Decisions!

Synod Assembly was last week. One of the best moments at Synod Assembly was when it ended and Cheryl and I stayed a little later so that we could spend quality time in the lazy river. We were staying at the Omni Resort which had a pretty large lazy river by the pool. Cheryl and I forgot swimsuits, but the river was simply too tempting. We went to a JC Penny to get suits our first night at the hotel but hadn’t had a chance to use them yet. We had already checked out of the hotel, but went back to the car to pull our suits from the JC Penny bag and used the public restroom to change. Then we grabbed our tube and floated around and around, under the waterfalls, through the bubbles, and eventually went to enjoy a wonderful lunch together.

It was a peaceful moment in the midst of a chaotic life. The truth we are busy people and have daily decisions to make. It could be things as simple as what food to eat to how can our lives reflect Christ and do Kingdom Work to our family life at home. Decisions, decisions, decisions! These are not just for us to make but the church has some decisions to make too.

At the final session one of the resolutions on the table was to declare a moratorium on social statements. The fear was that we spend too much money trying to put together social statements. One clergy rose to the microphone first with a passionate speech. What he shared with the assembly is that if we no longer have social statements then all the world will hear is what comes out of Rome. Rome doesn’t offer for all congregations to send representatives to have discussion and vote on what they believe. Rome simply has a process in-house and declares a statement. We as the ELCA create a statement and invite the whole church to include voices in the decisions and statements we make. It may be tough for us to make statements, but the gift is that we get to be a part of the process. The resolution was defeated.

It would be easier, like floating down a lazy river, if we stopped making social statements. However, Jesus calls us to speak out in the world and this is one way that we do Kingdom Work. If you are unfamiliar with ELCA statements I hope you take time to check them out online: http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues.aspx

And as we work to bring God’s Kingdom here, we give praise for those peaceful moments in the midst of a chaotic life!