Category Archives: Faith

Stunning Blows and Prayers Needed

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The head of the call committee of the church in Alberta called to say that Jon wasn’t a match. He did say he’d recommend Jon highly to the assistant to the bishop there for the other churches in the area who are looking for pastors but it’s still a blow to Jon. I’m sad because they were good people and an amazing church. They took their time deliberating which makes me think that this wasn’t a decision made lightly. In the end, it’s still the second time Jon has made it to an in-person interview this year only to be shot down. Pray for him.

There is a church in California which is looking at Jon. It would mean being closer to family and friends and if nothing else, it’s an option. Pray that things go well when we fly out there next month.

Why I Am Not Flipping Out At The Moment

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New York Times: Lutheran Group Eases Limits on Gay Clergy

Yes, I am a conservative Christian. Yes, I would have voted against this. (All my GLBTQ peeps know this.) However, I’m not having a massive hissy fit over this.

Why you ask?

1.) I’ve got too much going on in my life to flip out over anything else at the moment. Jon is in the process of finding another call, I have a 4 1/2 month old baby who is teething, I’m working 3 days a week, I’m still dealing with the emotional and mental schtuff from Daniel’s birth and stay in the NICU, and I’m tired to the point where sleeping all day would be sooooo nice. While I’m aware of the implications of this, I’m really having a hard time caring right now.

2.) The language of the decision is as such:

The first step asks the assembly whether it is committed “to finding ways to allow congregations and synods that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountable lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships,” said the report.
The second step asks the assembly whether it is committed to finding a way for Lutherans in committed, same-gender relationships to serve as ELCA professional leaders — clergy, associates in ministry, diaconal ministers and deaconesses.
If steps one and two are accepted, step three asks the assembly to commit to implementing steps one and two “in such a way that all this church bear the burdens of the other, love the neighbor, and respect the bound conscience of any with whom they disagree.” According to the report, “decisions about policy that serve only the interests of one or another group will not be acceptable.”
Step four presents a proposal for how the ELCA could move toward change “in a way that respects the bound conscience of all,” said the report. The fourth step is different from the previous steps in that it is “not simply a commitment in principle, but makes a specific recommendation for flexibility within existing structures and practices of this church to allow for people in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to be approved” for professional service in the ELCA, stated the report.

In none of the bolded passages does it state that members will be forced to call a gay or lesbian pastor to their congregation. My bishop (the most awesome Jessica Crist) actually states it best:

The resolution on Ministry Policies is actually a series of 4 resolutions, moving from committing the ELCA to begin the process of finding ways to recognize and support life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships, to finding ways for rostering appropriately prepared and qualified persons. Even if all 4 parts of the resolution pass, there will be a lengthy process for implementation. The resolution makes possible in certain instances the rostering of people who happen to be in same-gender relationships. It is important to note that the intent of this is to open possibilities for ministry. Congregations have a lot of leeway in the call process now. They can accept or reject a candidate proposed by the Synod Office. That will not change. The intent of these resolutions is not to force congregations to accept pastors who do not fit. Rather it is to allow congregations to call pastors who do fit.

In other words, this isn’t something that will take place overnight and it isn’t something that will be binding on every congregation and every person. Congregations are always allowed to reject a candidate given to them just as candidates can reject a congregation profile given to them. If it were binding that a congregation had to consider every candidate given, that would be a different story.

3.) This issue has been talked to death for the last 8 years. I swear that some of the “yes” votes were cast on the condition that we could stop talking about sex at Synod Assembly. (At least… this is what my Lutheran peeps on Facebook are saying.) In the words of one of them, “one of these days, we might be able to get past sex and the church roof and onto the issue of Christ being crucified and raised from the dead.” At least there’s a decision on the horizon and we can stop dialoguing ourselves to death!!!

So… this is why I’m not flipping out like I normally would be.

Gone Home

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One of my people just “went home” so…

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Dolores. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen.

She and I did butt heads while she was parish council president but… she really cared about the parish and she was going to make sure it survived! Despite any butting of heads that she and I had, she was the first person I called when I needed prayer because she was an AMAZING prayer warrior. My mom still asks about her because she kept all of us in prayer 3 years ago when my grandfather died. I think the reason Daniel did so well was that she kept him seriously in prayer. 🙂

Prayers Needed

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The call committee of [undisclosed location in Canada] votes today (August 6th). This is a congregation that is really open to discernment and the leadings of the Holy Spirit. For those who do, please pray that God’s will be done in terms of whether they call Jon or not. They are a seriously AMAZING group of people and we’d love it if they did call us but we want God’s will to be done in any case.

Life As A Mommy

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I’ve been lax about blogging lately because I haven’t had enough brain cells to do it, or (like right now) I’m typing one-handed because I have the big-eyed boy in my arms. (OK… I could put on my Moby wrap but I haven’t had a chance.)

I haven’t been to church in at least a month so I’m not having any really decent faith revelations. I honestly wanted to see my baby more than I wanted to deal with people and to make it to two care times, I had to skip the 11:00 service at Church #2. I prayed a lot on the way down and I listened to religious podcasts but I broke the Sabbath. (OK… sort of. I caught a midweek service some of the time before my month-long drought.)

I haven’t been out much since Daniel came home because we’ve had to quarantine him due to his compromised immune system. (Preemies have crappy immune systems. Ask me how I know this.) I’m home most of the time. I watch a lot of news when I can’t sleep and I’ve kept up on the outside world that way. Otherwise, it’s been a lot of getting out to make trips to the dump or to do things like get prescriptions.

My life does revolve around Daniel right now. I keep a separate blog for his stuff (located here) because I’d rather keep this blog about me and not post that OMG-HE-HELD-HIS-HEAD-UP-TODAY!!!!!! Mommy-blogging can get annoying and I’m respecting that some of my audience doesn’t really want to know the minutae of Daniel’s bowel habits or motor skills. By the same token, it was good to have the Caringbridge site so I’ve got Daniel’s blog up for people who want to keep tabs on him that way.

In terms of world events, I have been following the elections in Iran and my Twitter icon is green to show support for Mousavi. I think Ahmadinejad is on crack for thinking that the US sparked the protests and that Mousavi’s popularity was a plot by Obama but he’s always been a little daft when it comes to factual things… much like our last administration and Fox News. (Yes, I had to throw that in.) I actually care more about Neda’s death than I do Michael Jackson’s death.

So… that’s my world right now.