July 24, 2007

LC/NA opposes referral of Goodsoil memorials – delay unacceptable

In a report released today, the Memorials Committee of the 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly has recommended that the Goodsoil memorial passed by 21 synods directing elimination of the policies prohibiting rostered leaders in same-gender relationships be referred to the task force working on the social statement on sexuality as information. Similarly the same committee has recommended that Goodsoil memorials passed by additional synods calling the church to refrain from and to use restraint in discipline of partnered LGBT clergy be referred to the Conference of Bishops as information.

Memorials are motions passed by synod assemblies which request that the ELCA in Churchwide Assembly take certain actions. The 14-member Memorials Committee is appointed by the ELCA Church Council and is made up of voting members to the Churchwide Assembly, some of whom are council members. Meetings of the committee are open in the same way that meetings of the ELCA Church Council and the ELCA Churchwide Assemblies are open.

The Committee is convened following the conclusion of the synod assembly season to categorize the memorials passed by synods and then make recommendations on them to the Churchwide Assembly. Staff members from the Office of the Presiding Bishop, the Office of the Secretary, and, in matters related to standards for rostered leaders, the Vocation and Education unit bring their recommendations to the Memorials Committee for debate and vote. Majority rules. There is no minority report.

Emily Eastwood, Executive Director of Lutherans Concerned / North America, said, "A committee of 14 people, has made a recommendation to the Churchwide Assembly that the wishes of 24 synods be put aside until we have passed a Social Statement on Sexuality. Such delay was defeated already five years ago at the 2003 Churchwide Assembly. How interesting that the policy of discrimination was put in place in 1989 without an ELCA Social Statement on Sexuality.

"With the recent removal of Pastor Bradley Schmeling from the clergy roster and a growing trend among Lutheran LGBT clergy to be open about their families, referral and delay are simply unacceptable.

"The Memorials Committee recommendations are only that, recommendations. It will be up to a simple majority of the voting members at the Churchwide Assembly, all 1000+ of them, to decide what happens in 2007 to the wishes of the synods which have called for the end of discrimination against LGBT clergy."

Goodsoil will be working hard with our Voting Member allies to persuade the Assembly that referral is not proper way to handle these memorials and that the time is now for the Assembly to vote on eliminating the flawed policies. All supportive Voting Members are encouraged to register at Goodsoil.org so that our coordinated efforts may bear fruit.

The 2007 Churchwide Assembly will take place August 6–11 in Chicago. Visit www.goodsoil.org and www.lcna.org for additional information.