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Whereas, the Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recognizes the importance of the relationships between churches, synods, and the Churchwide Organization, and further recognizes the interdependent nature of those relationships (ELCA Constitution paragraph 8.11); and
Whereas, the Constitution of the ELCA, Chapter 22 is predicated upon Article XXII of the predecessor LCA Constitution; and
Whereas, the Constitutions of our predecessor bodies recognized the fundamental representative nature of churches and its members when gathered as the larger church body (ALC Constitution, 503.1, 503.5; LCA Constitution Article X, §5; ULCA Article VIII, §4; AELC Article VIII, §3; ELC Chapter 7, 33); and
Whereas, such representation by constituent churches was implicit when making changes to the constitution that would impact those churches; and
Whereas, the responses to the February 2004 ELCA Questionnaire on Decision-Making include: “The primary opinion expressed in the comments of the pastors and council presidents . . . is the perception that a relatively small group of ELCA members is currently setting the agenda in the ELCA,” (A Report of the Findings on the Questionnaire on Decision-Making, Department for Research and Evaluation, ELCA, April 28, 2004); and
Whereas, 50% of the respondents to the February 2004 ELCA Questionnaire on Decision-Making expressed support for “a congregational or synodical system of approval of churchwide actions,” a significant percentage in that almost all churchwide and synodical leaders received the questionnaire, but proportionately very few congregational leaders; and
Whereas, requiring ratification by synod assemblies or congregations of ecumenical agreements and ministry standards would promote better communication and better relationships between congregations, synods, and the Churchwide Assembly; now therefore
Be it resolved that the (name) Synod memorializes the 2007 Churchwide Assembly to amend chapter 22 of the ELCA Constitution to add the following provision:
22.13. Any ecumenical agreement or changes to ministry standards of the ELCA, must be ratified by a simple majority of the total number of ELCA congregations at a constitutionally called congregational meeting within one calendar year of the Churchwide Assembly's request to make any ecumenical agreement or change in ministry standards. Each congregation shall have one vote, which shall be yes, no, or abstain. Any congregation that does not register a vote, regardless of reason, will be counted as a vote of abstention. Any ecumenical agreement or change in ministry standards will take effect only after a simple majority vote of the congregations has been registered.