Sierra Pacific Synod Approves 8 LGBT Pastors

(From left to right: Rev. Dawn Roginski, Rev. Sharon Stalkfleet, Rev. Ross Merkel, Rev. Steve Sabin, Rev. Paul Brenner, Rev. Jeff Johnson. Not pictured: Rev. Craig Minich, Rev. Megan Rohrer).

May 24, 2010

A routine Lutheran candidacy committee meeting turned extraordinary today as the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved the reinstatement and reception of eight gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender clergy.

Today’s meeting opens the door to complete the process of adding all eight to the roster of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran denomination in North America.
All eight are currently or were previously on the roster of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, a movement within the Lutheran church to expand ministry opportunities for openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pastors.

Those approved for reinstatement to the ELCA roster today include Rev. Ross Merkel and Rev. Steve Sabin. Those approved for reception to the ELCA roster include Rev. Jeff Johnson, Rev. Craig Minich, Rev. Dawn Roginski, Rev. Megan Rohrer, Rev. Paul Brenner, and Rev. Sharon Stalkfleet.

Rev. Jeff Johnson said, "Twenty years ago when I was ordained, we could dimly imagine that Lutherans would one day fully recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and celebrate our relationships and marriages. This day is dawning in our church. I'm very thankful for all who have helped to carry this struggle forward and for our church which has finally opened up to the new and exciting future God has in store for us!"

ELM co-chair Rev. Erik Christensen stated, “Today is cause for celebration for these eight people, their families and the communities they have served so faithfully for so many years. It is also a landmark day for the whole church as the ELCA becomes a more fully inclusive denomination. This historic decision is another step toward justice for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the church, and helps open the doors to people from all walks of life who feel called to offer their gifts and talents to the church.”

ELM Executive Director Amalia Vagts said, “This is another important day for so many in the church. It is wonderful to have leaders like Bishop Mark Holmerud and Bishop’s Associate Nancy Fenuik Nelson and the members of the Sierra Pacific candidacy committee demonstrating holy hospitality to all.”

The Sierra Pacific Synod candidacy committee’s actions came as a result of 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly votes to open the roster of the ELCA to gay and lesbian pastors in relationships. Previously, gay and lesbian pastors were required to be celibate.

Plans are underway for a service of reception, reinstatement and reconciliation to be held within the Sierra Pacific Synod later this summer.

The Church Doors Open Wider

This morning, the Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly passed a resolution that empowers the Synod Council to act to welcome St. Francis Lutheran Church and First United Lutheran Church back to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and invites these congregations to discern this action. The resolution passed with 291 votes for, 26 against and 10 abstentions. The vote was announced to great applause.

St. Francis (photo) and First United were placed on trial by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1990 for extending calls to openly gay Jeff Johnson and openly lesbian Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart. The ELCA suspended their membership until 1995 and then dropped them from the roster of congregations. Both St. Francis and First United have remained thriving Lutheran ministries since then and have been served by both ELCA pastors and pastors rostered by Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.

Hallelujah!

Censure Lifted at University Lutheran Chapel!

In another step for the ELCA toward becoming a welcoming and inclusive church, Bp. Mark Holmerud (left), Bishop of the ELCA Sierra Pacific Synod, ended his report to the synod at today's assembly with the news that he was lifting the censure of University Lutheran Chapel in Berkeley, CA. The Chapel was placed under censure in 2000, after calling Rev. Jeff Johnson (ELM Roster).

Bp. Holmerud's announcement was greeted with tears, cheers and a standing ovation from the assembly. Bp. Holmerud has been a strong supporter of opening the doors and pulpits of the ELCA to people of diverse sexualities and genders. Bp. Holmerud has shared his own story of transformation from his decision to not attend the extraordinary ordinations of Rev. Jeff Johnson, Rev. Ruth Frost and Rev. Phyllis Zillhart to his committed and outspoken support in recent years.

University Lutheran Chapel was placed under censure when they called Rev. Jeff Johnson ten years ago. Pastor Jeff was extraordinarily ordained in 1990 (photo at right) and served First United Lutheran Church for ten years before accepting a call to the Chapel. Pastor Jeff was a founder of Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries and Extraordinary Candidacy Project, the predecessor organizations to Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Jeff is a visionary and passionate pastor. Pastor Jeff lives in Oakland with his partner, Pepe Sanchez Aldaco.

Pastor Jeff was also elected today to the Sierra Pacific Synod Council, pending his reception onto the ELCA Roster. Stay tuned for more updates from the Sierra Pacific Synod Assembly.

We give thanks for the members and friends of University Lutheran Chapel for their long witness to an inclusive and welcoming church, to Pastor Jeff and Pepe, and to Bishop Mark Holmerud!

Another Step Forward

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries celebrates the good news that Pastor Bradley Schmeling and Pastor Darin Easler have been reinstated to the roster of the ELCA. This is yet another joyful moment as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America takes steps toward becoming a more fully inclusive church.

Pastor Bradley was removed from the ELCA roster in 2007 by church trial after telling his bishop that he was in a relationship with Easler. Easler had already been dropped from the ELCA roster after coming out to his congregation and bishop in Southeast Minnesota.

Bradley and Darin's stories are two examples of the stories of countless other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender pastors. The actions of the Southeastern Synod to reinstate them are a step towards reconciling those in the church who have been separated from one another because of the ELCA's former policy barring partnered gay and lesbian people from serving as pastors.

Pastor Bradley, Pastor Darin, and the members of St. John's Lutheran Church have been a powerful witness in their community and to the church about full inclusion, hospitality and welcome. Bishop Julian Gordy and the ELCA Southeastern Synod are a witness to the power of reconciliation.

ELCA News Release here.
LC/NA Release here

ELM donors supported the costs of Pastor Bradley's 2007 trial with gifts totaling over $12,000. Visit www.elm.org to learn more about Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.

ELM Announces Release of 10 Minute "In The Beginning" Film

Many new people are learning about the work of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries following the recent changes in the ELCA's ministry policies. Part of the work of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries has been support of "extraordinary ordinations," the ordinations of openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people who were previously barred from serving in the ELCA.

"In The Beginning" shows rare footage of the first extraordinary ordinations and gives viewers a glimpse at the beginning of a movement that has supported openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Lutheran pastors for twenty years.

The short film was produced by award-winning filmmaker Pam Walton and includes clips from her film, Call to Witness (2000), a documentary on gay and lesbian Lutheran pastors who took stands against unjust church policies barring gay and lesbian people from serving as pastors.

You can view (and share!) this moving and informative short film here:

Censure Lifted at Congregation Served by ELM Roster Member

We joyfully announce St. Paul Area Synod Bishop Peter Rogness has lifted the censure and admonition of St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN. ELM roster member Pastor Anita Hill is senior pastor of the congregation. Sanctions had been placed on St. Paul Reformation Lutheran Church since 2001 after they extended a call to Pastor Anita Hill. Pr. Hill was ordained extraordinarily in 2001. In a letter to congregational co-presidents Anita Wheeler and Paul Chindvall formally removing the censure and admonition, Bp. Peter Rogness wrote:

"In lifting the sanctions in 2003, I observed that even in the aftermath of the imposition of censure and sanctions regarding participation, St. Paul-Reformation remained engaged and supportive of the life of this church. From that time until now, St. Paul-Reformation, its pastors and members, including Anita Hill, have been steadfast in their support of our life together as a church, and bold in their witness as Christ’s people in the world. Your disagreements with decisions of the church did not cause you to pull away; in this you have modeled for the whole church what it is to be united in Christ and Christ’s mission, not dependent on agreement on all things, but knowing how to embrace and affirm diversity in many ways. The whole church is stronger for your witness."

Read more about Rev. Hill and her congregation's commitment to justice for people of all sexualities and gender identities called to serve as ordained pastors here.

ELM pastor's reaction to ELCA policy changes

The story below ran on the Lutheran (True) Confessions blog, April 17, 2010:

"ELM roster member Pr. Craig Minich, who serves congregations in the East Bay Lutheran Parish in Oakland and Alameda, California, was scheduled to preach on Sunday April 11Trinity Lutheran Church in Oakland. Pr. Craig is one of the 17 pastors who were ordained extra ordinem because ELCA policy required a promise of celibacy from LGBT clergy.

Shortly before the beginning of worship, Pr. Craig received a text message from the ELM attendees at the ELCA Church Council meeting in Chicago: the Church Council had just approved a rite for receiving onto the ELCA roster the ELM clergy who had been ordained extra ordinem. On Saturday the Church Council had approved changes in ministry policy to remove the celibacy requirement for LGBT clergy.

The worship service started, hymns were sung, the first two lessons were read, and Pr. Craig began to read the Gospel, John 20:19-31, the story of Thomas, the disciple who needs to see to believe, the story that is quoted in the rite of ordination: When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (John 20:22-23)

Pr. Craig is a man of large emotions, and the Gospel lesson cast a new light on the news that been texted to his phone a few minutes before. He stopped reading, paused to compose himself, and then explained what the Church Council had done and his connection to it: I never thought I would see the day when I could be accepted on the ELCA roster."