Daily news reports from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 2005 Churchwide Assembly in Orlando, Florida, August 8–14, 2005.

• Monday, August 8
• Tuesday, August 9
• Wednesday, August 10
• Thursday, August 11
• Friday, August 12
• Saturday, August 13 & Sunday, August 14

Day One ELCA Churchwide Assembly
Monday, August 8, 2005

Grace, Peace and Blessings upon you, and upon this Churchwide Assembly.

There is much to tell you about this day. Pictures from the day will be posted to the goodsoil.org website, in addition to these notes.

Pre-Assembly
Today began the influx of voting members and visitors to the Marriot World Center in Orlando, Florida for the ELCA Churchwide Assembly.

Goodsoil Central took on a life of its own on the 4th floor of the West Tower in the Marriott. Banners, rainbow stoles, goodsoil buttons, soda, and lots of food as well as warmth and camaraderie, prayer and meditation greeted goodsoil representatives and visitors.

Much of the morning was taken up with meetings within Goodsoil, meeting with Voting Members, and physical preparations for the opening of the Assembly.

Press Conference At 1:30 pm, the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Mark Hanson, held a press conference at which he said that he hoped that the press would use their 'wide angle' lens to look at the Assembly, to look at the Assembly in totality of the Church. "If you keep that wide-angle lens you'll also see a church, the descendants of European immigrants, who are awakening to the fact that we need to become much more diverse, reflective of the plurality of this richly diverse society. So we will be acting upon two ethnic specific ministry strategies," said Hanson. "They position us as a church that deeply desires to reflect the diversity of this culture."

Bishop Hanson told the press about three daunting statistics about the ELCA: the average member being 10 years older than the average population age, the ELCA being 97% white, and that membership is flat or declining in 83 percent of congregations. Despite these statistics, Hanson sees "great signs of hope" in the church, especially when meeting with the youth.

On the subject of the sexuality study issues, he observed, "It would be a concern of mine if we who are heterosexual took this opportunity to discuss only the sexuality of those who are gay and lesbian and are not mindful that we are in a process, as people of faith, of taking sexuality back from the culture that long ago took it from us, and trivialized it, and commercialized it. We are now seeking to discern what it means to be faithful stewards of God's gift of sexuality in the context of faith," Hanson said.

Bishop Hanson said that Lutherans have always taken Scripture seriously, very seriously, but also view the interpretation of Scripture in context seriously. "So text and context are always in a lively conversation with each other," he said.

Goodsoil co-chairs Jeff Johnson and Jeannine Janson were present as observers during the Bishop's press conference, and were later interviewed by the press outside the conference room.

Vigiling and messaging to the voting members started after the press conference and just prior to the voting member orientation. We passed out the first of daily handouts and gave hundreds of stoles to voting members, many of whom put them on as they entered the orientation to show their solidarity with goodsoil and their desire for full inclusion of GLBT people in the life of the church. Vigiling and messaging will occur from now on before and during all official sessions of the Assembly.

Karen Weldin of Soulforce, conducted a nonviolence training for all those in attendance, emphasizing that nonviolence is not just a tactic, but a way of life.

Opening Liturgy
In the afternoon, the opening liturgy of the Assembly took place. The Gospel text was the report of the disciples in a boat on stormy seas, and Christ walking on the water to them. During the sermon, Bishop Hanson told those gathered that the Assembly was not there to take back their lives or their church, that being unnecessary since God had already given them to us. The Bishop said that we are not in fear that we will drown. We are raised to newness of life, as Peter was raised up out of the waves. We are defined by God's love, not our fears.

After dinner, the Assembly met in its first official session, and took up the rules that will govern it through the week.

The Rules of Organization and Procedure
The Churchwide Assembly is governed by Robert's Rules of Order for most things. At the beginning of each Assembly, the house votes on other Rules of Organization and Procedure which are peculiar to the ELCA and the particular Assembly. These rules vary from parts on the powers of the chair, the role of the chair, to who is allowed to speak. In November 2004, the ELCA Church Council voted to put 6 additional rules in place regarding recommendations from the Sexuality Task Force. In a nutshell, all of these rules imposed a 2/3 super majority on any recommendations coming from the Task Force which would change current policies against the ordination of otherwise qualified gays and lesbians in covenanted same gender relationships or put in place a policy affirming blessings or relationship. These "special" rules would have created a significant barrier to any effort for change.

In the opening session, voting members defeated 4 of the 6 "special" rules, leaving only two rules requiring a 2/3 super majority in place. The first is a constitutional mandate for a 2/3 requirement to pass a constitutional or by-law change. The second reads as follows: A 2/3 majority vote of the voting members of the Churchwide Assembly present and voting shall be required to adopt recommendations from a task force, or any substitutes or amendments related to the same subject, that would establish for this church a new practice or policy that is contrary to an existing policy that has been adopted by the Church Council upon recommendation of a board or committee as authorized by the constitution or bylaws of this church. Vision and Expectation and Guidelines for Discipline were put in place with such a process.

The rules that were deleted involved the role of social statements from the predecessor bodies of the ELCA, actions taken by the church council to impose a 2/3 majority on anything related to task force recommendations, limiting the setting of policy for official oversight of the rosters by synods, and implementing resolutions for social statements.

The session to approve and adopt the rules that will govern the work of the Assembly, scheduled to run for 1.5 hours, actually ran to nearly midnight, more than an unheard of 4 hours. In that time, 4 of the 2/3 rules were eliminated, leaving the Roberts simple majority rules in their place. The significance of this cannot be overstated.

The intensity of the debate on the rules cannot be overstated either. Though all were respectful and thoughtful in what they had to say, it was apparent that the Assembly was fully engaged in this important debate. All of you would have been very proud of the wonderful speakers who rose to take their place at microphones to present our positions. And throughout the debate and votes, at either end of the hall, stood wonderful people of every age and description, wearing rainbow stoles, silently vigiling, in prayer.

And just when it appeared that the session was finally to come to a close, out of the blue, or by that time, out of the black of the night, came an untoward motion not to allow any visitors or observers in the hall during the debate and voting on the sexuality study issues – to allow none but voting members to be present. The Assembly itself voted that this motion was not germane to the issue before it, which at that time was the approval of the agenda for rest of the week, and the motion was defeated 195-785.

A long day was had by all. Grace-filled and invigorating…

Peace be with you… Day Two follows.

Day Two ELCA Churchwide Assembly
Tuesday, August 9, 2005

Grace, Peace, and Blessings upon you and this Churchwide Assembly.

Day Two saw a continuation of the messaging / leafleting and the vigiling from Day One. Prior to every Plenary Session and the Hearings in the late afternoon and evening, members and supporters of Goodsoil lined up to pass out the message of the day and to display pictures of baptism, ordination, and commitment ceremonies to covenanted relationships.

With the exception of the Hearing at the end of the day, the business of the Assembly was directed to matters other than the sexuality studies. However, because of the sexuality studies, there remained a significant press interest both in the convention facility and on the phone.

Preparations for the Festival Liturgy, to be celebrated on Thursday evening continued, as did the non-violence training. Worship was held at the end of the morning.

Late in the day, there were two sets of Hearings, one before and the other after dinner. Both sets were conducted in exactly the same way, with the same rules, and time limits. Priority of place was given to Voting Members, with Visitors, Staff, and other non-Voting Members required to wait till all Voting Members wishing to do so had been seated. Only Voting Members were allowed to speak or ask questions. There were several Hearings taking place at the same time, the one on the Sexuality Study being but one. As one would imagine, it garnered the largest participation.

Judy Biffel, member of the ELCA Church Council, moderated and facilitated the Hearings on the Sexuality Study. On the dais with her were Bishop Margaret Payne, Chair of the Task Force, and the Rev Jim Childs, Director for ELCA Studies on Sexuality. Present in the room to help from their perspective should the need arise were other members of the Task Force and other members of the ELCA Church Council.

After a brief summary of the history of the formation of the Task Force following the action of the 2001 Churchwide Assembly requiring a study of the blessing of same-gender relationships and the ordination and rostering of persons as clergy and professional lay leaders, Judy reminded the Voting Members that they were the highest legislative body of the Church, that they were voting in the name of all the members of the Church, and it was their voice, their decision, that mattered now. The rest that went before is now part of the historic past.

What followed was a succession of Voting Members coming to the microphone to share with the rest of the people in the room their thoughts on the sexuality studies, the recommendations of the Task Force and of the Church Council, and to ask questions of the Task Force and Church Council members present. Each person who wanted to speak was given two minutes to speak.

Since the Hearings were not legislative, but informational in nature and intent, there was no order of pro and con alternating, simply the flow of one speaker / questioner after another. The tone was respectful and considerate. The hour passed quickly as people shared their thoughts and questions.

Day Three follows…

Day Three ELCA Churchwide Assembly
Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Day Three was a day of continued witness, preparation, and visitations…

Up bright and early, Goodsoil continued to witness through leafleting prior to the Plenary Sessions during the day. Today's message passed to the Voting Members through leafleting was "One Story at a Time", about which more will be said later. Our vigilers again stood in prayerful, devotional watching in the Assembly Hall as they have done the past two days and will continue through the end of Assembly, very visible to the Voting Members as they were listening to a presentations on a series of subject, mostly not related to the sexuality study.

During the morning, the formal presentation was made to Assembly of the ELCA Studies on Sexuality, as required for significant matters coming before the Assembly. The presentation was intended as factual, laying out the history of the events along the path to the resolutions that are being presented and the content of the resolutions. The sexuality study recommendations will be discussed by the entire Assembly tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, as part of a Plenary Session. For that discussion, the Assembly will reconvene as a Quasi-Committee of the Whole for an hour. The practical result of such re-designation is that the discussion is free from any legislative actions – no motions, no amendments. On Friday, the formal, full legislative debate and vote are scheduled.

Just passed noon, following the daily press briefing held in the Marriott facility, a press availability was held with Pastor Lars Clausen. Lars is the Lutheran pastor who rode a unicycle across America to raise money for Native American missions. In his most recent riding endeavor, he rode 'straight into gay America,' in pursuit of the stories of living gay in a straight America. His adventure is described in detail on www.straightintogayamerica.com. He rode from Vermont to Lynchburg, West Virginia. You can read for yourself concerning his meeting and worshiping there with Jerry Falwell.

Lars came to the Churchwide Assembly to bear witness to Voting Members concerning the unjust and unequal treatment of GLBT by riding in the hallways of the convention center, and by speaking to the gathered press, voting members and members of goodsoil about his experiences. He did so with eloquence, simplicity, and conviction, speaking of the world he found while touring America and the world he wants his children to grow up in, to become and be whatever their wishes and destinies are.

In the evening, Goodsoil sponsored a reception which was hugely attended by voting members, friends and members of goodsoil, and clergy from across the ELCA. Songs were sung, stories were told, and the hotel's air conditioning was not up to the numbers filling the reception.

The next two days will be filled with events, debates, prayers, and votes. We ask that you continue to hold those from Goodsoil here at the Assembly, the voting members (all of them, whatever their inclination on these subjects), the Presiding Bishop, and this Church in your hearts, your minds and your prayers. All will need and want the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the work they will undertake in the coming days.

Day Four follows…

Day Four ELCA Churchwide Assembly
Thursday, August 11, 2005

Grace, Peace, and Blessings upon you and this Churchwide Assembly…

The day dawned with Goodsoil hard at work … today we knew we had much to do.

The theme and message of the day was "Celebrate the Promise, Pour Out the Spirit." This was the theme of the Festival Service being celebrated in the evening, about which more in a few minutes.

As part of celebrating the gift of GLBT people to the church, gifts were prepared for all Voting Members and given to those who accepted them. The gifts were ceramic crosses, white with rainbow colors on them. The gifts were handmade by Jeannine Hill of Seattle, Washington. The painting was done by Jeannine and volunteer workers at her church. Each of the 1083 gifts were wrapped in tissue paper, put in small boxes that had to be assembled, marked with a gift tag and topped with a decorative bow over the course of the days since Sunday –a most prodigious task, completed by a series of volunteers who will probably be unable to wrap birthday or other presents for the next six months as a result. These gifts were distributed as the Voting Members went into Plenary Sessions.

Additionally, as the Voting Members walked into the Plenary Sessions, they went past many Goodsoil members wear clergy stoles from the "For All the Saints Stoles Project" (www.inclusivenet.com). These stoles had been donated to the project on behalf of GLBT pastors who had been threatened with or had their call to ministry terminated because of their sexual orientation or same-gender relationship. Each of these stoles in turn have come to represent the hundreds of Lutheran pastors, seminarians, and rostered lay persons whose lives and vocations had been thus destroyed because of the discriminatory policies of the ELCA regarding GLBT people.

Quasi-Committee of the Whole
The Assembly formed itself into a Quasi-Committee of the Whole. Quasi because the Bishop remained the Chair, Committee of the Whole because it was a non-legislative session – no motions could be made, no parliamentary procedure. Speakers were given a timed 2 minutes to make their points; the order was that in which people had arrived overall at any microphone. Time for the entire session was 1 hour.

What happened in the hour was by all evidence heartfelt and honest on both sides of the issues. Those not in favor of GLBT issues reminded the Assembly repeatedly, to the point of it being scripted rote, that GLBT people were self-indulgent, sinners (markedly above that of other sinners) and curable. This despite a Bishop reminding those flinging verses that the Bible thought it was perfectly fine to have concubines and multiple wives at the same time. Much was made of ecumenical relations with South America and Africa and the damage that would occur in relations with those very conservative areas if positive votes were had here on the subjects of interest to GLBT people. The same Bishop observed that his sister synod thought that polygamy was just fine, part of their cultural heritage presumably. Reparative therapy was mentioned in glowing terms several times, and credited with extraordinarily high success rates, supported by the usual no-credible-scientific-source. The ordination of women was brought up, and an attempt made several times to say that what differentiated women's ordination from these issues was that a biblical case had been stated in the women's case.

From those in favor of GLBT issues was heard a series of stories of pain, discrimination, and disillusionment, as well as stories of triumph, persistent faith, and lives reclaimed through their Lutheran faith and the message of Christ. The frustration of the Church's half a welcome mat was heard over and over. A man of Chinese descent told of not being about to marry his wife-to-be in a Lutheran church in the mid-20th Century because she was white and 'that was not according to God's plan for the races.' A pastor chose this discussion as the appropriate time to 'come out' having already told his bishop and congregation council. A mother spoke with pride of her daughter: a missionary, pastor, and a lesbian in a committed relationship.

Of course, nothing was resolved because the nature of the discussion was to share thoughts, not resolve them into actions or votes. That will occur on Friday during the formal legislative session.

Later in the evening, our Festival Service was held in the Caribe Royale, attended by more than 300 persons, co-celebrated by two ECP pastors, Rev Jen Nagel and Rev Jay Wiesner. The worship and singing were magnificent, provided by all of us present; the music extraordinary, provided by the wonderful musicians of Bread for the Journey. The Rev. Ruth Foster, also ECP, in her sermon told us that humanity has a role to play in God's garden; God intends us to be good soil. God sows the mysteries in seeds, at the heart of each is what the world would be like if God were in charge of it. Our job: to make that real.

Four present and former Bishops were present and assisted in the distribution of communion and blessings, as well as the renewal of vows of baptism, ordination, and those taken at ceremonies of commitment in covenanted relationships.

An award was presented to the UCC General Minister and President, John H. Thomas, for the wondrous and courageous act of affirming same-gender committed unions in July of this year. The award was presented to Pastor Mary Ellen Neevel, the Ecumenical Representative from the UCC to the ELCA. In return, President John Thomas sent a letter, so worthy it is reproduced here:

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
I greet you in the name of the triune God, the holy One whose healing grace sustains each one of us for the journey and gives the peace that only God can give. I greet you as well on behalf of your colleagues and friends in the United Church of Christ, partners with the ELCA in so many settings, a relationship born of a common heritage and sustained by a commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although I cannot be with you this evening, please know that the prayers of your UCC brothers and sisters are with you and the entire ELCA during the Churchwide Assembly as you deliberate on matters of profound significance for the life of the church.

It is with gratitude that we accept this award of appreciation for the action that the United Church of Christ has taken at General Synod in support of marriage equality. Our thanks are not only for the award, of course, but for the encouragement from you that it represents as we continue our work to discern God's leading.

This gracious gift reminds us that we need each other in the body of Christ as we travel roads that at times appear blocked by insurmountable barriers. We in the United Church of Christ know how hard this path can be, and how easy it is to become discouraged or fear that the deep divisions will lead us to abandon our struggle to hear God's word clearly. Our prayer for our beloved sisters and brothers in the ELCA is that you experience this week what we did in our own recent deliberations: a dialogue that, while not without conflict, retained a posture of civility toward and care for other; a deliberation that did not take the form of debate but rather an exchange of deeply held conviction; and a discussion in which, by the grace of God, the deeply held convictions were respected, and in which members worked hard not to impugn each other's integrity even in disagreement.

And above all, we in the United Church of Christ will hold you and all of our sisters and brothers in the ELCA in prayer that you will hear God's word of comfort, courage, love, and support. We expect nothing less from the God who came to us in human form, proclaiming that in each and every one of us, without exception or condition, is found God's extraordinary image.

In Christ,
John H. Thomas

Day Five follows …

Day Five ELCA Churchwide Assembly
Friday, August 12, 2005

Peace, Grace and Blessings on you, this Church and this Assembly…

The morning of Friday, August 12, 2005, dawned, momentous in it outlook no matter what happened as the day wore on.

Among the first actions taken by the Bishop this morning was to have the Assembly vote to extend the time of the for ending on the order of the day to 5 pm instead of the stated 2:30 pm. Though there were groans, the change seemed to have been cheerfully made.

A Motion made to appeal the decision of the chair to alter the order of the day that ordered following the order of most to least changed amendment as the way to handle the number of amendments and substitutions going to come before the Assembly.
685-290 the motion was DEFEATED

A Motion followed to direct church council to clarify what is meant by Recommendation 2 and what evidence would have to be submitted as proof of intent to live a life in a committed resolution by a GLBT couple.
Answer: Chair rules that asking questions of the resource persons on the dais can happen as and when necessary – but, as this motion was not submitted in a timely fashion – it is out of order.
The ruling of the Chair was APPEALED to the House.
747-233 DEFEATED

Resolution 1 was brought to the floor.
Note: For background material, refer to the report of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality.
Recommendation for Action: Majority required
WHEREAS, the people of this church are joined and united by the love of Jesus Christ;
WHEREAS, this unity is God's gift to us in Jesus Christ and we are called as a church to cherish, nurture, and safeguard this gift;
WHEREAS, within this unity is also a God-given diversity that we honor in the body of Christ;
WHEREAS, we give thanks to God for the precious gift of unity and the richness of diversity within the body of Christ, for each other, and for the desire and strength to live faithfully within our God-given unity and diversity;
WHEREAS, we respect the integrity of convictions of conscience and faith "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:2-3); and
WHEREAS, we see throughout this church that a commitment to the authority of Scripture is not solely the concern of those who seek to maintain the tradition and, similarly, compassion for gay and lesbian persons and a commitment that they be treated justly are not solely concerns of those advocating change; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – its members, congregations, synods, churchwide organization, and agencies and institutions – be urged to concentrate on finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of disagreements, recognizing the God-given mission and communion that we share as members of the body of Christ.

There were no amendments or substitutions
VOTE: 851-127
PASSED

Resolution 2
Recommendation 2:
Note: For background material, refer to the report of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality.
Recommendation for Action: Majority required
WHEREAS, this church holds that "marriage is a lifelong covenant of faithfulness between a man and a woman" (Message on Sexuality: Some Common Convictions (1996), page 3); and
WHEREAS, the Conference of Bishops in October 1993 stated, "We, as the Conference of Bishops of the ELCA, recognize that there is basis neither in Scripture nor tradition for the establishment of an official ceremony by this church for the blessing of a homosexual relationship. We, therefore, do not approve such a ceremony as an official action of this church's ministry. Nevertheless, we express trust in and will continue dialogue with those pastors and congregations who are in ministry with gay and lesbian persons, and affirm their desire to explore the best ways to provide pastoral care for all to whom they minister" (CB93.10.25); therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America continue to respect the guidance of the 1993 statement of the Conference of Bishops; and be it further

RESOLVED, that this church welcome gay and lesbian persons into its life (as stated in Churchwide Assembly resolutions from 1991, 1995, and 1999), and trust pastors and congregations to discern ways to provide faithful pastoral care to same-sex couples.

Substitution Motion 2F for both Resolves Bishop Michael Neils, Grand Canyon Synod, for the sake of ministry and mission a congregation may choose to authorize its pastor(s) to perform blessings of same gender relationships
A Motion was made to suspend all actions on the sexuality study until the social statement on sexuality
Suspension motion defeated
Debate on the substitution motion occurred.
VOTE to substitute Neils Motion for the Main Motion
VOTE 334-665
DEFEATED

Proposed Rules Change Limit of the debate on any amendment or substitute to 20 minutes
772-185
PASSED

Proposed Rules Change Limit debate on Main Motion to 20 minutes as well
531-417
DEFEATED

Substitution Motion 2E Robert Benne, Virginia Synod, to welcome all, but restrict the solemnization and blessing of sexual unions by rite to a man and a woman
418-518
DEFEATED

Substitution Motion 2C David Owen, Slovak Zion Synod, adds the words '…other than the blessing of unions' after the words 'to discern ways'

Motion to call the question all matters related
503-480 takes 2/3
DEFEATED

VOTE on substitution
415-532
DEFEATED

Amendment Motion 2A Steven Benson, Minneapolis Area Synod, to receive the 1993 statement as advice and therefore not to be used as grounds for discipline
VOTE
DEFEATED

Amendment Motion 2B Carol Hendrix, Lower Susquehanna Synod, to insert all to whom they minister in place of to same-sex couples in the second resolve
VOTE all to whom 491-484
PASSED

ON THE MAIN MOTION
Request Biblical Scholars to address the issue of Blessings
Answer was given about the definition that was apparently acceptable, but not memorable enough for this scribe to recall now, and my notes are gibberish, must have been the phone call.

Request Clarification: does pastoral care include blessings
Answer: in simple terms, could

Researcher told Assembly that in the 5th through the 14th centuries blessing of same sex unions was not rare and had a rite

Call the question
VOTE on the main motion
670-323
PASSED as amended

RECOMMENDATION 3 (The entire text of Recommendation 3 is included here lest there be either confusion or gloss on the issue.)
Recommendation 3:
Background: The Task Force for the ELCA Studies on Sexuality issued its report and recommendations, making primary its recommendation that this church "live together" during this time of tension and disagreement on these matters. Throughout this church there exist differing perspectives on homosexuality. Yet within this uncomfortable tension there exists a widely shared yearning that sexuality issues not overshadow or weaken the essential mission of this church to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and serve the world.

What follows is a proposal for implementation of a limited process for exceptions to the normative policies of this church regarding the rostering of gay and lesbian people in committed, same-sex relationships. This proposal holds the promise of enabling this church to continue to journey together faithfully for the sake of the mission of this church. The proposal is introduced by examples of two differing positions on this matter which summarize voices heard in this church throughout this study process. These positions are well documented in Journey Together Faithfully, Part 2, and the report of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality [Churchwide Assembly citation to be provided]. Each position is accompanied by a rationale which could be used to support the resolution that follows. Scriptural citations for both positions can be found in Journey Together Faithfully, Part 2.

Note: For further background material, refer to the report of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality [Churchwide Assembly citation to be provided].

Position One: Homosexuality as sin and brokenness
Overview of this position
As described in the report of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality, there are those in this church who understand homosexual behavior to be addressed several places in Scripture always as sin. This view has been held virtually unanimously by the Christian community throughout 2,000 years of history and continues to be the view held by most Christian church bodies around the world today. Regardless of whether an individual chooses such behavior or finds that orientation within himself or herself, such behavior is understood to be contrary both to the Scriptural witness and to God's creative design. Therefore, any church policy that seems to approve of such behavior is a betrayal of the authority of Scripture and an ignoring of the natural order.

Rationale for Support of the Proposed Process
Every minister of the Church is a sinful being. This church in its structures of oversight makes decisions about every person who presents himself or herself for the rostered ministries of this church. Where this church judges that a person might serve the gospel and mission of this church well, she or he is approved for ministry. The most instructive parallel for this moment may be clergy who are divorced and remarried, a condition specifically condemned in Scripture by Jesus. Without contradicting Scriptural teaching, this church examines such persons and their witness, and may endorse their call to ministry. In a similar way, this church could agree to a particular review of partnered gay and lesbian persons called to specific contexts, and agree that they may be able to serve this church and the gospel well. Leaving the language reflective of the traditional view intact and requiring the additional steps for granting exceptions respects what this church believes to be the extra-ordinary nature of these calls.

Position Two: Homosexuality as condition, not choice
Overview of this position
As described in the report of the Task Force for ELCA Studies on Sexuality, there are those in this church who believe that homosexuality is a condition, not a choice. There is recognition in scientific studies and in personal experience that life-long, committed, loving relationships are lifegiving for homosexual persons, their congregations and communities. Like all Christians, gay and lesbian people are baptized into the body of Christ. There is significant study which suggests that biblical texts that condemn same-gender sexual activity do not address homosexual people who are in committed relationships. Rather, these texts are understood as condemning behavior that is abusive or God-denying. The life in Christ to which we are called in Scripture is a life lived in the radical grace of God, bearing the fruits of the Spirit, and many see these fruits evident in the lives of gay and lesbian people. There are growing numbers of congregations ministering to gay and lesbian persons whose mission might both accept and be enriched by gay and lesbian pastors and rostered leaders.

Rationale for Support of the Proposed Process
People holding this view believe all language excluding gay and lesbian persons in committed relationships is unjust and should be removed. However, there can be support for this proposal for two reasons: (a) while the language of Vision and Expectations continues, there would exist an avenue by which gay and lesbian persons in committed relationships may be called into the ministry of this church, and (b) just as it took the Church and the world many years to understand other critical issues, such as the re-marriage of divorced people, this process provides the opportunity for continued discernment of where the Holy Spirit is leading this church.

Description of the Proposed Process
This is a process for determining whether an otherwise qualified gay and lesbian person in a committed relationship might be granted an exception. The process would involve the following elements:

1. Any person considered for exception under the bylaw is expected to be in compliance with the policies of this church, except for being in a committed, same-sex relationship.
2. There shall be a reasonable assumption or confirmation that a congregation or other ministry will extend or continue a call to the person being considered for an exception.
3. If the bishop is in support of extending or continuing such a call, he or she will seek endorsement by the Synod Council and, upon endorsement, shall ask the Synod Council to make a request for an exception to the Conference of Bishops, in much the same manner as other roster exceptions are currently processed.
4. The Conference of Bishops shall consider and act on the request of the bishop and the Synod Council.
5. If the exception is authorized and the candidate is approved for call and enters the roster through this process, he or she shall not be subject to discipline by a subsequent bishop and/or council making a decision on the same set of facts.
6. It shall be the expectation that any candidate or rostered minister who is in a same-sex relationship shall be subject to the same level of commitment and fidelity that this church expects of heterosexual pastors in marriage. We understand this to mean a commitment of life-long fidelity. Deviation from this level of expectation will be subject to the same discipline as exists for all others.
7. We acknowledge that the recommendation leaves in place all previous policies and guidelines. There exists no inherent right either of a congregation or a candidate to stand apart from the possibility of discipline. Rather, the recommendation opens the possibility of a bishop, synod, and a synodical Candidacy Committee, reaching common agreement that the mission of this church would be served by such a decision.

Recommendation for Action: Two-thirds required at assembly
WHEREAS, within this church we continue to share a profound commitment to the authority of Scripture as the norm for faith and life;
WHEREAS, we recognize there are deeply held yet different interpretations of Scripture to which consciences are bound;
WHEREAS, within this church we confess that all people are sinful beings, including those who serve in rostered ministry;
WHEREAS, within this church there are both those who believe that same-sex sexual conduct is inherently sinful and those who believe that same-sex sexual conduct in a committed relationship is morally defensible for those who are of homosexual orientation;
WHEREAS, there are those in this church who believe that the ELCA should affirm and uphold current policy and practice regarding people in same-sex committed relationships;
WHEREAS, there are those in this church who believe that the Holy Spirit is calling into public ministry persons who are in committed, same-sex relationships, and congregations are indicating a willingness to call such persons to service; and
WHEREAS, within this church there is a desire to maintain the continuity of the Church's traditional teaching and practice while also providing opportunity for ongoing discernment of new ways in which the Spirit might be speaking to this church in our time, and both may be honored by taking the step to create a process for consideration of exceptions; therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America shall:

1. Affirm and uphold the standards for rostered leaders as set forth in Vision and Expectations;
2. Create a process for the sake of outreach, ministry, and the commitment to continuing dialogue, which may permit exceptions to the expectations regarding sexual conduct for gay and lesbian candidates and rostered leaders in life-long, committed, and faithful same-sex relationships who otherwise are determined to be in compliance with Vision and Expectations;
3. Adopt the following bylaws to permit implementation of this limited process for exceptions to the normative policies of this church:
    
   7.31.18. Ordination for Particular Service. For pastoral reasons and for the sake of mission in the synod, under policy and procedures approved by the Church Council, upon recommendation by a synodical bishop to the Synod Council and upon endorsement by the Synod Council, a synodical bishop shall seek an exception from the Conference of Bishops to permit the assignment of a candidate who provides evidence of intent to live in a life-long, committed, and faithful same-sex relationship, and has been approved through the synodical candidacy process. When such an exception is granted, the synodical bishop may ordain – as authorized in the governing documents of this church and policy adopted by the Church Council – a candidate who has received and accepted a properly issued, duly attested letter of call for service in the ministry of Word and Sacrament by a congregation that has indicated its openness to call a candidate who provides evidence of intent to live in a life-long, committed, and faithful same-sex relationship. Likewise, upon recommendation by a synodical bishop to the Synod Council and upon endorsement by the Synod Council, a synodical bishop shall seek an exception through the Conference of Bishops – under policy and procedures approved by the Church Council – to maintain on the roster of ordained ministers an individual, under call for service in an ELCA ministry setting, who provides evidence of intent to live in a life-long, committed, and faithful same-sex relationship. All requirements of policies of this church related to ordained ministers apply to such an individual, except those that preclude living in such relationships.
    
   7.52.16. Approval for Particular Service. For pastoral reasons and for the sake of mission in the synod, under policy and procedures approved by the Church Council, upon recommendation by a synodical bishop to the Synod Council and upon endorsement by the Synod Council, a synodical bishop shall seek an exception from the Conference of Bishops to permit the assignment of a candidate who provides evidence of intent to live in a life-long, committed, and faithful same-sex relationship, and has been approved through the synodical candidacy process. When such an exception is granted, the synodical bishop may – as authorized in the governing documents of this church and policy adopted by the Church Council – commission as an associate in ministry or consecrate as a diaconal minister or deaconess a candidate who has received and accepted a properly issued, duly attested letter of call for such service by a congregation that has indicated its openness to call a candidate who provides evidence of intent to live in a life-long, committed, and faithful same-sex relationship. Likewise, upon recommendation by a synodical bishop to the Synod Council and upon endorsement by the Synod Council, a synodical bishop shall seek through the Conference of Bishops – under policy and procedures approved by the Church Council – to maintain on the roster of associates in ministry, diaconal ministers, or deaconesses an individual, under call for service in an ELCA ministry setting, who provides evidence of intent to live in a life-long, committed, and faithful same-sex relationship. All requirements of policies of this church related to the official lay rosters apply to such an individual, except those that preclude living in such relationships.
    
4. Amend bylaw 20.71.11. to allow for the implementation of new bylaw 7.31.18. and new bylaw 7.52.16.:
    
   20.71.11. The Committee on Appeals shall establish definitions and guidelines, subject to approval by the Church Council, to enable clear and uniform application of the grounds for discipline in each of the above categories, provided, however, that nothing therein shall require the application of discipline where bylaws 7.31.18. and 7.52.16. have been applied.
    
5. Direct that the Church Council, in consultation with the Conference of Bishops and the appropriate churchwide units, adopt policy and procedures for the implementation of bylaws 7.31.18. and 7.52.16.; and
6. Direct that this process be evaluated periodically by the Division for Ministry and reviewed by the Conference of Bishops and the Church Council.

Motion to amend by Gladys Moore to remove all the barriers
VOTE takes majority to amend, 2/3 to adopt
374-617
DEFEATED

Substitution Motion Kai Swanson, Northern IL Synod that the church shall take a neutral stance neither favoring nor prohibiting ordination, that congregations can call or not call
As Kai was reading his motion, 97 Goodsoil members opened the barrier and moved from the Visitors Gallery into the Voting Members area, ending up centered on the hall, in front of the dais. The rationale stated to anyone who asked for the move was that it was apparent to us that the Assembly was having a discussion about GLBT people as if they were not in the room. So we interposed ourselves so they could see us and know that people were affected by their decisions.

Bishop asks us to move back to the Visitors Gallery.
No one moves, continuing to stand silently, looking at the Voting Members.

Motion made by Rev Paul Tidemann to allow the Rev Anita Hill to speak to the Assembly.
VOTE TO ALLOW Anita to speak
106-888
DENIED

Bishop asks all to rise and sing a hymn: The Church of Christ, in every Age
Asks again that the Visitors return to their area. Expresses disappointment at the violation of the rules
Bishop asks the Assembly to vote on his plan to continue despite the interruption
Motion to extend the area for visitors to the area in front of the podium where the goodsoil people were standing
VOTE 350-601

Bishop: My intent is now to continue with the debate
Bishop reflects that he has 6 children and sometimes the smartest reaction to childish behavior is to ignore it.
Motion made to table all discussion of sexuality for the duration of the day, and move to other business
VOTE 357-619
DEFEATED

Bishop's motion to continue despite the interruption
VOTE 869-117
PASSED

Return to Kai Swanson
Motion made and
DEFEATED

Amendment Motion Virginia Georgulas, Northern Tx Northern LA Synod to strike 'seek from the conference of bishops'
VOTE 369-617
DEFEATED

Amendment Motion 3B Eric Peterson NW Synod of Wisconsin to substitute the Presiding Bishop for the Conf of Bishops
VOTE 367-617
DEFEATED

Amendment Motion Anne Tiemeyer, Metro NY Synod amend to require Church Council to complete its work on Res 3 by April 30, 2006
492-488
AMENDED

Amendment Motion by Bobbie Blackburn, Florida-Bahamas to acknowledge the broad spectrum of opinion regarding ordination and commit to continued study
DEFEATED

Motion to extend the time until all matters related to sexuality and the greetings from other congregations are completed
PASSED

Amendment Motion Louis Hesse calls for continued acceptance of the standards in V and E and its fair and consistent application to all rostered leaders of the ELCA
DEFEATED

MAIN MOTION before
Call the question
VOTE 490-503 2/3 majority would have been required
DEFEATED

Motion to Reconsider Resolution 2
WITHDRAWN

Motion to suspend the rules in order to discuss things we agree upon before we go home
VOTE 281-767
DEFEATED

The rest of the afternoon into early evening was spent by the Assembly, conducting business with the by-now more than 100 people standing in front of the Assembly, witnessing to the Assembly their exclusion.

So what does all this mean? Well, for starters, it means that on the subject of ordination the attempt to reinvigorate Vision and Expectation by asking the Assembly to affirm the current Vision and Expectation through the motion made by Louis Hesse "to accept the standards for rostered leaders in Vision and Expectations and Definitions and Guidelines and call for their fair and consistent application for all rostered leaders of the ELCA" failed to achieve the simple majority needed to pass. This means that, although the Assembly does not know what it wants in Vision and Expectations on this subject, it does not want what is there. And that is a tremendously important and hopeful development.

On the subject of Recommendation 3: the Assembly rejected the provision of an exception policy that would allow GLBT persons in committed, covenanted relationships to be ordained and rostered. That is not a negative event, contrary to how you may feel about it. Separate but equal is not equal, and cannot be made to appear to be equal. What Recommendation 3 offered was not a point along the path to justice and equality; it was a barrier. It has been removed. That is a positive outcome. Do not be dismayed by it. The path is once again clear and we still have our feet set upon it.

Do not miss that the vote by which Recommendation 3 was defeated was 7 votes out of 993 from a simple majority. It would have required a 2/3 majority to pass, but the movement contained in that outcome is nonetheless significant.

On Recommendation 2, none of the damaging amendments put forward by others had any success. That means that there still is no ban to the blessing of same gender committed relationships. Though we would and do want there to be a positive affirmation of blessing for same-gender committed relationships, the refusal to adopt negative positions on this is significant.

We are marked with the cross of Christ forever, claimed, gathered and sent for the sake of the world. Meet, greet, join, help, support, comfort each other, those who join us, and those who do not, in continuing the struggle in our Church to achieve the justice and equality all want.

The Speech That Would Have Been Given Had The Church Been Convicted Of Its Courage

Background: On August 12, 2005, at the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) during the voting on resolutions pertaining to the ELCA Sexuality Study resolutions submitted by the Church Council, 97 members of Goodsoil left the Visitors Gallery and entered the Voting Members' space, proceeded across in front of the dais, taking up position centered on the hall and turned to face the Voting Members in silence. This they did because it was apparent that the Assembly was having a discussion about GLBT persons as if they weren't in the room, talking about but not to them. By moving to face them at least the Voting Members would be forced to see the people they were talking about. A Voting Member, Rev Paul Tidemann of St Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church asked if the Rev Anita Hill, ordained minister, ECP, called to St Paul-Reformation, but not on the ELCA roster, could speak to the Assembly. That request was denied.

Had the Church still had the conviction of the courage it showed by welcoming GLBT people in 1991, the speech that Anita would have given to the Assembly had they been allowed to hear it:

The people you see before you are baptized people of faith, here to give witness that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and their families are part of this church and are here to stay. Look into our eyes and faces so we will no longer be merely an "issue." We are human beings standing before you, children of God marked with the cross of Christ forever.

For the sake of the illusion of unity, our church has just made expendable the faithful lives and God-given calls of persons in same-gender relationship. The ELCA has again sacrificed the calls of its own faithful children for a larger religious market share. It is sad that as this church has been making ecumenical agreements with denominations which take more progressive stands on gay people, such as the United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church, we cannot extend the same offer of full communion and participation to our own pastors and congregations who take similar stands.

As you have heard this week, we already have gay and lesbian pastors living in covenanted relationship and serving ELCA congregations. These congregations open the doors wide, not only to welcome those who walk in, but also to walk out into the world to preach the good news to those who may believe the church is their enemy.

The witnesses before you stand in silent vigil – calm and unafraid. They know that the decision you have made is not about them. It's not really about gay and lesbian people. It's really about you, and about this church. These witnesses are not going away. Their faith is sure. The ultimate outcome is assured. We are already one in Christ. But our Church is not living faithfully together with us yet. Time is the question. How long must we wait? And at what cost?

While the church waits, lives of gay and lesbian people are ruined and faith is destroyed. We are marked with the Christ forever and are called by God and community to serve this church through Word and Sacrament ministry. We are held in the steadfastness of God. Here we will continue to stand, for we also can do no other.

Days Six and Seven ELCA Churchwide Assembly
Saturday, August 13 & Sunday, August 14, 2005

After the tumult of Day Five, with all of its attendant emotion, tension, and drama, Day Six and Seven passed relatively quietly. This is not to say that important subjects were not taken up by the Assembly. The subject of Israel and Palestine caused heated debate. World Hunger and World Relief were brought before the Assembly, their significance impossible to overstate.

On Sunday, August 14, 2005, in the last session of the Assembly, a memorial came before the Assembly as a substitute to the memorial proposed by the Memorials Committee. From here I will let Mark Chavez, Director of WordAlone, take up the discussion from an email he sent out to his constituency (opposed to our views), since he's said it at least as well I could, though we start from very different places on almost every subject, except overdue library books:

"The 2005 ELCA churchwide assembly defeated a substitute proposal that would have had synods or congregations ratify major assembly decisions.

"This attempt to substitute a memorial calling for ratification from the Montana Synod failed with 223 voting for the substitute and 610 against. The main motion from the Memorials Committee, which recommended no ratification based in part on the 2003 churchwide assembly's rejection of ratification, was adopted 592 for and 242 against.

"Although hearing all week long from both church council members and assembly delegates that there was a disconnect between the churchwide organization and the rest of the ELCA, the assembly declined this proposal to help repair the disconnect. A similar discussion with the same results occurred at the 2003 assembly." – Mark Chavez

Since the Assembly was literally from 'the rest of the ELCA,' it is hard to imagine the disconnection described – unless the disconnect is more localized around Mark.

It has been a pleasure to be your scribe, to try to give some of the flavor as well as the facts about the events here at Assembly. I will end where I began… Grace, Peace, and Blessings upon you, and upon this Churchwide Assembly.

You are released into the rest of 2005, which follows…

– Phil Soucy