 |
| ELCIC PB Susan Johnson is on the extreme Left. |
http://www.alpb.org/forum/index.php?topic=5155.msg312623;topicseen#msg312623
Time to hear from ecumenical guests. First up, Bp. Susan Johnson from ELCIC. Draws laughter by saying that in honor of the ELCA's 25th anniversary, she has dyed her hair silver. We human beings are a bizarre mix of desiring and resisting change. God is calling us to a new thing, but we don't know what it is yet.
Next up, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Kathryn Jefferts-Schori. Blah blah blah . . .
Dr. Olav Fyske Tveit, World Council of Churches General Secretary. WCC is a fellowship which needs you, and which you need . . . etc. etc.
Introduction of other ecumenical guests:
John Brodosky NALC
Dr. Butalia, World Sikh Council - Sikh and ye shall find. Freddie Mercury was Sikh, so it's good.
Rabbi Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Thomas Hay, PCUSA
Natasha Klukech, WCC
Tracy Mariec, UMC
Betsy Miller, Moravians
John Roth, Mennonite Church
Dr. Sayyid, Islamic Society of NA
Jack Sullivan, Disciples
Karen Thompson, UCC
Lisa Vanderwal, RCA
Eloquent words from Hanson about the ELCA's ecumenical journey. Loud applause all along, and then the singing of "O for a thousand tongues to sing" (perhaps an odd choice with our inter-religious guests on stage).
Report of the treasurer. Not entirely good news, of course. Continued decline in mission support, but has showed "significant stabilization in Mission Support income and moderate increases in several other income categories."
Budget proposal came before the house, which includes 2014 spending authorization, 2015 and 2016 budget proposals. Again, the totals decline somewhat for each year.
SW Penn member in favor of budget, but a question: has anyone figured out average giving amount per "attending member" to meet budget? Answer: About $40 per year per attendee.
Youth member from Lower Susquehanna in favor of budget. Question about children's ministry--where are there funds for this? Bouman: "It's all through the budget" (new starts, education, etc.)
No more discussion, so prayer and then approval of the budget, 884-19. Boy, that goes a lot more quickly than at synod assembly!
Second ballot for secretary was taken. Ballot lists those who did not withdraw (so we don't know who that is yet; guess we have to wait for the results to figure it out).
They've put them up now. Top names: Stuart, Boerger, Grorud, Riegel, Gerking, Aldrich, Schreck, Anderson, Cooper-White, Peterson. In other words, the significant withdrawals were Swartling, Bender-Schwich (sorry, Peter), Horne. The ones on this list I omitted before in descriptions:
Kevin Anderson works in the churchwide office as associate director of worship.
Eric Peterson, synod vp of South-Central Synod of Wisconsin
Greetings from bishop of Lutheran Church in Malaysia, Philip Oi Peng Lok
Various presentations about global church.
