ELCA Churchwide Assembly and Your Congregation’s Constitution: What’s the Connection?

The ELCA convenes the ELCA Churchwide Assembly every three years. The next one takes place this year, July 28 through August 2, in Phoenix, Arizona.

The ELCA Churchwide Assembly is the primary decision-making body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and over the course of the assembly, voting members:

• Hear reports and review the work of churchwide officers, leaders, and units.
• Receive and consider proposals from synod assemblies.
• Elect officers, board members, and other leaders as specified by the constitution or bylaws.
• Establish ELCA churchwide policy.
• Worship together.
• Adopt a budget.
• Conduct other business related to the ELCA churchwide organization, which includes voting on amendments to the ELCA Model Constitution for Congregations.

What does this mean for your congregation?

There will be amendments made to the Model Constitution for Congregations, which is the basis and model for your congregation’s constitution. These amendments will need to be incorporated into your congregation’s constitution.

Any amendments to the ELCA Model Constitution for Congregations will be made available to congregations sometime in September. This will be a great time to update your congregation’s constitution! If you are already in the process of updating your congregation’s constitution, remember to include the new amendments as they become available.

For more information on the process of updating your congregation’s constitution, click on this link to the most recent Councils as Leaders Event presentation:

Updating Your Congregation's Constitution (3/10/25): PowerPoint or PDF