Posted on 08/02/2005 10:54:57 AM PDT by wallcrawlr
An Evangelical Orthodox Lutheran is in no way "mainline", thank God!! However, given that the vast majority of Christians are in the orthodox catholic tradition, he or she is very much mainstream!
As I said before, I will spend the Sundays during the CWA with my Orthodox brothers and sisters, celebrating the Transfiguration and the Dormition. But I will pray for the ELCA.
It seems like those churches having the word "Bible" in their names have pretty much avoided the affliction. (This is where I'm tempted to say, "Go figure." ;)
I will repeat a posting I offered yesterday on a similar thread, as We are all deeply concerned about what may happen later this week in Orlando. To that end, one of the fine orthodox clergy Voting Members from my Synod has composed some prayers for use during these eight days of distress.
I strongly urge all who are concerned to "tithe" their rhetoric (FR and otherwise) and offer no less than 10$ of it heavenward in the days ahead:
God of grace and glory whose compassion led to the cross and the grave we pray that you would keep our eyes focused on you. By the power of your Holy Spirit fill us with humility so that we would only seek your will and not our own. Fill us with hope as we remember your triumph over sin and death and as we look forward to your final victory over suffering and evil. Lord, in your mercy....hear our prayer.
Almighty and ever living God, the wisdom of the ages lays at your command. Stir up your power and come to us that we would draw on the insight of your Word for the decisions that we make. Help us to speak the truth in love and to be on our guard against the deceivers of this world. Give us the courage and energy it takes to stand up when we are called on to be servants of your Word. Lord, in your mercy....hear our prayer.
Holy God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in you we live and move and have our being. You know what we need even before we ask, help us to walk in your ways and to lead others to the truth. Bless our leaders with wisdom and give all decision makers clarity of thought. Help us to trust in you for you live and reign one God through all ages. Lord, in your mercy....hear our prayer.
Precious Savior, you hearkened the little children to come unto you. Continue to make our congregations safe havens for children that what we teach may bring strength and direction to their lives. Bless parents and educators and all those who work with children that they may not grow weary in doing what is right but may be lifted up to be examples of righteousness and holiness for the sake of your holy name. Lord, in your mercy....hear our prayer.
Patient God, we thank you for your forgiveness and the new life that you bring. Transform our lives this day. Make us more ready to forgive and to give. Encourage husbands and wives to remain faithful to their wedding vows and to live lives of commitment and service. Lord, in your mercy....hear our prayer.
Eternal God, your wisdom spans the generations and brings stability to a changing world. Keep us steadfast in your unchanging love and bind us together with your holy Word. Bless the family dear God, that as we deal with the constant demands of this world we would not succumb to competing priorities but be diligent in our calling as your children marked by your cross in Holy Baptism. Make our lights shine before others and give glory to you Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
Rev. Sara Gausmann, Co-pastor Saint Paul Lutheran Church,York.
Thanks for the ping, Tony. My son's health has kept me from doing much at church lately, so I really appreciate being kept informed about what the ELCA is up to.
As much as Sodomy is condemned in both Old and New Testaments, I really have trouble understanding how anyone can claim to practice the faith taught in the Bible and support such activity at the same time.
"Interesting. Is someone trying to push for a lassie fair attitude in regards to sexual morality?"
That's how it came across to me, but with a dash of clergy being considered teflon coated, i.e. untouchable by the laity. I repeat, this was patristic material, not scholastic.
"I...have yet to run across any thing that 'borders on permitting promiscuity' ".
I was quite surprised by what I read.
The situation today is no different from when Israel was told to "choose this whom you shall serve"...the sexgod Ba'al or the Lord.
For whatever reason, the Orthodox churches seem to be blissfully immune to the machinations of the gaysbians and feminazis, even though there are miscreants (i.e, the "gay" group "Axios") who are trying to undermine them. Even Roman Catholics have feminazi "theologians", as well as numerous priests who call for open "gay" ordination. But not, apparently, the Orthodox. It's so refreshing to go to my Serbian Orthodox congregation and not to have to deal with this garbage at all!!!!
###"Since they've been ordaining female pastors for so many years"###
Sorry to say that our Pro Life organization has had the most resistance from these "pastors"
A church bearing St. Paul's name has a female co-pastor. Gotta love the irony.
Ironic, especially since she and her co-pastor husband are among the staunchest traditionlists in the region. She and their daughter will be Voting Members in Orlando.
Wow. Staunch traditionalists?! She and their daughter, voting members?! The irony is immeasurably thicker than I could have possibly imagined.
I'm going to throw a bunch of questions at you. It is not meant to be personal...I am just an extremely confused former ELCA member that shakes my head in disgust at what this ELCA denomination has become. If I had the chance to ask your pastors these questions I would.
What have you been doing...why are you waiting for them to "decide"? What vested interest do you have in the ELCA? Are you not concerned with Gods judgement on man? Do you actively preach against the wishy-washy leadership? How many sheep have ben lead astray by shepards that themselves dont know which direction they walk? Are you one of those God is love pastors that likes to not condemn? What is your plan when the ELCA does not do what the Bible states so clearly? Are you ready to leave the ELCA? How much of your monthly benevolance checks to the "mother office" have been spent on the homo agenda? Who can you trust thats presently in leadership of the ELCA to do the right thing?
Ok, thats enough...I had to get it out.
If it gets more progressive, it will be considerably smaller by members and congregations.!
Let's not drag Harry into this! It is Lutheranism or Fistingism!
I would absolutely prefer to have a man lead...as the Bible states...but I will settle for whats practical and by what the pastor says and does rather than if she's wearing a skirt.
You would urinate on the very heads of those who would push you up and rescue you from the flood!
And if Saul wants to make a burnt offering to God all by himself. Well that's ok too. Who is to say Saul's worship and offering aren't OK with God? What, is Saul an lesser person or something that he can't make a burnt offering to God? /sarcasm off/
Uh, would you care to elaborate on that a bit? For instance, who do you see as rescuing me, and from what flood?
It is lost on you. Your antipithy for Lady Pastors is what I was referring to.
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