2014 Greater Milwaukee SynodAssemblyUpdate from theELCA Churchwide Organization

Rev. Ruben Duran

Thank you

• For the invitation to be with you.• For your warm welcome and

hospitality• Glad to see long-standing friends

and to add new ones

• Let’s hear a greeting from our Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton.

Greetings

• From your colleagues in the Churchwide Offices of the ELCA.

• I serve you as Director for New Congregations

• I work closely with your Director for Evangelical Mission, the Rev. Sandra Chrostowski. She plays a key role here, along with other leaders directing the “missional traffic” in your Synod.

A word of Appreciation

• For the leadership of Bishop Jeff Barrow. Serving among you.

Serving through the Conference of Bishops. Accompanying and advocating for people and communities crying for justice. • For the Synod staff, who support

your work, from the offices, and, in your congregations.

2014 Greater Milwaukee Assembly

Together at God’s table, we are the ELCA, an instrument of God to bless the world.

• Check your Assembly materials: Synodical ministries, The Lutheran, The Mission Investment Fund, Portico Benefits, colleges, seminaries, outdoor ministries, our global partners, Lutheran Advocacy, ecumenical partners and many others.

Four key ELCA strategic intent statements:

• We are church• We are Lutheran• We are church together • We are church for the sake of the

world

We Are Church Together “For as in one body we have many

members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” (Romans 12: 4-5)

 Stories of Faith in Action

• Stories of Faith in Action — Shows people whose liveshave been touched by ELCAministries

• Congregational offerings makethese ministries possible,

domestically and internationally.

Thank you!  

your synod

ELCA churchwide organization

your regular offering to your congregation

Mission Support

Life Transforming Power

“God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday Sept. 7, 2014• Began in 2013 as part of the ELCA’s 25

anniversary. • Opportunity for congregations to put their

faith into action. • We all acknowledge that ELCA members

work every day to share God’s love. This day is our opportunity to do this work together!

• Identify service projects that make sense for your congregation’s situation.

“God’s work. Our hands.” Sunday Sept. 7, 2014 (continued)• Service day does not replace worship.

Service may be done the day before.• Consider planning worship at the service

site; welcome others to worship. • Partner with other ELCA congregations.• Visit www.ELCA.org/dayofservice to

download the toolkit, register your congregation and purchase T-shirts.

Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA 

Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA 

• Publicly launched Feb. 1, 2014; approved by 2013 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Five-year, $198 million campaign.

• Through The Campaign for the ELCAwe can:

– Invest in the future of this church– Expand our mission capacity– Achieve things on a scale and scope

that we could never do alone

Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA (continued)  Together we are gifted to:

• Grow• Evangelize• Educate women• Serve globally• End hunger• Overcome malaria• Send missionaries• Form new leaders

Always Being Made New:The Campaign for the ELCA (continued)For more information on the

campaign:• Contact your Synod’s office • Visit www.ELCA.org/campaign,• Call 800-638-3522 (ext. 2612) or, • Email us at

campaignforELCA@elca.org

We Are Church Together 

Lutherans are there!

$18.6 million

Responding to Hunger and Disaster

Young Adults in Global Mission

2015 ELCA Youth GatheringDetroit, Michigan

What we all accomplished together as a church in 2013

• You planted 41 new congregations (50+% in multicultural settings,23% among those experiencing poverty).

• You launched congregational renewal efforts in 155 congregations.

• You supported 224 students at eight ELCA seminaries (ELCA Fund for Leaders).

• You sent 60 young adults into global service (Young Adults in Global Mission) and continued support of 240 missionaries in more than 40 countries.

What we all accomplished together as a church in 2013 (continued)• You awarded 61 scholarships to young

international leaders from our global companion churches.

• You supported innovative solutions to hunger and poverty in nearly 60 countries and more than 350 programs in the U.S. (ELCA World Hunger).

• Worked to help end deaths from malaria in 13 countries in Africa (ELCA Malaria Campaign).

• Thank God and thank you! We are church together.

OBSERVATIONS

Projected Percent Change in Population from 2000 to 2014

Source: Claritas, Inc. Prepared by Research and Evaluation, Winter 2006.

Challenge/Opportunity of Context

• 1. GEOGRAPHICAL: local/national• 2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC: a church for

all • 3. GENERATIONAL: emergent church• 4. ETHNIC- specific: 6 communities• 5. MULTICULTURAL: a church from all

• KEY: acting/reflecting out of our missional identity, empowered for any context.

GRAYING OF OUR CONGREGATIONS

New Faces in our midst

OUR STRENGTHS

Rich & Deep Theological Heritage

ELCA is changing

• Before: Called, gathered and nourished• Today: Claimed, gathered and sent.

• Out into God’s world, listening, learning, exploring, serving, being welcomed and witnessing to God’s activity. “As you go, be and make disciples.”

ELCA NEW STARTS

490 new organized congregations since the beginning of the ELCA

352 new congregations under development

15 new ones last month

28 in planning stages

Large city 250,000+ population

32%

Small Town < 10,000 population

18%

Medium City 50,000 to 249,999

population12%

Small City 10,000 to 49,999 population

8%

Near suburb of large city < 10 miles

7%

Suburb of a medium city5%

Rural18%

Geographic Setting of New Starts

Middle class Semi-professional,

craftsmen, college educated, $35,000-

$75,00060%

Working class Clerical, blue/pink

collar, HS education $16,000-$30,000

27%

Poverty Below the

poverty line10%

Upper middle class Salaried,

professional, managers, highly

educated, $100,000+

3%

New Starts by Economic Group Type

Caucasian38%

Latino/Hispanic17%

Multi-racial13%

African American/Black

10%

Asian/Pacific Islander

10%

American Indian/Alaska Native

7%

African National5%

Ethnicity of New Starts

Evangelical Outreach

Called by the Spirit

to be witnesses

ELCA Priorities

• Accompanying congregations as growing evangelical centers for mission

• Building capacity for evangelical witness and service in the world to alleviate poverty and to work for justice and peace

Emmaus Road: what happened?

• 7 mile downhill to Emmaus• disciples broke the speed limit

uphill, how?• Same dusty road, same distance!• Same people, same situation back

home!

• Something is different, a sense of urgency, a message that needs to be shared, hopeful spirit, yearning to join the community!!

• What made the difference?

Recognizing Christglobally

locallywalking with us

Christ with us

• As God’s WORD is shared• As we Break Bread together at

God’s table

• Result? BURNING HEARTS!!

• Where are you today? Where is your church? Heading to Emmaus? Going back?

• God is sending you out today with a “burning heart”, because he is risen.

Burning hearts

• Every person a missionary• Every rostered leader a mission director• Every congregation a mission outpost• Every Synod a “mission area”

• God bless you, your family, your congregation and the Greater Milwukee Synod!!