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Here's what stings the ELCA: "The congregation was the 10th largest in the ELCA with 6,800 baptized members. According to the 2009 ELCA Yearbook, Community Church of Joy's current operating expenses are more than $2.7 million. It gave more than $207,915 to the ELCA and other organizations in benevolence."

[St. Paul Pioneer Press story 9/25/09] "On Wednesday, ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson wrote in a pastoral letter to church leaders that he is "disappointed" that some people are encouraging congregations and members to take actions that "will diminish our capacity for ministry." He warned that such actions could affect the denomination's ability to start churches, send out missionaries and rebuild communities after disasters."

ELCA Statistics 1988 2008 % change
Churches 11,120 10,396 -6.5%
Baptized membership (millions) 5.25 4.63 -11.8%
ELCA new mission starts 50 25* -50%
Global missions (millions)$18 $15.6 -13.3%**
Global missions executive staff 22 25 +14%
ELCA missionaries 471 180*** -62%

* 2007 figure
**actual decline is greater when the $15.6 million is discounted for inflation
***48 were one-year young adult missionaries