Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) is committed to the full participation of persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities in the life and ministry of the Lutheran church.
News and Press Information
First Extraordinary Ordination in Texas to be held on July 26thELM Roster member Lura Groen has been called by Grace Lutheran in Houston, Texas. The extraordinary ordination will take place on Saturday July 26th at 2pm, at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, with a reception following at the church. There will be a (fundraising) Celebration Dinner at 7pm on Saturday night, at a local venue. Tickets for this event will be $100/plate. Lura will be installed Sunday July 27th the regular 10:30 service. For information on a discounted rate at the local Holiday Inn, please contact the office at Grace Lutheran.
Rev. Lionel Ketola Ordained
Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) celebrates the ordination of Lionel Ketola, which is both the first extraordinary ordination of a Canadian and legally married person. Pastor Ketola was called by Newmarket Ontario, Holy Cross Lutheran Church (ELCiC).
Lionel first served at Holy Cross Lutheran Church as an intern, with the support of a grant from ELM (who was Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministries at the time). Today the congregation voted to call Lionel as Associate Pastor, deployed as an Ambassador of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:16-21) in the ELCIC, to further the work of full inclusion in the ELCIC. Major funding for this position will come from a three year seed grant from Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Learn more about Lionel
Extraordinary Ordination of Jen Nagel -
January 19, 2008 in Minneapolis, MN
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(Minneapolis, MN) Seeking to speak the language of their neighborhood, in 1889 Salem English Lutheran was one of the first Lutheran congregations west of Chicago to worship in English; on Sunday November 11th it also became one of the first Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) congregations to call a member of the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) roster.
Jen Nagel has been serving as the Pastoral Minister of Salem Lutheran for four and a half years, and on January 19th she will be ordained and installed as a minister of Word and Sacrament and become their Pastor. Nagel will be ordained in an “Extraordinary Ordination” service January 19. The service is called such because it is performed outside the ordinary guidelines for Lutheran ordinations.
Extraordinary Ordination of Jen Rude -
November 17, 2007 in Chicago, IL
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(Chicago, IL)
For the fourth time in 13 months a Lutheran congregation will directly challenge the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) policy requiring lifelong celibacy of gay and lesbian clergy. On October 28, Jen Rude was called to ministry by Resurrection Lutheran Church in Chicago. On November 17, Rude became the first pastor to be ordained in the newly formed Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) and the first official challenge to the new ELCA policy of “Refrain and Restraint” that was passed at its biennial assembly August 6-11 in Chicago.
Organization Nails Its Statement on the Virtual Door of the Lutheran Church
On the 490th anniversary of Martin Luther’s historic posting of his 95 theses calling for reform in the Catholic Church, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries has virtually posted its theology statement urging Lutheran churches around the world to return to their Lutheran core and end the practice of mandated celibacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender pastors.
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ELM Communications Chair
Rev. Megan Rohrer
(415) 827-2587 (cell)
email: communication@elm.org