Fed by the Spirit - Day 4 of the Assembly

Legislative action- the kind of stuff that can be very tedious filled the day. Hearing reports... listening to amendments begin debated back and forth.... often with people saying the same thing, but in their own way.... but, bottom line, this is why we are here.... so on we went.

There is really a lot to do, so the Assembly had to buy us dinner, to keep us going. The days continue to filled with prayer, music and work!

Today we passed a resolution - 95% voted yes to have "full communion" with the United Methodist Church (UMC)... sharing ministries, resources and pastors. After 30 years of discussion, we found no substantive differences that are church dividing.

95% voted in favor of a resolution regarding the need for improved access to healthcare by all... noting this is a justice issue

The implementing resolutions regarding the social statement on human sexuality was passed by a 67% vote.

A block of bylaw changes were made by a 95% vote.

Support for Lutheran Disaster Response and the need for a strategic plan was passed by 92%, noting the increased dependence on LDR in disasters... a vital ministry between the ELCA and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod... but noting that financial support from both bodies has made it difficult for LDR to be adequately funded.

One of the side notes of interest was the receiving of the report of 3 pastors who set out on a mission 100 days ago -- to end hunger and poverty in the world by raising $5 million for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal... we were the final stop of the Tour de Revs. The tour was not about records, but about revelation, revolution and revenue. The revelation is that there are over 2,100 verses in Scripture where God says that there shall be no poor or hungry; feed my people and eliminate injustice."

They rode more than 10,000 miles and made 66 stops, including a stop in each of the 65 Synods of the ELCA. Their journey ended Aug. 20 at the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

The trio does not have a final number on how much money they raised, but have been told that it could be more than $300,000 and..."The funds are coming in faster than ELCA World Hunger can count it". We were told of a donation they had received from a homeless woman in San Diego who collected 551 pennies discarded in the streets to give to their cause.

Even though the trio wasn't didn't reach their fundraising goal as of today they said the tour was a success. What they really wanted people to do was raise awareness.

We were reminded that we have the resources to fight poverty and end hunger. The question is do we have the desire....because after all, it is God's work.... and if is God's work, we are God's hands!

Lets spend more time on work like this!

....The day was long and I am tired..... torn between the desire to do that work that I was sent to do and to spend time with my family here in Minneapolis... especially my grandson Jacob. Tomorrow night is a time of rejoicing with a concert by Peter Mayer the long time lead guitarist with Jimmy Buffett... music does fill our time.- Jacob will be here at the concert- an early introduction to good music.