Weeks before members of Grace Lutheran Church voted on whether to stay in the ELCA, Pastor Eric Lemonholm wrote a letter appealing for a “yes” outcome.
His heartfelt letter, titled “Saving Grace,” circulated widely across the ELCA after he posted it on his blog. The letter was also posted on Pretty Good Lutherans.
In December, a majority of church members voted to remain in the congregation. But the struggle over the issue of partnered gay clergy continued.
Now, nearly three months later, the pastor has posted another letter to church members.
“I still cannot fully comprehend the depth of hurt that is felt by some of our members over the Churchwide Assembly’s decisions last year, though I see it often,” the pastor wrote.
“I still do not see the decisions made as anything but a way to stay together and respect each individual’s, and each congregation’s, own conscience regarding issues of human sexuality . . .”
“Help me to understand where you are coming from; please do not give up on this congregation or on me as a brother in Christ.”
“On Welcoming Prophets”
An essay by David R. Weiss
David Weiss, author of "To The Tune of a Welcoming God," lives in St. Paul, Minn.
The church as a whole, like its Hebrew forebears and its Jewish cousins, has a better record of recognizing its prophets long after their words and deeds have lost their edge than of responding well to them in the present moment.
From Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Jesus on to Martin Luther and Martin Luther King, Jr., those voices who spoke words of unwelcome truth to power have rarely — if ever — been warmly welcomed.
So it is not surprising that the ELCA, especially within its institutional structures where power lingers as much by inertia as by intent, has a hard time knowing how to “welcome” onto its roster those seventeen persons ordained extra ordinem over the past two decades. Still, as the bishops gather this weekend to consider on what terms to extend the recognition of ministry to these persons, it is worth reflecting on the weight of this present moment.
Of the approximately 40 people on the roster of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM), more than half have been duly ordained by a Lutheran body and either left ministry or were removed from ministry due to the ELCA’s discriminatory policy toward gay and lesbian pastors. They became rostered through ELM as part of their return to ministry. A handful of persons on the roster are approved for call but not yet ordained.
By Chris Albert Pacific Lutheran University News
Tacoma, Wash.
Emily Branch and Marina Pitassi teamed together for a unique final project for their physicial education class. They decided to write a song and make a music video about body image.
“For me this project hit close to home because I’ve had body image issues all my life that have seriously affected my self-esteem and every day choices,” Pitassi said.
Branch said the video was a way to provide good information in a venue that would make people want to listen.
“Our main goal with this video is to make people aware of the stereotypes and negative body images issues that an alarming amount of people face due to pressure from the media to achieve the thin ideal (for women) or muscular ideal (for men),” she said.
“Don’t pass this off on God,” Stevenson was quoted as saying by Minnesota news outlets. “That’s no God we’ve ever heard of. And please stop lecturing us about God! It’s offensive! You need to stop!”
Background:
*Minneapolis Star Tribune: “Pawlenty the pious – God runs the show”
*Minnesota Post: “Amid prayers and passionate speeches, House Republicans support governor’s health care veto”
*New York Times: “Pawlenty’s Principles: ‘God’s in Charge’”
*Daily Kos: “Take the Tim Pawlenty insta-poll!”
*Alas!: “Pawlenty to Uninsured: Drop Dead”
The Rev. John Kaufmann -- generous in life and in death
The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia announced today that the school’s former registrar has left a $2 million bequest.
That’s the largest donation in the seminary’s 146-year history, according to a news release.
The Rev. Dr. John Kaufman, who recently died, graduated from the seminary in 1944 with a bachelor of divinity degree. He retired as the school’s registrar in 1990.
Here’s the link to Kaumann’s obituary. Below is the full press release about the donation from the seminary:
As reported here earlier, Lutheran Services of Iowa ended its refugee resettlement program in January. What does that mean for refugees, and for Iowa?
Iowa Public Television has produced a compelling report. Because of copyright restrictions, I can only provide a link to the story. It’s well worth your while to watch the broadcast. HERE’S THE LINK
Remember the headline-seeking fundamentalist preacher in Minneapolis last year? He blamed a tornado and a steeple’s falling on the Lutheran decision to affirm partnered gay clergy in ministries.
Now, a fundamentalist church in Fort Worth, Texas, is raining down God’s shame on Margot Kaessmann. Last week, she resigned her post a head of the Lutheran Church in Germany after admitting to driving drunk.
How does the Texas-based West Side Church of Christ view the bishop’s transgression? On the church’s blog, presumptuously named “Sound Teaching,” an explanation is posted under the tags “divorce,” “women,” and “drunkenness.”
Oh good grief. Here’s the fundamentalists take on the German news:
Reflection on Sunday’s Readings
By Pastor Timothy Seitz-Brown
49th anniversary of Abram’s AARP membership
Lord makes a wee bit impossible absolutely insane Promise
You will have a child
Abram offers the Lord a helpful suggestion
Hey, Lord, what do you think about this idea?
What if I adopt Eliezar of Damascus?
He’s a good boy
Like a son to me
Worked for our family for years
How about we say Eliezar is my boy and we call it even? Deal or no deal?
Pastor David Housholder of Huntington Beach, Calif.
Pastor David Housholder of Huntington Beach, Calif., may be the closest thing the ELCA has to a ’surfer dude’ pastor. When he isn’t hanging 10 on the water, you might find fight him in snow country on a pair a skis.
All that risky athleticism doesn’t carry over to his theology. Housholder is a self-described conservative, Pentecostal-leaning Lutheran who believes the Bible is inerrant (without error.)
He’s on leave as an ELCA pastor, but functions as the main “preacher/teacher” at Robinwood Church which, he says, isn’t an ELCA congregation, though it’s applied for affiliation. He and his wife, Wendy, are listed as elders there.
The following press release comes from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa:
Pastor David Vasquez-Levy of Luther College
Luther [College] Pastor David Vasquez-Levy has been awarded a $15,000 Pastoral Study Project grant from the Louisville Institute to support his project, People on the Move.
Selected from a pool of 127 applicants from across the United States and Canada, Vasquez-Levy’s grant is one of 15 awarded by the Louisville Institute in 2009.
People on the Move will be the conclusion of Vasquez-Levy’s one-year sabbatical project to develop materials based on interviews, community forums, and small group Bible studies that connect biblical narratives with contemporary migrations narratives.
“I want to focus the final three months of my sabbatical making those insights available to congregations through on-line Bible study and preaching resources,” said Vasquez-Levy. “I hope to draw on biblical migration narratives and the parallel experiences of immigrants to provide insight into the broader church’s life and ministry in a highly transitional world.”
Pastor Jens Martin Kruse of the Lutheran Church of Rome talked with Rome Reports News Agency about the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to his church. The visit is scheduled for March 14.
(The following article by me was first published in the Dallas Morning News in 2003. It’s reprinted with permission in the format the newspaper requires.)
By Susan Hogan The Dallas Morning News
Christians know where Lent is headed.
They fast, they pray, they repent. When it’s over they celebrate Easter.
But when, exactly, does Lent end?
Catholics say it ends just before the Holy Thursday service, what Protestants call Maundy Thursday. That’s three days before Easter.
Some Protestants, namely Lutherans, are coming around to that perspective, too, though it’s still a minority viewpoint.
But do the math. If Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Maundy Thursday, then the season doesn’t last 40 days.
It lasts either 38 days or 44 days, depending on whether you count Sundays. (In liturgical math, some traditions don’t count Sundays because the more festive event of resurrection is being commemorated.)
He wrote that song in 1963, a decade of tumult and change. Not long after, in 1970, Alvin Toeffler wrote the best sellingFuture Shock, saying that more and more rapid change would be the way the world works.
That’s certainly become true. The Iron Curtain fell. We elected actors as governors and presidents. And more computing power resides in your iPhone than on the Apollo 13 spaceship! Things keep changing!
So is church life. Some have said that the church is changing, and denominations are dead. The first part has always been true. I don’t think the second part is. But I would say denominational life is changing.
The following report comes from Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries regarding Pastor Anita Hill of St-Paul Reformation Lutheran Church in Minnesota:
“The St. Paul Area Synod of the ELCA has approved Rev. Anita Hill for reception to the ELCA roster.
“In communicating their decision, the panel wrote:
At the recommendation of the panel that met with you on February 2, 2010, it was moved by Marty Ericson and carried that Anita Hill be received onto the roster of the ELCA for ordained pastors pending the implementation of the Vision and Expectations policy changes approved at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in August 2009.
“The committee shared the following words with their decision: ‘Recognizing the intentional, prayerful, parallel process of the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries candidacy process, as well as your ministry partnership within the life of our synod, the Saint Paul Area Synod Candidacy Committee celebrates with you as you anticipate being received onto the roster.’”
An independent news site of veteran religion reporter Susan Hogan. Story tips and news items are welcome. Send them to: susan@prettygoodwriting.com
Pretty Good Lutherans exists because of the generosity of its readers. As an independent entity, this news site relies on reader donations. Thank you for your support.
_______________
People & Steeple News
(Updated continually)
Framed photo, above: Saints Perpetua and Felicity. The Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney reprises a sermon she delivered in 2005. See blogs. ____
TUESDAY, MARCH 9:
*Lutherans Concerned - North America: "Testifying for marriage in Minnesota"
*Augsburg College News: "Performances of the 'Vagina Monologues' raises money and awareness for Korean women"
*New Haven Register (Conn.): "Neither peaceful protest nor Lutheran pastor's prayers can save West Bank resident from possible arrest by Israel"
*Grand Forks Herald (N.D.): "ELCA says it stayed in the black, despite lowered giving" (Note to readers: This reporter apparently isn't on site, but is merely lifting material from ELCA public relations releases without informing you that he is doing so. Even though written by a veteran religion reporter, this story doesn't meet basic standards of reliable journalism.)
*LSTP Media: "Pastor John Berntsen appointed director of student services at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia"
*UMNS: "United Methodist Church giving, membership decline in recession" ___
THE GAY DIVIDE
Recent stories NOT covered by the ELCA News Service:
*Minnesota: St. Paul Area Synod approves Pastor Anita Hill for roster, pending implementation of revised ELCA ministry policies"
*Iowa:"More than two dozen Iowa ELCA clergy sign pro-gay marriageletter"
*Iowa "Clergy let lawmakers know of their support of same-gender marriage" ____________
ELCA BLOGGERS
Rotated daily; all viewpoints welcome
NEEDED: More diverse racial and ethnic representation in the blogs. Please send your link or link suggestions to susan@prettygoodwriting.com ___
The Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney Assistant Professor
Hebrew & Old Testament
The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (Pa.) "Saints Perpetua and Felicity"
Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber House for All Saints and Sinners
Denver, Colo. "Baptism"
Ligia Bolivar and Destiney Jones of Texas Lutheran University will compete in the March 12-13 NCAA Division III Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships. See story below. Photo by Drew Engelhe courtesy of TLU.
TUESDAY, MARCH 9:
*Men's alpine skiing: St. Olaf finishes eighth at USCSA championships
*Golf: "Lenoir-Rhyne men's golf team ties course record"
*Women's indoor track and field: "Luther College's Dani Meirick qualifies for NCAA tournament"
*Indoor track and field (Ill.): "Augustana's Patrick Zeunik to compete at NCAA championship
*Football (Ill.): "Augustana's Westemeyer is 24th NCCC post-graduate scholar"
*Baseball: No. 9 Carthage College falls to No. 2 team
*Baseball: Augsburg College drops two games
*Women's basketball: "Lenoir Rhyne earns a berth in NCAA tournament" ________________
Neal Thorpe, who taught biology at Augsburg College for 22 years. "Neal's passions included directing sacred choral music, teaching, mentoring, beekeeping, gardening, traveling. He was an avid pilot."
Phyllis I. Damschroder, 90, of Elmore, Ohio, where she was a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church. "She enjoyed square dancing and was a member of several local square dancing clubs."
William J. Hogan, 71, a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeport, Pa. "Bill was an avid gardener. He enjoyed traveling, scuba diving, swimming and fishing.
Funeral homes: Send obituary and photo hyperlink to shogan@prettygoodwriting.com. No fee. Individual must be an ELCA member, have a notable history with the ELCA or his/her funeral service is being held in ELCA church. ____________
"Was Jesus a Muslim? Questioning Categories in the Study of Religion" by Robert F. Shedinger (Fortress Press, 192 page, $24). Scheding teaches religious studies at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
"An Uncomfortable Bit of Rope and Other Essays on the Binding of Issac" by Christopher Halverson, a seminary student at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. (CreativeSpace, 131 pages, $8.60)
"The Future Starts Now: The Renewable Organization for Faith-Based Groups" by Kelly Fryer and others (A Renewal Enterprises, $18)
"Living Christianity: A Pastoral Theology for Today" by Shannon Craigo-Snell and Shawnthea Monroe (Fortress Press, 200 page, $22). Craigo-Snell teaches theology and religious studies at Yale; Monroe is a Cleveland-area pastor.
"Making Sense of Scripture: Big Questions About the Book of Faith" by David J. Lose (Augsburg Fortress, 224, $12.99). Lose is on the faculty of Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn.
Most improved:
*Alaska Synod, Anchorage, Ala. Kudos! Your makeover is a dramatic improvement. The new design is easy on the eyes and a snap to navigate. My favorite thing? On the bishop's page, he's not featured in churchy clothes. No, he's in an apron at the kitchen stove looking casual and approachable. Congrats. ___
Makeover needed:
*Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (Comment: Clashing colors, outdated information, tiny type and several other major issues that aren't a quick fix. But there's good news. The seminary reports that a makeover is in progress.)
*Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettsburg (Comment: Bland, bland, bland. Also hard to navigate. Readers will give up out of frustration.)
*Northwestern Minnesota Synod (Comment: Design is straightforward, but too many colors makes this Web site ineffective. Three quick fixes are all it needs. First, settle for one color of buttons in the left-hand column. Second, change that column's background color to something more eye-pleasing. Finally, fix the header alignment.)
*Northeastern Iowa Synod (Comment: Color issues. Hint: Purple, eggshell and red clash. Clashing colors repel readers.)
*Sierra Pacific Synod (Comment: Too much clutter on the home page! Simplify, simplify.)
*Southwest California Synod (Comment: A simple facelift needed to make this site less bland and easier to use.)
*Virginia Synod (Comment: Organizational issues on the home page; too many table cells to be useful)
Weeks before members of Grace Lutheran Church voted on whether to stay in the ELCA, Pastor Eric Lemonholm wrote a letter appealing for a “yes” outcome.
