You Guys Are All in Fellowship with the Moravians Now

"Lie down with dawgs, get up with Moravians," my grandpappy used to say.

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 9, 2007

ELCA Assembly Extends Full Communion Relationship with Moravian Church
07-CWA-025-LL*


CHICAGO (ELCA) - The 2007 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) extended the ELCA's full communion partnership with the Moravian Church in America to the East Western Indies and the Alaska Provinces of the Moravian Church in America during the 7th plenary session Aug. 9.
The assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting here Aug. 6-11 at Navy Pier's Festival Hall. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,068 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "Living in God's Amazing Grace: Thanks be to God!"

The 1999 Churchwide Assembly voted to accept a proposal for full communion for the Northern and Southern Provinces of the Moravian Church in America. The first worship service of full communion was held between the ELCA and the Moravian Church in America in 2000.

The 2007 assembly resolution recognized "that these two [the Northern and Southern] provinces of the Moravian Church in America do not cover all the geographical territory encompassed by the church."

The resolution was passed without amendment with a vote of 999 to 23. The Rev. Gary L. Harke, executive director, Pennsylvania Council of Churches, addressed the assembly after the resolution was adopted. "These actions speak to your commitment to ecumenical work and to full communion," he said.
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Information about the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly can be found at http://www.ELCA.org/assembly/ on the Web.

* Lauren A. Lamb is a senior public relations and speech communication major at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. This summer she is an intern with the ELCA News Service.


For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog

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GJ - Yes, the "conservative" Lutheran synods are already in fellowship with ELCA, so now they can add the Moravians to their list. I like Moravians. Our next-doorski at Yale was Moravian. He played the Mozart clarinet quintet all year, over and over. I loved it. He apologized for playing it so much, but I thanked him.

The Moravians are Pietists, so they fit well with the American Lutheran experience. "Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest," is a Moravian prayer. "Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness" is a Moravian hymn.

The Pentecostal influence is far more dangerous to Lutheran doctrine (all things considered), so I will write more about that later.