From Pastor Schulte, Pastor CarpenterSeptember 2009
The Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has
voted to approve the Social Statement on Sexuality,
voted to approve Same Gender Unions and
voted to approve the Ordination of Openly Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Trans-Gendered persons who are in a committed relationship or may plan to be some day.
* The vote to approve the Sexuality Statement: 695 For to 285 Against.
* The vote to approve ELCA Clergy to Preside at Gay Marriage: 619 For to 402 Against
* The vote to approve the Ordination/Rostering of Openly Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual &
Transgendered persons: 559 For to 451 Against (A margin of 108 votes).
The ELCA requires a 2/3 majority for a congregation to call a pastor. The ELCA requires a 2/3 majority for the Churchwide Assembly to adopt a Social Statement on education or the economy. Guidelines requiring 2/3 majority vote were established out of the desire to assure a super majority of consensus on issues of great importance. Under recommendation of ELCA Church Council, the Churchwide Assembly chose not to follow that percentage of approval. 559 people made the decision for 4.5 million people and the decision is final! Your pastors did not agree with ELCA Church Council’s recommendation of simple majority, and do not agree with the Churchwide Assembly’s decision. Many St. John members have expressed their strong displeasure with the decisions and their strong desire to disaffiliate with the ELCA since the ELCA has chosen to go in this direction, while others approve. The Congregation Council wants to hear from each confirmed member and has sent out the Response Form. These forms must be returned as directed by September 14th. The Council will bring a proposal for direction and action to the Annual Congregation Meeting on September 27th following the 10:30 AM Worship. Copies of the announcements for Sunday, August 23rd, are available at the church office. Some have asked, “May we, as a congregation, choose to leave the ELCA?” The answer is, “Yes”. The congregation can make the choice to disaffiliate from the ELCA according to the constitution, following a procedure that takes 90 days from an officially called Special Meeting at which time that would be the only item on the agenda. Should the congregation vote to leave the ELCA by a 2/3 majority of members present and voting, the Bishop would have 90 days to work with the congregation before a final vote would be required to ratify the previous 2/3 majority vote. According to the constitution, the congregation may leave the ELCA and keep its property so long as it goes to another Lutheran church body. The decision to join another church body can only be made by the congregation after it has voted to leave the ELCA. Congregations in our area who have recently left the ELCA include Hondo, Kerrville, Stonewall, Blanco, Bulverde and a congregation in Victoria. Most likely, a new Lutheran Church body will be formed in the future. Continue to pray constantly for St. John, for our pastors and leaders and for all our members that we be found faithful to God and to his Word and to his people and our hearts be filled with his Grace. God grant that we may continue our work of ministry to the Lord, for the sake of His church. We have One God, One Lord, One Church and One Mission, One God and Father of us all! |
