Lutheran Ping!
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
Posted on 05/10/2009 5:22:07 PM PDT by lightman
Resolution 1-02 To Address the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Debate on Homosexuality and the Ministry
Whereas, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will meet in General Assembly in August, 2009 to debate the “Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies” and
Whereas, By the passage of the “Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies” the ELCA would commit itself to find ways to “recognize, support and hold publicly accountable life-long, monogamous same gender relationships,” and would commit itself to find a way for “people in publicly accountable, life-long monogamous same gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders of this church”, let it be
Resolved, That the Northern Illinois District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) confess the truth of God’s Word that homosexuality is contrary to God’s will and design, (Leviticus 18:22, Matthew 19:4-6, Romans 1:18-32) and let it be further
Resolved, That the Northern Illinois District of the LCMS, state its encouragement and support for those who are confessing the truth of God’s Word within the ELCA regarding homosexuality and the Holy Ministry, and be it further
Resolved, That the congregations of the Northern Illinois District of the LCMS be encouraged to pray for those who seek to hold to God’s Word within the ELCA regarding homosexuality, that the Lord would strengthen them in their confession, as well as to pray for all those within the ELCA who are bound in error and sin regarding homosexuality that they might be brought to repentance and the truth by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God alone; and be it finally
Resolved, The District President leads this convention in prayer for those who seek to hold to God’s Word within the ELCA regarding homosexuality, that the Lord would strengthen them in their confession, as well as to pray for all those within the ELCA who are bound in error and sin regarding homosexuality that they might be brought to repentance and the truth by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God alone.
Passed without debate 241-15
ALL of the prayers requested are deeply appreciated by the "faithful remnant" within the ELCA. These are expressions of the very finest churchmanship, conveying a glimmer of hope that intra-Lutheran cooperation in North America is not quite dead.
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
I know in my soul that we do not fight alone. But my head needs frequent reminders and my heart requires much comfort.
Homosexual Agenda Ping
Freepmail wagglebee or DirtyHarryY2K to subscribe or unsubscribe from the homosexual agenda ping list.
Be sure to click the FreeRepublic homosexual agenda keyword search link for a list of all related articles. We don't ping you to all related articles so be sure to click the previous link to see the latest articles.
Add keywords homosexual agenda to flag FR articles to this ping list.
Checkout: http://SilencingChristians.com
Good work by the NID of the LCMS. The only odd thing about this resolution is that 15 people voted against it. Unless I'm missing something, this would seem to be a no-brainer. I can only imagine that it was either a few libs who thought it was too harsh and/or a few ultra-conservatives who thought it did not go far enough.
Our FReepers Cletus.D.Yokel and bcsco are members of NID congregations, btw.
I, being a former ELCA and now LCMS, share in this prayer. You have no idea how much it hurts. I grew up in the former ALC which merged to become the ELCA. It was my home church. Thank God, my precious grandparents are dead and do not have to witness this destruction.
It would be interesting to know who the fifteen were who voted against this resolution and why. Depending on their reason, maybe they’re more suited to the ELCA. They should leave.
Where we have our problems is in connecting Lutheran doctrine to our practice--e.g., worship practice, preaching, catechesis--where too many of our pastors and congregations are going the way of American evangelicalism.
Thanks for you input. Though I am Catholic, I am very interested in seeing how this all plays out and I want my Lutheran brothers in Christ to know that I am praying that the LCMS maintains its adherence to Biblical morality.
Or, in light of Pastor Henrickson’s post (# 5) it may be that some are better suited to WELS.
We can only hope that is the case.
My same story. I’ve moved my family to a AFLC affiliated Lutheran church now, and it’s not a bad church, but it hurts to see the old Scandinavian church fall into this hole, and I miss the old days in the ALC.
Thank God, my precious grandparents are dead and do not have to witness this destruction.””
This is what homosexuals do, they destroy all opposition along with themselves. Sadly most people don’t get it, and won’t, because hollywood and the media are full of deviants.
" Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world"
I, too, am ex-elca. While laying out the case to "my" congregation why they should leave the elca I was personally subjected to more than a few invitations, invitations made by (redacted), "serving as Bishop of the Blank Synod," a small handful of dyed-in-the-wool elca "clergy," and a smaller number of lay folks, to leave the elca. I should get out, they said, if I didn't like what was happening. The elca is unbelievably good at showing people the door.
The last thing any of us ought to be doing is telling each other "[you] should leave."
"You should come with me" or "come on out" are quite a different story. But, let us not help our denominations get the reputation for inviting people to "leave."
Lord knows (I mean that literally), that can happen easily enough without the help of the likes of you and I.
And you are right about the LCMS drifting into the mega church stuff. That is a big concern of mine, as I have seen a congregation basically loose its doctrine that way.
> 241-15
Find the 15 and expel them.
......The elca is unbelievably good at showing people the door......
As many of you know, I left the ELCA last year to become an Orthodox Christian.
In its 2008 statistics on the ELCA website, their are NO entries for members who left the congregation by transfer to a non-Lutheran church body. There are two members listed who were lost due to “statistical and other reasons”. I imagine my leaving the congregation was listed in that category.
Strictly speaking, I did not “transfer” my membership. I just gave my priest a copy of my baptismal certificate, went through the catechumenate, and was received by Chrismation. I let my former pastor and congregation know exactly what I was doing, however. In fact, about a dozen members of my Lutheran congregation attended my Chrismation.
Nevertheless, my leaving the congregation was listed as a statistical glitch on the ELCA website. Either they were being extremely “technical” (since I did not formerly transfer), or they did not want to admit to the ELCA mis-leadership that anyone from their congregation would ever leave the ELCA to become Orthodox.
My prayers are with my Lutheran brothers and sisters within the ELCA who are resisting the latest set of “gay” resolutions. There are many whom I know personally who are in my prayers nearly every day already.
I absolutely see your point BUT if some of those 15 have the desire to chance the LCMS to the same point of view as the ELCA, then it is far preferable for them to leave than to try to poison the well for the rest of us.
And, (I haven't checked yet but) I may still be on the BoD.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.