Nearly 30 years ago, the Bishop of the Sierra Pacific Bishop, the Rev. Lyle Miller, responded to the calls and ordinations of Pastors Ruth Frost, Phyllis Zillhart, and Jeff Johnson at First United Lutheran Church and St. Francis Lutheran of San Francisco by saying:
“I sincerely regret the action of these two congregations in determining their own standards for call and ordination.”
(In the Beginning, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries
Thirty years later, the current Bishop, Bishop Mark Holmerud, of the Sierra Pacific Synod (home synod to First United and St. Francis) proclaims a different message that he would like the church to hear in honor of the 30th anniversary of the ordinations of Ruth, Phyllis, and Jeff and the 10 years since the ELCA policy change to remove barriers for LGBTQIA+ ministry leaders who are publicly out and partnered.