Lutheran (EL
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Keep a Good Lent!
Posted on 03/01/2010 12:34:38 PM PST by SmithL
ROY -- A church in Roy may end up affiliated with a different Lutheran congregation because of a split with national church leaders over gay priests.
Last summer the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America voted to allow openly practicing gay and lesbian pastors to preside over congregations instead of requiring gay pastors to practice celibacy, as had been the previous policy.
The Standard-Examiner reports that vote has caused concern for at least one Utah congregation. Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Roy will hold a forum on Thursday to talk about the possibility of joining a different Lutheran congregation, the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ. The paper reports the church in Roy did not receive the two-thirds vote needed to secede from the ELCA.
Another church, The Ascension Lutheran Church of North Ogden, tells the paper it has increased membership since the policy change.
Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Roy will hold a forum on Thursday to talk about the possibility of joining a different Lutheran congregation, the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ. The paper reports the church in Roy did not receive the two-thirds vote needed to secede from the ELCA.SO? They can't get the 2/3 vote to leave the ELCA, but it only takes a majority to join LCMC. How will the ELCA respond, by expelling them?
Sadly, this was probably their best shot at getting the necessary 2/3rds. A lot of church members will probably now vote with their feet and disassociate from this church and its ties to the ELCA. I'm guessing next time, if there is one, that the makeup of the voters will contain a higher concentration of ELCA-supporters since most of the ELCA-opponents will have left.
In that situation, my church would split or I would leave them. The Bible is not a cafeteria menu where you take what you like. Either it is the word of God, or it isn’t. I prefer to follow God’s word or at least recognize that when I fall short it is because I have chosen to go against God’s word.
I guess one silver lining in all this is that it will separate the wheat from the tares. Those who leave the ELCA are the wheat. Those who stay.....well, for most I imagine the last four words they ever hear will be "I never knew ye..."
Readers who like a little context with their stories would be asking what's the number, please. One additional member is an increase.
Ascension Membership
Baptized 532
Confirmed 406
Average Attendance 170
The Lutheran church in my town had this vote recently- lengthy article in the local paper, I think the writer was trying to give background but all it did was come off confusing. I think they lacked the 2/3 majority to break away. However a small church a few miles down the road did vote to leave.
Ping
The point is that they don’t need a 2/3 vote to join another organization, such as LCMC or NALC, while still in the ELCA. The ELCA won’t like it, of course, but I don’t know if they would follow-through with their threat to expel any congregation that does that.
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Keep a Good Lent!
Hope you are well lightman. My church voted to stay ELCA. On Sunday. It was a sad day for about 200 of us. At least I know my path now. Many of us are talking of starting a new Church. We also have a Lutheran Church in a nearby city( about 15min.) that will welcome us. I appreciate your postings and keep us in your prayers.
Yes, it would probably be possible to leave without the 2/3, but then there would be a constitutional issue if they would be able to retain their property.
Prayers for you as you enter your journey. My wife and I left the ELCA some years ago for this very reason, among others. Now with the LCMS and quite happy.
When the ELCA expels a congregation, they don’t take the property.
It will be very interesting to see how this plays out, given ECLA Secretary Swartling's directive that there is to be no "dual rostering" of clergy and congregations.
Concievably, a dual rostered congregation could be expelled from the ELCA for that infraction, sparing it the necessity of the two 2/3 OF THOSE PRESENT votes 90 days apart while still being able to keep its property.
Very interesting times.
But then, the ELCA has a long history of picking and choosing which rules it wants to enforce. Witness Herchurch.
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