Churchwide Assembly Day Two

Every city has its own poetry. I awoke to the sound of a horn, the horn of a freighter sailing down the Mississippi. This sort of thing is what I love about visiting or living in a city. Each one is different. Each one is unique. Each one has its own loveliness.

My alarm clock this morning.

 Of course, exploring some of that loveliness yesterday left me with a cursed gift: those blisters I mentioned last night. They’ve healed somewhat overnight, but they’re still there. Strangely enough, there is a small blessing in those annoying little sores on my feet. This Assembly, like most every synod assembly or church conference, tends to pack the schedule as tight and full as possible. One really has to learn to say “no” from time to time, just for your own mental and physical health. Those blisters are a reminder that I am not invulnerable nor immortal. I need to pace myself.

Last year, for instance, I attended the triannual ELCA Youth Gathering in Detroit, right smack dab in the middle of recovering from a major flare of my Ulcerative Colitis. I had to say no to participating in the Gathering for one full day and then another afternoon simply to recover my strength. Right now, at this year’s Assembly, I’m taking advantage of the “Please rise, as you are able” rubric in worship. I counting myself “not able” for the time being, giving my hurting feet further time to heal.

Perhaps I’ll take some time for myself later as well. I haven’t decided yet. And no, I won’t be running off to the French Quarter again. I do want to get back there to buy some novelties I saw yesterday as gifts, but today is not the day for that. Today would be a day of healing and recovering.

I am thankful that the organizers of the Assembly have recognized this need. The shuttle buses run all day; so if I were to choose to return to the hotel for whatever reason, I can do that. There is a prayer chapel set up for one’s spiritual self-care. People wander in and out of the Assembly area all throughout the day, going to Starbucks, visiting the vendors, and gathering with friends or strangers for conversation. The hopeful expectation is that you attend everything, but it’s okay if you can’t or don’t.

But, on to the business of the CWA! We began this morning with brief worship (where I did stay seated) and then moved into the first plenary of the day. Now we’re getting into more interesting business than last night; specifically, elections. The report of the first ecclesiastical ballot for VP has been given and well over 100 names have been submitted with no winner as yet. We’re also discussing the election of officials to the national Church Council and other offices.

The report of retiring vice president Carlos Pena followed. I met Carlos some years ago at a Synod Assembly (I cannot remember if it was in WV or PA). He explained his retirement was due to the blessing of many grandchildren, so I suspect he’s sincere in the cliché of “spending more time with his family.” He will be missed after his 12 years of dedicated service.

That's Carlos on the right of the screen, with my friend Jennifer beside him.

Carlos reviewed the recommendations of the Church Council before this Assembly, which are items upon which we’ll be voting later. Of particular interest is the new ecumenical agreement with the Roman church, called “Declaration of the Way.” It outlines 32 doctrinal points on which we are in full agreement with our Roman brethren. A good and appropriate step of unity with the RC church on the eve of the 500^th anniversary of the Reformation.

Carlos continued with that theme in talking about his work with the World Council of Churches for the last ten years, representing the ELCA for us. Again, he will be missed and much thanks for his work for this church.

Carlos was then honored for his service, with his family welcomed to join him on stage.

The next agenda item is further discussion of the “Declaration on the Way.” The leaders of the task force were introduced, including Bishop Mark Hanson (Bp. Eaton’s predecessor as presiding bishop) and Bishop Denis Madden, the auxiliary bishop of Boston for the Romans. Bp. Hanson announced that Pope Francis himself will be present and participating in the LWF’s inaugural celebration of the coming anniversary in Sweden. What a historic moment.

Both Bishops introduced the task force members and Bishop Madden (I had a laugh as the bylines on the big screens twice misidentified Bp. Madden) spoke to the process of putting together the Declaration. It was built on the work of Vatican II, running with the idea that council declared that there is already a “real but imperfect communion” between us. It is my prayer, and I suspect that of the task force and all the ELCA, that we now find that communion somewhat less imperfect than it was before.

Reading (and hearing) the points of the Declaration, I am reminded of the Augsburg Confession. While this document does not carry the weight of that historic confession, it is worded in a similar way. Also, as my history reminds me, the AC was meant to be a declaration of faith just as this is. This is what we believe! Now, with the declaration, we have a document that says “this is what we believe together.”

As that conversation concluded, the budget for the ELCA was introduced. Time for a bathroom and coffee break. (I got jumped by a giant cockroach while in the rest room. Yuck!) Ran into Dr. Lathrop again at the coffee break. Always good to see him.

One of the things I noted about the budget conversation was the change from $47 million some years ago to $43 million now. The crunch is being felt at all levels, folks.

Following was further monologue (and I use that term intentionally) about the change to the lay roster. My one frustration with the Assembly thus far is that we keep talking about doing this or voting on that, but we’ve barely taken any votes thus far. Constant explanation and rationalization for why Church Council did this or that thing. How many times do we have to hash over this stuff before we can vote? It gets repetitive, redundant, and annoying. It’s a long way from being efficient. Cut all that stuff out and we could have some more breathing room in the schedule.

It gets worse. Now they’re pitching tonight’s hearings where we’ll talk about these things EVEN more. Ack! I get the feeling they’re treating all of us as coming into these proceedings blind, despite the fact that the pre-assembly reports have been available online for months and many of us (if not most) have read them extensively.

After greetings from Augsburg Fortress and some brief announcements, plenary session #2 comes to an end. Pleased to hear that Dr. Wengert is leading our Bible Study later.

While taking a break before lunch, the lethargy of these proceedings is starting to weigh on me. I’m beginning to feel my comments earlier about self-care were somewhat prophetic. I looked at the agenda for this afternoon and it’s more of the same. Introduction to…, Greetings from…, but no votes. Just talk.

I think I’ll stick around for lunch and the Bible Study (can’t miss that) and then take the rest of afternoon off. Seems a good time to do it since I doubt I’ll miss much. I’ll return for dinner and the evening sessions (maybe, since that’s also “more talk.”)

I won’t be completely idle in that time. I do have set aside time to write two sermons for this coming Sunday. I’m also eager to read in full the book I’ve received on the “Declaration of the Way.” I should probably check to see if there’s a “hearing” on that tonight. That would be worth my time.

There is! Alright, I have a plan. Lunch at noon. Bible Study at 1pm. Break at the hotel to work/read. Dinner at 6pm. Hearing on the Declaration at 7pm.

So, we come together again for Bible Study. The text of the study is Mark 1:14-15 and it will be tied to two of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses (#1 & #62 to be specific). Verse 15 is seen as a perfect summary of Jesus’ whole mission and purpose. The time is fulfilled means “the jig is up,” the moment of reckoning has come. The kingdom has come and all has changed; the word of God is working upon us now.  It has done its work. It has made us HIS! We belong to God, and repentance and belief are the result of that. It’s not our doing, but his work upon us. “Repent” is like going off a cliff and commanding yourself to fall. Of course, you’ll fall, just as the adopted child of God will repent and believe almost by default. It’s a given.

Dr. Wengert

 Penitence, as Luther states in Thesis 1, is again something that God does to us throughout our lives. We never escape sin on our own; we cannot. God’s work upon us is what brings about faith and repentance. This is the Gospel. This is Christ.

Wow. That was precisely what I expected and what I hoped for. I miss that sort of teaching and I wish I could do likewise in my own work. For added bonus to that experience, I got to stand in on a brief conversation between Dr. Wengert and Bp. Riegel, both of whom I regard as giants of Lutheran scholarship as they discussed one of the memorials before the Assembly. Knock that off my bucket list as well.

I’m back at the hotel again for my break. I’ll post this shortly. I’ll probably postpone any further updates today to tomorrow, so expect my thoughts on tonight’s hearing on “The Way” with tomorrow’s post.