ALPB Forum
In the June issue of The Lutheran, the ELCA Secretary reports that, as of May 5, the number of congregations having voted the 1st & 2nd times to leave the ELCA since August 2009 are;
1st votes - 851 (representing 794 congregations), 598 successful.
2nd votes - 497, 472 successful.
I few things I would note:
1st votes are successful 70% of the time - but, since several congregations which fail to pass the 1st vote try again, congregations are successful 75% of the time in passing a 1st vote eventually.
2nd votes are successful 95% of the time.
I did not see the figures for the end of March, but compared to the figures for the end of February, there have been 47 successful 1st votes in March & April, and 58 succesful 2nd votes, or an average of 24/mo. and 29/mo. respectfully. The average per month since Aug. 2009 is 30 and 24. The rate of departure has not significantly declined.
Assuming that these figures include the votes taken on May 1, Pastor Barnhart reports an additional 12 successful 1st votes through May 22 (out of 17 votes taken), and 22 successful 2nd votes (out of 22).
Marshall Hahn
1st votes - 851 (representing 794 congregations), 598 successful.
2nd votes - 497, 472 successful.
I few things I would note:
1st votes are successful 70% of the time - but, since several congregations which fail to pass the 1st vote try again, congregations are successful 75% of the time in passing a 1st vote eventually.
2nd votes are successful 95% of the time.
I did not see the figures for the end of March, but compared to the figures for the end of February, there have been 47 successful 1st votes in March & April, and 58 succesful 2nd votes, or an average of 24/mo. and 29/mo. respectfully. The average per month since Aug. 2009 is 30 and 24. The rate of departure has not significantly declined.
Assuming that these figures include the votes taken on May 1, Pastor Barnhart reports an additional 12 successful 1st votes through May 22 (out of 17 votes taken), and 22 successful 2nd votes (out of 22).
Marshall Hahn
That doesn't include the two congregations in Florida who saw what happened to another former LCA congregations in their synod who therefore decided to not even take a vote, but to instead deliberately dual-roster and simply ignore the ELCA.
Nor does it include all the congregations who have cut off the ELCA financially and who otherwise ignore the ELCA as if it didn't exist. That might irritate those who are strict ELCA company men, but it is an effective strategy for keeping a congregation from splitting or even losing many members through exodus.