This past week, I and a few other members of Esperanza (along with people from across the Grand Canyon Synod) were blessed to be able to volunteer at the triennial ELCA Churchwide Assembly, which was being held here in Phoenix. Every three years, congregations and synods from across the ELCA send representatives to this assembly, and with this year’s assembly happening in Phoenix, I took advantage of the opportunity to witness some of the discernment and conversations that take place during this event, as well as to catch up with some old friends and classmates who happened to be present.
This year’s assembly theme was “For the Life of the World,” and throughout the course of the assembly, you could tell that there was a great deal of concern for making sure whatever the assembly did and spoke to was life-giving. There were deep, meaningful conversations regarding the continued devastation in Gaza, and what our moral responsibility as people of faith was to call the thing what it was, while still condemning acts of violence against Israeli citizens. There was intentionality regarding our relationship with the indigenous communities in our nation, as we acknowledged past harms and honored the faithful stewardship of tribal peoples. There was also intentional conversation on how we as a denomination engage with and encourage younger Lutherans to become leaders in our church. All of this is meant to engage and enliven those we encounter.
While listening in on the assembly (while also fulfilling my duties in my volunteer roles), I was struck by the fact that there was still a diversity of thought throughout the assembly delegates. From nominees for national positions of authority to deliberations on some challenging topics, the ELCA has proved to have many voices. And yet, still, we have one direction – forward, for the sake of the gospel.
As we continue forward as a church, both locally and at the national level, I think it’s important to continue to ask the question: “How does this bring life?” I look at our local outreach ministries to the food insecure and homeless populations here in the Phoenix Valley, and I can say with confidence that this gives life. I can look at the work of Lutheran Disaster Response and Lutheran World Hunger Ministries, and I can say with confidence that the work of God is alive and well in the larger church.
But the ministry isn’t always corporate. Sometimes the ministry is what we as individuals do as well. So as you go through this week, I am hopeful that you can continually be inspired by our savior so that you, too, can do works for the life of the world.
Pastor Chris