Author: Amalia Vagts

Sunday, July 25 was extraordinary for a number of reasons, as you’ve read here previously. An unexpected happy occurrence was an unplanned gathering of all 8 founding members of the Extraordinary Candidacy Project.

From left to right-Jack Elliott, Mari Irvin, Sherry Mattson, Jeff Johnson, Margaret Moreland, Stan Olson, Greg Egertson, Elizabeth Thompson.

The group gathered for an impromptu photo shoot and a few shared memories. It was quite amazing for all gathered to see this group together. This group’s prophetic work to credential and authorize gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people for ministry in the Lutheran Church has meant that openly LGBT people have been able to follow a call to ministry for nearly 20 years in the Lutheran church. Amazing work! Amazing people!

Many ELM roster members are working towards becoming part of the ELCA roster. Currently, 12 ELM pastors have received approval for reception, reinstatement or ordination by an ELCA candidacy committee. We celebrate with the church as we live into the new ministry policies and we continue to support and work with those who are in the process of approval.

Approvals:

Sierra Pacific Synod
Reception: Rev. Jeff Johnson, Rev. Dawn Roginski, Rev. Sharon Stalkfleet, Rev. Megan Rohrer, Rev. Craig Minich, Rev. Paul Brenner
Reinstatement: Rev. Ross Merkel

Minneapolis Area Synod
Reception: Rev. Jen Nagel

St. Paul Area Synod
Reception: Rev. Anita Hill

Southeast Iowa Synod
Reception: Rev. Erik Christensen

Metro Chicago Synod
Ordination: Julie Boleyn

New England Synod
Ordination: Matthew James

In separate synod committee decisions late last week, Rev. Erik Christensen and Rev. Jen Nagel were approved for the roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Christensen and Nagel serve as co-chairs of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, an organization that expands ministry opportunities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Lutheran pastors.

Rev. Christensen has served as ELM co-chair since its inception in 2007 and Rev. Jen Nagel began the role on June 3, 2010. Christensen and Nagel are among the first gay or lesbian pastors in relationships to be approved for the ELCA roster.

Rev. Christensen, a graduate of Candler School of Theology, Emory University (M.Div., ’02) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (S.T.M., ’04), was approved for ordination in May 2005 by Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. He was called to serve at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square in Chicago, IL and was ordained there on October 21, 2006. Rev. Christensen was approved by the South East Iowa Synod on Friday, June 11. The same committee had denied his approval in 2005 because of the previous ELCA policy banning people in same-sex relationships from serving as rostered leaders.

Christensen currently serves as pastor of St. Luke’s. The congregation has grown significantly during Christensen’s tenure and has become a well-established part of the thriving Logan Square neighborhood. July 9-11, St. Luke’s is sponsoring “Boulevard Bash,” a three-day live music and food festival, a first for the area.

Rev. Nagel currently serves as pastor of Salem English Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN and has been there since July 2003. Nagel was ordained on January 19, 2008. Salem English Lutheran has received recognition for its work in urban renewal and transformational ministry. Faced with an unsustainable large city church building, workforce housing will be built on a portion of their land and a smaller, sustainable ministry center will be renovated and shared by Salem and ecumenical partner Lyndale United Church of Christ.

“Sixteen years ago I began candidacy to become a pastor in the ELCA. I never dreamed the journey would hold so much grace or be quite this long. I stand on the shoulders of many who have gone before and so many who have faithfully served, some facing deep pain and struggle. I give thanks for the policy changes that have led us to this day and for a more open conversation about the gifts and burdens of sexuality for all of God’s people. The ministry I share with the people of Salem will continue and, I trust, be transformed still by the Holy Spirit’s amazing power,” said Rev. Jen Nagel following the decision.

Nagel holds an M.Div. from University of Chicago-Divinity School (’98), completed work at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago (’99) and Concordia College, Moorhead Minnesota (’94). She’s served at Central Lutheran Church and Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, in Africa, Chicago, Michigan, and outdoor ministry settings. Nagel has served on the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches and on the Minneapolis Area Synod Council of the ELCA. Nagel was approved by the Minneapolis Area Synod on June 10. Nagel lives in Minneapolis with her partner, Rev. Jane McBride (a United Church of Christ minister) and their daughter.

This morning, the Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly passed a resolution that empowers the Synod Council to act to welcome St. Francis Lutheran Church and First United Lutheran Church back to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and invites these congregations to discern this action. The resolution passed with 291 votes for, 26 against and 10 abstentions. The vote was announced to great applause.

St. Francis (photo) and First United were placed on trial by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1990 for extending calls to openly gay Jeff Johnson and openly lesbian Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart. The ELCA suspended their membership until 1995 and then dropped them from the roster of congregations. Both St. Francis and First United have remained thriving Lutheran ministries since then and have been served by both ELCA pastors and pastors rostered by Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.

Hallelujah!

In another step for the ELCA toward becoming a welcoming and inclusive church, Bp. Mark Holmerud (left), Bishop of the ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod, ended his report to the synod at today’s assembly with the news that he was lifting the censure of University Lutheran Chapel in Berkeley, CA. The Chapel was placed under censure in 2000, after calling Rev. Jeff Johnson (ELM Roster).

Bp. Holmerud’s announcement was greeted with tears, cheers and a standing ovation from the assembly. Bp. Holmerud has been a strong supporter of opening the doors and pulpits of the ELCA to people of diverse sexualities and genders. Bp. Holmerud has shared his own story of transformation from his decision to not attend the extraordinary ordinations of Rev. Jeff Johnson, Rev. Ruth Frost and Rev. Phyllis Zillhart to his committed and outspoken support in recent years.

University Lutheran Chapel was placed under censure when they called Rev. Jeff Johnson ten years ago. Pastor Jeff was extraordinarily ordained in 1990 (photo at right) and served First United Lutheran Church for ten years before accepting a call to the Chapel. Pastor Jeff was a founder of Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries and Extraordinary Candidacy Project, the predecessor organizations to Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Jeff is a visionary and passionate pastor. Pastor Jeff lives in Oakland with his partner, Pepe Sanchez Aldaco.

Pastor Jeff was also elected today to the Sierra Pacific Synod Council, pending his reception onto the ELCA Roster. Stay tuned for more updates from the Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly.

We give thanks for the members and friends of University Lutheran Chapel for their long witness to an inclusive and welcoming church, to Pastor Jeff and Pepe, and to Bishop Mark Holmerud!

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries celebrates the good news that Pastor Bradley Schmeling and Pastor Darin Easler have been reinstated to the roster of the ELCA. This is yet another joyful moment as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America takes steps toward becoming a more fully inclusive church.

Pastor Bradley was removed from the ELCA roster in 2007 by church trial after telling his bishop that he was in a relationship with Easler. Easler had already been dropped from the ELCA roster after coming out to his congregation and bishop in Southeast Minnesota.

Bradley and Darin’s stories are two examples of the stories of countless other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pastors. The actions of the Southeastern Synod to reinstate them are a step towards reconciling those in the church who have been separated from one another because of the ELCA’s former policy barring partnered gay and lesbian people from serving as pastors.

Pastor Bradley, Pastor Darin, and the members of St. John’s Lutheran Church have been a powerful witness in their community and to the church about full inclusion, hospitality and welcome. Bishop Julian Gordy and the ELCA Southeastern Synod are a witness to the power of reconciliation.

ELCA News Release here.
LC/NA Release here

ELM donors supported the costs of Pastor Bradley’s 2007 trial with gifts totaling over $12,000. Visit www.elm.org to learn more about Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.

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.

by Rev. Lura Groen.
Lura serves as pastor of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Houston, Texas. Lura is on the roster of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Visit www.gracelutheran-houston.org.

I had coffee recently with a college classmate I hadn’t seen in years. She’s a smart, competent, beautiful, compassionate professional, the kind who alternates between international human rights work, and grant writing in the US for the kind of causes I love to support. We were having a grand time catching up, on, well, everything since college.

When I started telling her about our work through ELM to make ministry possible for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, she started to tell me about her experience attending a Catholic Church recently with her family. She said a woman had carried the cross down the aisle in the procession, then sat in the front pew for the service. Despite the ridiculous smallness of this token, my friend was taken aback by how powerfully emotional her response was. In fact, she started crying in front of me.

She was visibly embarrassed by this- we were hardly on intimate terms, this was a public location, and weeping isn’t generally seen as appropriate in these situations. Besides, her head said this was such a little thing to rejoice over. Given the denial of female ministry in the Catholic Church, the history of Catholic Doctrine being used, and too often written, to demean and restrict women, why does one female body in a procession (not even making it to the altar!) matter?

It matters because it is powerful, powerful, who leads worship. Which bodies are in front of congregations sends resounding messages about which bodies are able to approach God. It matters because if certain types of people-people like you- aren’t fit for ministry, what does that say about you? It matters because we read into our worship leadership ideas about what bodies are loved by and close to God. For better or worse, who is in ministry tells us what bodies are holy.

Despite my friend’s embarrassment, I was glad to have shared the moment with her. In fact, it was a treasure, a gift that has been sustaining me through a difficult few weeks. Because she reminded me how important this work is. Whenever I’m tempted to think this is only about me, about those of us called to ministry, I remember what message our work sends to all the people of God. I celebrate that we have put our bodies in front of worship- that people who look and love and live like us, and people who love differently than us, have been given the message that their lives and loves and bodies are worthy of God’s love too.

And, it being Lent, I remember that I have work to do making that message even broader. I remind myself that there are bodies who aren’t receiving that message as well in my church. That I need to invite people with bodies of different colors than mine into leadership more, and people whose bodies have disabilities different than mine. Because all bodies, lives, and loves, are called by God.

You may send cards to Rev. Anita Hill here: St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church; 100 Oxford St. N; St. Paul, MN; 55104.

You may reach the St. Paul Area Synod here: 105 University Ave. W.; St. Paul, MN 55103.