In two weeks I leave for Chicago and the ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly. This will be a long and exciting week. Yesterday, the voting members from NE Ohio met for an orientation session. It appears to…
Posts tagged elca
When it comes to gays, what would Luther do?
OK, two religious posts in a few days… I promise that I am not going to get over religious on you this week, but today’s USA Today’s Monday: On Religion editorial page featured an editorial…
Division in the Church
This past week, the ELCA removed Pastor Bradley Schmeling of Atlanta from its clergy roster. Pr. Schmeling, a gay man in a same sex committed relationship, was tried at an ELCA discipline hearing in January….
It’s been a rollercoaster weekend!
Brett and I attended the NE Ohio ELCA Synod Assembly at the Knight Center in Akron all day Friday and this morning. I staffed the Lutherans Concerned display in the exhibit area. It went very…
Progress on inclusivity in the ELCA
I have been working with other Lutherans Concerned Regional Coordinators and the Good Soil legislative team on assisting local teams with introducing resolutions pertinent to GLBT people at synod assemblies across the ELCA. Much of…
Proof that justice can be served in the ELCA
The discipline hearing committee constituted to hear charges against Pastor Bradley Schmeling has released its decision. You can view the complete trial decision or abbreviated update at the St. John Atlanta web site. It has…
New Bishop, New Hopes
Today I spent a long day at the Northeastern Ohio Synod, ELCA Bishop Election in Cuyahoga Falls. I was one of over 600 delegates to this special synod assembly where a Bishop is chosen via…
Uplifting and Supportive Pastoral Letter
Bishop Paul Stumme-Diers of the Greater Milwaukee Synod, has written a pastoral letter amplifying the decision of the synod to oppose the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage that is before voters in Wisconsin. The text…