Category: Blog

In celebration of Caleb Crainer’s upcoming ordination this Saturday we are posting about an essay he wrote for the Proclaim community about going through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s candidacy process as an LGBTQ person.

Caleb has accepted a call at  St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in West Los Angeles, CA. Read more about Caleb’s ordination here.   Caleb is a member of Proclaim and serves as Secretary to the Proclaim Team. Caleb is thankful to ELM and the  Proclaim community for assisting him through his call process. 

Caleb writes,

“I give credit to Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries and Proclaim for my eventual ordination for several reasons. The support and love that I found in this community, along with the sage wisdom from other leaders helped me navigate the various processes.  At the Proclaim retreat, I met pastors in the synod where I was assigned. It was their initiative that brought me there for the Synod Assembly, and afforded me the opportunity to meet face-to-face with synodical staff and a potential call committee. Those connections resulted in my receiving an interview and eventually a call. Proclaim helped that to happen. I hope that in the future I can be such a valuable advocate for new clergy, it really makes all the difference.” 

Caleb has already been a resource to others. While he was in the middle of the candidacy process, he took time to write a reflection piece for others in candidacy.  He shared this document on http://proclaim.elm.org/, a place for the Proclaim community to connect online. 

Caleb shared his own difficulties enduring a sometimes confusing and frustrating process. He had some particular advice for LGBTQ candidates talking about sexual orientation or gender identity with bishops and the candidacy committee; being creative and honest in paperwork; doing research about synods and congregations; and being patient.

We could all make good use of Caleb’s final piece of advice, “Take care of yourself and take the opportunity to learn some new avenues for self-care…you’ll need them someday.”

Learn more about Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries and Proclaim on our website: www.elm.org.

St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square, a 2012 ELM Ministry Grant recipient presents the Boulevard Bash  in Chicago this weekend. St. Luke’s has strong connections to ELM- it’s the home of the ELM office and ELM’s Operations Coordinator, Rachael Johnson has been working part time at the church this summer. Rev. Erik Christensen is the pastor at St. Luke’s and is a member of Proclaim. The Boulevard is a 3-day celebration of Chicago’s best music, food and culture located in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.For the past few years St. Luke’s has been working on reinventing and invigorating their congregation. The Boulevard gives St. Luke’s an opportunity to be visible in the community and a portion of the entrance donations benefit St. Luke’s.

This year’s St. Luke’s booth for the Boulevard will feature an interactive community art project to engage the people at the event in the expression of their memories and hopes in the neighborhood. Drawings and writings will be attached to tree branches which will then hang around the edges of their sanctuary during the season of creation.

If you live in Chicago or are visiting this weekend be sure to stop by- festivities begin on Friday, August 24th at 5pm and continue until Sunday (8/26) at 9pm.

St. Luke’s has been an ELM Ministry Grant recipient for five years and this is their final year of funding. For more information on ELM’s Ministry Grant program click here.  ELM staff has personally seen St. Luke’s revitalization and growth over the past few years, it’s a very exciting time for this congregation located in an up and coming neighborhood of Chicago.

Caleb Crainer will be ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament on Saturday, September 1, 2012 at 2:00 PM at:

Zion Lutheran Church
1017 North Washington Street
Hutchinson, KS 67501

Please wear red

At 4pm a reception will follow at:
Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center
1100 North Plum Street
Hutchinson, KS 67501

Caleb has been called to St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in west Los Angeles, CA. Caleb is a member of Proclaim, the professional community for publicly-identified LGBTQ Lutheran rostered leaders and seminarians- a program of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Caleb graduated from the Lutheran Seminary Program of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Over the years he has learned that church can be a place where people can get to know folks of different backgrounds, ages, and places in life; where we can listen to stories from a different era alongside our elder friends or learn the familiar Bible stories again for the first-time alongside youngsters.

Being a publicly-identified gay man has led him to proactive visions of inclusion and hospitality. Caleb wants to say “Thank you so  much to the entire Proclaim community. It is because of your support and advice that I am at this exciting threshold.” Caleb embraces and celebrates diversity, and is proud to be called by a congregation that enjoys all kinds of folks.

Proclaim members Rev. Dawn Roginski & Rev. Megan Rohrer will be leading a webinar tomorrow, August 10 at noon pacific time. Invitation is below.

Join us for a conversation about LGBTQ homeless youth on a webinar.

This event is also open to those who are interested in working with LGBTQ Homeless youth, seminarians and those of no particular faith who want to learn how to work with faith groups. Our first webinar will enable participants to network & share best practices.

A project of Welcome, sponsored by the Sam Mazza Foundation, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries and the Coalition of Welcoming Congregations Bay Area. For more information or to be added to our email list, contact the Rev. Megan Rohrer at Megan@welcomeministry.org

We will meet every second Friday through the end of 2012.

Additional webinars will focus on:
*Information about Gender and Transgender Youth
*Laws, Policy and Discrimination
*Other issues raised by the group.

Today we hear from guest blogger Rev. Craig Minich, ELM Ministry Grant recipient and Proclaim member. Craig attended the ELCA Youth Gathering with the East Bay Lutheran Youth Program.

Excerpts from Rev. Craig Minich at the East Bay Lutheran Youth Program/New Orleans Multicultural Youth Leadership Event & ELCA Youth Gathering

The ELCA Youth Gathering Day 2: Yesterday we sweat buckets at our mural project. We made great relationships with the local folk, the boys held their own playing pick-up basketball with some tough players from the neighborhood. Even though there were mural leaders with competing egos, we weathered their storm, and found many God moments. High point was the free time, dance, and dinner at the MYLE conference after a long and sweaty days work. It raised our spirits and led nicely into our prayer and reflection time last night!

The ELCA Youth Gathering Day 3 (Dome edition): It was the first time I had been on the floor for a National Gathering, and I have to say that I was quite amped up by all the energy.  It was exciting! There were pre-opening concerts, conga lines that were 1000’s of people long and so much cheering and so many smiles.  When the lights went out to begin the program at 7 pm, I was so struck by the lip dub at the opening session at the super dome… it was a great use of technology, and it felt so exciting. It was a privilege to hear Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber Pa-reach it as well! She gave a shout out to my mentor & colleague Rev. Ross Merkel & one of my congregations, St. Paul Lutheran in Oakland! Our group cheered from two places in the dome and the kids were so excited and touched to hear of her connection and faith journey there. It was amazing. She made Ross out to be a spiritual rock star (which he kind of is). Best line: (On helping Nadia on her faith journey) ‘Ross is like the vampire that turned me (Lutheran)!” Ross.. Vampire…bwa hah hah!  We heard booming thunder toward the end of the session and the loud rain pouring onto the Dome’s metal roof. We were held at the Super-Dome for two hours due to severe weather.  It was definitely an experiential learning experience as many of us were jarred into the reality that so many people were trapped in the Dome for so much longer from such a bigger storm during Katrina.  When we were released, we walked in the pouring rain with heat lightening all around us.  Our group got separated in the mass of people (no kids were without adults), but we eventually (after much consternation) met up with each other.  Drenched and weary, we had a short meeting and went to our rooms to decompress from the day and slip into deep sleep.

The ELCA Youth Gathering (Day 5): 500+ Lutherans in our yellow ‘have you hugged a Lutheran today?’ shirts worshipped together. Bishop Mark preached & Nate, Nat & I served communion at one of the stations. It was emotionally over-whelming handing out the body of Christ to so many beautiful and vibrant young people! When I was extraordinarily ordained 11 years ago, I never dreamed I’d be welcomed back into the ELCA and to be invited to do this. I cried tears of sadness at what had been, tears of joy and thanksgiving in that moment of grace, tears as I made eye contact with so many youth I have ministered to in our synod (sending some of them onto college – sniff) & also glimpsing into the beautiful spirits of new friends in that moment of Grace; In that multivalent moment in the confluence of God’s amazing grace, I also cried tears of exhaustion as I have given much of myself away this journey… tears. I’ve prayed all day for God to refresh the deep wells of Grace she has bestowed in me, which felt like all that was left was a mere fleeting puddle…

Pr. Craig Minich lives in the West Bay with his partner Bruce.  Craig is originally from Tampa, FL and took a BA in Literature and Philosophy at Lenior-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC, an MA in ethics from the Graduate Theological Union, and a M.Div. from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (the latter two both in Berkeley, CA).  Pr. Craig is Adult Chair of the Sierra Pacific Synod Youth Committee (SPSYC) which is a youth-led group of Lutheran high school leaders from Fresno to Redding to Reno which empowers the committee to minister with youth from across the synod.  Pr. Craig loves to snowboard, to play Rock Band, to make Biblically-themed movies with his youth group, and LOVES going to theater, movies, concerts, and traveling around the world!

This week, Proclaim reached an important milestone: 100 members!  Proclaim is a community for Lutheran pastors, rostered leaders & seminarians who publicly identify as LGBTQ. Proclaim is a program of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. You can learn more about Proclaim, see the full list of those in Proclaim, and get information about joining here: www.elm.org/proclaim.

Proclaim is a living witness of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries’ core belief that ministry by people who publicly and joyfully identify as LGBTQ is one way to change the church and society to become a place more fully inclusive of all people. We believe God’s Great Welcome Table is open to all, and that all kinds of people, including those of all sexual orientations and gender identities, are called to receive and share God’s gifts.

This community is proclaiming the good news for all people each day, in congregations, on the street, at hospital bedsides, in the classroom, on the bus, and in all sorts of places to all kinds of people.

Proclaim includes people from the Historic ELM Roster, ELCA pastors and rostered lay leaders, ELCA candidates awaiting call, seminary and divinity school students, and retired pastors.  Proclaim is open to all rostered leaders from all Lutheran denominations.

Here are a few Proclaim Voices…

Amanda Nelson on the 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering

The Rev. Jay Wiesner on 8 Years in Ministry

Cary Bass on Marriage

Brenda Bos at L.A. Pride

Today we hear from guest blogger, Amanda Nelson.  Amanda is a member of Proclaim and lives in the Saratoga, CA area.

2012 ELCA Youth Gathering: Citizens with the Saints

The first ELCA National Youth Gathering I attended as a young person was the 2003 National Gathering in Atlanta, Georgia. There are many things I remember about that week, especially the un-godly heat and humidity; but one memory that continues to stand out to me was the professional quality of the evening program at the Georgia Dome. I remember thinking: these are great musicians, these video clips look professionally done, these speakers are really impressive people, and so on. I thought to myself: “Wow, the ELCA must really care about us youth if they spent this much time and money to provide us with such an incredible experience.”

Attending that gathering was a highly influential event in my life and certainly played a part in my discernment of a call to ministry. There was something powerful about interacting with the church in the form of thousands of youth just like me. I finally felt like I saw myself reflected in the church.

Attending the 2012 National Youth Gathering this week in New Orleans has been no less of a magical experience. It’s certainly different experiencing the gathering as a seminarian and budding minister of the church. But there was another difference which was not present when I attended the gathering in 2003: the explicit welcome and intentional empowerment of young LGBT Lutherans.

I attended the National Gathering on behalf of my school, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. The eight ELCA Seminaries have sponsored a “Hot Spot” at the New Orleans Convention Center where students engage in a number of different programs and activities as a part of their “Practice Peacemaking” experience. The significance of a queer woman representing an ELCA seminary has not passed me by. But, there is also a booth sponsored by Reconciling Works where the youth can make a pledge not to bully others. After making this pledge, they are given a dog-tag necklace with a Reconciling Works logo on it. I have seen that necklace on countless young people as they’ve passed by my station.

But that’s not all.

In the evenings, at the Superdome, I’ve been able to attend three of the evening programs which feature incredible musicians, professional-quality video clips, and inspirational speakers – like the ones that made such an impression on me in Atlanta. But this time it’s different too. Every night, there has been a speaker that has spoken to the need for the inclusion and empowerment of LGBT people. Persons such as Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson, Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber, Shane Claiborne, Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee and openly-gay, anti-bullying advocate Jamie Nabozny have spoken to this affect from the main stage of the Superdome: the one time during the week when all of the youth are in the same place at the same time. Equally amazing is the response from the young people: 35,000 young people from around our diverse nation, erupting in applause and cheers at the mere mention of LGBT inclusion.

I’ve been speechless. I’ve had tears running down my face. I’ve sat back in awe. And I’ve been so incredibly grateful that, three years after the ELCA’s decision, I have finally experienced such an explicit and enthusiastic welcome. A welcome extended to every queer-identified person in that audience, and in some ways to me. Now, not only can youth see themselves reflected in the church as I did back in 2003, but LGBT youth can see their reflections in that same church.

As I look at the youth in the Superdome and watch as they walk by my station in the Convention Center, I’m reminded of how difficult a time in one’s life adolescence is: some boys have had their growth spurts and are too tall to know what to do with their lanky limbs; some boys haven’t quite gotten their spurt yet and are doing everything they can to look bigger and older; some girls have matured physically and try to show off their physical appearance while still others try to hide what they think makes them different; pimples plague some faces while some young people seem to never have known their evil ways. This is a tough time in your life physically, which reminds me all the more of how tough it is socially and emotionally.

For all the conversations and speeches that have been made about bullying and for all the pledges that have been made: I’m no fool, and I know that there is bullying happening here at this gathering. Afterall, we’re saints and sinners. But a seed has been planted here in New Orleans. As a city that is full of hope, rebirth, and restoration, I can’t help but think that the youth of the ELCA are walking away with a little bit of all of that. And, I couldn’t be more excited.

Amanda Nelson is a student at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and will be starting her internship this fall at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Saratoga, CA. Amanda is a Candidate for Ordained Ministry through the New England Synod of the ELCA.

Today we hear from guest blogger, Rev. Jay Wiesner a member of the Proclaim community currently living in the Philadelphia area.

Guarding Against Illusory Hope

Eight years ago, on July 25, the Feast Day of St. James, I was ordained into the Ministry of Word & Sacrament. Sometimes it feels to me like it was just yesterday and other times it feels like it was twenty years ago. I never know what to make of the day, because my ordination was filled with so many strange sights and happenings. There are precious few ordinations that witness news cameras, picket signs, and the like. Very few pastors get the chance to be condemned by religious fanatics and zealots on the day that they officially enter into this vocation. I remember walking into our worship space we were utilizing that morning with picket signs on one side to the entrance. As I was walking in I heard someone shout out: “Bring out that faggot Wiesner!” My humor protected me from what I was feeling: “At least they pronounced my name correctly.” And Pastor Anita Hill held onto me and told me to go inside; that I didn’t need to hear these words on this day.

Truth be told, I don’t remember much from the day. After so many cameras in your face and questions raised by news reporters, it is hard to. Every once in a while, I have to go back and look at the worship folder for my ordination and remind myself what I have promised to do.

The final charge that is given right before those gathered are asked whether or not they will support the newly ordained is powerful and daunting: “Care for God’s people, bear their burdens and do not betray their confidence. So discipline yourself in life and teaching that you preserve the truth, giving no occasion for false security or illusory hope. Witness faithfully in word and deed to all people. Give and receive comfort as you serve within the Church. And be of good courage, for God has called you, and your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Illusory hope seems to be all the world can give these days. Hope in the weapons that will “protect” us. Hope in the latest technological device that will make our lives “simpler” and “more complete”. Hope in money earned that will keep our lives “secure”.

Pastors are not supposed to be in that business of illusory hope, even though we find ourselves in the same atmosphere that breathes these “hopes” as everyone else. I don’t think that there is a pastor alive who doesn’t succumb at times to these false dreams of “security” and “blessing”. What makes it even more vexing is that Jesus has been warped by many to reflect these illusory hopes that we are to guard against.

I think that there are times in my life when I have created an illusory hope of my own. I can’t speak for my fellow LGBT sisters and brothers who have walked in similar shoes; I can only speak for myself. There are times when I have held onto a hope (without fully admitting it, mind you) that I have the power to be able to communicate to the Church and world that LGBT pastors are just as good as our heterosexual, cisgender pastors. Yes, little old me. Trying to hold onto this hope that I have what it takes to make all the wrongs become rights within this “issue” can be exhausting and damaging to my soul. It is the reason that I hear a voice inside of my soul say: “You’re the reason why the Church is at war. You’re the reason why so many people are angry.”

Nowhere in the liturgy of my ordination service did it say: “Spend hours, days, months, and years of your life proving to the world that you are just as good as other pastors and people within the body of Christ who claim that you have no business here today. Bend over backwards to legitimize your standing in the Church.” Instead, it said things like: Pray. Study, read, and live the Scriptures. Nourish the Church with the Word and Sacraments. Let God’s love be known in all that you do. There’s no illusory hope in any of that. Instead, there’s a whole lot of real hope grounded in Christ, whose foolish message of the kingdom of God is the wisdom that changes everything this world builds up and proclaims.

On this eighth anniversary marking the day when I was set apart to the office of Word and Sacrament, I give thanks and I let go. I give thanks for all of those wise and broken saints and sinners that have nurtured the faith I have received from the Holy Spirit in Jesus. I give thanks for their love, words, and deeds. And I let go of any hare-brained idea that I have what it takes to make all of the misunderstanding and discrimination be wiped away, because I don’t. No one does, save for one. That is the one who equips all of us:

“The God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of eternal covenant, equip you with everything good so that you may do God’s will, working in you that which is pleasing in God’s sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

The Rev. Jay Wiesner was extraordinarily ordained on July 25, 2004. He served as pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minneapolis from 2004-2008. Jay was a member of the ELM Roster until he was received onto the ELCA Clergy Roster in 2010. Jay is a co-founder of The Naming Project, a faith-based youth group serving youth of all sexual and gender identities. Jay is a member of Proclaim and has served as pastor of University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation in Philadelphia since 2008.

The Saint Paul Area Synod Council has issued a call to The Rev. Anita C. Hill to serve as the ReconcilingWorks Regional Director for Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation cordially invites you:

Saturday, August 11, 2012; 2:00 pm

Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church

1669 Arcade St N St Paul MN 55106-1041

Preaching: The Rev. Bradley Schmeling

Presiding: The Rev. Bonnie Wilcox

Installing: The Rev. Paul Erickson

All are welcome, without exception! Reception to follow.

Anita is known through the region and the U.S. for her integrity, compassion and pastoral identity as she has worked to advocate for the full inclusion of marginalized peoples into the mainstream of our society. Anita has an M.A. degree in Religious Studies and M. Div. Degree from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities.

Anita was extraordinarily ordained in 2001. She was a member of the ELM Roster until she was received onto the ELCA  Clergy Roster in a special “Rite of Reception” in the Saint Paul Area Synod on September 18, 2010, in a special celebration with ELM roster colleagues Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart. Anita is a member of the Proclaim community. Proclaim, a program of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, is a community for Lutheran rostered leaders and seminarians who publicly identify as LGBTQ.

On Sunday, July 15 First United Lutheran in San Francisco took a historic vote to rejoin the ELCA.  First United unanimously voted for the reunion. After calling openly gay pastor Jeff Johnson, First United was suspended in 1990, then expelled in 1995. Their actions, along with those of St. Francis Lutheran Church began the movement that became Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries, then the Extraordinary Candidacy Project and eventually to the formation of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. First United has been a voice for inclusion and expansive outreach and has been an active independent Lutheran congregation.

Rev. Susan M. Strouse is pastor of First United Lutheran Church.  Pastor Susan was on the ELM Roster for a period of time when her call was in jeopardy because she was serving First United.   You can read her blog here.

For more on the historic vote read here.