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ELM Celebrates as Rev. Steve Keiser Received to ELCA Clergy Roster

Rev. Steve Keiser was received to the ELCA clergy roster this morning during the 11 a.m. worship service at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion in Philadelphia. Bishop Claire Burkat, ELCA Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod preached at the service and presided at the Rite of Reception.  Keiser is pastor at Holy Communion, along with Rev. Kari Hart.

Rev. Keiser is the 15th pastor who was extraordinarily ordained to be received onto the ELCA clergy roster.  Other ELM pastors and other LGBTQ rostered leaders have also been reinstated or received onto the ELCA roster.

The ELCA Rite of Reception is the formal rite developed by the ELCA to receive ELM roster members who had been extraordinarily ordained onto the ELCA clergy roster.


Click here to read an article about Rev. Keiser and Rev. Jay Wiesner from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod's site.

Rev. Jay Wiesner received onto ELCA clergy roster

Rev. Jay Wiesner. Photo by: Richard W Garnett

On Sunday, December 12, Rev. Jay Wiesner was received onto the roster of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the ELCA. The service took place during an Advent celebration at University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation in Philadelphia, PA.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod posted a lovely recap of the service on their blog. Read it here.

Rev. Megan Rohrer featured on Living Lutheran

Rev. Megan Rohrer wrote an article featured on the ELCA sister site, 'Living Lutheran'. The article "The Body of Christ has AIDS" explores the connection between communion and remembering those living with HIV/AIDS.

December 1st is World AIDS Day-a key opportunity to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services. At ELM we keep those directly impacted by HIV/AIDs in our thoughts and prayers.

Rev. Megan Rohrer is an ELCA pastor and director of Welcome in San Francisco. ELM has supported Welcome with a Mission Partner grant for the past three years.

Mission Grants at work: Eco-Faith Recovery

Rev. Robyn Hartwig

ELM has been supporting Rev. Robyn Hartwig's EcoFaith Recovery in the Portland, OR area for the past two years with a Mission Partner grant. EcoFaith Recovery was launched in 2009 with the assistance of  an ELM Mission Grant.  Since then, the project has grown immensely. Part of that growth has been the development of a website to connect supporters and share information about the project.

Check out EcoFaith Recovery's website here.

The program offers table talks, trainings and a number of workshops and interactive projects.

    EcoFaith Recovery is:

EcoFaith Recovery

        "A collaborative effort among Lutheran and other faith communities based in Portland, OR. EcoFaith Recovery develops and supports spiritual recovery from the addictive patterns of human life that contribute to the climate crisis, heighten social injustice, deprive people of spiritual meaning, and threaten life on earth. The means of fostering eco-spiritual recovery includes retreats, workshops, spiritual practices, institutional reform, and pilgrimages to reconnect with the natural world."

Rev. Robyn Hartwig serves as the founder and part-time developer of EcoFaith Recovery. Check out EcoFaith Recovery's blog here.

ELM Mission Partner grants fund ministry by publicly-identified LGBTQ rostered Lutheran leaders.  Since 1995, ELM has given away over $750,000 to support congregations and ministries. ELM will give away over $60,000 in 2011 alone.

Two Philadelphia Rites of Reception for ELM Pastors

Upcoming services:

Rev. Jay Wiesner

Sunday, December 12, 2010

University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, Philadelphia, PA

Bp. Burkat, Presider

Rev. Anita Hill, Preacher

Jay is originally from New Ulm, a small town of German descent in southwestern Minnesota. He graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota with a BA in religion. After college, he attended Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa. During his senior year, he publicly came out to the faculty and students at Wartburg and left to take some time off. He finished his Master of Divinity degree in 2002 and immediately began work at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as Pastoral Minister of Outreach. He was called to and ordained at Bethany on July 25, 2004. He served the congregation from 2002-2008.

Jay currently serves as pastor of University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation, an ELCA congregation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and he also serves as dean of the Central Conference of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. He is also pastoral director of The Naming Project.

Rev. Steve Keiser

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, Philadelphia, PA

Steve Keiser is the pastoral associate at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion in Philadelphia. He was ordained at Holy Communion on January 25, 2009. He is a graduate of Wheaton College (1981, BA in Philosophy) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (1999, M.Div). Prior to entering seminary, he worked in branch management for fifteen years for Bell Savings Bank and Meridian Bank (now Wachovia).

He has taught at Cabrini College, the Lutheran Seminary and for the Adventures Program at the seminary. He has also assisted Dr. Katie Day, a sociologist of religion who is studying the impact of volunteerism on churches burned as a result of arson. His ministry at Holy Communion includes working with young adults and establishing small group ministries. Steve shares the pastoral leadership of Holy Communion with Pastor Kari Hart.

Bishop Hanson's "It Gets Better" video

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson's response to recent suicides by young people who have been bullied.

Below is his video message, "You Are a Beloved Child of God" to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

Resources:

The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LBGTQ youth by providing resources and a nationwide, 24-hour hotline.  If you are considering suicide or need help, call: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).

BullyingInfo.org
BullyingInfo.org is a project of the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP) focused on providing tools and resources for youth, parents, teachers and mental health providers to prevent and address bullying.

It Gets Better Project
You can watch more videos at ItGetsBetterProject.com.

ELM pastor Lura Groen received onto Clergy Roster of ELCA

Rev. Lura Groen

On All Saints Sunday, November 7, Lura Groen will be the first clergy person allowed onto the roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod under new policy regarding LGBT clergy.

The Rev. Lura N. Groen is a graduate of St. John’s College in Annapolis MD and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Prior to seminary, Pastor Lura was a two-year member of Lutheran Volunteer Corps, serving as a case manager to homeless people in Baltimore MD and Washington DC.

Groen was active in community life during seminary, including serving as Student Body President. She received the Winters Scholarship for academic excellence and potential for ministry, the Traci L. Maul Award for leadership potential for ministry, active contribution to seminary life, and academic strength the Atonement-Asbury Park Preaching Award, and was on the Dean’s List. Pastor Lura completed her internship at Trinity Lutheran Church in Philadelphia, PA. Pastor Groen was extraordinary ordained at Grace Evangelical Lutheran on July 26, 2008.

“The Church is opening up” said Pastor Groen, “The Lutheran Church is more welcoming than most people think it is. I am proud of the ELCA for publicly celebrating the ministry of myself and so many other pastors who were excluded by the previous policy.”

"No Longer Strangers," a Service of Reception will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 2515 Waugh Drive, Houston, TX 77006, at 4:00 p.m. November 7, with Bishop Michael Rinehart presiding. Everyone is welcome.

Rev. Jodi Barry To Be Received to ELCA Roster

The cake pictured at left was served on Thursday, Oct 28th at the occasion of Rev. Donna Simon's 10th ordination anniversary and reception to the ELCA roster in the Central States Synod. 

It's a fitting photo for tomorrow as well, when the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA will receive Rev. Jodi Barry.  Tomorrow's service will be held at Grace University Lutheran Church.

Minneapolis Area Bishop Craig Johnson will preside at the service. The Rev. M. Susan Peterson is preaching. All are welcome at this service!

Grace is located at 324 Harvard Street SE in Minneapolis.  Parking is available across the street from the church in the AA parking lot.  Check back in a few days for a recap of both services.

The ELCA Rite of Reception is the formal rite developed by the ELCA to receive members of the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries roster onto the ELCA roster.

(Cake made by Niki Williams, a member of Abiding Peace Lutheran Church in Kansas City, MO).

Rite of Reception for Rev. Donna Simon

In a Lutheran Rite of Reception service on October 28, in Kansas City, a lesbian pastor will be officially welcomed to serve in the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

"We are so proud of this denomination, which has taken a major step toward the full inclusion of gay and lesbian persons," said Donna Simon, pastor of Abiding Peace Lutheran Church. "We are closer to the day when we can sing ‘all are welcome’ with gusto, knowing that our policies reflect our declaration.

“I must thank our bishop, Gerald Mansholt, who has encouraged me to be connected to the work of our region and the larger church. He has always treated me with dignity and respect, and I have only the same for him.

“I am excited to stand alongside my clergy colleagues now as a full participant in our church. It’s been a long wait, but I’ve had the support of the people of Abiding Peace and so many clergy colleagues. We look forward to continuing the work of preaching good news to those on the margins, the same folks whom Jesus invited to share prayer and supper with him.”

Simon had been barred from serving in the ELCA because of previous ministry policies that prohibited people in same-sex relationships from their rosters. She is currently on the roster of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, which credentials openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rostered leaders. In August of 2009, the ELCA changed its policies to allow people who are in same-sex relationships to serve as rostered leaders.

The rite of reception was created specifically for people who had been extraordinarily ordained—that is, ordained outside the regular process of the Lutheran church. There have been seventeen extraordinary ordinations in the United States of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people. The service marks the ELCA’s official recognition of these pastors.

The evening service of welcome will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 3800 Troost Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri at 7pm.

Valorie Bratcher, council president at Abiding Peace says, “Pastor Donna has been the pastor of Abiding Peace Lutheran Church for the past 10 years. She has served her congregation in word and sacrament and with love and devotion. We have been enriched by her teaching, and led to service in our community. She has challenged us to live and do as Christ taught. We look forward to our continued relationship with the ELCA as they receive her onto their roster.”

Lutheran Bishop Gerald Mansholt will preside at the service. Rev. Susan Langhauser of Advent Lutheran Church, Olathe, Kansas, will be the preacher. Special music will be provided by Peter Mayer, Lutheran musician and guitarist for Jimmy Buffett.

Abiding Peace Lutheran Church has been a Reconciling in Christ church since 1993, and has been public in welcoming gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons to participate fully in the life of the congregation. In 2000, the congregation called Simon, a 1999 graduate of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Simon became the first openly gay candidate ordained in an American Lutheran Church in over a decade.

Eleven members of the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries roster have been received or reinstated to the ELCA roster this fall. There are other rite of reception services scheduled this fall in Minneapolis, MN and Houston, TX.

We celebrate this joyous rite of reception!

ELM Roster member featured in a Houston magazine

Rev. Lura Groen

Outsmart, Houston's gay, lesbian, bi and trans magazine has featured ELM roster member Rev. Lura Groen. The article discusses Rev. Groen's relationship with the ELCA and highlights her upcoming service of reception to the clergy roster of the ELCA.
Her service of reception is titled “No Longer Strangers,” this welcoming service will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 2515 Waugh Drive, at 4 p.m. on November 7.

Read the article here.

Minnesota Public Radio story features ELM roster members

Rev. Ruth Frost & Rev. Phyllis Zillhart

Last month, Minnesota Public Radio reporter Sasha Aslanian interviewed Rev. Ruth Frost and Rev. Phyllis Zillhart in connection with their rite of reception to the ELCA clergy roster.  She was quite taken with their story and has continued to write on it. The radio story that Ms. Aslanian did for MPR was excellent, listen here.

The interview with Ruth and Phyllis was mentioned on the Krista Tippett on 'Being' show (formerly Speaking of Faith) and aired this weekend. Below is a link that helps you find out when the show airs in your area.

Krista Tippett on Being schedule:
http://being.publicradio.org/stations/

Being Blog:

http://blog.onbeing.org/  (you have to scroll down one story)

Facebook Page & Discussion (lively one is going on there now!)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Speaking-of-Faith/23639501875?v=wall#!/pages/Speaking-of-Faith/23639501875

Rev. Erik Christensen Received onto ELCA Chicago Metro Clergy Roster

On Sunday October 10, 2010, Rev. Erik Christensen was received onto the ELCA clergy roster in the Chicago Metro Synod.

The service was held at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Andersonville, a Reconciling in Christ congregation and strong supporter of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and ELM.  Rev. Patrick Shebeck, pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Chicago's South Side planned the service.  Area rostered leaders and congregants participated in the service of thanksgiving and reception. Bishop Wayne Miller presided and preached, reminding everyone that many things are simultaneously old and new.

In a brief address during the service, Rev. Christensen spoke about the present needs of the church--naming the homeless LGBTQ youth on the streets of Chicago and the recent attention to the high suicide rates among LGBTQ youth. Many longtime leaders in the welcoming movement for LGBTQ people in Chicago and members and friends from Erik’s congregation, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square attended.

News article on Rev. Christensen's service

Rev. Erik Christensen

ELM co-chair and roster member Rev. Erik Christensen was profiled in an article by Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism writer Joel Withrow.

The article chronicles Rev. Christensen's journey to his service of Reception on October 10th. Read the full article here.

Rev. Erik Christensen To Be Received by ELCA on October 10

Rev. Erik Christensen will be received to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America clergy roster on Sunday, October 10th at 4:00 pm. The service will be held at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Avenue, Chicago, IL. ELCA Metro Chicago Synod Bishop Wayne Miller will preside.

The Rite of Reception service was developed for pastors who had been credentialed for ministry by Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries and who were extraordinarily ordained (ordained outside the regular process of the ELCA). There have been 17 such ordinations in the United States over the last twenty years. The 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly voted to change polices that previously barred partnered LGBTQ pastors and rostered lay leaders from serving in the ELCA, paving the way for the reception of pastors rostered with ELM.

Erik is pastor of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Logan Square in Chicago, IL. He has been pastor there since he was ordained on October 21, 2006. Prior to receiving the call at St. Luke's Lutheran Church of Logan Square, Erik served as the Director of East Coast Operations with StandUp For Kids, a national non-profit organization working with and for runaway and homeless youth.  A graduate of Macalester College ('95); Candler School of Theology, Emory University ('02); and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia ('04), Pastor Erik brings a wide variety of interests and experience to his ministry with St. Luke's. Pastor Erik serves as Co-Chair of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.

Howard Erickson, founding member of LC/NA, Remembered

ELM extends our condolences to the friends and family of Howard Erickson, founding member of Lutherans Concerned.  Howard died early last Friday morning of a heart attack and stroke at age 73. His memorial service was yesterday at Hollywood Lutheran Church, in Los Angeles. 

We give thanks for the life of Howard Erickson and his early and dedicated lifelong commitment to an inclusive church.

Click here to read an extended obituary on the LC/NA website.

Rev. Jen Nagel Received at Salem English Lutheran Church, ELCA

(Post by Amalia Vagts, ELM Executive Director).

I arrived for Rev. Jen Nagel's Rite of Reception this past Sunday and immediately felt energized by the colorful surroundings of Intermedia Arts, the temporary home of Salem English Lutheran Church. 

Bulletin from the service

This feeling continued as we entered the worship space, which is a theater. The sounds of the fabulous Salem jazz ensemble filled the room. Pastor Jen wanted her rite of reception to occur within a worship service at Salem, and many in the congregation were actively involved in the service. 

At the beginning, Pastor Jen welcomed all of us.  She made special note of a couple parishioners typically unable to attend worship due to health issues, but who were present that morning. Bp. Craig Johnson, Minneapolis Area Synod, was present for the Rite, and was also the special guest during Pastor Jen's lively kid's sermon. 

This was the third ELCA Rite of Reception for a pastor who was authorized for ministry by Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. The grand services in San Francisco and St. Paul were important events for the community of believers who have long worked (and continue to work) for the day when the ELCA would recognize publicly-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer pastors.  

This Rite of Reception at Salem was a wonderful, local service held in Pastor Jen's own parish.  All of these services have been great examples of how this Church is widening its welcome to include all of God's children. Good news!

Rev. Jen Nagel to be Received to ELCA Roster on Sunday, Sept. 26

Rev. Jen Nagel (photo by Rev. Jayne M. Thompson)

Rev. Jen Nagel will be received to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America clergy roster on Sunday, September 26.

The Rite of Reception will occur during a 10:30 a.m. worship at Salem English Lutheran Church, where Pastor Jen has served since 2003. Pastor Jen was ordained at Salem English Lutheran in January of 2008. Salem English Lutheran is located at 2822 Lyndale Ave S. in Minneapolis. This will be the third ELCA Rite of Reception for extraordinarily ordained pastors.

Salem English is a transformational and urban ministry in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Pastor Jen is trained in intentional interim ministry. She holds an M.Div. from University of Chicago-Divinity School, completed work at Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago and at Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota. She has served at Central Lutheran Church and Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, as well as in Africa, Chicago, Michigan, and outdoor ministry settings. Jen has served as a member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches and the Minneapolis Area Synod Council. She is currently serving as Co-Chair of the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries Covenant Circle.

Earlier this year, Minnesota Public Radio interviewed Pastor Jen about the changes in the ELCA ministry policies. You can watch the interview here.

Pastor Jen and her partner, Rev. Jane McBride, live in Minneapolis with their daughter.

ELCA Receives 3 ELM Roster Members

The historic weekend service of Rev. Anita Hill, Rev. Ruth Frost and Rev. Phyllis Zillhart was a moving, joyful service. Thank you for all who attended, watched the live stream and ELM supporters over the years for making September 18 an amazing day. Below you will find links to various media and press on the event:

Photo credit: Joey McLeister, Star Tribune

Watch a video of the service here.

Bishop Rogness and Pastors Anita Hill, Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart met with the press prior to the celebration. Watch the press conference here.

Minnesota Public Radio produced the piece "Lesbian clergy once expelled, now embraced"

CNN profiled the event in a video "Lesbian pastors join Lutheran clergy" 

Star Tribune, a Minnesota-St.Paul area newspaper ran this article about Rev. Anita Hill "ELCA to make groundbreaking minister official"

The Christian Post posted the article "ELCA Receives 3 Lesbian Ministers"

Three ELM roster members to be received onto ELCA roster

L-R: Rev. Ruth Frost, Rev. Anita Hill, Rev.Phyllis Zillhart

ELCA Rite of Reception to the roster of the ELCA for Rev. Anita Hill, Rev. Ruth Frost & Rev. Phyllis Zillhart will be held on Saturday, September 18, 2:00 p.m. at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 285 N Dale St., St Paul, Minnesota.

The Rev. Peter Rogness, Bishop of the Saint Paul Area Synod of the ELCA, presiding. The Reverend Barbara Lundblad, Union Theological Seminary, New York, preaching. 

Clergy and rostered leaders are welcome to vest and process. Green is the color of the day. Please arrive by 1:15 p.m. to join the procession.

Celebration Dinner/Dance at the Saint Paul Hotel begins with conversation and cocktails at 6 p.m. Dinner served 7 p.m. with brief program followed by dancing.

This ticketed event will benefit the Wingspan Ministry of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church, Lutherans Concerned/North America, and ELM. For tickets go here.