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We are in Vancouver, British Columbia, on the campus of the University of British Columbia, for the 12th Biennial National Convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, which runs through the Sunday, the 28th.
It is beautiful here, lushly green. Ocean. Harbor. Rich in history, both modern and First Nations.
It is just a bit wet. -ish. Around the edges… all of them. I once lived near Seattle for 3 years, a place that shares a climate. Friends from other climes would remark about the marvelous tan they thought I had. I had to explain it was a light layer of rust.
Joking… I love the Pacific Northwest. Here, when it stops raining, you forgive it instantly.
Also present, in addition to the leadership and voting delegates to the convention, is Philipp Melanchthon (in the person of Rev Richard Hergesheimer), reading from his writings and those of Martin Luther, as commentary on and within the worship service. Marvelous stuff.
Opening Worship
Glorious and gracious. Wonderful music.
Texts: Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 46, Romans 12:9-21, Mark 10:35-45
In her sermon, National Bishop Susan Johnson reflected that, gathering as we were, as a family, there was joy, tension, sibling rivalry — as you would expect in any family. There is tension as well in the gospel text wherein two disciples, James and John, directly asked Christ to place them to the right and left of Him when He comes in glory. The rest of the disciples were furious at the thought of being left behind or placed in a lesser state. She described this as the greatest temptation: to serve self instead of God. "We need to be recovering one day at a time from the human condition of self-serving. We are called to serve God by serving others." She said that her prayer and ours should be that God will strengthen us in our outreach mission, and help us to focus on serving the spread of the Gospel.
The Hymn of the Day was #651 "Oh, Praise the Gracious Power" — the second and third verses of which say:
"Oh praise persistent truth that opens fisted minds
and eases from their anxious clutch the prejudice that blinds;
Oh praise inclusive love, encircling every race
oblivious to gender, wealth, to social rank or place."
The National Bishop's report can be found on the ELCIC website, along with the other documents presented to the delegates, under the What We Do tab, National Convention. The documents are in the Bulletin of Reports.
She spoke to the convention of the joys and challenges facing the church. Finances are one of the challenges. Contributions to congregations have kept pace with inflation over the years, but giving to synods through benevolence has flat-lined and the national church finds itself running on a third of the money it had in 1986. Membership in the church declined 24% in the same timeframe.
In response to these facts, a Structural Renewal Task Force is to look at a structure for the ELCIC that is flexible, efficient, and sustainable. A report is due in 2011. In the meantime, the national church office is economizing; staff has been reduced by 30%.
As to other challenges presented to the church, she said that the church needs to decide whether it will reach out in reconciliation for the sake of our mission.
We were by the end of the day: 178 Lay delegates, 162 Ordained = 335, with 118 visitors additional.
Teddy Pope, National Church Council member, spoke to the convention around the scriptural text "Do not worry about what you shall wear, what you shall eat, where you will sleep." He told of his son's long-term, life-threatening disease from the age of 8 to 16, when he was placed in ICU, seeming soon to die. Teddy spoke of telling God that his son was in His hands. Recovery happened and his son is now living a normal life as an adult. He then told of landing in Vancouver for this convention and both his wife and his cellphone went off at the same time, telling them of the death of his wife's mother. Again he repeated the scriptural quote about not worrying about those things that are in the hands of God.
The Nominating Committee held nominations for the Nominating Committee, National Church Council, ELCIC Group Services, and Court of Adjudication. Of these only the National Church Council resulted in additional nominations from the floor, seven of them.
First ballot for the election of the Vice President of the National Church was held. An ecclesiastical ballot, 120 people received 1 or more votes of the 257 valid ballots cast. They were duly placed on the second ballot. For the sake of efficiency, only those receiving more than 5 votes are mentioned here, no slight intended: Sheila Hamilton 45, Roger Kingsley 7, Rev Tim Posluzny 6, Rev Doug Reble 7, and Rev David Saude 8. The results of the second ballot will be announced tomorrow.
Also tomorrow, many contentious issues will be presented to the convention by Reference and Counsel.
The closing worship this evening was wondrous. The music was uplifting and fully involved the entire hall. The sermon drew forth our ability across the centuries from the first century following Christ to live with controversy and disagreement.
The convention is being webcast live on the ELCIC website for the first time.
It stopped raining today. As stated, forgiveness was immediate. It is, after all, lovely here. The Spirit is present. |
