Memorial Regarding "Trustworthy Servants" Process
Adopted by the Synod Council on March 19, 2019
WHEREAS the Conference of Bishops and Churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America discerned a pastoral need to address both the deficiencies of Vision and Expectations and the ways in which this document has been applied in the life of this Church; and
WHEREAS the Conference of Bishops and Churchwide organization engaged in processes to draft, review and issue a replacement document for Vision and Expectations titled Trustworthy Servants and made this document public on March 7, 2019, invited a comment period concluding March 17, 2019, and seeks action at the meeting of the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on April 4, 2019; and
WHEREAS the Conference of Bishops and Churchwide organization embarked on drafting Trustworthy Servants understanding this initiative to be for the building up of the church; and
WHEREAS the Conference of Bishops and Churchwide organization undertook this entire process—draft, review and issue—without the substantial involvement of pastors, deacons and candidates for rostered ministry, particularly persons whose faith and vocation have been negatively affected by Vision and Expectations; and
WHEREAS the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is an interdependent church where “Each expression of this church—churchwide, synod, and congregation—is held together in a relationship of interdependence that encourages each to respond to its context” (Secretary Wm Chris Boerger, Introduction to Constitutions, Bylaws, and Continuing Resolutions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, August 18, 2016 4-2018, pg. 9)
Therefore, be it
RESOLVED that the Synod Council of the Metropolitan New York Synod memorialize the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to:
Take no action at this time either to affirm Vision and Expectations or to adopt Trustworthy Servants; and
Create a task force comprising members of the Council and Conference of Bishops as well as pastors, deacons, and lay members of this Church. A majority of this task force shall be persons who self-identify as LGBTQIA+, persons of color, and/or persons whose first language is other than English; and
Charge this taskforce to receive as information Trustworthy Servants and all related information and commentary conveyed to the Conference of Bishops and the Churchwide organization as well as to any other interested parties (e.g. Reconciling Works, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries); and
Charge this taskforce to discern and propose an inclusive process reflecting the interdependence of this Church to discern faithful ways forward; and
Request that the proposed process be reported to the Church Council, petitioning Synod Councils and petitioning Congregation Councils for review and comment.