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| Bishop Wollersheim describing the election process |
The
Churchwide Assembly is now just a week away!
Soon, 952 voting members from 65 synods and 9,638 congregations serve on
behalf of the 4,059,785 baptized members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America. Seventeen of those voting
members have been elected to serve from the Northern Illinois Synod.
This
past Saturday, Bishop Wollersheim met for the second time with our voting
members to brief them on what to expect as they gather in Pittsburgh. This will be a significant Churchwide
Assembly as the church will be electing a presiding bishop and secretary to
guide us for the next six years. Bishop
Mark Hanson has indicated that he is willing to continue in his office, but
David Swartling has stated that he will not stand again for the office of secretary. There is also a social statement on criminal
justice that will be considered.
This
year’s assembly will be largely paperless.
All voting members will be using iPads for the assembly materials. Any voting member who does not have a
personal iPad will be provided with one for the duration of the assembly.
Technology
also will allow those at home to watch all of the assembly’s plenary sessions
and, for the first time, all of the worship experiences as well. These will be streamed in real time, so it
will be just like being there in the convention center, although you may have a
better view. To follow along, simple go
to www.elca.org/assembly and
follow the instructions.
I am
looking forward to seeing some of my synod staff colleagues from across the
country. Travel budgets are very tight,
so there may not be many of us in attendance this year.
Please
remember to pray for the assembly as it meets and takes care of the business of
the church. Important decisions will be
made. The days are long and may be
stressful. Pray for our voting
members. Safe travel and good health are
always concerns. And, pray that the Holy
Spirit will guide the church that all we do be for the upbuilding of the body
of Christ.
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--JC
