ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 27, 2009  

Lutheran CORE Attendees Express Variety of Viewpoints
09-213-JB

     FISHERS, Ind. (ELCA) -- Some 1,200 Lutherans attended the Lutheran
Coalition for Renewal (CORE) convocation here Sept. 25-26, united in
their concern about the actions of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on human sexuality. But
individual responses to the assembly actions varied considerably.
     The assembly adopted the social statement, "Human Sexuality: Gift
and Trust," by a two-thirds vote.  The statement addresses several topics
related to human sexuality from a Lutheran perspective. The assembly also
adopted a series of proposals to change ministry policies, including a
change to make it possible for Lutherans in lifelong, publicly
accountable, monogamous same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA
associates in ministry, clergy, deaconesses and diaconal ministers.
     Lutheran CORE opposed some parts of the social statement and the
ministry policy changes.  The convocation here was meant to bring like-
minded Lutherans together to talk about their future in the church and to
help organize CORE.
     "The church is in a confessional crisis," said the Rev. Marshall E.
Hahn, St. Olaf, Iowa, in an interview with the ELCA News Service. "The
decisions that we made at the assembly were done contrary to our own
confessional faith.  I'm working with folks in our synod to see what can
be done to address that."
     Hahn, who serves two congregations -- Norway Lutheran Church and
Marion Lutheran Church -- said the congregations have not yet considered
their future in the ELCA.  "I've advised them that we just need to take
our time, be very deliberative and very careful about what we do in
response.  Right now we're working in our synod to see how we can work in
opposition to what took place in Minneapolis."
     Hahn, who is also secretary for the ELCA Northeastern Iowa Synod
Council, said he wrote to his congregations to say he's contemplating
what the decisions mean for his own ministry.
     "I see all of this upheaval as God shaking us out of lethargy and
lukewarmness," said Jo Pruett, Rockdale, Texas, a Lutheran for 50 years.
She is congregation president at Peace Lutheran Church. She's most
concerned about a lack of "spiritual uplifting" in the ELCA.
     In conversations with members, Pruett said a couple of members
agreed with the assembly's decisions. "The majority of people who have
contacted me are very much against what happened at the chuchwide
assembly," she said.
     Peace Lutheran Church has already started withholding benevolence
from the ELCA and is giving the funds to local organizations, she said,
although members haven't made any decision about Peace's future in the
ELCA.
     Edgar Corns, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Merrillville, Ind., said he's
dissatisfied with the assembly's decisions.  "If our church
(congregation) doesn't turn independent, I'm leaving.  That's as simple
as it gets," he said.
     The Rev. Katherine L. Olson, St. Peter Lutheran Church, Delphos,
Ohio, said members of her congregation are asking questions about the
assembly's decisions.
     "I think the members of my church want to stay and are inclined to
stay," she said.  "However, all options are on the table now.  We're
really being watchful, slow and deliberate -- and prayerful -- as we
think about these decisions."
     Olson said the tone of CORE's convocation was hopeful. "This is an
organization that seeks to be a witness to God's Word, and that that
really gives me hope," Olson said.
     The Rev. Thomas E. Jacobson, Gonvick, Minn., serves Samhold Lutheran
Church and United Lutheran Church.  He characterized many members
as "upset" with the assembly decisions. "They feel this is a distraction
from important local ministry that could be happening," he said.
     "I think that people would be open to a variety of options.  I don't
think it is their desire to leave the ELCA.  Their hope is that things
could be worked out within the ELCA structure," he said.
     Some ELCA churchwide staff attended the convocation, including the
Rev. Stephen P. Bouman, executive, ELCA Evangelical Outreach and
Congregational Mission, Chicago.
     "I'm here because this is a part of our church -- a part of our
church in pain," Bouman said, noting that many are longtime friends from
his 35 years as a Lutheran pastor.
     "I'm here to listen.  I'm here because some of our mission-developer
pastors are here and are in pain over what's happened.  I'm here because
I want to say to anyone who will listen that we're serious about mission.
We don't to lose contact with each other around the mission," he said.
---
     Information about Lutheran CORE is at http://www.lutherancore.org/
on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
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