From Pastor Ed

DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS

 Most of us are aware of the decision by the churchwide assembly of the ELCA, the highest deliberative body of our church, to allow gays and lesbians in committed same-gender relationships to be on the clergy roster of our Church.  Churches that so desire will be free to Call these pastors to serve their congregations.

 Of course these are the decisions that the media love.  There was no notice that the ELCA also decided to take a leading role toward the elimination and treatment of malaria, that we are allocating a huge amount of money toward AIDS education and treatment in Africa and that we have worked through a new open relationship with the United Methodist Church.  But I digress.

 The decision on gays and relationships in committed same gender relationships has been made.

 I think the variety of responses we have to this decision reflect the opinions of the entire ELCA.  Our responses could be placed on a bell curve.

 On one side of the bell are those who applaud this decision.  There are those who think that justice and love have prevailed and that it’s about time that we took this step.

 On the other side of the bell are those who believe that this decision contradicts Scripture and morality and wonder if they want to be part of a Church that has made this decision.

 In the middle of the bell are the majority of people who wish this wasn’t an issue.  These are people who come to church to worship the Lord, to see their friends and wish that this kind of issue wasn’t in their church at all.

 There are people who will be upset that we will talk about this issue and people who will be upset if we don’t.

 Frankly, that’s why I have never led a discussion on the ELCA’s sexuality statements before.  It seems to me that such a discussion runs the risk of alienating people and causing division in the church.  Every way I looked at this discussion seemed to be lose-lose.

 Let me say this very clearly: TRINITY LUTHERAN CAN NOT SURVIVE A CHURCH FIGHT.

 I know that both sides of this discussion love Trinity and would never do anything to hurt the ministry here.  We need to be focused on church growth, evangelism and strengthening the Body of Christ, not finding ways to implode.

 And I also know that there is more that unifies us than divides us.

 Still, now that our hands are forced, we must enter this discussion together.

 As I said in my sermon on Sunday the one thing that I insist on is that we have this discussion in Christian Love.  That we listen with love and we speak in love even while we are passionate about our beliefs on this highly charged topic.

 There is more I need to say about this discussion, but I must leave that to my article next month.

 There are a number of options available to us in response to this decision with which we must wrestle.  Together with the church council we will be planning a congregational meeting to learn, listen and decide.  I think that we will be having a minimum of two meetings in this process.

 Until we decide what we will do I have taken the action of instructing Pat to withhold our Mission Support giving, the benevolence we send to the synod and churchwide.  I will submit this decision to the church council for ratification at the September council meeting.  Those funds will be escrowed in our accounts until we know what our final decision will be.  I will also be writing a letter to our bishop informing him of my decision.

 Above all please continue to pray for Trinity and the ELCA.  We need each other even when we disagree.

 I am also including a letter by our presiding bishop, Bishop Mark Hanson, as he addresses all congregations after the vote was taken.  These are wise pastoral words.  Please read them carefully. 

 May God continue to Bless us in our walk together.

 Pastor Ed McGee

 A Message from Bishop Hanson

August 22, 2009

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.
-- Colossians 3:14-15

I write to you from the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis with official information about the actions of this assembly related to human sexuality. I am grateful for the manner in which this church has engaged in this conversation. The way this assembly has discussed these questions is a continuation of the way this church has deliberated: with deep and heartfelt respect for each other, engaging with Scripture, listening to the faith stories and experiences of one another, and through worship and prayer seeking the discernment of the Spirit.

In my response to the voting members on Friday, August 21, I made this request: we need one another. We need time. We need the voices of those who lament and those who rejoice over these actions, for together we have been called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and engage in God's mission for the life of the world.

The assembly adopted 676-338 -- precisely two-thirds of those voting -- "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust," the ELCA's 10th social statement, with minor editorial amendments. It also adopted a series of implementing resolutions with amendments. This theological and teaching document builds on the key Lutheran principles of justification by grace and Christian freedom to serve the neighbor. It emphasizes that central to our vocation, in relation to human sexuality, is the building and protection of trust in relationships. It therefore affirms that we are called to be trustworthy in our human sexuality and to build social institutions and practices where trust and trustworthy relationships can thrive. The social statement addresses marriage, same-gender relationships, families, protecting children, friendships, commitment, social responsibility and moral discernment. Regarding same-gender committed relationships, the social statement says that this church is not in agreement and recognizes the different perspectives which are present among us.

Our assembly also adopted resolutions proposed by the Church Council based on those contained in a "Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies." The actions direct that changes be made to churchwide policy documents to make it possible for those in committed same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders in the ELCA. There were amendments to two of the proposals. The assembly adopted the resolutions in the following order, beginning with a strong statement about how we will live together in the face of our disagreements:

Resolution 3: "RESOLVED, that in the implementation of any resolutions on ministry policies, the ELCA commit itself to bear one another's burdens, love the neighbor, and respect the bound consciences of all." (Adopted 771-230 as amended)

Resolution 1: "RESOLVED, that the ELCA commit itself to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly accountable life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships." (Adopted 619-402)

Resolution 2: "RESOLVED, that the ELCA commit itself to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders of this church." (Adopted 559-451)

Resolution 4: This resolution called upon members to respect the bound consciences of those with whom they disagree; declared intent to allow structured flexibility in decision-making about candidacy and the call process; eliminated the prohibition of rostered service by members in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same-gender relationships; recognized and committed to respect the conviction of members who believe that the ELCA should not call or roster people in committed same-gender relationships; called for development of accountability guidelines; directed that amendments to ministry policy documents be drafted and approved; and stated that this church continue to trust congregations, bishops, synods and others responsible for determining who should be called into public ministry. (Adopted 667-307 as amended)

I invite you into important, thoughtful, prayerful conversation about what all of this means for our life in mission together. What is absolutely important for me is that we have this conversation together.
We meet one another finally -- not in our agreements or our disagreements -- but at the foot of the cross, where God is faithful, where Christ is present with us, and where, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are one in Christ.

In Christ,
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
ELCA Presiding Bishop

August 2008

IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW…..

The new air conditioner for the sanctuary is about 2/3 done!  That is 2 out of the 3 new air conditioner units that they plan to install are up and cooling!

Wow!  What a difference it makes. 

Even at its best the old air conditioner never cooled the front of the church.  Now we have an entire unit and two vents dedicated to the chancel area and front of the church.

That is the first unit they completed and even with it running on its own it did a fine job bringing down the temperature of the entire sanctuary.

Last Sunday the second unit was completed and the church is even cooler.

By the time the 3^rd unit is installed we may have to wear mittens to church.  (I’m just kidding…we won’t let it get that cold!)

Of course these new units will be much more economical to run.  The old unit ran on Freon that they stopped making over a decade ago and those that stockpiled it charged an arm and a leg for it.  Then fully charged is wasn’t very effective and cost a fortune to run.

These units are much more economical and will heat as well as cool.  No longer will someone have to have the special code for how to change the old unit from heating to cooling without blowing up the church.  Now we just set the thermostat, sit back and enjoy.

I think this will be great for our attendance and evangelism.  I know that some people stay away from church when it gets to hot…and that sanctuary does get hot.  It will be a great way to welcome people when they come in from the heat to an air conditioned place.

Maybe we should place some banners in front of the church to let people know that we’re air conditioned now.  How about:

“COME IN FOR A ‘COOL’ (“COOL” IN THE COLOR BLUE) WORSHIP

EXPERIENCE”

“IF YOU THINK GLOBAL WARMING HAS MADE IT HOT. . .KEEP IGNORING  GOD”

“IT’S COOL TO BE A CHRISTIAN… ESPECIALLY IN OUR CHURCH”

“COME APPRECIATE OUR NEW AIR CONDITIONER”

“SAME OLD LOVING CONGREGATION…BRAND NEW AIR CONDITIONER!”

Ok…maybe you have some better ideas!

A huge thank you to all of you who contributed toward this huge undertaking.  Your loving stewardship is greatly appreciated by all.

Peace.

Pastor Ed McGee