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Synod Assembly Results. Almost all synods have completed their synod assemblies now. The results look very hopeful from our perspective. Recommendation #3, on ordaining certain non-celibate gays and lesbians, has done poorly throughout much of the country. In the synods for which results are known, Recommendation #3 was supported in 16 synod assemblies and rejected in 25. Most synods supporting it were on the west coast, northeast, and Milwaukee/Chicago/Minneapolis area. It’s noteworthy that some synods strongly supporting change, such as Northeast Penn and Southeast Penn, had great difficulty reaching the 2/3 mark in straw votes on Recommendation #3. Northeast Penn barely made 2/3, while Southeast Penn fell just short. This is important because the Churchwide Assembly must pass Recommendation #3 by a 2/3 vote. That means that the synods that strongly support the change must provide support that is well over 2/3 in order to make up for those synods that oppose change.

The following synods rejected Recommendation #3 at their 2005 synod assemblies: Northwestern Minnesota, Eastern North Dakota, Southwestern Minnesota, Northeastern Minnesota, Northern Texas Northern Louisiana, Northeastern Ohio, Florida Bahamas, Western Iowa, South Carolina, Southern Ohio, Southwestern Texas, Nebraska, North Carolina, Texas Louisiana Gulf Coast, Northwest Wisconsin, Western North Dakota, South Dakota, Southeastern Synod, Virginia, Indiana-Kentucky, Northwestern Pennsylvania, Lower Susquehanna, Northeastern Iowa, Allegheny, and Upper Susquehanna. For the best list of which we are aware, go to the WordAlone website under Churchwide Assembly, which gives a fairly good idea of what’s happened. Again, remember that results from many synods are simply not known, while many others did not vote in a way that directly impacted Recommendation #3.

"Solid Rock Goals. In the time between now and Orlando, Solid Rock Lutherans is trying to accomplish several important goals. One goal is to establish a national media presence. This vote at Orlando is a critical vote not just for ELCA Lutherans but for the Christian church as a whole. We want the media to cover it properly as the major event it is.

"We also want to establish clearly what is going on. The three Recommendations from the Church Council are masterpieces of obfuscation. None of them really means what it says. Recommendation #3, for example, claims that it is continuing V&E (Vision and Expectations), when in fact it is completely overturning V&E. It is important that we help Voting Members see through this smokescreen. Similarly, Recommendation #2 sounds as if it intends to continue the Conference of Bishops position against the blessing of same-sex unions, when it is actually designed to achieve the opposite. In fact, Recommendation #2 provides complete and total “Local Option” for the blessing of same-sex unions by any pastor or congregation that wants to."

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