Over 120 show up for Lutheran meeting

Brenham Banner-Press (Texas) ^ | 10/23/9 | ARTHUR HAHN/Managing Editor

[SmithL]

Group discusses the ‘rebirth’ of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas --

More exchanges of information are being planned as some Lutheran churches consider breaking away from the national group over differences of opinion, said organizers of a meeting held Thursday night .

More than 120 people turned out for the program at Welcome Lutheran Church to discuss the “rebirth” of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas (ELST).

“The people brought many questions,” said the Rev. David Klak, pastor of Welcome Lutheran Church and secretary of the ELST’s council. “I hope we were able to answer some of them.”

Some Lutheran congregations have said the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has drifted away from traditional understanding of the Scriptures and that they want a return to more “traditional” Lutheran doctrine.

The issue came to a head when ELCA’s national assembly voted to reject a requirement that gay and lesbian clergy remain celibate.

Klak said Thursday’s meeting also helped ELST organizers understand better when some Lutherans want.

“It brought clarity. It helped us as far as finding out what types of questions we need to be addressing sooner rather than later,” he said. “It was as much an informational session for us as it was for them.”

The end result could be a “break” from ELCA under the auspices of ELST.

Klak said ELST officials will now “start working on some of those questions and flesh out another round of informational sessions.”

“It might be another big meeting like this or through flyers or newsletters or us going and speaking to congregations,” he said.

ELST has already taken steps toward a possible break from the national synod, forming an executive committee and beginning the process for articles of incorporation, which could take six to eight months.

“If things go the way we think they will, we’ll be ready to move,” he said.

[SmithL]

Follow-up to Churches mull breakaway from ELCA

[SmithL]

Yeah, they said six congregations nationwide.

[Salvation]

Do you think the Lutheran churches will come back to Rome too, like the Anglicans churches are doing?

[Fido969]

A lot more than that.