"Church, Bible and Culture: ELCA at the Crossroads" is the theme of a significant conference planned for Sunday, Jan. 10, at the Ramkota Hotel (I-29 & Maple Street) in Sioux Falls.
Speakers include the Rev. Dr. James Nestingen, a well-known and respected Lutheran scholar, and Bishop Kenneth Sauer, former chair of the ELCA Conference of Bishops.
The current theological concerns facing the ELCA will be addressed and followed by an opportunity for questions. The theological conference was organized by concerned area ELCA pastors.
There is no cost for attending, but a free-will offering will be received.
For planning purposes, pre-registration is encouraged. If you plan to attend please contact Dayleen at 605-371-3737 or dayleen.swanson@gloriadei-sd.org.
Poster and bulletin insert masters are available online.
Schedule
1:00pm – Registration
2:00pm – Welcome
2:15pm – “Reformation II” by The Rev. James Nestingen Rev. Nestingen taught church history at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, from 1980-2006. He has written and spoken prolifically on Luther's catechisms and confessional Lutheran theology.
3:30pm – “So Here We Are” by The Rev. Ken Sauer Rev. Sauer served as Bishop of the Ohio Synod, LCA from 1973-1987, and Bishop of the Southern Ohio Synod of the ELCA from1987-1996. He chaired the Conference of Bishops from 1992-1996.
5:30pm – Close (Dinner on your own)
7:30pm – Holden Evening Prayer at First Lutheran, 327 S Dakota, Nestingen preaching
All ELCA members are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
An Open Letter from Bishop David B. Zellmer
December 15, 2009
Dear Friends,
I write to you, one of the 123,000 members of our Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in South Dakota, knowing that you may be wondering about the recent news articles related to the decisions that were made at our churchwide assembly this summer.
First of all, let me clarify those decisions. We passed a social statement entitled “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” and then voted to allow congregations – if they so desire - to call a pastor who is living in a in a life long, monogamous, publicly accountable, same gender relationship. The document that was passed at the assembly outlines four positions on homosexuality that may be held by faithful Christians who have studied the Bible. The document states that we, as a church, do not agree on which of the four positions is “correct.” To say it simply, we have agreed to disagree. Each local congregation may call the pastor who they believe will best serve them.
So here we are in the midst of a churchwide body that doesn’t agree. You may find yourself in the middle of a congregation or even a family that cannot find agreement on these complex issues. I would offer you this: We are held together not by the correctness of our doctrine or the purity of our moral reasoning, but by Christ our King. Christ commands us to love one another not just when we agree, but especially when we don’t. I remain steadfast in my commitment to the ELCA and I would like to share with you a few of my thoughts about why I am staying in this church.
I choose to remain because there is a place in this church for people like me, who question the morality of homosexual behavior on the basis of God’s word. Our church acknowledges that on this particular issue, faithful believers have come to different positions. It does not hold any one position above the other. I find guidance in the following scripture, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). This is a moral issue. It happens to be about sex and family, things that to us are precious, and about which we feel strong emotions. But God’s salvation does not depend on being right or wrong on this or any other moral issue. It depends only on Christ our King who died so that all who believe in him would not be condemned but have eternal life.
I choose to remain because the new policies place the authority to call a pastor where it belongs – with the local congregation. Congregations will be encouraged to continue to ask tough questions of pastors during the call process; this has not changed. Questions should be asked about moral issues including but not limited to sexuality. Congregations have always called and will continue to call the pastor who will best serve them.
My commitment to stay in our ELCA is rooted in the commands of Christ and in the fact that our church is about so much more than this disagreement. We are here to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
+ This church brings hope and healing to the suffering. One example is “Nothing but Net,” our church’s commitment to ending malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa.
+ This church shares the good news of God’s love with those in prison through our ministry at St. Dysmas.
+ This church shows God’s love by feeding the hungry in your community and throughout the world.
+ This church stands with the poorest among us, as evidenced by our Lutheran Lakota Shared Ministries in Pine Ridge.
+ This church goes where people are to share God’s love. Right here in South Dakota we have seven new ministries, including African, Latino, American Indian, and suburban mission starts.
All of us, together as the ELCA, stand together in God’s grace, focusing on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is serious work that calls for a commitment from each one of us. We each bring everything we have, our gifts, our talents, our diversity, and even our disagreements to the service of God’s Mission.
Our church is not perfect. I will be working to change the polity of the ELCA so that congregations have more voice in this church. We need to find a way where all voices are heard throughout the decision making process. I will work with my colleagues here in South Dakota and in the Conference of Bishops to move forward on these changes.
I will remain faithful to the promises I made in my ordination and at my installation as the bishop of the South Dakota Synod. I promised to serve the whole church and to work for the life of the world. I will always keep the commands of Jesus at the center of our mission to “make disciples of all nations, teaching them all that I have commanded you” to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, tend the sick, and visit those in prison. We as a synod and as the whole ELCA have been faithful in living out those commands and I look forward to continuing this within the ELCA and with people across our synod and around the world.
Yours in Christ’s Mission
Bishop David B. Zellmer
Dear Friends,
I write to you, one of the 123,000 members of our Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in South Dakota, knowing that you may be wondering about the recent news articles related to the decisions that were made at our churchwide assembly this summer.
First of all, let me clarify those decisions. We passed a social statement entitled “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” and then voted to allow congregations – if they so desire - to call a pastor who is living in a in a life long, monogamous, publicly accountable, same gender relationship. The document that was passed at the assembly outlines four positions on homosexuality that may be held by faithful Christians who have studied the Bible. The document states that we, as a church, do not agree on which of the four positions is “correct.” To say it simply, we have agreed to disagree. Each local congregation may call the pastor who they believe will best serve them.
So here we are in the midst of a churchwide body that doesn’t agree. You may find yourself in the middle of a congregation or even a family that cannot find agreement on these complex issues. I would offer you this: We are held together not by the correctness of our doctrine or the purity of our moral reasoning, but by Christ our King. Christ commands us to love one another not just when we agree, but especially when we don’t. I remain steadfast in my commitment to the ELCA and I would like to share with you a few of my thoughts about why I am staying in this church.
I choose to remain because there is a place in this church for people like me, who question the morality of homosexual behavior on the basis of God’s word. Our church acknowledges that on this particular issue, faithful believers have come to different positions. It does not hold any one position above the other. I find guidance in the following scripture, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). This is a moral issue. It happens to be about sex and family, things that to us are precious, and about which we feel strong emotions. But God’s salvation does not depend on being right or wrong on this or any other moral issue. It depends only on Christ our King who died so that all who believe in him would not be condemned but have eternal life.
I choose to remain because the new policies place the authority to call a pastor where it belongs – with the local congregation. Congregations will be encouraged to continue to ask tough questions of pastors during the call process; this has not changed. Questions should be asked about moral issues including but not limited to sexuality. Congregations have always called and will continue to call the pastor who will best serve them.
My commitment to stay in our ELCA is rooted in the commands of Christ and in the fact that our church is about so much more than this disagreement. We are here to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
+ This church brings hope and healing to the suffering. One example is “Nothing but Net,” our church’s commitment to ending malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa.
+ This church shares the good news of God’s love with those in prison through our ministry at St. Dysmas.
+ This church shows God’s love by feeding the hungry in your community and throughout the world.
+ This church stands with the poorest among us, as evidenced by our Lutheran Lakota Shared Ministries in Pine Ridge.
+ This church goes where people are to share God’s love. Right here in South Dakota we have seven new ministries, including African, Latino, American Indian, and suburban mission starts.
All of us, together as the ELCA, stand together in God’s grace, focusing on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is serious work that calls for a commitment from each one of us. We each bring everything we have, our gifts, our talents, our diversity, and even our disagreements to the service of God’s Mission.
Our church is not perfect. I will be working to change the polity of the ELCA so that congregations have more voice in this church. We need to find a way where all voices are heard throughout the decision making process. I will work with my colleagues here in South Dakota and in the Conference of Bishops to move forward on these changes.
I will remain faithful to the promises I made in my ordination and at my installation as the bishop of the South Dakota Synod. I promised to serve the whole church and to work for the life of the world. I will always keep the commands of Jesus at the center of our mission to “make disciples of all nations, teaching them all that I have commanded you” to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, tend the sick, and visit those in prison. We as a synod and as the whole ELCA have been faithful in living out those commands and I look forward to continuing this within the ELCA and with people across our synod and around the world.
Yours in Christ’s Mission
Bishop David B. Zellmer
Monday, December 14, 2009
CORE Connection Newsletter for December
CORE Connection - News from Lutheran CORE – December 2009 is now available online.
Here is what you can read in this month’s newsletter:
+ Lutheran CORE leaders announce that a new Lutheran church body will be formed for those leaving the ELCA. Lutheran CORE will continue as an association for all Lutherans.
+ Lutheran CORE Steering Committee meets, expands ministry.
+ Northeastern Iowa Synod repudiates ELCA sexuality decisions and asks that synod’s ‘bound conscience’ be respected.
+ African immigrant Lutheran churches issue statement against ELCA sexuality decisions; some are joining Lutheran CORE.
+ Lutherans worldwide are praying for renewal of Lutheran Church in North America on Fridays
+ Eastern European Lutherans respond to sexuality decisions.
+ Articles to help congregations in benevolence decisions.
+ ‘Seeking New Directions for Lutheranism’ is theme of 2010 Lutheran CORE theological conference.
+ ELCA worship resources offer prayer to ‘Mother’ God.
+ Lutheran CORE gathering in Ohio draws 545 people
+ Manhattan Declaration addresses marriage, sanctity of life.
+ “Unintended Effects - How the ELCA’s Aim for Unity Fractured the Church by Dr. Robert Benne.
+ A view from the back row of the ELCA Church Council meeting by Pastor Erma Wolf.
Here is what you can read in this month’s newsletter:
+ Lutheran CORE leaders announce that a new Lutheran church body will be formed for those leaving the ELCA. Lutheran CORE will continue as an association for all Lutherans.
+ Lutheran CORE Steering Committee meets, expands ministry.
+ Northeastern Iowa Synod repudiates ELCA sexuality decisions and asks that synod’s ‘bound conscience’ be respected.
+ African immigrant Lutheran churches issue statement against ELCA sexuality decisions; some are joining Lutheran CORE.
+ Lutherans worldwide are praying for renewal of Lutheran Church in North America on Fridays
+ Eastern European Lutherans respond to sexuality decisions.
+ Articles to help congregations in benevolence decisions.
+ ‘Seeking New Directions for Lutheranism’ is theme of 2010 Lutheran CORE theological conference.
+ ELCA worship resources offer prayer to ‘Mother’ God.
+ Lutheran CORE gathering in Ohio draws 545 people
+ Manhattan Declaration addresses marriage, sanctity of life.
+ “Unintended Effects - How the ELCA’s Aim for Unity Fractured the Church by Dr. Robert Benne.
+ A view from the back row of the ELCA Church Council meeting by Pastor Erma Wolf.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Lutheran CORE to hold meeting in Sisseton on ELCA changes
All interested pastors and lay people are invited to attend a meeting on Saturday, Dec. 12, at 2:30 p.m. at the Roberts County 4-H Grounds in Sisseton to discuss the current policy changes in the ELCA since the Churchwide Assembly vote in August.
Pastor Scott Grorud of Hutchinson, Minn., will be the guest speaker. Pastor Grorud is a member of the Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Renewal) Steering Committee. He will talk about the current state of the ELCA and possible responses by congregations. There will be time for questions at the end of his presentation.
For more information, contact Wade Johnson at 742-4232 or Marcia Peterson at 880-1651, or you can visit the Lutheran CORE website at www.lutherancore.org.
Directions: From the southwest corner of town, the 4-H Grounds are located just south of Hwy 10 on BIA Hwy 700.
Pastor Scott Grorud of Hutchinson, Minn., will be the guest speaker. Pastor Grorud is a member of the Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Renewal) Steering Committee. He will talk about the current state of the ELCA and possible responses by congregations. There will be time for questions at the end of his presentation.
For more information, contact Wade Johnson at 742-4232 or Marcia Peterson at 880-1651, or you can visit the Lutheran CORE website at www.lutherancore.org.
Directions: From the southwest corner of town, the 4-H Grounds are located just south of Hwy 10 on BIA Hwy 700.
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