How Extraordinary!

Shrimp here, just digging the lead from the ELCA News Service reporting the upcoming reception of Anita Hill, Phyllis Zillhart, and Ruth Frost on the ELCA clergy roster:

Three pastors with historic ties to the struggle for inclusiveness in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will be welcomed for the first time to the church's clergy roster when they participate in the church's "Rite of Reception" Sept. 18.

You can read more here of the ELCA's reception of these heroes of the faith.

Okay, ELCA News' John Brooks doesn't actually call them "heroes of the faith." But we can't help but be struck by the triumphant tone in today's release by the usually more sober ELCA News Service. For a milder report of the reception of Hill, Zillhart, and Frost, you might check out the blog of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.

The ELM blog playing the news straighter than the ELCA News Service? Now that's extraordinary!

Shrimp out.

Follow Me: Sharing the Gospel

Shrimp here, watching yet another riveting webcast performance by ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson. This one was held last Saturday, August 14, concluding Follow Me: Sharing the Gospel in a 2.0 World, "an ELCA conference for communicators, campus ministry staff and chaplains, and college/university students" held Aug. 11-14 at the Chicago Marriott.


Courtesy the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
You'll want a high speed connection to view this.
The Presiding Bishop responds to a wide variety of questions, such as how the church should transform culture while embracing being post-Christian servants of culture and humanity, is it okay to question religion, how to deal with the debt load of graduating seminarians, what is the place of students and campus ministry in the ELCA, and describe a powerful grace moment in your life. Shrimp always marvels at Bishop Hanson's engaging and energetic presence in these sorts of presentations.

"The son of a Lutheran evangelist, Hanson is by reputation an advocate for social justice, especially issues that impact people living in poverty, including racial justice, housing, welfare rights and immigration rights," reads his biographical note as one of the conferences featured speakers. The other featured speakers were:

• Eboo Patel, the American Muslim founder of the Interfaith Youth Core, "a Chicago-based institution building the global interfaith youth movement;"
• the Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber is the founding pastor of House for All Sinners and Saints, an ELCA mission church in Denver that describes itself as "a group of folks figuring out how to be a liturgical, Christo-centric, social justice oriented, queer inclusive, incarnational, contemplative, irreverent, ancient - future church with a progressive but deeply rooted theological imagination;"
• Michael Organ, "the first full-time Director of Internet Advertising for a presidential campaign (one of Obama for America’s many New Media innovations, which helped raise over $500 million online);"
• Andrew Bleeker, who "helped build Change.gov, and most recently served as the New Media Director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee;"
• Yvonne Gilmore-Essig, "a pastor, poet and lecturer" serving as pastor at New Song Community Church in Columbus, Ohio, and a poet/vocalist member of The Cornel West Theory.

There were also several workshops led largely by ELCA communicators; workshop materials are available at that link for review.

Welcome to the 2.0 World! Shrimp out.

Bishop Hanson: "both heartbreaking and infuriating."

Shrimp here, figuring that since it is our blog the Chair can't rule us "out of order" for attempting to bind our conscience to the one of four offically accepted perspectives not included in the new policy.

Today the Presiding Bishop has issued this pastoral letter to the ELCA, which we offer to you for your edification.

Pastoral Letter on Gulf Coast Oil Spill from Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.
- Psalm 145:8-9

June 28, 2010

Sisters and brothers in Christ,

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is both heartbreaking and infuriating. It causes deep sorrow, both for the initial loss of human life and for the deep and lasting damage to an ecology that provides life and livelihoods for so many of God's creatures. At the same time we grieve that the natural beauty of this region, a sign of God's marvelous creativity, has been defiled.

Moving to indignation and anger over the neglect and carelessness that led to this disaster, both in private industry and in government regulation, is understandable. However, to do so without recognizing the responsibility we all share -- as consumers of petroleum products, as investors in an economy that makes intensive and insistent energy demands, and as citizens responsible for the care of creation -- lacks credibility and integrity. An honest accounting of what happened (and what failed to happen) must include our own repentance.

Nonetheless, God remains faithful in restoring the creation and human community. Among the voices that despair and condemn, we have a witness of hope to proclaim.

First, God, who made the creation and made it good, has not abandoned it. Day after day God sustains life in this world, and the powerful vitality of God's creation, though defiled, is not destroyed. The life-giving power of God's creative goodness remains at work, even in the Gulf of Mexico. The Spirit will continue to renew the face of the earth (Psalm 104:30, as we just sang at Pentecost). All who care for the earth and work for the restoration of its vitality can be confident that they are not pursuing a lost cause. They serve in concert with God's own creative and renewing power.

Moreover, the human family need not drown in a flood of suspicion and recrimination that is more toxic and more lasting than the oil that floods the Gulf can ever be. The cleansing waters of baptism in Christ -- who died not for the righteous, but for the unrighteous -- bring forgiveness and reconciliation with God. In this reconciled life with God we have the freedom to move beyond mutual condemnations and hostility to give a powerful witness of a reconciled community that lives in service of the creation and the neighbor. By refusing to surrender to the toxicity of recrimination, we can convince others that they can join us safely in the life and service of this community.

Responding to a challenge of this size and complexity will call upon countless insights and skills, embodied in hundreds of occupations and trades, and upon the collective strength and will of us all. God's Holy Spirit has abundantly blessed the human community with the gifts needed to do this work. We can do it with sober confidence, good will and even joy.

There are times for mourning and for repentance, as well as for reconciliation and commitment to the creation's care. They come at different moments for different people. As you serve in your communities, I commend to you resources for worship, study and action that express the hope of Christians who see God's creative goodness, Jesus' forgiving reconciliation and the Spirit's abundant gifts for service. This is a moment when the human community needs to hear a word of true hope, and we have one to speak.

In God's grace,

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Shrimp again. We rather like that we "need not drown in a flood of suspicion and recrimination that is more toxic and more lasting than the oil that floods the Gulf can ever be." Though we must confess that, hearing it in Bishop Hanson's voice, we're thinking not so much of the Gulf of Mexico's toxicity as that of the flailing organization he's leading (not that you'd notice his leadership anywhere in the recent ELCA News Release we've linked there).

Shrimp -- broken-hearted and infuriated -- out.

Scallop here, taking a break from sermon-prep and a certain text about demons being cast out of humans and into certain unkosher critters.

Discerning shellfish-scouts, not to mention pastors and parishoners in forums, bishops' consultations, synod assemblies and the stillness of their hearts, have been asking one question over and over -- since last August and even before.

• The question? "What's next?" in the wake of the ELCA's August 2009 decision that human teaching trumps holy, biblical authority.

Scallop is awash in disappointment but not surprised ...

• The overarching answer: "Legion" - for the answers are many and scary as a bunch of demons being driven into a herd of hogs.

Case in point: For one of the legion of answers, consider this post -- "16 pastors file charges against Penn. pastor" June by Susan Hogan © Pretty Good Lutherans. In respect for her copyright, we'll just post her link and encourage you have a read. It's posted June 15 at http://www.prettygoodlutherans.com/

Anyway, a Scallop shout-out:

• to Susan for continued coverage of this issue and other things Lutheran in fine, objective journalistic fashion. Pretty Good Writing is her blog-name, and fittingly so. She reports well -- readers decide. Check the right hand column for links to related items.
• to the Lower Susquehanna 16 -- the 16 pastors who have shown their courage by calling for their bishop to handle this matter in keeping with, well, just read it (footnotes and all) and you'll know.

What's next?

Lord, have mercy.

Scallop out.

If a Picture Paints a Thousand Words...

Shrimp here.

When Cap'n Bill revived us in the Winter of '07-'08, we added a little graphic to the bottom of the Shellfish page that described this web log's state at that time. It remains to this day -- appropriately, we believe.

Go ahead, you can go down there and look. The Shellfish viewer will realize that we didn't really put a whole lot of effort into that graphic.

Someone else has, however, and the pseudonymous lay correspondent "LutherMan" over at ALPB Forum Online has pointed readers to http://i44.tinypic.com/2retekw.jpg -- and we simply can't resist showing it as (what our tiny mind is thinking is) the first graphic we have included in a Shellfish blog entry.





Shrimp out.

Feelin' the Love in the ELCA

(Note: Since the referenced article has been making the rounds recently, we have updated the links when possible. shrimp, 7 July 2017)

Shrimp here.

"Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel," went the old political adage that also fit well in the church. Witness, for instance, The Protestant Reformation.

Thanks to the World Wide Web, though, large quantities of ink and newsprint are no longer necessary to get your message out. Witness, for instance, Shellfish itself.

Or for more, uh, conventional churchly publishing, there is the online-only Journal of Lutheran Ethics, "a free, online publication living out the Lutheran tradition of addressing social issues theologically, in conversation with Christian ethics and political theology" published by the Department for Studies of the ELCA's Church in Society program unit.

JLE started in 2001 and editrix ELCA pastor Kaari Reierson has presided over a lively exchange on all sorts of matters over the years. It has, in fact, been a place where more "traditionalist" Lutherans have been very much included as an expected and welcomed part of the conversations on "ethical" issues that have been on the screen during the past decade — perhaps the most truly inclusive forum within the ELCA.

Then there's the main article in the current (May 2010) issue's section "On the Coalition for Reform (CORE)" by Dr. Jon Pahl, lay Professor of History of Christianity in North America at the ELCA's venerable seminary at Mt. Airy.

The Core of Lutheran CORE: American Civil Religion and White Male Backlash

Jon Pahl, Ph.D.

You have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things.... Do you despise the riches of God's kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.... For those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury.

—Romans 2:1-5, 8

Empires divide to conquer. Christians have often been prevented from the fullness of our witness to the gospel, if not completely conquered, by internal bickering that resolves upon historical examination into causes that have less to do with central doctrines or practices of Christianity than with jockeying for position in relationship to imperial privilege. Just such jockeying for power, for what Paul called "self-seeking," is at the core of Lutheran CORE, the so-called "Coalition for Reform." Lutheran CORE, in its mildest form, seeks to siphon funds away from the ELCA into ostensibly purer activities, some of them sponsored by The Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). In its most extreme form, CORE seeks to foment schism and organize dissenting ELCA congregations into a new church — the North American Lutheran Church (NALC).

Lutheran CORE claims to represent Lutheran orthodoxy, but, as I shall show, in fact abandons historic Lutheranism at crucial turns in favor of an American civil religion. This accretion of an American imprint on CORE's version of Lutheranism mirrors, as the epigraph from Paul suggests, how CORE leaders have repeatedly accused faithful ELCA leaders of having themselves sold out to "America." Even more, the leaders of Lutheran CORE, because they assert a self-righteous American moralism about sex and marriage as a litmus test of ecclesiastical purity, confuse law and gospel, and imperil the clear truth of salvation by grace through faith that is the actual core of historical and confessional Lutheran teaching. When teaching about sex replaces teaching about salvation as a defining mark of the church, something has clearly gone severely awry.

All in all, the core of Lutheran CORE is rotten. One can get more than a whiff of Docetism, Donatism, and Pelagianism — heresies all — in the doctrinal formulations of the various groups represented in the coalition. Lutheran CORE represents, in its demographic and historical contours, a largely white, heterosexual, male backlash against the supposedly evil changes in gender roles, sexual mores, and participatory democracy that marked the 1960s. At the same time, the leaders of the movement also ironically embrace many of the least savory aspects of the sixties rhetoric of adolescent resentment and entitlement. Most fundamentally, the leaders of Lutheran CORE have come to the brink of dividing the church in an attempt to hold onto (or to carve out) some power. The movement undermines the universal need to repent and to trust in grace that it claims to uphold, and it substitutes for the gospel a pale version of American imperial ambition. That the movement obstructs God's demand to let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, in an attempt to prop up the privilege of a powerful few, almost goes without saying. As is the case with many other schismatic purity movements in American religious history, however, for all of its sound and fury, Lutheran CORE is doomed to be a historical footnote, or a cipher, in the larger history of the body of Christ.

There's more here, but we can't help but notice that Dr. Pahl's examples come from the WordAlone Network and LCMC, and that the only Lutheran CORE identification is erroneous. Of the many giants in the Philadelphia seminary's history, Dr. Pahl reminds us only of Bishop William Lazareth when he was really po'd — except Dr. Lazareth always checked his facts and demonstrated theological depth to go with his sharp phrases. Charles Porterfield Krauth, Luther Reed, Paul Zeller Strodach, John Reumann, Timothy Lull he is not. But at least no ink was wasted — except by the few who may have printed Dr. Pahl's screed at home in order to read it.

JLE includes a brief response from Prof. Bob Benne and Shrimp hears that other well-written responses would be welcomed. A full response would, in print, need to remind one of Concordia Publishing House's 886 page reprint of Krauth's The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology.

Actually, digesting The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology itself just might the best antidote to Pahl's piece. Click that link; it's on sale right now for $15!

Shrimp out.


P.S. - A more detailed response to Dr. Pahl's original post from Pr. Cathy Ammlung, a female clergy member of Lutheran CORE, appeared in the next (June 2010) issue of JLE.
                                Shrimp, 7 July 2017

Seismo-theological alert

Scallop checking in from the Monitoring and Emergency Preparedness Center of the Institute For Seismo-Theology (IFS-T):

The IFS-T student body and faculty here just read the following ELCA newsblast and are calling for an all-out response in preparation for the discussions announced below:

http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4518

ELCA NEWS SERVICE May 4, 2010 ELCA Leaders to Respond to Actions, Comments by Lutherans in Africa 10-132-JB CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will discuss concerns about the actions of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly on human sexuality with Lutheran church partners from Ethiopia and Tanzania in private meetings to be held in Chicago during the next two weeks. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, said he will meet with the Rev. Wakseyoum Idosa, president of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) in Chicago on May 10. Hanson also said he will meet with the Rev. Alex Malasusa, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) May 18. Malasusa will be in Chicago for a companion synod consultation with ELCA Global Mission staff. Last month leaders of the two African churches expressed deep concern over decisions of the 2009 assembly and, separately, the Church of Sweden, on sexuality matters. The two African churches focused their public comments on opposition to same-sex or same-gender marriages. The Church of Sweden, the ELCT, the EECMY and the ELCA are the four largest churches in the Lutheran World Federation, (LWF), a global communion of churches. Hanson said he expects to have "honest and open conversations" with both leaders, and added that it is his practice to communicate directly with leaders in companion churches. The ELCA presiding bishop said he plans to share with both leaders "the ELCA's shared commitment with partner churches to be engaged in God's mission for the sake of the world." Since the churchwide assembly, ELCA Global Mission staff has been communicating with companion churches "our intent to continue to be respectful of local policies and practices in the assignment of mission personnel and the development of shared ministries," said the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director, ELCA Global Mission. At the Africa LWF Pre-assembly and Church Leadership Consultation held in March in Nigeria, Malpica Padilla said the ELCA is "deeply grateful" for the companionship of the African churches. "For many decades our churches have walked together, sharing their gifts and talents for the proclamation of the gospel of salvation and hope in Jesus Christ. This companionship in the gospel has strengthened the bonds of sisterhood and brotherhood between our peoples." Malpica Padilla added that these relationships are "historical and deeply rooted." + + + Here at IFS-T (that's the Institute for Seismo-Theology), an interdisciplinary response in anticipation of the private meetings between Hanson and Idosa (May 10) and Malasusa (May 18) is being mobilized. Early reports from various student organizations and faculty groups: · The IFS-T Prayer Network is calling for an all-out, hit-the-ground-on-your-knees prayer vigil during the days leading up to the meetings, and 'round the clock/'round the world on May 10 and May 18. Lots to pray for -- the partner churches and their leaders are in Ethiopia and Tanzania are shaking things up with their willingness to make the good confession. Kneel with them. · The social-networking set is reminding everyone who’s participating in the Prayer Network’s vigil to let your prayers be known. Post your prayers here ... or on your favorite blog. Do be respectful and intentional in your prayers and in any messages reporting same. · Several graduate assistants are setting up a monitoring study – their hypothesis is that "knees hitting the ground can be detected by seismological monitors being adapting for this purpose." Seismological reporting stations, take note. · The journalism faculty’s contribution: To call for “honest and open reporting” of the hoped-for “honest and open conversations” on May 10 and 18. They really hope against hope for open meetings in a disclosed location. Please pray for their intentions. · Historians would like to conduct pre- and post- interviews of the three church leaders. They also are calculating odds on what the first question from the African leaders to their ELCA counterpart will be. “Do you repent?” is an odds-on favorite. So much for now. Scallop out.

Beth Lewis' Letter to ELCA Rostered Leaders

Shrimp here, with another tip o' the claw to pretty good lutherans.

Augsburg Fortress CEO Beth A. Lewis has written an "Open letter to ELCA rostered leaders" and it appeared last Wednesday on her One Mission Blog. We offer it here in it entirety:

Open letter to ELCA rostered leaders

April 28th, 2010 by Beth A. Lewis

Last week, I wrote the letter inserted below to the rostered leaders (pastors, associates in ministry, deaconesses and diaconal ministers) of the ELCA. We asked the synodical bishops to forward it to the rostered leaders in their respective synods. But, bishops and their staff members are extremely busy! Especially at this time of the year when they are focused on leading their annual synod assemblies!

So, I am posting the letter here as an open letter not only to rostered leaders, but for anyone who is interested in learning more about the very difficult decisions we made related to the termination of the Augsburg Fortress defined benefit pension plan and the distribution of the assets to the plan participants.

Here is the letter:

"April 23, 2010

Dear Partners in Ministry:

Many of you are aware of the recent decision Augsburg Fortress made to terminate our defined benefit pension plan and distribute the assets to all plan participants. We deeply regret any hardship that these decisions have caused. You may also have heard that a lawsuit was filed against us this week. The complaint brought against Augsburg Fortress and other defendants in this matter is wholly without merit. We deny all claims of wrongdoing alleged in the complaint and will seek its dismissal.

I am writing this letter to help you better understand why we made these heart-wrenching decisions and why we believe the course we took was the most fair and equitable for the plan participants. It is an extremely complicated situation, but I will try to explain it as clearly as I can.

Last December we decided to terminate the defined benefit plan and distribute the assets to all plan participants. This decision was taken only after months of consultation with outside pension, actuarial and other experts, as well as a thorough pursuit of other options to close the funding deficiency. It was the final step of a long journey.

In March 2005, it had become clear to us that the Augsburg Fortress defined benefit pension plan would not be sustainable for the organization if we kept adding employee plan participants. So we froze the plan, essentially not allowing new participants into it, and implemented a defined contribution 403b retirement plan, available to all Augsburg Fortress employees. Our understanding at the time, based on our fund managers’ advice, was that the defined benefit pension plan, once frozen, would be sustainable for decades.

However, from late 2007 through early 2009, the plan was hit by a "perfect storm" of factors:

• The worst equity market decline since the Great Depression
• Adjustment to mortality tables, increasing the theoretical liability because retirees are living longer than the actuaries predicted
• Low interest rates
• As the market has recovered, continued withdrawals for current retirees prohibited recovery of the pension plan assets

Because of the way this plan was structured decades ago, plus the operating losses being incurred by Augsburg Fortress in recent years and the impact of these "perfect storm" factors, almost 60% of the plan participants—current and former employees not yet retired—would have received nothing! We didn’t think this was fair or equitable.

We therefore chose to terminate the plan and distribute the assets across the entire pool of plan participants to address this equity issue. The distribution calculations were based on a complex set of actuarial data including years of service. In general, our guideline was that people who had worked for AF for many years would receive more than those who had worked for AF for fewer years. And, retirees would receive more than those who had not yet retired. The distributions were made in mid-March with strong encouragement for plan participants to obtain financial counsel to assist in deciding the best course of financial planning with the distribution.

I recognize that these issues are difficult for all of you, as they are for us, during a time when ELCA leaders are worried about many things. The bottom line here was that there were no good choices to be made so we made the best choice out of a number of bad options.

Should you have any questions about this or anything else related to Augsburg Fortress, please don’t hesitate to contact me. And, above all, please join me in praying for all who have been affected by these difficult economic times and, in particular, those who have been impacted by these decisions.

Blessings,

Beth A. Lewis, President & CEO
Augsburg Fortress
Beth.lewis@augsburgfortress.org "

If you have questions about this, I will be happy to try to answer them. I am very grateful for the many people who have been in touch with me to express their concern for all who have been affected by these decisions and for all who are now having to deal with the law suit that has been filed.

Thanks for your prayers!
Blessings,

Beth A. Lewis, President & CEO
Augsburg Fortress

Shrimp again, noting that also last Wednesday the ELCA News Service reported:

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was among 21 religious leaders who signed letters to top U.S. government officials, urging that they raise concerns for the protection of minority groups in Iraq, including Christians.

Read it all here. Still nothing from the Presiding Bishop, however, on the plight of employees and retirees of the "the publishing house of the ELCA."

Shrimp out.

WA Network is done, but WordAlone not out

Shrimp here, and that's the headline on this press release from the WordAlone Network. Tip o' the claw to Susan Hogan at pretty good lutherans.

NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release
For information: Thomas Walker, vice president
712-389-1735 or Email
April 23, 2010

WA Network is done, but WordAlone not out

by Betsy Carlson, WordAlone Ministries' editor

The WordAlone Network is finished.

But not the work of preaching, teaching and confessing the Word alone, Jesus Christ, by the newly designated WordAlone Ministries.

The WordAlone Network voted to change its name when it met in convention April 18-19 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley, Minn., under the banner of “It’s a New Day!”

The convention affirmed that WordAlone will continue to serve congregations, groups and individuals committed to proclaiming the Word of God and to remaining faithful to the Bible, although it ended its attempts to reform the ELCA after its unbiblical decisions on marriage and family and on new standards for ministers at the churchwide assembly last August.

Earlier in the day, WordAlone President Jaynan Clark presented a new vision for WordAlone Ministries in a dynamic report that included her falling to her knees and repenting for anything WordAlone failed to do that the Lord called it to do in the past 10 years.

Still on her knees, she prayed, “Otherwise continue to call us, guide us; send us leaders, evangelists and (on) a mission to go forward and to get beyond the nonsense of . . . celebration of sin.”

After rising from prayer, she said WordAlone wants to stay in the “boiler room doing the work” to support the efforts of faithful Lutheran church bodies.

Faithful Lutheran church bodies closely-related to WordAlone are Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ generally known as LCMC, Canadian Association of Lutherans Churches, Lutheran CORE and the North American Lutheran Church—when it’s established.

WordAlone Ministries will provide preaching, teaching and confessing ministries from what she called a “ministry forge.”

Two ministries newly out of the ministry forge are first responders to the crisis among Lutherans: the Chaplain Corps and the Evangelical Mission Teams. These programs provide assistance and accurate information to those wanting to leave either their congregations or denomination.

The next to be launched will be Life Together Churches in June, in partnership with Lutheran Evangelistic Movement. This ministry will support house churches, cell churches and, via the Internet, a virtual parish.

Clark said she also envisions a worldwide, multi-media evangelism ministry using Internet, radio and television to preach, teach and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. She called this ministry “SALT,” SAlvation, Life and Truth,” and said it will be salt and light to the world.

The existing Clergy Connect electronic list of churches seeking ministers will be upgraded to a two-way tool for churches, clergy and lay ministers to communicate on the Internet.

In its past, WordAlone provided new ministries for congregations and individuals who held to the teachings of the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions. WordAlone Ministries will continue its collaborations with ministry groups such as Lutheran Youth Encounter, World Mission Prayer League, Faith Inkubators, China Service Ventures and East European Mission Network.

Clark introduced Sola Publishing as not just the educational wing of WordAlone but calling it the future for confessional, Lutheran publications. Sola is already producing faithful Sunday School and Vacation Bible School curriculum as well as valuable resources for adult Christian education.

Over the years WordAlone has supported the development of several new ministries.

LCMC was the first ministry WordAlone produced. It was officially launched in 2001 with about 25 churches, became independent and has grown to 400 congregations!

After LCMC came ReClaim Resources, now independent. ReClaim developed an introductory hymnal with nearly 50 hymns and a Lutheran—not ecumenical—order of service and other rites that proclaim God’s word. The group is working on more worship resources.

WordAlone also launched the Institute of Lutheran Theology, which is now functioning as an independent Lutheran online seminary.

Another important ministry development project has resulted in Lutheran CORE which provides affiliation options for Lutherans who are opposed to the recent unbiblical policies being implemented by the ELCA.

—end—

A "virtual parish" on the Internet? Shrimp out.

Churchwide Organization "Deeply Concerned"

Shrimp here. Apparently in response to news of the lawsuit regarding the Augsburg Fortress pension plan's failure, the ELCA News Service has issued the following news release. We'll let you read it before we ask a couple of questions.

ELCA NEWS SERVICE
April 23, 2010

ELCA Churchwide Organization Responds to Pension Plan Lawsuit

10-123-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) said today it is "deeply concerned" for the well-being of participants affected by the termination of a defined benefit compensation retirement plan of Augsburg Fortress Publishers, Minneapolis.

On April 21 former employees of the publisher who were covered by the terminated pension plan filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.

The churchwide organization's statement, issued to the ELCA News Service, said, "The entire ELCA, including the leadership of the churchwide organization, understands the far-reaching implications of this matter, and is deeply concerned for the well-being of the plan participants and continues to hold them in prayer."

"In the midst of this complex, difficult and painful situation we are also mindful of the need to respect both the obligations and the limitations in the legal agreements so that we can be responsible to all of our commitments and relationships as an interdependent church," the statement said.

Augsburg Fortress is separately incorporated entity apart from the ELCA churchwide organization. The publisher has maintained and continues to maintain its own retirement benefits for its staff. The ELCA churchwide organization had no role in the creation, management, funding or termination of the Augsburg Fortress pension plan, according to an April 22 report in the Wall Street Journal.

Plantiffs in the lawsuit are Judith Thorkelson, Karen Walhof, Gayle Aldrich and Jean K. Stanley, all participants in the terminated plan. The suit also included "all others similarly situated" as plaintiffs. Approximately 500 people were affected by the termination of the pension plan.

Named as defendants were Augsburg Fortress; Beth Lewis, president and chief executive officer; John Rahja, chief financial officer; and Sandra Middendorf, vice president of human resources and organizational development; the ELCA; and current and former members of the publisher's board of trustees.

The class action lawsuit seeks to recover losses allegedly suffered by the plantiffs because of what they claim are "breaches of duty" with regard to the termination of the defined benefit pension plan, according to the lawsuit.

The suit also asks the federal district court to declare that the terminated pension plan is not a church plan, but a defined benefit plan regulated by the 1974 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

"We deeply regret any hardship that the termination of our defined benefit retirement plan has caused, but the complaint brought against Augsburg Fortress and other defendants in this matter is wholly without merit," said Lewis, in a statement in response to the suit. "We deny all claims of wrongdoing alleged in the complaint and will seek its dismissal."

"The complaint filed against Augsburg Fortress misrepresents the care with which the plan was administered and the communications that occurred with plan participants," Lewis added.

ELCA Secretary David D. Swartling denied all legal claims made by the plaintiffs against the ELCA.

In 2005 the Augsburg Fortress board of trustees took action to freeze the defined benefit plan, and began offering a 403b defined contribution plan to its employees. The costly defined benefit plan "has been underfunded for about nine years," Lewis said at the time the defined benefit plan was terminated on Dec. 31, 2009.

When that plan was terminated, Lewis said most participants in the defined benefit plan would receive a lump sum payment. Lewis said the trustees provided for a "more equitable allocation of plan assets among plan participants," she wrote in a letter to plan participants. Without the amendment, more than half of the plan participants would have received nothing at all, Lewis wrote.

"We wanted to make certain that we had the most equitable distribution of assets possible," she told the ELCA News Service. "If we had done nothing, the plan would have run out of money in approximately five years and left about 60 percent of those in the plan with no retirement benefits. We didn't think that was equitable or fair."

Distributions were made to plan participants in March, Lewis said.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews

Shrimp again. We think Pastor Richard Johnson, editor of Forum Letter raises an interesting question over at ALPB Forum Online:

Now doesn't that strike you as odd? I didn't know that an organization could actually speak. Or, if an organization can speak, I thought it could only speak through official actions by, say, it's "board of directors" (which, we are incessantly told, is the Church Council in the ELCA).

If you read the rest of the story, you heard Beth Lewis quoted a lot. She's speaking for Augsburg Fortress. But who is speaking for the ELCA?... Right now I'm just pondering: Who is this "churchwide organization" that says these things, anyway? Anyone got a clue?

Shrimp hasn't the slightest idea, but we are struck that here's a (seemingly rare) instance where the usually loquacious ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson is nowhere to be quoted.

No, the only named ELCA official is "ELCA Secretary David D. Swartling denied all legal claims made by the plaintiffs against the ELCA." Sure, there's the "deep concern" and "prayers" of a (suddenly) faceless churchwide organization, which we've been told has "no fiduciary responsibility" for the brothers and sisters who work for the ELCA's publishing ministry. Anyone else here thinking, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled" (James 2:15-17)?

Rather than holding hands singing Kum Bay Ya, someone in the ELCA churchwide organization ought to follow up on an idea Pastor Steven Tibbetts (aka Pastor Zip) raised elsewhere on ALPB Forum Online: the ELCA sets up a fund for these Augburg Fortress employees, similar to the Special Needs Retirement Fund. That fund was established by the 1993 Churchwide Assembly for pastors, those

retired leaders of the church [who] received lower incomes and either they or the congregations were, at times, unable to provide contributions to the pension plan. Consequently, they retired with low pension income and experience a very real financial hardship.

Then have a special churchwide offering -- and don't diddle around for a couple of years planning, as is happening with the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, but get on it now.

So, Bishop Hanson, what's preventing the ELCA from showing that sort of moral leadership?

Shrimp out.

The ELCA's Economic Justice: See You in Court

Shrimp here, with a follow-up on the the Augsburg Fortress pension plan that, "severely underfunded," was abruptly cancelled at the beginning of the year, leaving some 500 Augsburg Fortress retirees and employees with only a small fraction of what they had been promised at retirement.

The Wall Street Journal reported first thing this morning:

Employees and retirees of Minneapolis publisher Augsburg Fortress are suing their employer, alleging in their complaint that it allowed their pension plan to fail, and used its connection to the Lutheran church as a legal shield to avoid paying them all their pensions.

The suit, filed in federal court in Minneapolis on Wednesday, comes more than three months after the company announced it was terminating the plan, saying it had been underfunded for nine years. The plan had only $8.6 million to pay $24.2 million in pension obligations to 500 employees and retirees, said the company, which publishes books for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, including hymnals, the works of theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Garrison Keillor's latest book....


The publisher had asked the church for help, but "the church-wide organization advised us that it had no obligations or fiduciary duties" to do so, Ms. Lewis [Beth Lewis, Augsburg Fortress' CEO] noted.

"I'm disappointed that the church hasn't felt more responsibility for this," said Mr. Lipscomb [James Lipscomb, a 33-year Augsburg Fortress employee laid off in 2008]. "If the basis for a church plan is the company's relationship to the church, is it reasonable that the church can feel no responsibility for what its publisher is doing?"

Augsburg Fortress is a separately incorporated unit under the ELCA church wide organization. "The church-wide organization had no role in the creation, management or termination of that plan. That was Augsburg Fortress and its Board of Trustees decision," said John Brooks, a spokesman for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.

The suit alleges that the pension at Augsburg Fortress wasn't a church plan, but falls under the federal pension law because it promised pensions to its employees. The complaint claims that the employer violated its fiduciary duty by allowing the plan to become underfunded, and by failing to warn participants of the plans poor condition. And even if it is deemed to be a church plan, it failed its state-law duties to prudently manage the plans and its assets, the suit argues.

Read it all in "Perils of Church-Related Pensions" here.

Shrimp reminds you of the following we quoted last January from the "Questions and Answers Regarding Termination of the Augsburg Fortress Retirement Plan" that Augsburg Fortress sent the affected employees/retiress:

10. Why can't the ELCA churchwide organization make up for the funding deficiency in the plan?

A. We thoroughly explored options for overcoming the funding deficiency, including seeking support from the ELCA churchwide organization. However, the ELCA churchwide organization advised us that it has no obligations or fiduciary duties with respect to the Augsburg Fortress plan. Augsburg Fortress is a separately incorporated program unit of the ELCA and our retirement plan is separate from any plan sponsored by the ELCA.

Now we're going to quote from the "Human Dignity" section of Economic Life: Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All, a Social Statement approved by the 1999 ELCA Churchwide Assembly:

Human dignity: Human beings are created "in God's image" (Genesis 1:27) as social beings whose dignity, worth, and value are conferred by God. Although our identity does not depend on what we do, through our work we should be able to express this God-given dignity as persons of integrity, worth, and meaning. Yet work does not constitute the whole of our life. When we are viewed and treated only as workers, we tend to be exploited.

Employers have a responsibility to treat employees with dignity and respect. This should be reflected in employees' remuneration, benefits, work conditions, job security, and ongoing job training. Employees have a responsibility to work to the best of their potential in a reliable and responsible manner. This includes work habits, attitudes toward employers and co-workers, and a willingness to adapt and prepare for new work situations. No one should be coerced to work under conditions that violate their dignity or freedom, jeopardize their health or safety, result in neglect of their family's well-being, or provide unjust compensation for their labor....

Power disparities and competing interests are present in most employment situations. Employers need competent, committed workers, but this does not necessarily presume respect for the personal lives and needs of individual workers. Individual workers depend on the organization for employment as their means of livelihood, but this does not necessarily presume respect for the organization's interest and goals. Management and employees move toward justice as they seek cooperative ways of negotiating these interests when they conflict. Because employees often are vulnerable and lack power in such negotiations, they may need to organize in their quest for human dignity and justice. When this occurs, accurate information and fair tactics are expected of all parties involved.

We commit ourselves as a church to:

• hire without discriminating on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, age, disabilities, sexual orientation, or genetic factors;
• compensate all people we call or employ at an amount sufficient for them to live in dignity;
• provide adequate pension and health benefits, safe and healthy work conditions, sufficient periods of rest, vacation, and sabbatical, and family-friendly work schedules; ...

Shrimp wonders if top ELCA leadership took any of that in consideration in deciding that it had no fiduciary responsibility for employees of "the ministry of publishing within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America."

Shrimp out.

ELM Gives Thanks

Shrimp again. Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries issued this statement yesterday:

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) gives thanks that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is now living more fully into the inclusive vision that many have had for this church for so long.

The ELCA made historic advances toward being a more inclusive church when the Church Council formally adopted changes in ministry policies this weekend. The change in policy allows people in same-sex relationships to serve as pastors and rostered leaders in the ELCA.

The documents approved this weekend include a Rite of Reception for extraordinarily ordained pastors on the ELM roster, the ELCA Candidacy Manual, Vision & Expectations (used to establish expectations for rostered leaders), Definitions & Guidelines for Discipline (used for discipline of rostered leaders), and changes to the Board of Pensions policy to include same-sex partners and families. All votes passed overwhelmingly. Members of the ELM roster who wish to begin the process to join the roster of the ELCA may do so immediately.

Twenty years ago two ELCA congregations, St. Francis Lutheran Church and First United Lutheran Church, broke with ELCA policy to call an openly gay man, Jeff Johnson, and two openly lesbian women, Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart. The actions of these congregations and pastors began a movement now known as Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Their vision has made it possible for dozens of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to follow a call to ministry. It is a joyful time in the church as the ELCA opens wider its doors to the fullness of God's creation.

We express gratitude for the congregations and individuals who have long supported gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pastors during times when they were punished and alienated for doing so and for those who continued to follow a call to ministry despite incredible barriers. We give thanks for the Goodsoil Legislative Team, Lutherans Concerned/North America, the voting members of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, staff, Church Council, Conference of Bishops and the leadership of Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson.

We give thanks to God and pray that one day all may find that the doors of the ELCA are open wide to them.

Shrimp out.

Lutherans Concerned Triumphant

Shrimp again, with the reaction from Lutherans Concerned/North America.

ELCA Church Council approves all full-inclusion revisions without opposing votes

Sunday, 11 April 2010 17:33

This weekend, the ELCA Church Council meeting in Chicago moved the decision of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly into policy by replacing the language in church documents that excluded ministers in committed same-gender relationships with a policy that allows congregations and organizations to call a fully-qualified minister in a committed, same-gender relationship. And, the Council also approved the way to reinstate ministers who have been removed from the roster because of the previous policy and to receive ELM pastors onto the roster of the ELCA. The Council also made the benefits of the ELCA pension plan available to rostered ministers and employees in committed, same-gender relationships.

There were no votes on the Council opposing the adoption of the revised documents, the pension plan inclusion, and the rite of reception for those Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries pastors who were ordained “extra ordinem.”

The ELCA has reached two milestones long sought by the movement for full inclusion. First, it has eliminated all prohibitions against qualified people in a same-gender relationship serving on the ELCA’s roster of ministers. Second, and more importantly, it created a pathway that frees the gifts of ELCA members to pursue ministry and mission with new vigor. Each of these steps is crucial for both our continued healing and our bold walk into a more just future.

These actions are important because they are a major milestone along the journey of full inclusion. We have a policy that recognizes the gifts of its members to spread the good news of God in Christ Jesus and that will allow the return of those who have been removed or alienated from rostered leadership solely on the basis of the old policy.

Bishop Hanson said that one of the results of the Council’s actions would be new life in the church through new leaders. Bishop Hanson also thanked the Church Council for shepherding this task in most thoughtful way. He lifted the Conference of Bishops’ participation up as key to the process.

As we reflected on the great amount work and effort it took, we observed a paradox. On one hand, in order to follow God’s call for justice, the former policy forced us, as a community, to restrict how we could use our gifts. Many of us spent considerable time and effort working to make the ELCA a more inclusive church. However, even within a relatively narrow focus on the policy concerning LGBT people’s role within the church, we have lifted up crucial questions for the church: What is the relationship of sexuality to salvation in Christ? What is the diversity in God’s wondrous creation? What is sinful? How do Lutherans read and interpret scripture? Who continues to face barriers to ministry and mission? How do we journey together faithfully, in spite of so many differences? What some people have dismissed as a narrow issue has both opened up and profoundly deepened our moral and theological life. God indeed works in mysterious ways.

Although we are closer to full-participation than we ever thought that we would be, there is still further to go. The ELCA continues to be heavily involved in a myriad of issues as it reaches out in Christ’s name and mission. We pray that our well-earned celebration as a community of reconciliation will renew us, will energize us to go yet more miles with even more joy and less fear, together with the whole people of God, as we follow Christ in love, healing, and abundant life.

Since the August decision to change policy, we have heard from many of you that it feels as though celebration is “stuck in our throats.” Verily, the time has come to clear our throats. Currently, censures are being lifted from congregations, for which we can celebrate. Soon, we will start to see pastors received and reinstated across the whole church. By the time we gather together in Minneapolis at Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters, we will be ready to shout out in holy joy! We hope that you can join us in July to add your voice to the chorus of people singing praise and thanksgiving to God.

Finally, there are acknowledgements to make. There are so many people who have worked to overturn the policy of the ELCA for so long. Among them, we offer thanks to God for the past and present service of the Goodsoil Legislative Team, the Regional Coordinators, Board, and staff of LC/NA, countless volunteers in congregations and synods, and the working group of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Thanks be to God!

[An expanded version of this précis will appear in the upcoming Concord.]

It's Official: ELCA Church Council Acts

Shrimp here, with the official release from the ELCA NEWS SERVICE:

April 11, 2010

ELCA Council Adopts Significant Revisions to Ministry Policies

10-113-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a series of historic and sweeping revisions to ministry policy documents April 10, the result of months of extensive writing, comment and review by hundreds of leaders and members following the 2009 Churchwide Assembly.

The Church Council is the ELCA's board of directors and serves as the interim legislative authority of the church between churchwide assemblies. The council is meeting here April 9-12. The next churchwide assembly is in Orlando, Fla., in August 2011.

The changes were called for by the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, which directed that policy documents be revised to make it possible for eligible Lutherans in committed, publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA clergy and professional lay leaders. The assembly directed that revised policies recognize the convictions of those who believe the ELCA should not allow such service. The assembly also adopted a social statement on human sexuality.

The council adopted revisions to two documents that spell out the church's behavioral expectations of ELCA professional leaders -- "Vision and Expectations: Ordained Ministers in the ELCA" and "Vision and Expectations: Associates in Ministry, Deaconesses and Diaconal Ministers in the ELCA." The council also adopted revisions to a document that specifies grounds for discipline of professional leaders, "Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline," and it adopted revisions to the "ELCA Candidacy Manual," used by regional committees to help guide candidates seeking to become professional leaders in the ELCA.

Council members asked few questions and commented briefly on each proposed document before approving them. Only minor editorial changes were proposed and adopted by the council. Each revised document was adopted overwhelmingly.

The Rev. Keith A. Hunsinger, council member, Oak Harbor, Ohio, who said he does not agree with the sexuality decisions made in August 2009, announced April 11 that he had abstained on each vote on the documents. He explained that he didn't believe that the first drafts of the documents released last fall embodied the full range of decisions made at the 2009 assembly. "My conscience won't allow me to vote for any of these documents, but as a member of the board of directors, I can't vote against the will of the churchwide assembly," he told the ELCA News Service.

However, Hunsinger told the council that the final forms of each document reflected "the breadth and depth" of the decisions, including the fact that "we agreed to live under a big tent," and that multiple voices would be heard. "Because those documents now said that, I feel my ideas and I are still welcome in the ELCA," he said.

The revised policies are effective immediately, said David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary. Final revised text of each document will be posted online at http://www.ELCA.org/ministrypolicies by the end of April, he said.

Following council approval of the policies, the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, expressed his appreciation to many, including the council and the Conference of Bishops for leading the revision process over the past few months. He also thanked the Rev. Stanley N. Olson, executive director, ELCA Vocation and Education, the lead staff person working with church leaders and various constituencies through the revision process.

Olson thanked many others who have worked for changes in ministry policies through more than two decades of effort. "This is the work of many -- hundreds, thousands of people who have reflected, thought and prayed. We are still a church that is tense over this, but we are Easter people, and I think we have done an Easter thing today," he told the council.

Prior to voting, the Rev. A. Donald Main, Lancaster, Pa., chair of the ELCA Committee on Appeals, which led the effort to revise Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline, told the council that the document had not been revised since 1993. New sections address matters such as integrity, and substance abuse and addiction, he said.

The Committee on Appeals also "considered each and every word, constantly testing different language so as to be clear and concise as possible, and remain faithful to our charge and to the social statement and ministry policies recommended and adopted by our assembly," Main added.

The two Vision and Expectations documents and the Candidacy Manual are "tools in the service of God's mission through the ELCA, primarily to assist us in that work of calling forth and supporting faithful, wise and courageous leaders," Olson said. The Vision and Expectations documents were most recently revised in the early 1990s, and the Candidacy Manual was revised in the past few years, he said.

"We have not attempted to spell out every possible situation and to give definitive direction for every possible situation," he told the council. "There are broad principles in these documents, and there are guidelines with some details." Olson added the documents call for the ELCA to trust established processes and its leaders who have responsibility for oversight and decision-making.

"Our next step is to orient our staff and the candidacy committees," Olson said. A memo summarizing key policy revisions will be sent this week to help guide synod bishops, staff working with candidates for professional leadership, candidacy committee chairs, seminary presidents and selected staff, and applicants and candidates.

Olson added that the ELCA Vocation and Education program unit, the ELCA Office of the Secretary and others are responsible for monitoring the new policies, and suggesting further revisions and guidelines if necessary.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews

ELCA Church Council Finishes Job, Moves On

Shrimp again, just having checked the ELCA News Twitter Feed:

#ELCA Council affirms timeline for 2011 genetics social statement, asks for conversation on future statements & report & recs in Nov.
1 minute ago via HootSuite

#ELCA Council authorizes rite of "Reception to the Roster of Ordained Ministers" for ELM pastors OK'd by candidacy comms and who have call
6 minutes ago via HootSuite

#ELCA Council amends various Board of Pensions benefit plans to extend benefits to eligible partners in same-gender relationships.
about 2 hours ago via HootSuite

Secretary Swartling says 308 congs. of 10,000+ have taken 1st votes to leave #ELCA -- 228 passed, 87 failed; 89 passed 2nd votes.
about 3 hours ago via HootSuite

The image running through our mind is Nero fiddling...

Shrimp out.

ELCA Church Council Is Busy...

Shrimp here.

The ELCA Church Council has been meeting and ELCA News has been updating on its Twitter feed. Here's the news so far:

#ELCA Church Council re-elects Rev. Rebecca Larson to 4-year term as exec. dir., ELCA Church in Society program unit.
about 5 hours ago via HootSuite

#ELCA Church Council adopts revised Candidacy Manual.
about 6 hours ago via HootSuite

Church Council adopts revised version of "Vision and Expectations: Associates in Ministry, Deaconesses and Diaconal Ministers in the #ELCA."
about 7 hours ago via HootSuite

#ELCA Church Council adopts revised version of "Vision and Expectations: Ordained Ministers in the ELCA"
about 7 hours ago via HootSuite

#ELCA Church Council adopts revised "Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline" established by Committee on Appeals.
about 7 hours ago via HootSuite

#ELCA Church Council adopts revised CW current fund spending auth. for '10 to $69.3 million; World Hunger revised to $20.3 million.
about 11 hours ago via HootSuite

#ELCA PB tells Church Council he's "feeling confident hope" about the ELCA's future.
about 14 hours ago via HootSuite

#ELCA PB reports to Church Council nearly $9 million given by ELCA members for Haiti earthquake relief and recovery.
about 14 hours ago via HootSuite

#ELCA PB tells Ch. Council he sent letter to Pope Benedict XVI pledging prayers for him, for sexual abuse victims and for Catholic Church.
about 14 hours ago via HootSuite

And a report on ALPB Forum Online is that the action to provide for the reception of the 17 pastors of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries will be during Sunday's sessions.

That's the latest from Higgins Road. Shrimp out.

Whole lotta quaking going on

Scallop here, requesting numbers check.

Around the first of the month in February and March, reports of numbers of congregations exiting the ELCA congregation roster made their way into the blogosphere.

So far:

As of February 3, we have been advised that 220 congregations have taken votes to leave the ELCA. In 156 congregations, the first vote passed; in 64 congregations the first vote failed. 28 congregations have taken a second vote, all of which passed. (This does not mean that all 28 of these congregations have been removed from the roster because Synod Council approval is required for congregations established by the ELCA and former congregations of the Lutheran Church in America, and, in some cases, the vote is disputed because questions exist regarding the process.)

From Shrimp, Friday, Feb. 5, quoting a forwarded report attributed to ELCA Secretary Swartling.

On February 18, an ELCA news release, "ELCA Churchwide Organization Responds to Lutheran CORE Announcement," restated most of the Feb. 3 figures and added:

It also is worthy to note that 16 synods have not reported any congregations that have voted to terminate their relationship with the ELCA.

As reported in the latest (April 2010) issue of The Lutheran,

As of March 4, 62 of the ELCA's some 10,200 congregations passed a second and final vote to leave the denomination. This does not mean that all of those have been removed from the roster because synod council approval is required for congregations established by the ELCA and former congregations of the Lutheran Church in America, and, in some cases, the vote is disputed because questions exist regarding the process. The Office of the Secretary also said an additional 135 passed a first vote, while first votes in 79 congregations failed.

Well, Feb. 3, March 4, and April 5, 6, 7, 8 and now April 9? Time for another CW report? Ya think? Please? Maybe when the ELCA Church Council meets April 9-12?

"Why," one might ask?

Well, "Why NOT?" Statistics tell what anecdotes alone don't.

Pass or fail, the facts would help clear waters that get clouded by generalizations, partial reporting and prognosticating. If we were experiencing earthquakes, we'd take it for granted that such information would be readily availalbe. How much more for faithquakes?

Meanwhile, partial reports continue to filter in:


Captain Thin for ELCA Fallout, http://blog.captainthin.net/?p=294.

NE Iowa Synod http://www.neiasynod.org/synod_news/CongregationalVotes.asp and Southeastern Synod http://www.elca-ses.org/Congregational-Actions-Concerning-CWA-Decisions.html which have website pages showing status of congregations that have taken votes. There might be other synods that have posted such details. Scallop apologizes for not being able to check all 65 synods.* Maybe, just maybe, the folks at TLC (the Lutheran Center) and other synods could take a que from Northeastern Iowa and Southeastern Synods and start their own stats pages.

*Feel free to post your favorite stats-link on congregational votes in reply to this post.

Scallop out.

ELCT voices a big 'no' to same-sex marriages

Shrimp here. Our title is a headline in The Citizen of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Reporter Mkinga Mkinga begins:

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) has distanced itself from the recognition of same-sex marriages by Lutheran churches in the US and Sweden.

The head of the ELCT, Bishop Alex Malasusa, said during his Easter Mass sermon at the Azania Front Church in Dar es Salaam that the local church did not support the decision because it was against God's word.

He said Lutheran churches in the US and Sweden had strayed from the Scriptures, and it was up to Africa to bring them back into line.

"ELCT has refused to recognise the decision to allow same-sex marriages because it is against the Holy Bible. It is in direct contravention of God's word, which has not changed," Bishop Malasusa said.

He added that Tanzania and Africa had taken a common stand on the issue and would not waver.

Read it all here. Tip o' the claw to TitusOneNine. Shrimp out.

A.R.E. You Reclaiming the [insert letter here] Word?

Shrimp here. It's been some time since we last checked in with former ELCA pastor/seminary professor Kelly Fryer and A Renewal Enterprise. But we were clicking links on Facebook and found ourself on the page for a Facebook group called "Reclaiming the E Word" with a photo of the cover of Fryer's Augsburg Fortress "Lutheran Voices" book of that title.

What struck us was the group's description, which begins:

If you are a member of a mainstream congregation in a mainline denomination (ex. Lutheran-ELCA, Episcopalian, United Methodist, American Baptist, United Church of Christ, PresbyterianUSA, etc.) it is likely that...

So far, so good. They're speaking to us. Here, though, is where it gets really interesting:

...it is likely that you are sick and tired of being held captive by the handful of people these days who seem to have hijacked the Christian faith and turned Jesus into a poker-faced, stick-in-the-mud, my-God-is-bigger-than-your-God, straighten-up-or-else-you’re-going-to-hell, rule-making, line-drawing, fear-mongering, gay-bashing, reason-defying, science-ignoring, flag-waving, saber-rattling, school yard bully. If anybody dares to question this picture of Jesus or suggests that maybe we’ve gotten just a little off track, they are branded. Heretics. Pagans. Traitors. Anti-nomians (don’t ask!). Liberals. Sometimes I wonder why we aren't rising up, in one single fluid we’re-not-going-to-take-this-anymore movement, to shout with our loudest outside voices that THIS IS NOT THE JESUS WE KNOW!

Oh dear. The group says it's created by Kelly Fryer herself.

Is that what she really thinks of us?

We're shocked!



No, not that she thinks of us that way. We're shocked that anyone could imagine that the ELCA, UCC, Episcopal Church, et al are being "held captive" by that sort of, uh, primitive Christians. Anyway, she continues:

...THIS IS NOT THE JESUS WE KNOW!

But it’s time.

It is time for us to share the really good news about God’s loving mission to save, heal, forgive, reconcile, and set free the whole creation…and every single person in it. It’s time for us to get the Word out about Jesus, who sought after and welcomed those who had been cast aside; who shared his Table with everyone, no questions asked and no exceptions made; whose radical, reckless love has torn down every wall that separates us from God and from each other.

It is time for us to dare to deliver a message this world of ours is dying to hear.

It is time for those of us who think of ourselves as mainline or progressive Christians to reclaim our evangelical identity.

And you might want to think on that a bit if A.R.E. and Kelly Fryer or her associates are invited to your synod (granted, we've not yet heard of any ELCA gigs for 2010) to help enable you to thrive in the 21st century.

Good thing we're shellfish. Otherwise, a book called Reclaiming the "E I" Words might hurt.

Shrimp out.

ELCA-BOP Getting Ready for Same-Sex Partners

Shrimp again, with today's ELCA News release. TTNF!

ELCA Board of Pensions Trustees Begin Process for Benefit Plan Changes
10-078-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Trustees of the Board of Pensions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have taken steps to extend various plan benefits to eligible partners in same-gender relationships.

At their Feb. 26-28 meeting in Minneapolis, the trustees adopted recommended amendments to the Board's medical and dental, retirement, survivor and disability benefits plans, plus its flexible spending plan that allows members to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses throughout the year.

The trustees' action is subject to review by the ELCA Conference of Bishops, which meets in Itasca, Ill., March 5-9, as well as review and possible approval by the ELCA Church Council which meets here April 9-12.

The action resulted from decisions made at the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. That assembly adopted a series of proposals which created the possibility for Lutherans in committed, lifelong, monogamous and publicly accountable same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA clergy and professional lay leaders.

The assembly also adopted a social statement on human sexuality. One of the statement's 15 implementing resolutions (#7) called for"the ELCA to amend the eligibility provisions of the ELCA Pension and Other Benefits Program, consistent with the policies of this church."

The Church Council is expected to consider a series of revisions to churchwide candidacy, ministry and discipline policies, consistent with the assembly decisions, and may adopt the revised policies when it meets here next month.

"We are committed to doing what has been mandated by the churchwide assembly," said the Rev. Robert D. Berg, assistant to the president for church relations, ELCA Board of Pensions, Minneapolis.

The trustees acted as a result of a commitment on the part of the Board of Pensions to enroll eligible same-gender partners within one month of the Church Council's possible approval of new ELCA policies, Berg said.

He explained that the board wanted to be ready to implement plan changes soon after the council acts. The trustees do not have a regularly scheduled meeting again until August, he said. Berg also said that if the council amends policy proposals, the trustees are prepared to meet by teleconference to finalize Board of Pensions plan changes.

"The Board of Pensions has committed to being able to enroll eligible same-gender partners within 30 days of Church Council approval of the church's policies," wrote Robert H. Rydland, the Board's vice president and general counsel, in a Feb. 10 memo to the trustees. "Our guiding principle as we implement resolution #7 is to treat an eligible same-gender partner the same as we treat a spouse to the extent possible under each plan, and as permitted by federal law."

In addition to the proposed plan changes, the trustees reviewed proposed affidavits that would be used by the Board of Pensions to provide evidence of a same-gender partnership and evidence of the dissolution of such a partnership, for the purposes of benefit eligibility.

In his memo, Rydland wrote that because only a few states recognize "same-gender marriage," the Board of Pensions believes it is important to have affidavits on file.

"The affidavits contain important information for the member and partner regarding possible tax consequences of the benefits provided and the legal implications of signing the affidavit," he wrote. "These affidavits are not part of a plan and therefore can be revised as necessary without Church Council or Board approval."

"I thought the meeting went very well in the sense that we presented them (trustees) with the necessary information," Berg said. "There were some questions and some discussion. I think there was full understanding of their role and responsibilities as trustees."

---
Texts of the proposed Board of Pensions plan changes and other related documents are at http://www.ELCA.org/ministrypolicies on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews