In Western IA synod: Bethany in Laurens, former LCA, taking second vote on Dec 12.
Question: Was Morningside, Sioux City former LCA? They left for LCMC a few years back.
The reality is that the majority of former LCA congregations in Iowa are clustered in SE Iowa. I gave a presentation at tiny Munterville Lutheran west of Ottumwa on Nov 14, despite a heavy-handed attempt by the SE Iowa synod to scare me off (got a phone call from an assistant to Bishop Burke, who told me if I made the presentation that Bp Burke would inform Bp. Ullestad that I was engaging in activities contrary to the interest of the ELCA. I took the phone call the same time I was holding a letter from Bishop Ullestad censuring and admonishing me--1st level of discipline--for my association and actiivity (sic) on behalf of a body, the NALC, that was schismatic to the ELCA...threats, threats, threats...all that is left in the ELCA arsenal is the attempt to intimidate and coerce...).
Ken
ALPB
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" ... the ELCA is willing to try this pure lunacy out of love for one another ..." - Brian Stoffregen
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Forgive me if some of the info below has already been reported this thread is a pretty long oneat this point.
The following link to the Northeast Iowa Synod lists abiut eleven churches which have all solidly voted on the first ballot to leave the ELCA
http://www.neiasynod.org/synod_news/CongregationalVotes.asp
I also note that it is interesting to read the latest listing of NALC churches (type NALC Lutheran on the search engines and it will give you the link.) To me the listing indicates several clear clusteirng (sic) of congregations which should bode well for the future of the NALC in terms of building awareness of it and cooperative ventures among its congregations. The presence of congregations from both Iowa and South Dakota indicates that NALC is building a more diverse membership of congregations than some suspected would be the case, and the rapid growth towards a hundred congregations should help it meet its budget needs quite handily or so I would think. it is also interestuing (sic) to see how just as Word Alone helped to birth CORE and LCMC that now CORE is helping to birth NALC and I imagine that NALC will be able to establish its distinct identity fairly quickly given the growth it is expereincing (sic)and the low overhead for its national staffing and office. Meanwhile Word Alone continues to expand its influence via Sola Publishing and other ventures, it is in a transition phase, rapid adaptation is having to take place on a number of fronts. I also note that the AFLC is picking up a few congregations still a look at its growth pattersn (sic) over the years would indicate a small but healthy church body that has steadily expanded around much of the country.
ALPB
