Bishops Sample Clauses

Bishops. The Global Mission unit has oversight over the Companion Synod Program. Bishops have oversight over how the companion synod relationships are carried out in their synods. Both the xxxxxx of the ELCA synod and the xxxxxx/president of the international companion share a significant and complementary role in developing this relationship, under the oversight of the Global Mission unit (and the national church of the international companion, when applicable). These two leaders set the tone and the manner by which the relationship emerges.7 For ELCA synodical bishops, this role arises from their constitutional responsibility to be the “chief ecumenical officer,”8 to “exercise leadership in the mission of this church,” to “interpret and advocate the mission and theology of the whole church,” and to “xxxxxx awareness of other churches throughout the Lutheran world communion and, where appropriate, engage in contact with leaders of those churches.”9 These responsibilities include promoting interdependent relationships among the expressions of the ELCA, overseeing the church’s mission within the territory of the synod, and serving as a “sign of the unity of the church, between their respective synod and other denominational families and ecumenical organizations.”10