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Reflections shared with XYZ Lutheran Church on Sunday, August 23, 2009
Retired Pastor
Following are the reflections of a pastor who had retired from a congregation now troubled by the actions taken at the recent ELCA Biennial Assembly in Minneapolis, Minnesota regarding sexuality and how that unfolds into the policies and practices of the church body. We asked his permission to post his comments which he readily gave us, asking however, if both he and the congregation could remain anonymous. While we would normally not post any anonymous commentary, we determined that because of varied implications, this is an exception.
Dear Members of XYZ Church,
Though my wife and I have retired from your midst, we have heard of some fearful developments at XYZ Church. A summary of what we have heard is 3-fold:
1) XYZ Church will cease financial support of the ELCA.
2) XYZ Church will cease taking direction from the ELCA.
3) XYZ Church will depart from the ELCA and will look to a new affiliation.
If these were the ‘thesis’ of the message (and only then) I would ask you to seriously and prayerfully consider the following:
1) The Lutheran Church (historically) has not been a schismatic church. Regardless of the issue(s), we have been able to find our ultimate unity in Jesus Christ—the highest order of unity.
2) When local congregations announce they will vote with their ‘wallet(s)’, they are encouraging family units (within their own congregations) to withhold funds every time they are in disagreement with leadership (very destructive to the local congregation covenant and a dangerous precedent).
3) When local congregations announce they will ‘jump ship’ when there is disagreement, they are modeling a behavior giving permission to individuals/ families to ‘jump ship’ whenever there is disagreement (very destructive to the local congregation covenant and a dangerous precedent).
4) When local congregations announce they will cease to take direction (not live under the umbrella of authority which they agreed to constitutionally) they are giving a message which (in my opinion) is very compromising of civility—whether it be individually or collectively—which is destructive to ‘the ordered life’ (very destructive to the local congregation covenant and a dangerous precedent).
5) The ELCA and antecedent ALC have on several occasions guaranteed XYZ Church’s financing with AAL, Lutheran Brotherhood and Thrivent. They have a huge investment in XYZ Church—something not to be dismissed readily.
6) The Holy Spirit has historically spoken through the ‘collective wisdom’ of the entire congregation—not only pastors and staff. Hence we recognized the need to honor the constitution approved by XYZ Church.
The ELCA is so far from perfect. But so are you and I! I do not have to agree with everything within the ELCA or Luther Seminary to stay within the ‘family’. According to former President of the ALC, David Preus, ‘when you leave, you give up your voice’. Please don’t give up XYZ Church’s voice within a Body that has great potential.
I, personally, grieve the thought of XYZ Church leaving its roots.
Thanks for your consideration. I understand I am treading on ‘thin ice’ when I could be perceived as ‘meddling’. Please know that both of us care. We gave over 21 years of our lives to XYZ Church, and we do have a vested interest in its future missional success—linked to the ‘fellowship of the broken’….by grace alone.
Blessings,
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