Pastoral letter 9-1-2010

September 1, 2010

Dear friends in Christ:

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17-22-23

On August 27th, a group of Lutherans met in Grove City, Ohio, and formed what is now known as the North American Lutheran Church. About 20 congregations have officially joined the new denomination so far, and it is estimated that nearly 200 ELCA congregations may follow suit by year’s end. (The ELCA currently has 10,348 congregations nationwide.)

The formation of the NALC came about as a reaction to the decision of the ELCA last September to allow homosexual clergy in publicly committed relationships to be called as pastors. In their view, such a move was a departure from a literal understanding of Sacred Scripture and longstanding church tradition.

The ELCA has always had gay clergy, but prior to September 2009, those who were homosexual in their self-understanding had to take a promise of celibacy to be ordained. This policy was never uniformly enforced, and in 2007, the ELCA urged local bishops to exercise “restraint” when dealing with complaints about a pastor being a partnered gay or lesbian person. The changes in policy came about as the culmination of an ELCA discernment process known as “Journey Together Faithfully.” The new 2009 ELCA policies are available on the web at http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements/JTF-Human-Sexuality.aspx

As a pastor, it pains me to see splits in our church at a time when unity, and not division, could better equip us to address the urgent matters of our day such as world hunger, poverty, disease, and oppression. It was hoped that Lutherans who disagreed with one another about the topic of human sexuality could live together in the same church while respecting the beliefs of the others. For most ELCA Lutherans, that has been the case, but sadly not for all.

As we read the press releases and news stories about the split, it is important to keep positive. For example, while roughly 1.8% of ELCA congregations may vote to leave the ELCA, a large number of ELCA congregations from Atlanta to San Francisco have come back to the ELCA as a result of last September’s decisions. (This is not often reported by the media.) On the same day the ELCA voted to allow gay and lesbian pastors, the Churchwide Assembly allocated 10 million dollars in seed money toward the eradication of Malaria in the developing world. When media hype is on controversy instead of mission, the good news can get lost.

Last week, ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson issued a pastoral letter. It is available at http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Office-of-the-Presiding-Bishop/Messages-and-Statements.aspx. In the spirit of that letter, and in the true spirit of being a reconciling congregation, please join me in prayer for the new member congregations of the North American Lutheran Church. Pray for their leaders. In speaking to others about the split, please be loving and charitable as Jesus would have us do. Even though the members of the NALC may disagree with some of our beliefs and teachings, we are all God’s people, and we are called to the same mission of love and justice. Those who have left the ELCA are disappointed and in pain. And like us, they strive to be faithful Lutherans.

Since 1866, my Methodist ancestors prayed for church unity with one of my favorite childhood hymns, “The Church’s one Foundation.” If you want to see the lyrics and sing along, go to: http://nethymnal.org/htm/c/h/chofound.htm. In verse two, we sing: She is from every nation, Yet one o’er all the earth; Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth; One holy Name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued.

The foundation is Christ. The table is huge. Our human divisions pale by comparison. Pray for the unity of all. Give thanks to God for our life together.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Pastor Bill Barter