Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries

A service of reception, reinstatement and reconciliation will be held for 7 ELM pastors in the Sierra Pacific Synod in July. The service is Sunday, July 25 at 4:00 pm at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco, CA. The ELM pastors being received are Rev. Paul Brenner, Rev. Jeff Johnson, Rev. Craig Minich, Rev. Dawn Roginski, Rev. Megan Rohrer, Rev. Sharon Stalkfleet. The pastor being reinstated is Rev. Ross Merkel.

Since the August 2009 Churchwide decision many ELM roster members plan to join the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) roster. The reception process is the last step in becoming part of the ELCA roster for those who were extraordinarily ordained.

As we receive more details about this service and others we will let our supporters know about these joyous celebrations.

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.

Many new people are learning about the work of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries following the recent changes in the ELCA’s ministry policies. Part of the work of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries has been support of “extraordinary ordinations,” the ordinations of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people who were previously barred from serving in the ELCA.

“In The Beginning” shows rare footage of the first extraordinary ordinations and gives viewers a glimpse at the beginning of a movement that has supported openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Lutheran pastors for twenty years.

The short film was produced by award-winning filmmaker Pam Walton and includes clips from her film, Call to Witness (2000), a documentary on gay and lesbian Lutheran pastors who took stands against unjust church policies barring gay and lesbian people from serving as pastors.

You can view (and share!) this moving and informative short film here:

We joyfully announce St. Paul Area Synod Bishop Peter Rogness has lifted the censure and admonition of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN. ELM roster member Pastor Anita Hill is senior pastor of the congregation. Sanctions had been placed on St. Paul Reformation Lutheran Church since 2001 after they extended a call to Pastor Anita Hill. Pr. Hill was ordained extraordinarily in 2001. In a letter to congregational co-presidents Anita Wheeler and Paul Chindvall formally removing the censure and admonition, Bp. Peter Rogness wrote:

“In lifting the sanctions in 2003, I observed that even in the aftermath of the imposition of censure and sanctions regarding participation, St. Paul-Reformation remained engaged and supportive of the life of this church. From that time until now, St. Paul-Reformation, its pastors and members, including Anita Hill, have been steadfast in their support of our life together as a church, and bold in their witness as Christ’s people in the world. Your disagreements with decisions of the church did not cause you to pull away; in this you have modeled for the whole church what it is to be united in Christ and Christ’s mission, not dependent on agreement on all things, but knowing how to embrace and affirm diversity in many ways. The whole church is stronger for your witness.”

Read more about Rev. Hill and her congregation’s commitment to justice for people of all sexualities and gender identities called to serve as ordained pastors here.

The story below ran on the Lutheran (True) Confessions blog, April 17, 2010:

“ELM roster member Pr. Craig Minich, who serves congregations in the East Bay Lutheran Parish in Oakland and Alameda, California, was scheduled to preach on Sunday April 11Trinity Lutheran Church in Oakland. Pr. Craig is one of the 17 pastors who were ordained extra ordinem because ELCA policy required a promise of celibacy from LGBT clergy.

Shortly before the beginning of worship, Pr. Craig received a text message from the ELM attendees at the ELCA Church Council meeting in Chicago: the Church Council had just approved a rite for receiving onto the ELCA roster the ELM clergy who had been ordained extra ordinem. On Saturday the Church Council had approved changes in ministry policy to remove the celibacy requirement for LGBT clergy.

The worship service started, hymns were sung, the first two lessons were read, and Pr. Craig began to read the Gospel, John 20:19-31, the story of Thomas, the disciple who needs to see to believe, the story that is quoted in the rite of ordination: When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23)

Pr. Craig is a man of large emotions, and the Gospel lesson cast a new light on the news that been texted to his phone a few minutes before. He stopped reading, paused to compose himself, and then explained what the Church Council had done and his connection to it: I never thought I would see the day when I could be accepted on the ELCA roster.”

A new press release from the ELCA ”ELCA Council Authorizes Rite, Receives Report on ‘Bound Conscience’ clarifies the rite of reception for ELM pastors.

” [The rite is] To be used by the ELCA’s 65 synod bishops in the next two years, the rite serves as a means of reception that embraces the ELCA’s desire for reconciliation with ELM pastors who are serving ELCA congregations and who wish to be recognized fully as ordained ministers in the denomination.

The council’s authorization of the rite is intended to receive 17 ELM pastors who were not previously on the ELCA clergy roster or on the roster of ordained ministers of a predecessor church body; who have been approved by a candidacy committee of a synod; and who have received a call in the church. The rite had been recommended by the ELCA Conference of Bishops.”

Read the full press release here

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.

When: Wednesday, April 14, 2010, 7 p.m.
Where: Bond Chapel, at the University of Chicago
Who: The event is free and open to the public.

Fish Out of Water is a new film about Biblical interpretation and homosexuality. It is provocative and thoughtful. See more at: www.fishoutofwaterfilm.com.