ST. LOUIS (ELCA) -- Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod (LCMS) continued their talks regarding shared ministries during a meeting May 25-26, 2011.
The top leaders of the two largest Lutheran church bodies met as the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation. Among the topics they discussed were relationships with inter-Lutheran agencies, updates on the church bodies and ecumenical relations. Also on the agenda were reorganization and restructuring issues, as both denominations are dealing with tight finances.
The committee began with a discussion of shared ministries, especially inter-Lutheran agencies such as Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Services in America and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. The leaders discussed the potential effect of a Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod Convention resolution that called for shared ministries with the ELCA to continue with "theological integrity" and asked for a report.
The Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison, president of the Synod, said that church leaders would provide an assessment of and a report on shared ministries no later than July 13, as specified by the resolution.
Both the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, and Harrison affirmed that the church bodies should, wherever possible, cooperate "on the ground" following disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti.
Harrison said that The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod "is not going to take a step that pulls us away from the inter-Lutheran agencies," but said he anticipated that some provisions of current agreements will end.
"We will have to anticipate what that means for us," said Hanson, in response to Harrison's comments.
The ELCA and Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod leaders shared information about their denominations. Hanson said the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly is August 15-19, in Orlando, Fla. The assembly will consider a series of recommendations, he said, including a proposal to move to a triennial assembly cycle, consideration of a churchwide campaign to support work aimed at containing malaria, recommendations of the ELCA’s Living into the Future Together Task Force and consideration of a social statement, "Genetics, Faith and Responsibility."
Harrison distributed copies of the May issue of "The Lutheran Witness," which provides a snapshot of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. "We have some real financial challenges," Harrison said. Because of the steady decline in undesignated funds over the past 30 to 40 years, the ability of the national church body to function "is severely reduced," he said.
In contrast, Harrison said, other parts of the Synod, such as Concordia Publishing House, the church's Foundation, the Lutheran Church Extension Fund and Concordia Plans, remain healthy.
Leaders of both churches shared updates on internal restructuring, external relations and ongoing theological dialogues.