ELCA news release highlights ELM and roster members

A recent news release by the ELCA focused on two Lutheran congregations in San Francisco and their reactions to the ECLA decision. St. Francis Lutheran Church and First United Lutheran Church were profiled as well as ELM rostered pastors Rev. Susan Strouse, Rev. Robert Goldstein, Rev. Ruth Frost, Rev. Phyllis Zillhart, Rev. Jeff Johnson are quoted giving their reactions in the article.

"What does this mean?" was a question asked at council meetings for both San Francisco congregations. "At this point there really were just more questions than anything else," said the Rev. Susan M. Strouse"

Read the full news release here.

ELM pastor in article on ELCA resolutions

ELM Roster member Rev. Robyn Hartwig is featured in an article on the GLBT Communities response to the new ELCA Resolutions:

"I recognize for many people it’s not going to have a significant impact on their lives, but there are many people I meet who are interested in a faith community,” says Hartwig. “For them, a significant obstacle has been removed.”

Read the Just Out article here. Just Out is an independent newspaper published in the Portland, Oregon area.

ELM Pastors Quoted in Article about ELCA Votes

The Mission Local, an enewspaper from San Fransisco published an article about local Lutherans take on the ELCA policy.

The article features several ELM roster members- Rev. Jeff Johnson, Rev. Susan Strouse and Rev. Dawn Roginski and mentions ELM's candidacy process. St. Mary's and St. Martha's is one of the four churches that is issuing a call to Rev. Megan Rohrer (ELM roster) for her street ministry. Read the full article here.

Rev. Dale Poland approved as Board Certified Chaplain, First for Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries announces that Rev. Dale Poland has been approved as a Board Certified Chaplain by the Association for Professional Chaplains.

In February of this year Poland received ecclesiastical endorsement from Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) in his pursuit of becoming a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association for Professional Chaplains (APC), a multi-faith association established to certify and serve its membership and to promote professional chaplaincy. Poland was the first Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries- rostered clergy to receive ecclesiastical endorsement from ELM.

Rev. Dale Poland serves as a chaplain with HospiceCare of Boulder and Broom field Counties in Colorado. He also serves as a chaplain to the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries Roster. “This has been a long process for me and a long process for Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. I would like to personally thank Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries and those who worked so hard to make it possible. Since joining this roster in 2003 I have received nothing but support and encouragement for my sense of call to hospice chaplaincy and for that I give thanks to God. It is my hope now that other chaplains on the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries roster will feel free to pursue board certification.” Rev. Dale Poland.

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries credentials and rosters openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people for Lutheran ministry; supports these pastors by working with congregations that will call them and providing mission grants to support their ministry; and provides a network of support to the congregations and pastors.

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries is recognized as a credentialing and endorsing body by the Association for Professional Chaplains, The Association for Clinical Pastoral Education and the American Association for Pastoral Counselors.