Wherever one stands on the resolutions passed at CWA, it's clear to me that congregations should have the right to do exactly what this one has done.

This congregation should read the "rubrics" in the Model Constitution. Chapter 9 cannot be amended by either addition or deletion. What the congregation wants to do is properly placed in their actual by-law section. This means it would be numbered with a "B" instead of a "C".

so no world relief and no camping no support to the poorest among us because your church is seeking a third way in ministry? So sad, so sad. but I guess you "feel" better about it.

Did you look at the redirects?

I have it on good authority that this congregation which averages in the high 50's in worship has received a Heifer International award for having "filled two arks" in the past six years.

The argument has been made that the protest is not about sex but about the authroity of Scripture. This is not addressed by this congregation. Sex is a symptom and not the cause. The poorest among us would be those living without the authority of Scipture in their lives. You can have all the food you want, but without the Bread of Life, that is when you go hungry.

For years we have seen 'Confessional" churches do similar things by sending mission dollars to, say Lutheran Heritage Foundation instead of St. Louis' Board for Mission Services. Pastors get this from members who want to support a preferred "conservative" RSO within Synod over/against another or are made at the church and "tithe" elsewhere. This really isn't good churchmanship. It smacks of taking your football and going home because you can't play quarterback.

Just show some courage and leave. The ELCA churches around me are cratering (minus one "conservative" church) because the laity are not going to put up with this nonsense no matter what games you play. From the Missouri perspective it is a bit insulting-- is dying as a church worth not hanging out with us?

I just read one ELCA theologian, James Nestingen, who suggested that going to Rome (crossing the Tiber, I believe it's often called) would be an acceptable alternative to "any number of LC-MS" congregations where the gospel is faithfully preached and the sacraments rightly administered. Isn't that like cutting off your nose to spite your face? I mean, if the sticking point over and against the LCMS as an option really boils down to that pesky woman ordination dilemma (what else could it be at this point?), well then it's no surprise that Rome won't allow that either, so how does that help you to go to Rome and also risk giving up the Gospel for works righteousness over there? The almost instinctive LC-MS "bogey-man" mentality that viscerally, reflexively causes most ELCA'ers to reject an LC-MS alternative out-of-hand must be a kind of conditioned ignorance (kind of like that experienced with brussel sprouts or beef liver). I say "don't knock it 'til you try it," which is a fear that, despite what they've heard/read/been taught about the LC-MS, they worry that they might find out it's kind of tasty once they try it, or maybe some tried it once and had a "bad" experience with it. You may not find the LC-MS position on W/O, or close communion, or "inerrancy" personally palatable, but, then again, if you are looking for Sola Scriptura as a reason to back it up, well at least we've got that going for us on the menu. So I, too, say, "Come on in, the water's fine, and our pool's big enough.

...over my posting frustrations about the ELCA's theological collapse and my subsequent departure, and my declaration of ending posting regarding matters ELCA, I will poke my head up for a moment.

This is exactly what we've done. Living in one of the most pro-RIC/LCNA synods in the country, and finding out from our now-former pastor that the congregation is going to "get with the programme," we came to the decision to leave the ELCA altogether. There are no WordAlone or LutheranCORE chapters anywhere nearby, no LCMC. We checked.

So, we have been worshipping at an LCMS congregation who have reached out to we ELCA dissidents, and chances are very good we will become members.

We've been part of the LCMS before so it is a known quantity to us. Also, not being lifelong Lutherans, I don't think we've ever been part of the innate hostility that seems to (unfortunately) exist between Lutheran synods.

It was very refreshing and relieving to hear the LCMS pastor preach that, yes, indeed, there IS absolute truth.

OK, Pr.B., I'm down...

Peter could you put the link to the Nestingen piece? I am a former student of Nestingen's who actually did join the LCMS after graduating from Luther Seminary. I consider him to have had a rather strong positive influence in this decision. He's friends with alot of people in the LCMS also, and has taught seminars at some of their seminaries. Consequently, I find it interesting that he would take such a negative attitude towards it. I'd like to read his actual words. Thanks.

You can find Nestingen's words on the WordAlone web site.
I'm also a former student of his, who will take the good of what I learned from him (he was the best theology of the cross teacher I've ever had) and choose to ignore most of what he's saying lately about this. I don't read much Jesus in it; rather, I encounter someone who doesn't seem to care how reckless or destructive he's being in what he says or writes. Would that he would have written a piece like David Yeago's recent "In the Aftermath."

Bob, you thought that that was extreme and reckless? I thought that this was a pretty rational and even handed assessment of what's going on. He was a 100% correct about the enthuasism thing (Carlstadt and Erasmus) and how the homosexual lobby functions in the Church. I've seen it during my days in seminary. Beyond that, you've apparently never heard Nestingen be really harsh- I must say I find him delightful even then.

Also, Peter, his point wasn't that the LCMS is a worse place to go than the RC. He was simply saying that he thinks that we're too exclusionary in our communion practices (so, apparently the entire Christian Church was before the 70s?) and that the RC is a possible alternative as long as absolution and the sacraments are present. Any Lutheran would admit that- Luther and the Lutheran Confessions would also insist on that!

After you read Nestigen's piece with the link on the main page of wordalone.org, I'll think you'll be very surprised at his vitriol. He's moved to a level different from where I've ever seen him before.

Returning to the strictures of the LC-MS is not an option for many of who chose to leave many years ago (Seminex-AELC-LSTC-ELCA).

My opinion is that would entail a return to a strong nomian influence in contrast to a cheap grace theology I am encountering with the Sexuality Statement and ELCA vote on Sexuality. Missouri, tried it for 40+ and found it wanting (although on many occasions I heard the Gospel preached in its truth and purity but the same can be said for the ELCA). Looking for a middle way that balances Law and Gospel.

Strictures? The current complaint in the LCMS is that there are few to any. My nearest LCMS colleague is a Seminex graduate and he is doing fine. Yes, I have told him that I thought he was wrong (let's see, THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO) when I was in junior high school. Please join me in the church of 2010.

There you go again...smacks of hubris in joining you in 'the church'. I am a member of the catholic church (same as you) and find your invitation insensitive if not insulting. I stuck with Missouri even after seminary because God was not calling me into ministry (pulpit), it was my home congregation, they allowed me to teach my conscience re: biblical matters (taught confirmation for 10+ years in that parish), and I was a big supporter of parochial education. The little school closed 4 years ago and it was time for me to leave. I have issues with close communion (which was not practiced but now with a new pastor has again reared its ugly head)and a woman's role in the modern church. Missouri meets satis est criteria, but so does the ELCA...forgive me if I pass on your generous offer, I'll stay and reform from within.

You apparently need a lot of Law in your life. Try to keep it in balance.

You are arguing against yourself. The church catholic has always practiced close communion-- neither has it ordained women. And what is modern? The church is catholic when it lives in it's historical witness.

I am sorry about the school --I have 5 kids first to eighth in ours and would miss it terribly. Hope reforming from within works.

The church is catholic when it proclaims the Gospel. That, not "historical witness" nor "tradition" is what the church must be grounded in. Remember that the "historical witness" of Luther's time excommunicated him.

I am a convert to Lutheranism, I came from the Roman church, and worship at an ELCA congregation. I sit here amused at the way that the ELCA/LCMS argue back and forth like spoiled children fighting over the last piece of candy. While you are arguing I'll be over here praying that my congregation can find a solution that will allow us to to move forward.

I just returned from my Circuit Counselor Conference. The quality of pastor/theologians in the room would make both Luther and Walther weep. It starts at the top folks.

Thank you for standing up for marriage and what scripture requires a pastor to be.

The Annual Meeting of this Congregation took place on Reformation Sunday.

A redirection of Mission Support similar to what is posted here (but with 10% of the former Mission Support figure diverted to LutheranCORE and another 10% diverted to Heifer International, the remainder in the four-way split) was approved unanimously as part of the AD 2010 operating budget.

The By-Laws were overwhelmingly approved with no negative votes.

A neighboring congregation (pastored by a Conference Dean) adopted these same By-laws on All Saints' Day by a vote of 39 in favor, 6 opposed, and 1 abstention.

This cover letter accompanied the Statement of Intent:

This is a letter which we hoped and prayed would never need to be written. But, on August 19, AD 2009, Bishop Kurt Kusserow offered an amendment to the Teaching Statement on Sexuality to clarify that equating a same-gender union with Marriage is a “departure from historic and global teaching”. That amendment was accepted by the Churchwide Assembly. Despite the clear indication that adoption of this amended Social Teaching Statement would remove the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America from the teachings of the one, holy , catholic, and apostolic Church, that Assembly chose to do so by the slimmest of margins.

We do not believe that the primordial words of Almighty God “for this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” reiterated by our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 19 should be subject to debate much less to vote.

Actions have consequences; therefore it is the unanimous decision of both the Congregation Council (on September 8, AD 2009 and October 13, AD 2009) and the annual Congregation Meeting (on October 25, AD 2009) to redirect all of the Mission Support heretofore allocated to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America through the Lower Susquehanna Synod, with the exception of an escrow for Synod Assembly registration fees.

You may recall previous correspondence regarding Assembly fees in AD 2008. To refresh your memory:

We do not charge our members a registration fee (other than the minimal requirement of a recordable contribution per Constitution) to attend congregation meetings. It would be unconscienceable for us to append a congregation meeting to a banquet or similar function and thus demand that a ticket be purchased in order for members to exercise voice and vote in the proceedings.

The $360.00 removed from Mission Support may essentially be considered an escrow. If no one from this congregation attends the 2010 Synod Assembly the full $360.00 will be returned to Mission Support. If one person from this congregation attends the 2010 Synod Assembly $240.00 will be returned to Mission Support. If two persons from this congregation attend the 2010 Synod Assembly $120.00 will be returned to Mission Support. Thus the Statement of Intent reads “$0.00 - $360.00”.

The redirected allocations are as follows. Please note that the total is equal to the Mission Support indicated on the Statement filed in AD 2008 for AD 2009: There will NOT be a reduction in giving beyond the congregation. Ninety percent of these designated redirections are for ministries connected to the Lower Susquehanna Synod or the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

$750.00 ($62.50/month) to Heifer International
$750.00 ($62.50/month) to LutheranCORE
$1500.00 ($125.00/month) to Lutheran World Relief
$1500.00 ($125.00/month) to Lutheran Disaster Response
$1500.00 ($125.00/month) to Lutheran Camping Corporation
$1500.00 ($125.00/month) to Lower Susquehanna Synod Resource Center

It continues to be our fervent prayer that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will repent of the decisions made this past August and return to orthodox teaching and practice regarding the chastity of her rostered leaders, that the words of the Psalmist might be fulfilled “Clothe your ministers with righteousness, that your people may sing for joy” (Psalm 132:9).

Exactly one year after the web publication of this article, the congregation took its first succesful vote on leaving the ELCA. The vote passed with an 85.6% margin.

The Synod Office--which had never responded to the letter accompanying the greatly reduced Mission Support--was very quick to respond to the letter sent by Certified Mail notifying of this action.

Consultation with the Bishop has been scheduled for early November.

On Reformation Day, Sunday October 31, the congregation voted unanimously BOTH to affiliate with the LCMC AND to "encourage the formation of an Augustana Lutheran Diocese within the Anglican Church of North America".

The congregation also passed its 2011 budget; what had heretofore been Mission Support will be directed in 1/12 allocations (or multiples of 1/12) to various ministries. Two months worth will go to the LCMC and two months worth to the ACNA.

It seems to me that being in both an "Augustana Lutheran Diocese" of the ACNA and the LCMC is against the spirit of LCMC, as it was formed in 2001 in response to the passage of Called to Common Mission with the Episcopalian Church. Would this violate bylaws section 4 page 3 (our declaration)?

I wonder if the NALC would be ok with this.