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LC/NA News
ELCA Conference of Bishops says ELM pastors can be received onto roster PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:25

At their meeting over this past weekend, the Conference of Bishops decided to receive pastors on the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries roster who were ordained “extra ordinem” and are serving ELCA congregations and related ministries. There are 17 such pastors who could apply for reception under this policy.

The bishops discussed the matter at length, reviewed a proposed rite, and came to a consensus that the pastors would be offered reception onto the roster of the ELCA. Their ordination would be recognized as valid. Recognition of their ministry could be included in the rite of reception. The rite of reception would parallel in some aspects the rite of ordination, but specifically not be an ordination.

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ELCA Board of Pensions extends benefits to same-gender families PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 10:57

At its recent meeting, February 26—28, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Board of Pensions approved extending benefits to the partners in same-gender relationships, a first in the life of any Lutheran denomination.

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Pastor Anita Hill to be received to the clergy roster of the ELCA PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 24 February 2010 16:37

Pastor Anita Hill, St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran church, St. Paul, Minnesota, has been informed by the Candidacy Committee of the Saint Paul Area Synod that she will be received onto the clergy roster of the ELCA following the finalization of changes to the governing documents, Vision and Expectations (V&E) and Definitions and Guidelines for Discipline (D&G), expected at the April meeting of the ELCA Church Council.  The changes will remove the policy barriers to service on the roster in the ELCA by ministers in committed, lifelong, same-gender relationships.
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RIC congregation Trinity Lutheran in Manhattan featured on PBS PDF Print E-mail
Monday, 22 February 2010 16:27

Trinity Place, a shelter for homeless LGBTQ youth run by Trinity Lutheran Church in Manhattan, New York City, Rev. Heidi Neumark, pastor, as part of its mission outreach, has been featured in a February 19 segment on PBS’s Religion and Ethics Newsweekly.
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Censure of Abiding Peace Lutheran congregation lifted PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 11 February 2010 13:52

Bishop Gerald Mansholt, ELCA Central States Synod, has lifted the censure against Abiding Peace Lutheran congregation of Kansas City, Missouri, which had been imposed in March 2001 because the congregation called and ordained Pastor Donna Simon the previous October. Pastor Donna is rostered with Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) and was ordained extraordinarily (meaning outside the normal rubrics of the ELCA) under a provision in the Lutheran Confessions allowing such ordinations when bishops can’t or won’t.

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Census 2010 update PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 08:49

In the Winter issue of Concord, we reported to you that, for the first time, the U.S. Census Bureau is going to count and report statistics on the number of same-gender couples in the United States. The update on that is that the Census Bureau will report both the number of same-gender couples that consider their relationship to be that of spouses and those that consider their relationship to be that of unmarried partners.

In both cases the reports will be based on what people consider their relationships to be, not whether they are married / partnered in the eyes of the law. It is the perception of the couple that counts, not whether there is a marriage license or legal document with their names on it. It does not matter whether or not the local jurisdiction recognizes the relationship in any way at all.

These are the same rules and manner under which heterosexual couples report their relationships.

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Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters update corrections PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 08:43

As those of you who have been on www.lcna.org to register early for Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters have pointed out to us, there is a discrepancy between the prices quoted on the information page (some of which I sent to you in an earlier email) and the actual registration form that allows you to sign up.

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Online registration open for Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters and a new website PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 04 February 2010 08:48

Online registration is now available for the Lutherans Concerned 2010 Assembly, Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters. Registration can be found at www.lcna.org by clicking on the Let Justice Roll words on the main page, and then clicking on Registration in the navigation panel to the right of the next screen.

Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters is taking place this summer (there’s a lovely thought: summer!!) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the campus of Augsburg College, July 8—10 with pre-events on July 7. All the details of this uplifting and grace-filled event are available by simple clicks in the navigation panel on the Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters webpages.

Check out the speakers, pre-events, workshops, and the fellowship. Come to be reminded why you are involved in this work for full inclusion. Come and join in the celebration of the decisions of August 2009.
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