The Table is the first ELCA congregation in the Southeastern Synod with the specific goal of serving the LGBTQ+ community, Bennett said. “This innovative ministry sought to establish a safe place for the community to discover their belovedness and belongingness within the Christian lens. It is deliberate work, albeit tender work,” she added. “The Table offers an affirming place for all women, particularly our LGBTQ+ identified women, to explore their being and belonging.”
It’s also the first LGBTQ+ Women of the ELCA group, which makes Bennett a trailblazer. But Bennet said she hopes it will not be the only one of its kind. “By God’s grace and our commitment to creating innovative ministry in our future church, to be the first means to also pave the way for others to create this kind of specialized unit to serve their own context,” she said.
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| Dawn's ordination was rather theatrical. |
WELS = Way Back in 2009 -
SP Mark Schroeder covering for them
Link for all those posts
The Wisconsin Lutheran College (WELS affiliated - but only when raising funds) student newspaper, "The Sword," ran a Front Page! editorial / story on the MLC video, quoted in part:
But once the video left the context of the MLC campus, it came under unforeseen criticism from some who failed to see the humor in the video.
The most pronounced critic of the video was independent Lutheran pastor and blogger Gregory Jackson. Posts from Jackson, as well as comments left by the blog's readers, labeled the actions of the MLC students featured in the video unbecoming to future WELS pastors and teachers.
These claims were based on the video from which the creators of "Party in the MLC" took their inspiration--a previous YouTube video known as "Party in the Fire Island Pines." Set to the tune of "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus, "Party in the Fire Island Pines" shows a group of men performing choreographed routines on a beach while lip-syncing the lyrics of the song."
"Party in the MLC" is a parody of the video, using the same soundtrack and many of the same routines.
The controversy over MLC students parodying "Party in the FIP" is derived from the lifestyle associated with "the FIP."
But makers of the "Party in the MLC" agree with other viewers that none of the actions in the "Party in the FIP" video would be considered blatant homosexuality. They also admit no previous knowledge of the reputation of Fire Island Pines. Ben Reichel, MLC student and video contributor, revealed, "We didn't find out until two or three days after we posted it that that's what it stood for. After we learned that we were kind of taken aback."
After learning of the offense caused by the video, the students decided to remove the video "out of Christian love" for those who found the video inappropriate. The decision to remove the video was a personal decision made by the creators of the video.
Reichel stated, "We all got together as a group --the guys who were in the video--and we realized that this caused way too much commotion and way too much negativity, and we all decided together that we were going to take it down."
After meeting amongst (sic) themselves, the students sought the advice of college administration. Reichel continued, "We went and talked to the administration here at MLC--the president and vice-president--and we got their thoughts on it too. But we knew before we even talked to them that we were going to take it down."
Matt Rothe, classmate of Reichel and video contributor, along with the rest of the students involved with the video, are ready to put "Party in the MLC" and the attention it has received in the past; "The group of guys who made this video only wished for good to come out of this video, and I must express firmly we wish for no more negative attention from it."
