ELCIC National Convention

            As many of you know, our national church met in convention from June 21-24 here in Winnipeg.  The emphasis was on the fact that we are A People Called to be In Mission for Others.  The following are some convention highlights:

A New National Bishop - Pastor Susan Johnson was elected on the sixth ballot as our next national bishop.  She will be ordained a bishop on Sept. 29^th here in Winnipeg.  Susan hails from B.C. and has most recently been serving in the Eastern Synod as an assistant to the bishop.  For what it's worth, she was a classmate of mine at seminary J

Motion #22:  This motion from National Church Council affirmed that different mission strategies are needed in different parts of Canada.  "Accordingly, we encourage synods to develop ways to best minister to people who live in committed same-sex relationships, including the possibility of blessing such unions."  In other words, each of the 5 synods would be able to make their own decisions on the subject.  The motion was defeated by a vote of 200-181.

            Although some may have been relieved, few were happy with the outcome.  The reality is that there are people on both sides of the issue who will not quit until their particular point of view is affirmed as church policy and doctrine.  I fully expect that this will continue to be on the agenda at future conventions until a definitive decision is made.

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) - Thankfully, there was also opportunity to hear about the good work that is being done around the globe in the name of Jesus Christ.  Kathy Magnus, in her usual engaging style, taught us the refrain: "66 Million Lutherans Do make a Difference!"  She also shared some personal stories from Rwanda about the difference made by LWF in the lives of the people there.

            A new LWF map is now on the bulletin board.  I have a small prize for the first person (or two) who identifies the two errors on the map J

Constitutional Amendments - At one point, Maaike Froelich (NCC) got up and said, "You've heard today about many interesting and important ministries that are happening throughout our church.  And now: bylaws!"  In actual fact, some important changes were adopted.  First and foremost, the Youth Assembly was granted the right to vote.  Other changes reflected the diaconal ministers who are already serving in our church, as well as our full communion agreement with the Anglican Church of Canada.  However, the change that produced the most discussion was the possibility of an "Alternative Route" to ordination.  This program is proposed in order to serve congregations with long vacancies that can't be filled through regular means.

Lutheran-Anglican Day (June 21) - An approximately 7 hour worship service formed the framework for a day together at the Convention Centre.  The day included singing, prayer, Scripture, discussion, lunch, presentations, and Eucharist.  The focus for the day was on how the gospel of Jesus Christ calls us to care for the earth.  The next day, our own convention adopted a Stewardship of Creation initiative.

Retirement Celebrations:  An Evening of Thanks honoured a number of people who are retiring, including National Bishop Raymond Schultz and missionary Pastor Katharine Bergbusch.

I hope to follow up on this brief summary with some reflection on "What does this mean?"

    In Christ, Pastor Lynne H. Moore