Plenary Session XI

The last session!

LSA Jill Schumann President/CEO LSA touches 1 in 50 Americans.

Fourth ballot for VP. Needed 60% (573 votes)

Carlos Pena 580 wins

Ryan Schwarz 264

Norma Hirsch 110

Norman Smith - Lutheran Men in Mission

Beth Wrenn - Women of the ELCA

Constitution and Bylaw changes. An amendment to individual church constitutions requiring that they have at least one youth member (less than 18) and at least one young adult (18 to 30) on church councils. Debated for 90 minutes. Passed 714-207. This has been on the agenda for several Churchwide Assemblies was finally approved.

Leftover Memorial Committee recommendations:

Strategy for Engagement in Israel and Palestine - This one got swept away quickly by use of the call the question on all matters before the house procedure. Only took 5 minutes. It's just a tiny little struggle! Added a new second paragraph to the resolved statements. Not sure of the exact wording, but it instructed the Chicago staff to check the fairness of the existing program to make sure it does not favor one side of the struggle more than the other. I can give them an answer to that now. Passed 690-125

Social Statement on Human Disability - the main issue was whether to have a full social statement by 2017. Or just a message on disability that can be completed in about 18 months. The message route was chosen 785-88.

The Assembly ended without one word about the war in Afghanistan. I only hope the ELCA is not waiting for it to succeed or falter to speak out about it.

2011 Assembly will return to Orlando, Fl., site of the 2005 Assembly.

Karen and I slipped out about an hour before formal adjournment.