Gay clergy vote splits South Dakota Lutheran churches

From the Sioux Falls (South Dakota) Argus Leader:

Gay clergy vote splits South Dakota Lutheran churches
At least seven congregations take steps to leave ELCA

East Lake Andes Lutheran Church is an eclectic, spiritually self-reliant congregation.

The 100 or so members from the farms and ranches near Armour and Parkston come from a variety of Protestant and Roman Catholic backgrounds, in addition to Lutheranism.

"It just kind of blended together into a community-type rural church," said Bill Van Gerpen, co-pastor and a Baptist.

So when the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America's general assembly voted in August to allow sexually active gay clergy in committed, monogamous relationships to serve as pastors, members of East Lake Andes who opposed the move explored the idea of leaving the ELCA. In the process, they've found that their own spiritual tradition runs deeper than their ties to the ELCA.

News (?) from Indiana

AP, via 365gay.com:

(Fishers, Ind.) Conservative members of the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination voted Saturday to spend the next 12 months deciding whether to split from the church after it liberalized its stance on gay clergy.

Also see:

Lutheran CORE
Lutherans Concerned of North America

Watch ELCA live

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly meeting in Minneapolis is live streaming its sessions this week. The church is considering change in their policy on gay and lesbian clergy who are married or in domestic partnerships.

Watch here. A report on other media options is here including Twitter and Facebook.

Their schedule is here.

Bringing the church to the people

This morning Bishop Marc Handley Andrus of the Episcopal Diocese of California joined Lutheran Bishop Mark Holmerud in celebrating the eucharist in the assembly area before today's San Francisco Pride parade.



Oasis California made the arrangements for the joint parade contingent.

Bishop Robinson among the Lutherans

This 4th of July weekend, Lutherans Concerned//North America (LC/NA) is holding its biennial assembly, dubbed Hearts on Fire, in San Francisco.

Visiting LGBT Lutherans were enjoying what a speaker, Bishop John L. Sellers (UCC), called California's "Love Rush." Many of LC/NA leaders and members took time out of four days of meeting and strategic planning to get married.

Bishop Gene Robinson gave the opening keynote address on Thursday. He touched on many of the same themes in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, explaining:

"I think I'm so 'dangerous' because I'm so normal. ... What terrifies (conservatives) is that people will get to know me and find me to be not all that extraordinary and, indeed, find out how theologically orthodox I am. And then all of their arguments fall apart."

On Friday Bishop Robinson conversed informally at the conference with a classroom full of very engaged Lutherans. Much of the discussion ranged over the paradox that Lutherans came to ordain women without much controversy but still exclude open LGBT people from ordained ministry. Meanwhile Episcopalians only came to women's ordination through a painful path that included ecclesiastical disobedience -- yet now have many proudly open gay clergy and a gay bishop.

Bishop Robinson told a questioner that he will only discuss the seven Biblical texts that are read as condemnations of homosexuality after a prior discussion of how people read and understand Scripture.

And he opined that religious controversies seem to come down to disputes between people who have very different understandings of the Church. One sort of religious person believes that humans are so deeply damaged/sinful that we need a Church and religious strictures that keeps a lid on us. Another sort takes as a starting point God's pronouncement that God's creation is good and hopes for God's exuberant love to be extended through human life and action.

In his signature line, Bishop Robinson left no doubt which side of that divide he's on: "we're ALL going to heaven."

Reconciling in Christ Ecumenical Leadership Training

October 18-21, 2007
(Thursday evening through mid-afternoon Sunday)
Christ Lutheran Church
1701 Arroyo Chamiso, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Who should come?
Individuals from congregations (not only Lutheran) and other persons interested in supporting the expansion of the welcoming church movement.

What happens at the Ecumenical Leadership Training?
RIC Core Team Leadership Training is an intense 3.5 days hands-on workshop intended to give participants the skill set and knowledge base to expand the RIC Program to include organizations and congregations. Many denominations recognize the RIC Core Team Leadership Training as essential in development and promotion of welcoming statements.

What is the registration process?
Registration is done online at http://www.lcna.org/rictraining.shtm
Deadline is Thursday, October 11, 2007.
Training capacity is limited; register ASAP.

What is the cost?
Registration fee includes housing (3 nights at Residence Inn, SF), meals, and materials.
Single occupancy: $425.00
Double occupancy: $255.00 (shared room with designated or selected roommate)
Commuter: $ 85.00 (staying at home or with friends/family)
Scholarships covering costs and offering host housing are available upon request. Written information of need should accompany online registration form via email to grassroots@lcna.org or postal mail to LC/NA, PO Box 4707, Saint Paul, MN 55104.
Cancellation fee is $25.00.
No refunds after October 11. 2007.

Questions/Need for Additional Information?
Call or email Reverend Benjamin Larzelere III at church@clsantafe.com or 505-983-9461

ELCA encourages its bishops to refrain from the discipline of ministers in same-gender relationships

August 11, 2007
Contact: Phil Soucy
703-980-2038
communications@lcna.org
http://www.goodsoil.org/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) decided to encourage its bishops to refrain from or demonstrate restraint in the discipline of rostered ministers in committed same-gender relationships. While the assembly deferred outright elimination of its policy that prohibits LGBT ministers from living in loving, lifelong family relations with their life partner, asked the church to prepare for such decision at its next assembly in 2009.

Emily Eastwood, Executive Director, Lutherans Concerned / North America said,

Today this church moved one giant step from the punitive rejection of partnered LGBT ministers to the willing tolerance of them. We see this decision as interim. Full inclusion and acceptance is still down the road, but the dam of discrimination has been broken. This is a great day for LGBT clergy who will walk into their pulpits tomorrow knowing perhaps for the first time that this church values their gifts for ministry more than the policy that would exclude them. The church is on the road to acceptance. The end of exclusion is in sight. With this decision the voting members signaled a desire for policy change, but the need for two more years to bring more of the church along.

The ELCA policy that prohibits loving, committed, lifelong, same-gender relationships for LGBT ministers remains in effect. Therefore, Goodsoil and its partners and allies will continue the efforts to help the Lutheran church recognize the eternal truth that God has known all along: that LGBT people are part of the wondrous diversity of creation, God's children, followers of Christ, and gifted as are all others to serve the mission of the church in outreach with the message of the Gospel.

About:
Goodsoil is working for full inclusion of LGBT Lutherans in the life of their church and is comprised of Lutherans Concerned / North America, The Network for Full Inclusion, Wingspan Ministry, and the Extraordinary Candidacy Project.

Source: http://www.lcna.org/lcna_news/2007-08-11.shtm

Other coverage from...

• Christianity Today
• Rueters

Lutheran Assembly Sends Memorials on Same-Sex Blessings to Task Force

ELCA NEWS SERVICE
August 9, 2007

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The 2007 Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA voted 733-278 to refer memorials on the blessing of same-sex relationships to the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality. The Task Force is engaged in developing a social statement on human sexuality to be presented to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly.

Click here to read the rest.

Lutherans to consider gay clergy

Tuesday, August 07, 2007
BY JEFF DIAMANT
Star-Ledger Staff

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is expected to vote this week on whether to change its 20-year-old rule against ordaining gay clergy who are not celibate.

The 1,000 people gathered in Chicago for the weeklong Churchwide Assembly, which began yesterday, also will vote on whether pastors can bless same-sex unions.

Unlike the Episcopal Church of the United States, which nearly split in 2003 after ordaining an openly gay bishop, the 4.9 million-member Evangelical Lutheran denomination does not appear threatened by a formal rupture. Still, interested Lutherans have formed groups supporting or opposing changes.

Click here to read the rest.

Same-sex salvation

LUTHERAN CHURCH Wayne Miller, the next Bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, is pushing for abolition of celibacy requirements for gay and lesbian clergy
July 25, 2007
BY SUSAN HOGAN
Chicago Sun-Times

The Lutheran pastor soon to be bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod wants his denomination to lift a celibacy requirement for gay and lesbian clergy.

"That's where I think the church is going," Bishop-elect Wayne Miller of Aurora said. "That's where I think it needs to go."

He's hoping the change will come next month in Chicago, where the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is conducting its churchwide assembly. Nearly a third of the denomination's 65 synods are asking for a policy shift in clergy standards.

Eventually, gay and lesbian clergy in monogamous, same-sex relationships could be allowed to serve.

John Roberts of Chicago also hopes it could lead to the reinstatement of gay clergy removed from ministry. He says he was ousted as pastor of a Michigan church in the 1990s after he confided to his bishop that he was gay.

"He gave me 11 days to leave the parish and not tell anyone," the 58-year-old Roberts said. "I still feel that call to pastoral ministry."

Click here to read the rest.