General Synod News

Box Hill Ordination Proposal Lost

The General Synod of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ) did not pass a proposal to change the teaching of the church which would have permitted the ordination of both men and women.

The proposal brought before General Synod by the St Pauls Box Hill congregation, Victoria, required a two-thirds majority of registered delegates in order to be passed.

203 delegates voted in favour of the proposal; 136 voted against it; and 3 delegates abstained. 229 votes were needed for the motion to be passed.

Read more here:
https://www.lca.org.au/box-hill-ordination-proposal-lost/

LCANZ to Explore One Church; Two Practices of Ordination

Delegates at the General Synod of the Lutheran Church of Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ), meeting in Melbourne, directed the church’s General Church Board and the College of Bishops to explore the theological, constitutional and governance issues involved in establishing ‘one church with two different practices of ordination’.

Synod directed that work be done to outline how one church with two ordination practices might function, such as one or more existing LCANZ districts becoming districts that teach and practice the ordination of both women and men to the office of the public ministry, or by establishing a non-geographical LCANZ ‘district’ that does so.

Read more: https://www.lca.org.au/lcanz-to-explore-two-practices-of-ordination/

Churchwide Office to Address $1.5m Annual Deficit

GCB Member Mel Zerner informed General Synod delegates that the church’s headquarters in North Adelaide is operating with an annual shortfall of approximately $1.5m. While the deficit can be addressed in the short term by drawing on reserves, ‘naturally, this position is not sustainable’, Mr Zerner said.

More here:
https://www.generalsynod.lca.org.au/2023/02/11/churchwide-office-to-address-1-5m-annual-deficit/