Dispatches from the assembly: David and Barbara Swartling, on living the whole life of Christian vocation

Submarine officer, Seattle attorney and now secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, assembly speaker David Swartling said of his many-faceted career, "It's been a journey over time, a journey of self-reflection."

He drew on the Apostles' Creed to describe surfacing during lonely trips across the Pacific, in the middle of the night and spotting dolphins gliding alongside, a scene that took his breath away.

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and Earth." 

Remembering 100 crew members crammed on a small sub, he drew on First Corinthians 1:12, which speaks of people bringing their different talents to the same goal of Christ.

"Everyone has different gifts," he said.

And the anchor symbolizing "hope secure in God."

Looking back at his lawyer years, Swartling said that for him, Christian vocation means more than getting the work done but instead is three-dimensional. It means creating relationship with co-workers, family and community, always striving to relieve burden.

"Vocation is about living the whole life," said Swartling, who relocated to Chicago with wife Barbara from Bainbridge Island, Wash., when he became ELCA secretary.

Barbara Swartling, a former banking executive, is the executive director of the Deaconess Community of the ELCA, and invited women to consider serving God through service as a deaconess. More about ELCA deaconesses can be found at www.elca.org/deaconess.

Dispatches from the assembly: Resolution concerning marriage equality approved

Readers,

I am reposting this resolution passed May 18 by voting members of the Southwestern Washington Synod assembly. An earlier version of the resolution posted here was an incorrect version of what was passed. Pictured above is the vote. Following the text are some quotations picked up from the debate. — Rachel Pritchett, communicator, 206-498-0920

_________________________

RESOLVED, that the Southwestern Washington Synod, meeting in Assembly:

1. Calls upon the bishop, staff, pastors and congregation members of the Southwestern Washington Synod to provide full support insofar as it is consistent with their conscience-bound beliefs to pastors and congregations where same-gender couples are married.

2. Calls upon congregations and members of this synod to welcome, care for, and support same-gender couples and their families and to advocate for their legal protection.

_________________________

Some quotations in the debate:

"For me it has to do with my kids." I'm the father of two gay children." — Rick Nelson of Stella Chapel of Longview

"We wanted to stand with them and provide full pastoral care for them." — the Rev. John Rosenberg of The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd of Olympia, on his congregation's decision in 2009 to become a reconciling church

"This feels like showing me the door." — the Rev. Kristi Kreamer of Christ Lutheran Church of Lakewood, saying she is struggling to remain in a synod where there is no room for an orthodox viewpoint

Dispatches from the assembly: Read more in the next newsletter

Below is a summary of the events taking place at the 25th Annual Assembly of the Southwestern Washington Synod. This and more will be in the upcoming combined June/July Moments for Mission synod newsletter, to be sent out and posted the first week of June. Contact me or the synod office if you are not receiving the newsletter and would like to. Coming also in that publication is the Bishop's Report, during which Robert D. Hofstad announces he will not seek another term, and also a stirring address from David Swartling, secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a keynoter at the assembly. — Rachel Pritchett, communicator, rachelpritchett@msn.com, 206-498-0920

Dispatches from the assembly: Additional resolutions

Voting members also approved these resolutions:

Biennial Synod Assembly Resolution
WHEREAS, annual Synod Assemblies pose financial hardships on congregations and the Synod, and
WHEREAS, the Synod Constitution allows for at least a biennial assembly, S7.11. A regular meeting of the Synod Assembly shall be held at least biennially.], be it
RESOLVED, that the Southwestern Washington Synod amend the Synod Constitution by deleting bylaw S7.11.01, which reads “Meetings of the Synod Assembly shall be at least annually.” in order to allow the Synod to hold Synod Assemblies at least biennially.
— Submitted by the South Sound Conference of the Southwestern Washington Synod

Support of the ELCA Malaria Campaign Resolution
WHEREAS, malaria is a disease of poverty that kills over 800,000 people a year in Africa and one child dies every 45 seconds from this preventable disease; and
WHEREAS, our Lutheran tradition has been to reach out and respond to God’s graciousness by working for positive change through helping to bring health, justice and hope to people who are in need; and
WHEREAS, the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly overwhelmingly approved the ELCA Malaria Campaign, an effort to raise $15 million by the year 2015 and to work directly with 11 church bodies in Africa to prevent and treat malaria and to contain the number of deaths in Africa related to malaria through prayer, advocacy, education and fundraising; and
WHEREAS, throughout history women have been change-makers in the global church and have worked for justice and health for women and children around the world, and
WHEREAS, as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of Women of the ELCA, 50 percent of their special anniversary appeal offerings will go directly to the ELCA Malaria Campaign, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that we commit ourselves as individuals and congregations in the Southwestern Washington Synod to continue as partners in the healing ministry of Jesus by preventing and treating malaria through prayer, advocacy, education and fundraising, and; be it further
RESOLVED, that the Southwestern Washington Synod Women of the ELCA, the Global Mission Committee and the Hunger Committee of the Southwestern Washington Synod will assist congregations in their work in addressing this resolution by providing ELCA
educational, worship and devotional resources.
— Submitted by the Synod Hunger Committee, the Synod Global Mission Committee, Synod Women of the ELCA

Electronic Notification for Congregations Resolution
WHEREAS, delivery of documents and notification of meetings can be effectively accomplished at lower economic and environmental cost by email and other electronic means; and
WHEREAS, an increasing proportion of congregation members prefer to receive documents and notification via email and other electronic means; and
WHEREAS, the Model Constitution for Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America requires at *C6.05, *C16.03, *C17.01, and *C17.04 and recommends at C10.03 that documents and notifications be provided by mail; and
WHEREAS, the Model Constitution for Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America makes no provision for providing such notifications and documents by email or other electronic means; therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Church Council’s Executive Committee should prepare and recommend to the Churchwide Assembly modifications to the Model Constitution for Congregations that would allow for prudent use of email and other electronic means to provide notice and documents to congregational members; and be it further
RESOLVED that the Southwestern Washington Synod Assembly direct the Southwestern Washington Synod Council to forward this resolution to the Church Council's Executive
Committee for proper referral and disposition under the bylaws and continuing resolutions of this church.

— Submitted by Keith Folkerts, secretary representing First Lutheran Community Church of Port Orchard

Dispatches from the assembly: Voting members select new leaders

Voting members of the 25th annual assembly voted the following people into leadership positions. Some were new, and others were re-elected:

Synod Council Vice President
Paul Upgrande

Synod Council
Rick Nelson
Ann Cummings
Darcy Huffman
Kathryn Nelson
Monica Hurley
Rev. Pam Hunter

Synod Consultation Committee
Rev. Martha Maier
Robert Harley
Rev. Mary Davison
Mary Keil
Vic Boyer
George Leone

Synod Discipline Committee
Rev. Steven Ray
Gerald Larson
Rev. Mary Sanders

Synod Nominating Committee
Nan Larson
Rev. Nina Body
Rev. Mark Woldseth

Pacific Lutheran University Member Representatives
Ellen Leapaldt
Ed Brannfors
Rev. Kim Latterell
John Anderson
Rev. Rebecca Shjerven
Allen Brooks
Rev. Richard Knutzen
James Reddick
Rev. Jonathan Sansgaard
Rev. Nina Body

2013 Churchwide Voting Members
Rev. Carol Plummer
Karen Haas
Leslie Woldseth
Rev. Linda Milks
Alex Lund
Thomas Siburg

Dispatches from the assembly: Hushagen receives Bishop's Award

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Jim Hushagen, outgoing vice president of the Southwestern Washington Synod, was this year's recipient of the Bishop's Award.

The longtime business attorney at the Tacoma law firm Eisenhower Carlson also has spent many years  doing work for Lutheran causes, usually for free.

Besides serving seven years as the top lay leader of the synod, Hushagen has been "the voice of the member" on the Thrivent Financial for Lutheran board for many years. As a regent for Pacific Lutheran University, he recently chaired the search committee for a new president, making sure Thomas Krise had the right skill set for Lutheran higher education as it plays out at PLU.

He helped improve the finances and rose the visibility of Lutheran Summer Music, a nationwide training academy for talented young church musicians.

With the synod, he steadfastly stood alongside Bishop Robert D. Hostad in steering the synod through good and hard times.

As pro bono attorney for Holden Village, he is working on the legal end of a $100 million environmental remediation to start soon.

Hushagen worships at Mountain View Lutheran Church of Edgewood, where Rev. John Vaswig said, “Whether playing the guitar in the band or singing in the choir or serving on a national board or attending a men’s breakfast group, Jim is simply an involved guy viewing church as anything but a spectator sport.”

Bishop Robert D. Hofstad said Hushagen is the personification of the assembly's theme, "Sunday Worship Meets Monday Work."

Hushagen said he was humbled by the award.

Cutline: Outgoing synod Vice President Jim Hushagen relaxes in his office at Eisenhower Carlson in Tacoma.

Dispatches from the assembly: Odds and ends

Sometime one parliamentarian isn't enough: During assembly consideration of resolutions, churchwide Secretary David Swartling, second from left, and Scott Elerby, third from left, review the rules as Jim Hushagen, left, and Bishop Robert D. Hofstad await their decision.

They came: About 260 people attended the assembly

$5,000 raised: Between just one offering and a raffled, attendees at the assembly contributed $5,000, to be split between Living Stones Prison Ministry at Shelton and the Malaria Campaign of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.