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Social
Statements and Messages | Policies
and Procedures Index
Sphere 1: Equipping &
Nurturing Members
Description
The first sphere of activity is that of equipping
and nurturing members of this church for their calling in the world.
All expressions and ministries of this church participate in this
ongoing task of formation for vocation. Attention to the personal
and communal sources of social witness and policy development is
meant to build up this church’s capacity to engage in personal and
corporate deliberation and action. This sphere of activity calls for
the development of resources—in the broad sense of people, networks,
and materials—to assist this church to be a community of moral
deliberation and a church faithfully active in society.
This sphere of activity enables members of this church to be
faithful followers of Jesus Christ in the world today. It relies and
expands upon the catechetical work of this church. It attends to
foundational and formative dimensions of the Christian moral life,
such as the meaning of discipleship, methods of moral deliberation
and discernment, the authority of Scripture and the Lutheran
Confessions, and the place of experience and reason in ethical
decision-making. Developing capacities in these areas requires
deepening knowledge of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions. It
also requires certain attitudes, values, behaviors, and skills that
enable ELCA members to use Scripture and tradition in social witness
and policy development. Clearly, this equipping and nurturing is a
long-term task that calls for the regular development of material
for widespread use throughout this church. This church seeks
creative new resources—particularly teachers and methods of
learning—that enjoy a permanent place in the lives of members and
congregations and help create a culture of formation for vocation.
Procedures
1.
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The Church in Society and the Vocation and Education
units shall oversee this sphere of activity. |
2.
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The program committees of these units shall meet
together biennially to evaluate this church’s needs and
opportunities and to envision whether there should be new or
expanded projects to help create a culture of formation for
vocation. As appropriate, these units shall invite other
churchwide units and persons to participate in these
consultations. |
3.
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In light of a consultation’s recommendations, these
units may initiate or propose projects in this sphere of
activity. They will report to the Church Council the
financial implications of their proposed projects. |
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