CWA Reflection: Laura Hollengreen

We continue our series of weekly reflections on the 2022 Churchwide Assembly with thoughts from Laura Hollengreen of Lutheran Church of the Foothills in Tucson. Each week we share a 2022 CWA reflection on how we are church together by our synod voting members. View all our 2022 CWA posts here.

The Church-Wide Assembly was an astoundingly complex logistical and legislative endeavor with 900+ voting members in attendance.  All in all, I was quite impressed by how smoothly things went, which made it easy to focus on the issues at hand and on meeting and getting to know new people.  I had some concerns in advance about being able to follow the debates and understand exactly what was at stake (and that was a challenge at a few points), but in general time spent with the Pre-Assembly Report was well paid and lent confidence in the moment.  

The issues and initiatives of the assembly, including the many “memorials” on which we voted, ranged from the history of discrimination and abuse against indigenous communities and efforts to redress those wrongs through restorative justice to concrete measures focused on environmental stewardship to the variety of ECLA ministries (not all of which entail a formal call) to protection of black migrants.  This is just a tiny sample of the many things debated.  We also elected a new lay Vice President and learned about Global Ministries, Lutheran colleges and universities, ELCA leadership development, and inter-denominational and inter-religious partnerships.  There were moments of repentance, apology, and forgiveness; of humor and occasional snarkiness; and above all of love and fellowship.  I felt challenged by the concerns of many synods and inspired by their advocacy.  And, while there was no pressure for individual members of our delegation to vote as a block, I found that there were substantial commonalities in how we thought about the various issues before us.  

Although I believe I was the only voting member of our synod delegation from the Tucson areaand I knew only Bishop Hutterer at the beginning of the assembly, I was welcomed and quickly integrated into the group—in discussion at our tables in the vast conference hall, over meals, and in worship.  The camaraderie and the banter made the time fly by!  Among the loveliest moments of the week for me were the worship services.  The tone was different each day as were the officiants, the languages, and the style of music, but each service and the fellowship I felt there was deeply satisfying.  Part of what drives me in our church is the conviction that, sinner though I am, I am made new in Christ each day.  Each day is a new beginning and a new opportunity to be a channel of grace.  How lucky and loved we are.  Praise be to God!