At the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, For the Life of the World, voting members from the 65 synods of this church—including the 13 voting members of the NC Synod—acted on various items of business, including social statements, memorials,  and bylaw amendments. Particular items of note are listed below:

• Memorial B14—Consideration of Recommendation 1 of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church: Calls for (646-144) the church to acknowledge the importance of accountability in addressing racism within all structures of the ELCA, to affirm the work of the Strategy Toward Authentic Diversity Advisory Team, to request that the Church Council continue to work with the team to clarify the nature of mutual accountability, and to direct the Church Council to add a timeline to its actions taken and to provide progress updates to this church with a final report by fall 2027, including possible constitutional changes.
• Memorial D4—Stand of Palestinian Rights and End to Occupation of Palestine: Calls (742-38) for the ELCA, its members, congregations, synods, and churchwide units to advocate for human rights and a just peace for Palestinians and Israelis by supporting policies that end the occupation. To join the World Council of Churches in calling for an immediate end to the mass killing in Gaza. To urge the Office of the Presiding Bishop to petition U.S. leaders to recognize and act to end the genocide against Palestinians, halt military aid to Israel used in Gaza, and support Palestinian statehood and U.N. membership. To reject forced displacement and settler violence. To promote prayerful engagement and solidarity with those working for justice and peace, including ELCA partners in the region. And to amplify the voices of local partners and strengthen the ELCA’s advocacy through the Office of the Presiding Bishop, the Middle East and North Africa Desk, the Sumud initiative, and the Witness in Society team, among other offices.
• Motion D (530-236): Amending bylaw 5.01.E19. to increase the percentage goal of youth and young adult voting membership of Churchwide Assembly, Church Council, and churchwide boards and committees from 10 to 20%. The committee also recommends directing the Church Council to develop and present a plan for implementation of this continuing resolution at its April 2026 meeting that also addresses barriers to youth and young adult participation.
• “Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All” social statement: The social statement “Faith and Civic Life: Seeking the Well-being of All” and its implementing resolutions were then considered. All amendments, which were based on the committee’s recommendations from an ad hoc task force, were approved. The assembly adopted (762-16) the social statement as amended. During the consideration of its implementing resolutions, all amendments were adopted.
• “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” social statement: The assembly considered edits made by an appointed task force to the “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust” social statement. All amendments were adopted. A motion to amend one of the amendments, removing the phrase “to be a covenant between a man and a woman” from the language, “The Christian tradition has historically defined marriage to be a covenant between a man and a woman, as reflected in the language of Genesis,” was also adopted (552-211). The assembly then approved (742-46) the social statement as amended.

Picture Gallery credits: ELCA