Posted on 10/28/2010 7:57:35 AM PDT by SmithL
Another five churches from the Northwestern Minnesota Synod have parted ways with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, according to information on the synod website.
Those congregations are First Lutheran Church of Roseau, Folden Lutheran Church of rural Vining, Faith Lutheran Church of Mentor, First English Lutheran Church of Menahga and Our Redeemers Lutheran Church of Badger.
A total of 15 NMS congregations have left the ELCA this year, Synod Bishop Larry Wohlrabe wrote in an Oct. 26 letter. That represents a decline of just over 5 percent of the synods total number of congregations.
The letter also states that the synod has 253 congregations with 103,480 members and that the departing churches accounted for a loss of 3,002 members. Thats just under 3 percent of total baptized members.
The average congregation size of the fleeing churches is 200.
The ELCA continues to deal with fallout after the 2009 Churchwide Assembly when it opted to allow individuals in same-gender relationships to serve in the clergy.
In his letter, Wohlrabe wrote that they grieve the loss of the 15 churches, but also made the case for proper perspective.
He also noted that 14 congregations have failed to pass first votes to disaffiliate from the ELCA. Two votes are required for a church to disaffiliate.
The NMS has seen more congregations depart than any other Minnesota synod, according to Oct. 1 numbers from the ELCA national offices. Those figures show that a total of 32 congregations in the state have passed final disaffiliation votes, though those numbers include only 10 departures from the Northwestern Minnesota Synod.
The national ELCA offices said that no eastern North Dakota churches have taken second votes while two churches in western North Dakota had done so.
Wohlrabe celebrates the 14 congregations that couldn’t muster the 2/3 majority vote to leave. How many individuals did those 14 congregations lose?
1 Timothy 3:1-5
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Keep it up.
bookmark
Its my understanding that 3 congregations in east central Illinois are taking their second vote this Sunday. Flatville, Royal and American Lutheran, Rantoul.
It is sad to think of all those people that are still members of the ELCA. They are either too ignorant or too indifferent to do what is right. There is only one choice. You either follow Christ, or you depart from him. Those that remain in the ELCA are doing the latter.
Could be easily more than half. I haven't yet seen a "failed" disaffiliation congregational vote that wasn't at least 50 percent in favor of leaving the ELCA.
What better day to leave the Egregiously Laodicean Church in America than Reformation Sunday?
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
Be rooted in Christ!
What better day to leave the Egregiously Laodicean Church in America than Reformation Sunday?Here I stand!
“Narrow is the way, and few there are that seek it.”
“You shall know them by their fruits” (no pun intended)
The 5% that left are the TRUE believers, I don’t know what to say about the rest.
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.