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THE MEANING OF CHURCH
AFFILIATION
The Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America declares its statement of purpose:
The church is a people created
by God in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, called and
sent to bear witness to God’s creative, redeeming, and
sanctifying activity in the world.
To participate in God’s
mission, this church shall:
Serve in response to God’s love
to meet human needs, caring for the sick and the aged,
advocating dignity and justice for all people, working for
peace and reconciliation among the nations, and standing with
the poor and powerless and committing itself to their needs.
Thus, social ministry is
integral to the mission and ministry of this church. An
essential way in which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America carries out its social ministry is through affiliated
social ministry organizations.
Church affiliation is a means
by which the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America identifies
a social ministry organization which participates in the
exercise of this mission and ministry. Affiliation affirms
that the mission and ministry of a social ministry
organization is consistent with the ELCA’s values and norms
for mission and ministry.
Church affiliation of a social
ministry organization signifies commitment to a partnership
between the organization and the congregations, synods,
churchwide organization and other social ministry
organizations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. A
commitment of all the partners to interdependence is
established when affiliate status is granted on behalf of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America by the Division for
Social Ministry Organizations and accepted by a social
ministry organization.
Church affiliation is a dynamic
relationship between partners, dependent on mutual
accountability and support. This document, in its section on
Interdependent Accountabilities, specifies the chief
responsibilities, goals, and means of support which the
partners embrace. Through affiliation, the church seeks to
undergird social ministry organizations so that the church’s
ministry might be strengthened.
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