Today began with the report of Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, in which she emphasized the same four points she made when she was elected twelve years ago.
- We are Church.
- We are Lutheran.
- We are Church together.
- We are Church for the sake of the world.
Her address was powerful and thought-provoking.
Following Bishop Eaton's report, the Assembly recognized her for her many years of service and she was presented with the Servus Dei award with her family and close friends on stage with her.
The Assembly then approved several en bloc amendments to the governing documents and Constitution of the ELCA and held the second vote for Churchwide Secretary.
The Assembly then celebrated the many Ecumenical and Interreligious relationships enjoyed by the ELCA. we heard comments from several of those Ecumenical partners including:
- Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President of the Union for Reformed Judaism,
- Dr. Mohammed E. Senussi from the Islamic Society of North America,
- a video greeting from Bishop Madden from the Roman Catholic Church in America,
- Father McDougall of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops,
- Bishop Vashti McKenzie from the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA,
- Father Nicolas Kazarian, Director of Interfaith Activities for the Greek Orthodox Church, and
- Bishop Christine Sadmael and Rev. Anne Burghardt from the Lutheran World Federation.
Their comments were moving, inspirational and challenging, and the Assembly was very appreciative.
The Assembly then voted to adopt the Resolution on the Filioque, a theological dispute that led to the Great Schism between the Western and Orthodox Churches. This resolution was made possible through many years of dialogue between the ELCA and the Orthodox Churches.
After a report from Bishop Curry on behalf of the Conference of Bishops, the remainder of our plenary was taken up by much discussion and debate on a number of Constitutional amendments pulled aside for individual consideration. The discussion was lively, detailed and passionate.
It was a good and productive day.
-Rita Gustafson, Salem Moline
