Lutherans cut budget, discuss mission

According to the Salisbury Post (NC) and press releases from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA is undergoing the same difficulties as The Episcopal Church due to the economic situation and for standing with their gay, lesbian, transgender clergy and laity in leadership positions:


Hurt by the recession and decisions by some Lutheran congregations to withhold their support, the Chicago-based Evangelical Lutheran Church in America acted last Sunday to reduce its budget by 10 percent and eliminate more than 40 full-time positions.

Many Lutheran congregations, including some in Rowan County, have redirected their mission support to the ELCA in protest of the national organization's recent vote to allow gays and lesbians to serve as clergy.


Read more:
November 13: Press Release addressing leadership and financial issues.

November 16: Churchwide Budget Reduced, Staff Positions Eliminated Press Release

November 19: Bp Hanson's Open Letter on the state of the church.

November 20: Bp Hanson announces online forum:

Declaring that "God's mission is serious work that calls for serious commitment," the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) spelled out priorities for the ELCA churchwide organization in an open letter to members released Nov. 19. The Rev. Mark S. Hanson also invited them to join him in an online "town hall forum" Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time (4:30 p.m. CST).

And this report in Church Executive Magazine

Interesting that the ELCA, though much larger than the Episcopal Church gets so little coverage of its difficulties. Why?

Posted by Ann Fontaine on November 24, 2009 3:00 PM | |
Comments (1)

Interesting that the ELCA, though much larger than the Episcopal Church gets so little coverage of its difficulties. Why?

I believe that the ELCA is (wrongly) seen as an ethnic ghetto, in a way that TEC is not.

Many Lutheran congregations...have redirected their mission support to the ELCA in protest of the national organization's recent vote to allow gays and lesbians to serve as clergy.

"And blessed are YOU, when men shall revile you..."

JC Fisher

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at/who reads Episcopal Cafe! :-)

Posted by tgflux [TypeKey Profile Page] | November 25, 2009 8:35 PM

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