Assembly 2009

2009-01 - ELCA Memorial to Promote and Advance Suicide Prevention Action
The Assembly overwhelmingly approved Resolution 2009-01, memorializing the 2009 Churchwide Assembly to create a Suicide Prevention Ministry Task Force to examine the prevalence of suicide and its impact throughout the ELCA; encourage the promotion of the church’s suicide prevention work; identify and study the occupations most prone to suicide; collaborate with other organizations on suicide prevention; promote the ELCA’s Suicide Prevention Endowment Fund; and direct the ELCA’s national advocacy office to work toward expanded federal funding for research on suicide prevention.

2009-02 - Resolution on Safe Schools
By voice vote, the Assembly approved Resolution 2009-02, endorsing efforts to pass legislation in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee to give teachers, parents, and students the authority to write anti-bullying policies designed to identify bullying behavior early so that it may be stopped before it escalates. The resolution also directs the Synod Council to write letters encouraging the passage of such legislation and to request letters of support from congregations and individuals until such legislation is enacted in the four states within the Southeastern Synod. Finally, the Synod Council is directed to issue a new release about this resolution.

2009-03 - Resolution Endorsing State Hate Crimes Legislation
The Assembly did not approve Resolution 2009-03, which would have directed the Synod Council to
commend the state of Tennessee for passage of its hate crimes law and to advocate for the passage of similar legislation in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi.

2009-04 - A Memorial Concerning Human Sexuality
By a vote of 238 Yes and 183 No on a written ballot, the Assembly approved Resolution 2009-04, which urges the 2009 Churchwide Assembly to adopt the proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality and all four parts of the proposed Recommendations on Ministry Policies. The resolution also asks the Churchwide Assembly to (1) direct the development of congregational resources “to support same-gender relationships by holding them publicly accountable in the exchange of promises of lifelong love and fidelity” and (2) encourage the ELCA’s Vocation and Education unit to develop procedures to expedite the reinstatement of those whose status on the ELCA roster has been precluded by the current policies on same-gender relationships.

2009-05 - A Resolution Calling for the Celebrating of Appalachian Heritage Month
The Assembly approved Resolution 2009-05, encouraging all synod congregations to celebrate Appalachian Heritage Month each year during October. The resolution also asks the Synod Council to consider re-activating the Appalachian Ministry Task Force, which has not been functioning in recent years. One task that the reactivated task force would be charged with would be to work collaboratively with the Evangelical Lutheran Coalition for Mission in Appalachia (ELCMA) to suggest a theme and develop resources for each year’s celebration of Appalachian Heritage Month.

2009-06 - A Resolution to Memorialize Churchwide Assembly to Require a Super Majority Vote for Policy Changes Pertaining to Ordination Practices
By a vote of 150 Yes and 174 No, the Southeastern Synod Assembly rejected Resolution 2009-06, which would have urged the 2009 Churchwide Assembly to amend its rules to require a two-thirds majority to approve any changes allowing ELCA pastors and other rostered leaders to be in non-celibate, same-gender relationships. The rules currently proposed by the ELCA Church Council would require only a simple majority to approve such changes.

2009-07 - Resolution Rejecting Recommendations on Ministry Policy and Affirming Current ELCA Policy
Because resolution 2009-04 was approved, Resolution 2009-07 was moot and was not discussed.

2009-08 - Resolution for Education on Suicide Prevention in the Southeastern Synod
By voice vote, the Assembly approved Resolution 2009-08, which commits the synod to the following actions, subject to the availability of funding and staff resources: (1) encouragement for all synod congregations to promote suicide education and suicide prevention efforts; (2) placement of links on the synod’s home page to provide connections to resources for suicide prevention; (3) scheduling of a workshop at the 2010 Synod Assembly to promote education on the signs and symptoms of suicide prevention; and (4) encouragement for congregations and conferences to conduct educational programs about suicide prevention and ministry to those impacted by suicide.

2009-09 - Thank You to All Involved in the Synod Assembly
The Assembly enthusiastically approved Resolution 2009-09, which was a verbal resolution thanking the synod assembly committee, staff, and volunteers at the 2009 Synod Assembly.

Elections Results

Below are the results from all the elections at the synod assembly.

Pastor Terri Stagner-Collier was elected for a four-year term as the synod secretary.
Pastor Katherine Pasch, Melissa Fuller and Paul Rowe were elected for six-year terms on the Consultation Committee.
Pastor Robert Harrel, Pastor Amaretta Onstad, Beverly Brown Shaw and Gary Taber were elected for six-year terms on the Discipline Committee.
Preston Jutte was elected for a two-year term as the youth member of the synod council.
Sharon Bost and Meredith Hendricks were elected to two-year terms as at-large members of the synod council.

The 2009 Synod Assembly approved the following changes recommended by the Synod Restructuring Task Team.

                        1.         The Synod Council or bishop may create a task team
                                    a.         allows for quick response to needs as they arise
                                    b.         task teams exist only as long as they are needed
                        2.         Synod Assembly may create committees or task teams as it sees fit.

B.         Conference boundaries are redefined to provide more equitable representation to Synod Council. This reduces the number of conferences from 14 to 9. The average number of congregations per conference is 19.
                        1.         The conference chair is to be the liaison between the conference and the Synod Council and staff
                        2.         Congregations may petition the Synod Council for assignment to a different conference
                        3.         Two conference meetings per year are expected
                                    a.         Fall meeting for programming, education, and worship together
                                    b.         Spring meeting for business and election of officers and Synod Council representative

C.        Deans are now associated with clusters of rostered leaders rather than the conference.
                        1.         Goal is about 10 rostered leaders per cluster
                        2.         Clusters will provide pastoral care and collegial support
                        3.         Cluster may cross conference boundaries

D.        Coalitions of like-minded congregations are encouraged.
                        1.         Come together to meet a need in the synod
                        2.         Come together to provide local ministry
                        3.         Coalitions may cross conference boundaries

The Synod Council has appointed a Synod Ministries Task Force to make recommendations as to what committees, task forces and processes are needed as we move forward with the restructuring. The members of the Task Force are: The Rev. Randy Jones, Bishop Julian Gordy, Mr. Wesley Crenshaw, Ms. Mary Kay Moore and Dr. Sandra Gustavson (staff liaison).

The Synod Ministries Task Force will make its recommendations to Synod Council in September 2009, January 2010, and June 2010.