October 11, 2009
My Brothers and Sisters in God’s Family at Grace,
In the time since the ELCA Churchwide Assembly’s adoption of the Social Statement regarding Human Sexuality and the four recommendations related to the blessing of same sex relationships and the ordination of pastors in these committed relationships, I have devoted much time and energy to reading, prayer and conversations with some who came in to discuss their thoughts. Those conversations have helped me identify thoughts that others, who have not spoken with either Pastor Ken or me, might also have.
It saddens me that a few Grace members reacted almost immediately without talking about the ELCA actions or even participating in the studies that were offered over the past few years as Grace participated in the development of the social statement on human sexuality. Without the opportunity to talk, I do not know how well they understand the actual actions taken at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly.
It furthers saddens and concerns me when I hear of others in my Grace family who say they are waiting until a certain time to see what Grace decides to do before making their choice on remaining involved in God’s work at Grace or departing. I am not certain that the ELCA will have the actual policies written for us to read before whatever deadline they may have set.
All of this has led me to prepare this information which is my best faithful wisdom as your Senior Pastor. It is not perfect, but it is my best wisdom in my weariness and heartache to provide guidance to my church family so that we can give Christ what he deserves – our very best effort in the mission to which we are called.
Please, take the time to read this. Think about it; pray about it; come talk to me or Pastor Ken about it.
I am not a cradle Lutheran. Rather, my parents looked around faithfully for a church different from the ones in which they were raised, a church suitable for raising their 5 children in. They chose the Lutheran Church. So, I am a Lutheran by choice.
Through my 23 years as a pastor, I have come to appreciate the choice of my parents even more. I appreciate it in particular because being a Lutheran Christian means that we gather as the family of God because of what we confess (believe) rather than because of a set of human laws by which we are expected, often quite unrealistically or hypocritically, to live by.
I am a Lutheran because we believe in our Triune God as we confess in the historical, ecumenical creeds that summarize our faith (Apostles’, Nicene & Athanasian).
I am a Lutheran because we believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, telling us what God wants us to know for our life as his people. It is the source and norm for our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ.
I am a Lutheran because we believe in two sacraments that are central for our life as disciples. Baptism, where God marked me, claimed me as his own, gave me the Holy Spirit so that I might believe and grow in faith, and where God promised to love me no matter what I do or fail to do. Holy Communion, where I receive the body and blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of my sins, for strength in my life as a disciple, and for unity in the body of Christ with all the saints of every time and place.
I am a Lutheran because we believe that each of us is at the same time saint and sinner. We are not perfect. We are not immune to sin. By the grace of God, we live in the tension between saint and sinner with the goal of growing in faith so that more and more we reflect Christ (sanctification, becoming more of a saint than a sinner – a lifelong, never-ending process of spiritual growth).
I am a Lutheran because we believe that we are saved by the grace of God alone and not by anything that we could, should or must do.
I am a Lutheran because we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
I am a Lutheran at Grace because God called me to serve as pastor among you. I also believe that, like me, the Holy Spirit has called each of you to the Grace family empowering you for worship and service here in this time and in this place.
The actions of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly did not change any of those foundational beliefs.
Here are facts, information relating to questions I have been frequently asked, and some websites where you can go and find more information. A notebook is being prepared and will be placed in the library with much of this information printed and organized in it.
FACTS
1. The social statement on human sexuality that was adopted went through a long process – a process in which Grace participated. The social statement addresses a wide range of issues including families, divorce, children, sexuality outside of marriage and friendship, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. We can agree with much of the statement including recognizing marriage as a commitment of lifelong fidelity between one man & one woman. A copy of this social statement is in the library. You can read it online on the ELCA website – www.elca.org
2. Four recommendations were passed that commit the ELCA to respect bound consciences, to allow congregations that choose to do so to find ways to recognize and support lifelong, monogamous, same gender relationships and hold them publicly accountable, and to find a way for people in such relationships to serve as rostered leaders in the ELCA (rostered leaders includes pastors). These recommendations do not require any congregation to recognize such relationships or to call a pastor in such a relationship.
3. The “Kussarow Amendment” to recommendation number 1 specifically says these policy changes must honor the different convictions within the church.
4. These policy changes will not take effect immediately. The specific language of the policy changes must be worked out in consultation with the ELCA Conference of Bishops. The ELCA Church Council has the responsibility to approve the final wording. They meet next in November 2009. An ELCA press release on October 6 indicated this process has begun with the Conference of Bishops. The press release said the bishops will review an updated draft in March 2010 before the Church Council takes action at their April 2010 meeting.
5. Congregations, as they have always done, will still call who they prayerfully decide is the best pastor to serve with them. Congregations will not be forced to call a specific pastor nor will they be required to recognize or bless same gender relationships.
Concerns and Questions Shared with Me
1. What about groups like Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Reform, now Renewal)? I have been following developments on their website (www.lutherancore.org). They are planning and organizing to form a separate, freestanding Lutheran synod welcoming likeminded Lutheran congregations to join them. Some information from CORE is included in the notebook in the library.
2. Pastor, I don’t want to support the ELCA with my offering. What can I do? Withholding one’s offering is being done by some. CORE is encouraging congregations to stop giving to their synod and to the ELCA in protest. I am quite disappointed in folks who react in this way without understanding who is hurt the most when they stop giving to Grace. Follow the math with me here. At Grace, we commit 10% of our income to benevolence (Our 2009 budget is $114,360). It is sent to the NC Synod. Our synod will send 38.77% on to the ELCA (From Grace that is $44,337). The overwhelming majority of these funds support ministries like seminaries, colleges, staff in education, evangelism, campus ministry, Lutheran Social Services, World Hunger, Lutheran World Relief, mission congregations, and overseas mission. If you stop giving in protest or to punish the ELCA for allowing some congregations that choose to have gay clergy, know that the ELCA has planned for a decrease in receipts and has plans to continue operating. HOWEVER, the ones that will suffer when you stop giving to the General Fund at Grace are those we serve through IAM, Sixth Ave. Clubhouse, Mainstay, Southern Seminary, Lutheridge, and other people and agencies who count on faithful disciples like you and me at Grace to show God’s compassion and grace as we help them in their time of need. The growing, flourishing ministries at Grace that are making disciples through Bible study, worship, youth, children and adult ministries will suffer. These are the very places where Grace can most directly and powerfully teach faith and change lives with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Supporting the staff needed for our ministries will also suffer. The ELCA will probably not notice if members quit giving to Grace’s general fund, but God’s mission at Grace will be hurting.
3. The Bible says homosexuality is a sin. That is correct. The Bible also lists many other sins and prohibitions that we do not follow. We don’t stone our sons when they disobey (Dtr. 21:18-21). We don’t stone a bride when she can’t prove she is a virgin (Dtr. 22:20-21). In Paul’s lists of sins, homosexuality is included, but so are thieves, the greedy, drunkards and more (1 Cor. 6:9-10). If all sin is equally bad, why are we singling out homosexuality? This selectivity has concerned me throughout the years of developing this social statement. I do not know of any pure biblical literalist person or denomination (those who take every word in the Bible inerrant or infallible and every word literally). We humans are selective in the parts of the Bible that we take literally. We need what Grace is doing - study God’s word together with a clear set of guidelines for interpreting scripture. With the ELCA’s “Book of Faith” initiative (the church wide initiative encouraging members to read and study the Bible together), if we believe that God speaks through the Holy Scripture and this Living Word is the power of God to change hearts and lives, who knows what God might do as more and more Lutherans read and study the Bible. Who am I to limit where and how God works? We have experienced what can happen right here at Grace with the “Purpose Driven Life” and the growing Disciple Bible study courses.
4. Things might not change now, but what about after you & Pastor Ken leave Grace? We both feel a deep and sure calling to serve with you at Grace and pray God will keep us here for a long time. Much of what is not clear now will be clarified as the ELCA writes these new policies, congregation leaders can consider options, and decisions can then made. Grace will still call the pastor God has gifted to serve his family here.
5. This is such a bad decision, we should just leave the ELCA. Leave to go where? Is any church perfect? Organizations (and the church is a human organization) make decisions we disagree with all the time. When they do, do we leave? Isn’t Grace and its values worth fighting for? It’s OK to disagree. In my opinion, I do not see a viable place to go. God, or Satan, may be testing us. Our faith in Christ holds a wide diversity of people together effectively within Grace. Can it not be the same across the ELCA?
My Personal Pastoral Thoughts
1. This is a spiritual battle. I have been firmly convinced for years that wherever God’s work is being done, Satan is also hard at work. What does it accomplish to quit Grace? Apart from Grace you are not being fed through Bible study. You are not worshiping Christ with your Grace family. You are not serving & being a blessing. The witness & ministry of Grace are not as strong (the body of Christ is less without you). Satan is winning by chipping away at the power of the Spirit working through Grace to transform lives through Christ. We cannot let this issue eat our souls and destroy the good work that God has done, is doing, and has planned for Grace. However you feel about the ELCA actions, I am firmly convinced our best response is to persist in and continue to improve what we do as people of God. Let us be faithful to the very best of our ability to what we know of God’s plan for Grace – our Purpose, Core Values, Mission Statement, Ministry Goals, and Vision. I do not know what God’s future plans are for Grace, though I have been praying for a vision. I am firmly convinced that whatever plans God has for Grace in the future will best be fulfilled by being as faithful as we can and accomplishing our mission to the very best of our abilities. This will keep our witness strong and well-prepared for God’s future. Anything else is unwise stewardship and unfaithful to our calling.
2. Grace is known for our hospitality. This church family worked hard to develop this welcoming attitude. We must continue to welcome whoever God sends through our doors seeking faith, spiritual support and a church family. Hospitality and warmth together with excellent worship and solid Bible studies are the characteristics most new members identify for joining. Those are indicative of our Core Values. They are who Grace is.
3. Luther himself struggled with issues where he strongly believed the church was in error. He encouraged others to remain in the church working for reform – until he & followers were booted out. Big difference – Luther was dealing with the issue of how we are saved. This is not the issue before us. Homosexuality does not relate to our salvation. The ELCA still teaches that foundational Lutheran belief that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
4. This feels to me like the law – gospel continuum in which we live as Christians. Even though I understand Scripture to say that homosexuality is a sin (law), the Spirit nudges the compassionate, pastoral care side of me. Some parishes thirst to hear the gospel and to be cared for by a pastor and cannot find a “straight” pastor equipped or willing to serve there and care for God’s children there. If this allows homosexuals to find a pastor, hear the gospel, and experience the grace of God could this be a part of God’s plan to bring the gospel to them? Paul said, “I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Cor. 9:22-23) Jesus did say to his disciples, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:40). These and other passages in Scripture challenge me in my faith. I struggle to hold all of the teachings of Scripture together. Sometimes it is easier than others.
5. Grace is a microcosm of the ELCA on this issue. While we may well be more traditional, there are some members who are pleased or can live with this decision. There are many who know little or care little about this issue because Grace is the community of faith that is church to them, shaping their discipleship. God has gathered us all here for a purpose. That purpose hasn’t changed.
6. One of best resources for traditionalists I have found in trying to understand these decisions and what it means for us and the ELCA is a blog written by a former seminary professor of mine & a colleague, both systematic theologians, both at Southern Seminary (the seminary most of Grace’s pastors have come from; one of the more traditional seminaries). I encourage you to read and ponder their thoughts while we wait for God’s future to unfold.www.lutheranspersisting.wordpress.com I will see if we can include some of the postings from this online blog in the notebook of resources.
7. I am weary. I simply want to be a pastor, serve Grace faithfully, and see God’s plan unfold with joy and thanksgiving. I am sad that some members will choose to leave. There is not a perfect church and I’m not foolish enough to think that Grace is otherwise. HOWEVER, this is the most spiritually empowered congregation of faithful, growing disciples committed to extending God’s reign that I have ever been a part of. I fully intend to remain here. Brenda and I will continue to fulfill our pledge and our commitment to the capital campaign. I have to be faithful to my calling as pastor and Christian. That – as imperfect as it may be – is all that I can offer my Lord. That is all Christ asks of us AND the good news is that he provides what is needed.
The bottom line is that Grace will continue to exist. We’ll still have weddings, funerals, Sunday worship, Bible studies and so forth. We must continue to do the ministry to which God has called us. We must invite friends, encourage and nurture faith, and serve our neighbors – the neighbors in need who look to Grace in their time of need and experience God’s grace and compassion. To leave Grace, to withhold your giving, to whisper about leaving is to undermine God’s mission at Grace and the tremendous good that we are able to do together. We cannot let this issue consume us or distract us from the mission that God has set before us. We have prayed, discussed, and done our very best to discern God’s will for us throughout the almost 4 years I have served as pastor. That will not change. We must persist faithfully and God will reveal his plan for our future in God’s own time – and we will follow.
Pastor Ken and I are both willing to meet with you individually or with your class or small group to discuss questions or concerns. Simply call or email us to schedule a time to talk. Council members, as your elected leaders, are available to listen. They received and read this prior to mailing it to you.
In His Service,
Greg Williams,
Senior Pastor