2003 Synod Assembly

Resolution 2003-05 - Colombia: Give Peace a Place

Passed as Amended - changes in bold

WHEREAS the Gospel of Jesus Christ commits the Christian Church to advocate for peace and for respect of human rights for all people; and

WHEREAS the Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America states that "to participate in God's mission, this church shall: "serve in response to God's love to meet human needs… 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" (ELCA 7 Constitution 4:02); and

WHEREAS in the last three years the Board of the Division for Global Mission has passed two resolutions advocating for education on Colombian issues and calling for solidarity with the churches and people of Colombia; and

WHEREAS Lutheran World Relief has made Colombia one of its top advocacy and development priorities; and 

WHEREAS Colombia's escalating violence daily claims one hundred lives, 90% of which are under the age of 21, displaces 1,300 people, leaving 60% of all displaced families with a single female parent as head of the household, and has resulted in the violent deaths of over sixty Protestant pastors in the last two years (cf. Conflict Colombia, Latin American Press, 2002),

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the people of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod continue to uplift in individual and public prayer the suffering and hope of the churches and people of Colombia; 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the assembly calls upon the synod's Global Mission/Companion Synod Committee to give greater visibility to the crisis in Colombia by: providing regular updates in synod publications; providing a list of educational resources, web sites and speakers to interested individuals and congregations; and encouraging and assisting youth, women's and men's organizations to become informed and support Lutheran ministries in Colombia;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of this synod be encouraged to prayerfully consider writing to their congressional representatives requesting that United States foreign aid to Colombia include financial resources to reestablish a peace process within Colombia and emphasize the importance of social and economic assistance for the people of Colombia;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this assembly requests the Southeastern Minnesota Synod Assembly direct the Southeastern Minnesota Synod Council to forward this resolution to the Church Council's Executive Committee to refer to the ELCA Conference of Bishops to undertake intentional efforts to educate themselves about the situation of Colombia using the resources of the Division for Global Mission, Lutheran World Relief and other advocacy-related organizations.

Resolution presented by the Southeastern Minnesota Synod Global Mission/Companion Synod Committee, 
Pastor Nick Fisher-Broin, chair.