • Before discussing the issues of same-gender unions in the ordained ministry, the assembly approved, by a vote of 771-230, a resolution committing the church to respect the differences of opinions on the matter and honor the "bound consciences" of those who disagree.
  • The assembly voted to open the ministry of the church to gay and lesbian pastors and other professional workers living in committed relationships on Aug. 21.  The action came by a vote of 559-451 at the highest legislative body of the 4.6 million member denomination, changing the church's policy, which previously allowed people who are gay and lesbian into the ordained ministry only if they remained celibate. (Read more in the ELCA news release.)
  • During the hours of discussion, led by the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, voting members paused several times each hour for prayer, sometimes as a whole assembly, sometimes in small groups around the tables where the voting members of the assembly sat, debated and cast their votes.

    Information from the ELCA website (elca.org)

ELCA Information about Churchwide Assembly 2009

Letters in Response to the Assembly

Sermons in Response to the Assembly

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Advocacy Groups for Full Inclusion

Advocacy Groups against Full Inclusion