Sure would be nice to hear something, anything, hopeful for our church. Got anything?
My dad, a retired ELCA pastor, sent me this email:
“EVERY TIME HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE, IT IS
CONDEMNED! That is a very strong statement and one with meaning!
The Holy Bible always treats heterosexuality as normative:
See I Cor. 7; Eph 5 and I Peter 3.
Old Testament references to read:
Genesis 19:4-5 Their sin is homosexuality
Leviticus 19:22
Leviticus 20:13
New Testament references to read:
Romans 1:18-19
1:21
1:24
1:26-27
I Cor. 6:9-11 A very significant reference.
I Cor. 6:16-20 and
I Tim 1:9-11
I began - and now I will close - with the very powerful reminder
that EVERY TIME HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR IS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE, IT IS
CONDEMNED!”
Please use these verses, when trying to persuade people that no Christian church should consider ordaining gays.
How about this pastoral Society that adds about 10% to its membership at every annual General Retreat?
Strange as a reform movement within a reform movement may sound, there is a pan-Lutheran (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) oratory of biblically conservative, liturgically steeped clergy that has gathered for mutual support and to resist the tide of modernity.
I encourage you to check out the website of the Society of the Holy Trinity http://www.societyholytrinity.org Read the page on "The Rule" http://www.societyholytrinity.org/rule.htm, paying particular attention to the section entitled "Parish Practices".Members of the Society are deeply committed to the weekly Eucharist, Private Confession and Absolution, and the public recitation of the Daily Office
Then look at the membership directory http://www.societyholytrinity.org/stswebdirectory.htm to see if there are any STS members serving a congregation within a reasonable driving distance. Although not every parish is practicing every aspect of the Rule at this time, most subscriber clergy are committed to working toward those goals and have a deliberate plan to achieve them incrementally. These clergy would be delighted to receive visitors and/or new members who share those commitments.
Like you, they are somewhat embattled. They would welcome your support and you would benefit from their ministry.