During this morning’s weekly Blue Monday coffee shop theology table discussion with area ELCA pastors, I suggested that as a historian and novelist rather than clergy, I bring a different point of view to the weekly lectionary. I have an eye for conflict.
See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Luke 10:3 NRSV
Though we may wish otherwise, conflict is part of our past and our present. The first schism in the church occurred during the first generation following the death of Jesus with Paul and his Gentiles on one side and the original Jewish disciples on the other. This split is evident when comparing the three synoptic versions of the gospel lesson for this Sunday. The Markan original (Mk 6:7) suggests Jesus sent out the twelve, but the Matthean and Lukan revisions are revealing. Matthew speaks for the Jewish faction, and he agrees that Jesus sent out the twelve and adds “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Mt 10:5-6). Luke’s motivation is entirely opposite, and he mentions not twelve but seventy (Lk 10:1), an obvious symbolic reference to the nations—the Gentiles. For the Pauline Luke, exclusive boundaries marked by circumcision had been dismantled by the Christ, which Paul himself confirmed in the conclusion to his letter to the Galatians:
It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised … even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law … for neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! Gal 6:12-15
Paul’s concluding comment, “As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them,” was echoed by Luke:
first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who who shares in peace, your peace will rest upon that person; but if not, it will return to you. Luke 10:5b-6.
Pauline theology suggests the Christ has torn down the boundaries of traditional Torah exclusivity, marked by circumcision, and Paul offers a new and broadened understanding of the descendants of Abraham. Come and join us, he says, we will “bear one another’s burdens”, but if you insist on your traditional boundaries, on your walls of exclusion, on your separateness based on literal application of the law, then … you “cut yourself off” and ”you bite and devour one another”. Again, Luke offers the final word, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you.”
Upon returning from coffee with this lectionary fresh in my mind, a blog post from Pastor Brant, “Both Saint and Cynic”, popped up on my computer. Pastor Brant writes of the new SAWC (Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community) that has arisen out of the dust of conflict in Tomah, Wisconsin. Another blog friend, Kelly, reports on the Tomah House of Peace SAWC that is developing after a former ELCA congregation refused to accept the peace offered by the inclusivity of the revised ELCA ministry policies. Paul tore down boundaries, but the Judaizers rebuilt them. This ancient church conflict presents a compelling parallel to the inclusivity of the ELCA versus the exclusivity of LCMC, CORE, and WordAlone that boast of their confessionalism, their reverence for the traditional, their persistence in championing sharp lines of division.
Has confessionalism become the new circumcision?
Wow, thanks for the hype!!!
Actually, we’re just Peace Lutheran SAWC (or as Pr. Brant likes to say Saucy!) Hopefully we will officially be Pease Lutheran Church sooner than later. The House of Peace was something our new pastor Rev. Sue Sheffer-Meyer (LOVE HER!) said: we are a house of prayer, a house of praise, and a house of peace. I loved what she said so I incorporated it into the website.
We are meeting for the time being in the local United Church of Christ’s building. They truly take “full communion partnership” seriously have have opened their doors and hearts to us, and it looks like we have the potential to forge some amazing bonds of partnership for years to come. We’re already contemplating a partnership for a variety of ministries and community outreach.
Btw, the photo above is from the Creation Windows of Tomah’s First Congregational UCC. I love the old world style of the sanctuary’s stained glass. The church was built in 1859 and these windows were installed about a hundred years later. The title of the window In the Beginning.
Thought it was appropriate to use to announce the birth of a new congregation.
And since you are not that far away, if you are passing through on the interstate, you are always welcome to visit us at Peace, Obie (and everyone else for that matter!)
Is confessionalism the new circumcision?
One could ask the same question about acceptance of the new teachings of the ELCA.
Given the hesitancy shown by at least some on the prevailing side (as in hesitancy to simply let-go-in-peace those who disagree with the decisions made last August), we have to wonder whether the answer to both questions could be yes — and no.
@Church Grandpa and Grandma
I am tired of all the rhetoric on both sides. There are apparently differences among the leaders and clergy on all sides of the issue. There are super liberal and super conservative. I am leaving it to the theologians to fight out. May God have mercy on all.
@Kelly
Hi Kelly, It looks like you are off to a good start. I have made my choice and will be in a different church as of next week. I hope to help them in any way I can.
@Lilly
Did you decide that both the SAWC of members of your old church and the LCMC church weren’t where you wanted to be?
Thanks for the link, Obie. I find the use of the SAWC concept in caring for the ELCA faithful of congregations leaving our church body exciting. There are five SAWC’s in my synod and I pray for them regularly. I now include Peace Lutheran of Tomah in my prayers as well.
When the dust has settled from all of this, I believe that the ELCA will be somewhat smaller, but also more focused and better able to move forward in mission. The angry, divisive rhetoric employed by the dissidents is distressing to me. I pray that they will one day stop being anti-ELCA and pro-Gospel in their message.
On a personal note, I finally broke down and ordered a copy of “A Wretched Man” through my local bookstore. It should arrive next week, in plenty of time to take with me on vacation.
God bless!
I saw this blog title on a link on another blog. I have seen the word Confessional used on many Lutheran (of another stripe) Blogs as a way to separate the obvious sheep from the goats. And accompanied with what seemed to me to be hurtful words directed at other Lutheran groups. I hope I’ve been misinterpreting what I’ve read, but my take has been that Confessional has been elevated up there with Faith. The the Confessions with the Bible. The question in your title is appropriate.
However, Faith is a gift of God. I don’t see the other “attributes” being anything other than works of man (and woman.)
@Ann
The SAWC has potential but isn’t growing very fast towards becoming a church. My heart is still with them but my husband grew up in the local Congregational church and became Lutheran after our daughter was born. This gets me out of the fray with the LCMC members . The area has other churches going LCMC . The Methodist and Congregational churches both have altar and pulpit relationships with the ELCA. I had to get rid of some baggage and holding on to some Lutheran roots to do this but I am seeing myself able to work in this church. I am not really mad at the SAWC but disappointed that some other people who were in it have joined other churches taking away from the membership potential. My husband did not want me getting involved in starting a new church. I take it too personally. I am 73 and he is 76. We nearly joined this church 12 years ago when we moved to Clintonville. It is time to go with him.
@Brant
The SAWC movement is exciting, “saucy” as you say.
When will the dissidents get past the law to the gospel (and a misguided interpretation of the law at that)? Some soon, I expect, but others perhaps will never get beyond their negativity.
Thanks for your support of the book! I look forward to your feedback.
I think Brant will enjoy the book.
Obie: WE DID IT ! I just took our letter of resignation over to Christus.
What I find most disturbing about the SAWC idea is the name … and the theology that undergirds it. By what right does a synod “authorize” anyone to worship?
“Synod Supported” would be much more in keeping with Lutheran theology. One might almost suspect a creeping crypto-romanism…
@Tony Stoutenburg
Picky, Picky, Picky. To me this gives the church the authority to call themselves ELCA. The SAWC here is green hymnbook & WOV, same feel for the worship and communion as before- just a somewhat smaller congregation. My husband just said to me “I’m no longer Lutheran.” I think it will work better for him. And Tony, I am glad you prayed for rain and that you got some. Hayward does rely on the tourist industry. Friends in Eagle River said their lake was down 3 ft. Now how about going about the job of evangelism as you see it rather than picking on the ELCA ?
I thought you said you had better things to do than argue with me. They didn’t last long I guess.
That is an excellent point I had not thought about.
But I can’t stop being concerned for my friends in the ELCA, Lilly. The boss says so. Matthew 22:39 😉
@Obie, the more I thought about it as I am cleaning house, the sillier parts of this post seemed. Especially the title.
(Never mind that the “inclusive” Paul had long lists of people we should not associate with…)
Is Confessional the new Circumcision? First, ‘Confessional Lutheran’ is a redundancy. To be Lutheran is to be Confessional. (Same is true for a Presbyterian, though they claim a different confession. Episcopalians and Baptists, for instance, claim common practices and understandings as their unifying principle. Romans claim a common uber-bishop.) People on both sides (of the issues oft debated here) claim to be acting out of their understanding of the Confessions.
@PSanafterthought As an aside, the Confessions do not replace the Scriptures … they are a correct interpretation of them. In classical Lutheran terms, the Scriptures are the Norming Norm; the Confessions are the Normed Norm.
If one is not Confessional, that does not make one ‘not Christian’ (which seems to be the Judaizer’s argument in Galatia), but it does make one not Lutheran. Which is ok. I know lots of wonderful Christians who are not Lutheran. “Is Confessional the new Circumcision?” Well, I suppose that by the end of 10/4/1529, Ulrich Zwingli probably would have said yes.
@Kelly, Glad to hear things are going well. And I kinda like ‘House of Peace.’
I canNOT believe I wrote that sentence. Sheesh!
Of course I meant to say that I pray the dissidents will begin to focus on the Gospel rather than the supposed evils of the ELCA.
I have no problems being authorized (and for the record, the reason a lot of congregations are going with SAWC is that fragments of previous ELCA congregations is 1/ ease of paperwork and 2/ there was no model for fragments of ELCA congregations that took their toys and joined other church bodies. The premise of a mission congregation was to bring the ELCA to a community. As there are already communities present that want to maintain their identity, a SAWC (btw, I used to say Sauk as in county in Wisconsin, but I am fancying the term Saucy because Brant makes me smile!) is a faster stepping stone from going from worship center to independent church.
As for being authorized? If you want any grant funding, interim staffing, synodical support you need to be authorized. The Church of Bob just can’t declare itself so and ask for resources by the ELCA unless it is already part of it. It’s an acronym. I am acronym impaired as I go through life (too many in my field of work.) But it gets us up and running in under a month from Are we gonna do this to a full-blown We’re doing this!!!!
In this case, being an authorized anything gives us access to a lot of resources that we would not have otherwise.
@Tony Stoutenburg
Well, Tony, now that I have made my choice, I don’t have to worry so much about offending your friend . He is now my former pastor. A part of me will always be ELCA and as I see it, your group has used the gay/lesbian issue to take yourselves out of the ELCA. I was just reading an item in the UCC literature on line that they have had some “Charismatic” pastors from other denominations become UCC who had the adgenda to remove the church from the organization and keep the congregation and the building. That has contributed to the decline in the denomination. Some of the LCMC congregations in this area claim “Charismatic” background. In my experience, any Charismatics I have known have become very literal in interpreting the Bible. Could it be that you people are doing the same thing – stealing the congregation and the building ? It would seem to me that could be the case. If the Holy Spirit is truly leading you, you wouldn’t need the gay issue to scare the people into joining you.
Yes, I do have more important things to do than argue with you but at the same time maybe I need to be a voice of reason in this feud.
@Tony Stoutenburg
Tony, while you object to the idea of a Synod “authorizing” a worshiping community, I am sure you know that the form of church organization, whether episcopal, congregational or whatever, is an adiaphoron for Lutherans. If a Lutheran church body chooses to vest authority in a synod, it is free to do so, as long as the Gospel is proclaimed and the Sacraments administered in good order.
I agree with most of what you say about confessionalism, but I will point out that the term “confessional” has been co-opted by a particular subset of Lutherans.
@Lilly
Lilly, I look forward to reading Obie’s book. And I pray that your new church affiliation will be a spiritual benefit both to you and your new congregation. May you hear the message of God’s grace proclaimed with strength and clarity.
@Brant
Thanks Brant, Yes, I am hearing God’s Grace there maybe more so than in the LCMC. They are strong on reaching out to the community and feeding the hungry etc. If I need Mogen David to forgive my sins I will visit an ELCA church 🙂
@Lilly
Brant, one reason I am leaving the LCMC is that the current pastor tells us our sins are forgiven but is really not all that strong on preaching about God’s Grace. In fact the WA man who set this all in motion once said”Grace, Hmmph” but then he listens to Rush and believes a lot of the moral majority rhetoric. I need all of God’s grace I can get so I refuse to be given a guilt trip every time I go to church. Yes, I am a sinner but I am a forgiven sinner.
I still contend the new name for the schismatic denomination should be HELCA — the Homophobic Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
@Lilly
your supposition falls apart regarding some of us; LCMC formed 10 years ago, and I have been out the the ELCA for 5. There were other issues long before CWA 09. And if you are going to be the voice of reason, try being reasonable. That starts with dropping the unsupported allegations and inflammatory language (i.s. “stealing.”)
@Brant You write, “I agree with most of what you say about confessionalism, but I will point out that the term “confessional” has been co-opted by a particular subset of Lutherans.” Funny thing: both sides feel that way. 😉
Perhaps Lilly is right and I am being too picky about the name. Just that Lutherans have often been at their best when pointing out to some of our brothers and sisters that their language gets the direction wrong (e.g.”I found God!”) Seems to me that the authorizing / supporting language is a directional difference. And yes, structure is adiaphoron, until you are told you have to …
@Michael Michael, how kind. If you are referring to NALC, I would suggest that there are some differences between them and the ELCA, though defending them is not my bailiwick. If you mean LCMC (which is new to many), the differences are MANY. Since 1988, I have referred to the ELCA as the Great Big Lutheran Church … but now GBLC takes on a new meaning to some who find the term offensive.
@Tony Stoutenburg
Yes Tony , I am aware that the Episcopalian need to have a bishop to ordain pastors was at the root of most of the WA objections. But Brian and other pastors in this area used the CWA09 to inflame the congregations to pull out of the ELCA. If he felt that strongly, why didn’t this happen in the churches he served in your area ? To me these people are using the gay issue to “steal” the churches. I am not an advocate of committed gay pastors serving ELCA all over the country but I am seeing that there is a loophole and a congregation does not have to have a gay pastor. The UCC has such a loophole and the one here in Clintonville is using it.
So far as blessing gay partnerships is concerned, an LCA church in the Milwaukee area was doing it before the merger. I always considered the LCA the more liberal of the Lutheran churches.
Tony, I think you are good at what you do and I noticed that you sidestepped the gay issue when you spoke at Christus. If it is God’s will to split the ELCA into smaller units, it is my hope that one day we can all drink good Lutheran coffee together and agree to disagree.
Lilly, a “Lutheran in exile”.
So if the leadership of the Churchwide offices use constitutional procedures to pass something many disagree with, it is justice, but if leaders of a congregation use constitutional procedures to lead a congregation to change affiliations, it is stealing?
@Tony Stoutenburg
Nothing illegal or unconstitutional about pastors leading their flock out of the ELCA or pastors lobbying other congregations to do the same. But, is it “sheep stealing”? Most communities have multiple demoninations, some with quite different theologies and world views; yet, there is usually an attitude of mutual respect between the local clergy that prevents overt “sheep stealing”. Or name calling–“unchurched”, “unbiblical”, “heretical”–as part of the effort at persuading others to leave their church and join yours or one of your affiliation. Or, appealing to fear and prejudice to manipulate. Under all these latter considerations, Lilly is right, it is stealing.
Is name-calling like “ignorant”, “unloving”, “bigotted”, “homophonbic” incluided? ‘Cause then others can use the staling label as well.
@Tony Stoutenburg
Name calling is inappropriate, but “stealing” is not the appropriate characterization for attempting to ward off attempts to pull a congregation out of its existing organization. If I was to come to your congregation to attempt to convince your parishoners to leave the LCMC, then it would be stealing, whether or not I called you names. Name calling merely adds to the offense.
To add to this situation was the pastor’s attempt to silence those who were trying to get the congregation to take a more moderate approach. We were accused of holding unauthorized meetings and sending an unauthorized letter to the congregation. We finally had to meet outside the church. I had to beg off from the meetings because I was too upset. There were meetings at church that I missed and some of the people who were dissentors were a bit extreme as I understand it. At first I had gone along with the pastor but when I saw the tactics employed and that he led the meetings- even taking charge from the president, that was too much. I finally decided to be done with the whole thing and my son calls me ” a Lutheran in exile” And yes, I am “the voice of dissention” and my real name is not Lilly. I use it to keep from having stones thrown through my windows.
Obie is right – it’s not tit for tat. I wish once someone from CORE/LCMC would own up to what their supporters are out there doing in churches without whining about how they’re being called homophobic. Don’t say things or do things that are homophobic if you don’t want to be called homophobic.
The church in which I was baptized and confirmed is dealing with this turmoil right now (they’re waiting to see if NALC is a better alternative than LCMC) and frankly, people are saying incredibly homophobic things. And they are saying things that are absolutely born of ignorance about LGBT people. I was literally told I was a follower of Satan because I belong to a Reconciling in Christ church. Why can’t I call that what it is? That is ignorant and unloving, bigoted and homophobic. All of the above!
@Obie Holmen
Obie, I think we are talking about different things. First, if you were invited by members of Grace to come and speak your piece, and they voted to leave, that would NOT be stealing. That would be democracy in a church polity. And while I would not like it, I would accept it. (I might cry if you called me names, but that is another issue.)
Unless I misunderstood completely, Lilly was saying that congregations that had voted to leave had been ‘stolen’. I contend that they were not stolen; they chose. Through a rigorous process. (Now in fairness, and this would not be a popular statement in some quarters I frequent, Kelly has a much stronger argument for theft, though (1) I would nuance that a lot and (2) she seems to have moved on to a much happier place.)
But we have probably said enough about this. Have a blessed holiday!
@Tony Stoutenburg
Tony, if you will note, my July 2 comments talked about pastors from other denominations becoming UCC pastors and eventually turning those churches into independent or other denomination churches. I asked if that is what could be happening here ? Yes, the churches I know of have voted and I don’t have an issue with the ones where it was the lay people in the church that led the fight. I don’t have an issue with Janice Kuder’s way of leading her churches out of the ELCA. She used the argument of if we were choosing a church body, why would we choose the ELCA ? Perhaps nothing illegal took place at Christus or any of several churches who were led out of the ELCA by the pastors but Robert’s Rules of Order were breached , people got very heated on both sides of the issue: the pastor was insulted, the bishop was insulted, and some families are still split because of it. I am still writing about it to caution others who are pushing the split to work it out and take it easy. A little church near here has taken its first vote. A while ago a very irate member of that church was yelling at our church secretary because she did not agree with him. She almost had to call the police to get him out of the office. Tony , you are in a position of leadership where you can continue to call for calm collected reasoning. Please do.
>>Is name-calling like “ignorant”, “unloving”, “bigotted”, “homophonbic” incluided? ‘Cause then others can use the staling label as well.>>
Dear Tony,
In addition to what others have said above, I point out that you will not hear the epithets you list coming from LC/NA or Goodsoil leadership. LC/NA stresses (and practices) graceful engagement with all. And we work for reconciliation with all, including those who disagree with us.
Tim Fisher
Minneapolis, MN
@Lilly
Actually, Lilly, in your July 2 post you said, addressing me: “Could it be that you people are doing the same thing – stealing the congregation and the building ?” So you were NOT just talking about UCC congregations or “outsiders” coming in.
@Tim Fisher
Appreciate that.
On a larger point, there is this notion there has been frequently assumed here,that something led by the pastor, or in which the pastor is a force, is not as legitimate as if it were led by the laity. I want to challenge that.
First, the ELCA Constitution specifies that the pastor shall be a member of the congregation, just like everybody else.
Second, unless congregation has been terribly lazy in their call process, or someone has been lying, they ought to have a pastor who is a pretty good fit with most of the congregation, theologically.
Thirdly, part of the job of a pastor is to be the ‘resident theological expert’. And having that perspective, the ELCA does call them “rostered leaders.” It is incumbent upon leaders to try to lead.
Fourth, this should hardly be a shoe in most places. The last survey that I saw, based on voting patterns, found that on average, mainline denomination pastors are significantly more liberal than the average person in the pew.
Please note I’m not advocating for a dictatorial ‘Herr Pastor’ approach, but the notion that the pastor should not lead, even in something controversial would certainly fly in the face of the Constitution, logic and, well, the apostle Paul.
Blessings, Tony
@Tony Stoutenburg That was a question not a declaration.
Yesterday we joined with the UCC church so I am out of Christus. If you still want to pick apart everything everybody says, go ahead. I am starting to think that you are one heck of a control freak who just has to be right. Some pastors get an over inflated image of themselves. I don’t need that kind.
@Tony Stoutenburg
Tony, I am also questioning why you are so defensive if there isn’t some truth in what other people are saying? I would think you would just ignore some of it. This is a blog for liberal viewpoints , why do you find it necessary to take them so seriously and so personally? A long time ago, I heard someone say “you don’t have to defend God, He is big enough to do it Himself.” I am just a 73 year old grandmother who used to be a teacher. I am not an expert theologian. But I do raise questions when something doesn’t look right to me. Many times I find out that there was nothing to worry about. Go in Peace, it isn’t necessary to go to pieces.
My dear retired school teacher, if you make an accusation (even couched in an “I wonder”) and I answer it, then you deny saying it, and I go on to point out that you really did, that is not being defensive.
And if non-“progressive” views are not welcome here, the blog owner has a button for that. In the meantime… Blessings
TS
I know of two former ELCA churches served by the same pastor where the pastor decided to retire early rather than take a side in the ELCA vs. CORE/NALC/LCMC/LCMS/WELS/etc. debate. Both churches lost several members, including all the laypeople who often led services when they voted to leave the ELCA. The synod that would help them find new pastoral leadership the fastest ended up being their choice for reaffiliation. It was LCMS, I think, and that caused nearly half the membership of both churches to resign. One of the churches has about 15 members left after all is said and done, and the other has less than 40.
I seek guidance and counsel from my pastor, who is someone I deeply admire and respect. But my church isn’t my pastor, or any other pastor. Nor is it the council vice-president, or the head of the altar guild, or the couple that pledges the most money every year. My pastor will retire someday and we’ll get a new one, and then that one will leave or retire, and we’ll get a new one, and so on. Congregations who are following the lead of their pastor are forgetting that this happens in every church. Not all of them will ultimately be happy with what the pastor decided to do.
I leave those who read the blog to decide for themselves whom they will follow. I hope it is Jesus.
The UCC has some good blogs. I was watching a video “Mothers, don’t let your children grow up to pastors.” There are some others on that site that are good , funny, or very irreverent depending on your point of view.
Lilly, the Lutheran in Exile
@Ann
Luckily my own synod was quick to step up and give us support. We were able to find a home fairly quickly, and at our first worship (which unfortunately was out of town for) we already had 50+ members. If it was the Missouri Synod that was stepping up to bat here (been there, done that as a kid) I would have been one of the masses vanishing into the ether as well.
Not bad for one email announcement and a little word of mouth.
I cannot express how renewing and affirming this final process it has been after nearly a year of feeling like the floor was yanked out from underneath us. Ten years ago, this would have been enough of a process to make me disillusioned with organized religion of any sort to give it all up. Oddly enough, this process has taken me from a de rigueur Lutheran to an active one.
Congregations who are following the lead of their pastor are forgetting that this happens in every church. Not all of them will ultimately be happy with what the pastor decided to do.
I do worry that some of the congregations (my former one included) are going to realize this after the fact, after friends and families draw lines in the sand, and worship attendance is cut in half.
@Tony Stoutenburg
Oh, yah, I guess I did accuse your group of stealing congregations. I went back and read what I had written. If you don’t think so, ok. I think I will stay out of it for now and just get acquainted with the UCC. They had the gay controversy a few years ago and so far, at least some of the churches have survived. I agree with Ann that pastors come and pastors go and Christus can’t be sure of what kind they will get next. In fact a couple of people in the dissident group are keeping their membership in case things improve in a couple years.
@Kelly
I should have been more clear – it was the faction that wanted to break away from the ELCA that eventually went to the LCMS. Apparently the LCMC was not equipped to find them a pastor as quickly as they’d like. The members of those churches who left kind of scattered to the wind. Some of them go to other ELCA churches, others to UCC, others to Methodist churches. I think the remaining members of the new LCMS churches might not be around too much longer either, the way this is going. It turns out that a pastor isn’t everything.
I think it would be exciting in a lot of ways to be part of a brand new church. I’m glad it’s going well for your new congregation so far. The website for your church was posted somewhere a few days ago, and it looks like you all have everything you need for a good start.
Actually, I think I would have gone for an interdenominational or non-denominational church here since Clintonville churches are all denominational. I guess that is hard to do though unless you have a preacher who wants to start his/her own church– then its likely to be fundamentalist.
It will be interesting what the next months and years bring to this area. In the meantime, my husband is being welcomed back home to the UCC with open arms and I haven’t seen him this interested in church for a long time. So God prevails. The SAWC is still hoping to get enough members to keep going and I hope they can.
@Ann
“Apparently the LCMC was not equipped to find them a pastor as quickly as they’d like.”
I am not doubting what you are reporting here, but I do want to correct one misconception. LCMC does not find pastors for congregations. The congregation uses whatever resources it wishes (including the LCMC website’s Leadership Link (WA has a similar Clergy Connect) and potential pastors contact them. I know of four call processes underway by new and established congregations where they have had 20+ resume’s submitted.
@Tony Stoutenburg
Ahh…Tony, I suspect the congregations wanted a pastor to be found for them. With 50ish people left on the membership rolls between two churches, there really isn’t much wo/manpower to do that kind of work. I do know that they looked at LCMC, the Free Lutherans, and the Missouri Synod, and that the members who stayed after leaving the ELCA but left before joining LCMS left because they wanted to belong to a synod that ordained women.
I think there has been some synod changing here and there over the years that we didn’t hear too much about. A friend of mine belongs to a Lutheran church in Mountain, WI that was always ALC,ELCA. A few years ago, they apparently couldn’t get a pastor, or that is what she was told, so they went LCMS. I always figured that there was more to it than that, but I don’t think she knows the details.
Back in 1988, my older brother commented that when you merge three denominations, you do not form 1, you form 4. (Since AELC was so small and was itself a break off, it does not have the uumph or desire to form a separate denom.) It has taken 22 years but that seems to be, at least somewhat true.