What is this place where we are meeting?
Only a house, the earth its floor.
Walls and a roof sheltering people,
window for light, an open door.
Yet it becomes a body that lives when we are gathered here,
and know our God is near.
–Huub Oosterhuis, tr. David Smith ELW 524
The ELCA Churchwide Assembly (CWA) is now open for business!. Our meeting place is at Chicago’s Navy Pier, at the intersection of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan, Today this major tourist and convention destination made room for the 1,000+ Voting Members from the 65 synods of the ELCA, including the sixteen from New England. As we were reminded in our pre-assembly materials, Churchwide is one of three expressions of the ELCA, including synods and congregations. So, as the hymn above by Huub Osterhuis says, sung at the opening Eucharist today, we became a body that lives when we are gathered here, and know our God is near.
The weather was steamy today, the kind where you feel wet and clammy just standing still. Yet Bishop Payne was right: with the cool air conditioning in the assembly hall, our delegation benefited from our “team uniform,” a mustard-colored fleece vest with New England 2007 emblazoned on it and an outline of our six states. We took our group photo in front of the dais, which appropriately had the same colors as our vests!
The business conducted this evening was preliminary. We learned how to use our electronic voting pads, passed the rules of the assembly, and received the report of the credentials committee, which indicated that we had a quorum. We completed the first ballot for Presiding Bishop, which is a nominating ballot, but if an ELCA pastor has the majority vote on the first ballot, she or he will become Presiding Bishop. The results will be revealed tomorrow!
One piece of the rules was amended. The motion, which was passed, changed the time frame for speaking for or against a motion from three minutes to two. There was precedent for this at the 2005 CWA in Orlando, which made this change midway through the assembly. The voting member proposing this change suggested that with such a large agenda, this would create efficiency while allowing more breadth for those who wish to speak.
At the opening Eucharist, Bishop Mark Hanson preached and presided. He made a point that we are beginning with sending. We are focused on mission as we gather in assembly. He then concluded his sermon making a distinction between churches that are “settled” with churches that are “sent.” His beginning, middle, and end, were peppered with the words Go in peace. Remember the poor. Christ is with you. And let the people say, Thanks be to God!
The first plenary session concluded with a welcome from our host synod, the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, and its bishop Paul Landahl.
Bp. Landahl pointed out that previous host synods gave gifts that were difficult to take home. The gift from the Metropolitan Chicago Synod was a goodie bag with Tootsie Rolls (the company is based in Chicago) and a Fanny May candy bar (also based in Chicago), which Bishop Landahl said would go into our stomachs.
With plenty of prayer and song, and the sense that we are the church gathered for an important meeting, we await the breath of the Holy Spirit to guide our decision-making and deliberation in the days ahead.
Pastor Tim Keyl
Christ the King Lutheran Church
Nashua, New Hampshire
Christ the King Lutheran Church, 3 Lutheran Drive, Nashua, NH 03063 (603) 882-6142
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