as the minister who will be the first openly Lesbian bishop in ELCA.
Who published about this in 1987? With citations?
And mentioned Anita Hill?
ALPB Forum:
The Oregon Synod is May 28-30 and the pre-assembly report is out. The report contains some information on the impact of the 2009 CWA actions on congregations and synod finances. As a former member of the ELCA in this Synod, who was a voting member in the 2005 Synod Assembly (where the Synod adopted the RIC label), in my opinion this is one of the more liberal and fully CWA 2009 action supporting Synods. It seems clear that even here the impact has not been positive. I am off to work so will not be able to comment further on the report.
http://www.oregonsynod.org/10assembly
http://www.oregonsynod.org/10assembly/ReportofOfficers2010.pdf
In Bishop Dave Brauer-Rieke's report:
"Fourthly, we have congregations and members in distress over rostering decisions made at our
August 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Much of my time since August has been expended here.
• We have six Oregon Synod congregations that have taken votes on disaffiliating with the
ELCA. Three (see note at bottom of page) have succeeded in achieving their first of two
required 2/3 majority votes to do so. In my judgment five of these six congregations have
damaged their capacity for vital ministry in the process.
• On the positive side of the equation, other congregations report the reception of new
members thankful for the welcome and openness of this church.
• The number of ‘Reconciling in Christ’ congregations in the Oregon Synod continues to grow
with ten congregations now designating themselves in this fashion. Others are in
conversation.
• A new Synod Authorized Worship Community, Grace and Mercy Lutheran Church, is being
formed in Hermiston as Trinity Lutheran Church votes to disaffiliate.
(Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Lebanon voted 125-39, with one abstention, in their first vote to disaffiliate with the ELCA on November 15, 2009. On April 25, 2010, a second vote of 130-77 failed to reach the required two-thirds majority. The congregation remains in the ELCA, but the congregation has split. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Boardman voted 24-1 in their first vote to disaffiliate with the ELCA on January 24, 2010. After a congregational split, Trinity Lutheran Church in Hermiston on their third ‘first vote’ voted 45-1 to disaffiliate with the ELCA on February 28, 2010. In these two cases, a consultation process with the bishop is being undertaken, after which a second vote must be held before separation with the ELCA is complete.)
From the financial report:
General Fund:
Mission Support in 2009 started slowly compared to 2008, about $22,000 below at the end of July. Following the Churchwide Assembly in August, the decline steepend to an average of $18,000 per month. At the end of the year, we were $131,500 below 2008, 89.2% of the annual budget.....
The report states that most of the decline came post CWA. I don't have time to copy it here, but page 46 discusses income projections for 2010-2011, and makes the following points:
- They are coming off a watershed change in 2009 when CWA actions resulted in changes in Mission support
- This, along with the economy, caused support to "plummet" beginning in August 2009
- For 2010, they have assumed this lower giving pattern for the entire year
- Projecting modest growth in that giving it 2011 due to the following factors which "may" help
a) a "robust economic recovery"
b) "quiet discussion on sexuality matters"
c) 1-1 conversations between the Bishop and congregations
d) Assistant bishop and another pastor dedicated to encouraging Mission support in the Synod
e) A new "Believe" fund raising initiative to try reach young people drifting away from the church
In expense section, the report indicates a drop in percentage sharing with Churchwide in the past years, they intend to increase this percentage in 2010 and 2011. However, actual dollars to CW are lower since it is a percentage of the declining mission support income that goes to CW. Expenses are also lower due to Synod staff changes.
we're really babes in armor.
