Evangelical Lutheran Church of America votes YES to GLBT Ministry and Marriage!

GREAT DAY to be GAY!

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America votes to invite people who are in same sex relationships into ministry!!!!!

After the presiding Bishop Hanson discovered that it was time for a prayer he discovered there was none ready. The congregation laughed together as Bishop Hanson asked if that gaff would not be included in the minutes. This is the soul of the ECLA as members who emotionally and passionately dissented to allowing GLBT ministry called for their congregations to maintain the body in Christ and to not vote to succeed from the ELCA.

Effectively concurring with item 2 the ELCA voted yes to allow Gay and Lesbian clergy. There was passed an amendment that does require to respect those whose policy is to prohibit the exclusion or inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the ELCA

The 2007 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, meeting in Chicago, directed the task force assigned to develop the social statement on human sexuality to "specifically address and make recommendations to the 2009 Churchwide Assembly on changes to any policies that preclude practicing homosexual persons from the rosters of this church." The church maintains official rosters for associates in ministry, deaconesses, diaconal ministers and ordained clergy.

The report and a four-step recommendation were released in February 2009. The report discusses concepts such as "bound conscience" and "structure flexibility." Assembly voting members will decide to accept or reject the recommendation, or amend any part of it. The ELCA Church Council recommended that each part of the recommendation requires a majority vote to adopt.

The assembly amended the order of consideration of ministry policies resolutions to 3, 1, 2, 4.
The four-step process asks these questions:


Step one asks the assembly whether, in principle, this church is committed to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships.
APPROVED

Step two asks the assembly whether, in principle, this church is committed to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as professional leaders of this church.
Approved

Step three asks this church whether, in the future implementation of these commitments, it will make decisions so that all in this church bear the burdens of the other, and respect the bound consciences of all.
APPROVED

Step four proposes the specifics of how this church can move toward change in a way that respects the bound consciences of all.
APPROVED

"Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust," a proposed ELCA social statement

Historic Day Gay Marriage and Clergy Approved