Ann writes:
Oh, Please, don't forget our RIC pushing, nothing has really changed, b Brauer-Rieke of Oregon. Some of his sappy comments in a letter to the congregations:
I comment:
No one has forced any congregation to do anything, have they? And is "sappy" a good way to refer to the comments of one of your pastors?
Ann writes (first quoting her bishop):
"Congregations have always had, and will continue to have, the authority to call or not call pastors as they feel led." (That is really nice, instead of the cwa saying GLBT pastors are equal to "hetero" pastors, all congregations will have to fight it out at the local level-gay or not gay...who decides, congregation, church council? If it is such a great step forward, why allow some to opt out (or possibly only for a little while since b BR thinks it may be unworkable).
I point out:
Why should congregations "fight it out"? Each congregation can decide on its own, who it will call as pastor. Nothing has changed in that matter.
Ann writes:
Well, so far, my Nephew, on the Church Council, who brought up the actions of the cwa, thinking that the congregation should be informed, has been ridiculed, scolded by the Pastor, and of course, told that it would not make any difference in our church, as we would not have to have "one" if we did not want to. Then the sermon three days later concerned lack of love and mentioned the council meeting, also, don't let sin win.....so much for speaking out concering the changing of scripture and historic Lutheran tradition. So much for bound conscience and respecting diversity of opinion. Several other instances with our call committee, traditional members called "looney" and other vitrolic comments emailed to them...they are VERY polite ladies who were targeted and were certainly taken aback and very saddened by this attack
I note:
As has been frequently stated in these forums, second-hand and third-hand hearsay information is not always useful for discussion.
Ann writes:
Oh, yes, I was mailed from the church office, a four page "ad type" publication from the synod office extolling the virtues of the cwa and how WONDERFUL the event was, from ten of the voting members from Oregon. I and my grieving "bound conscience" certainly felt better after reading that..lots of unity and love and let's be in conversation etc. We would like to say, been there, done that over and over again. Why do they want to talk to us now and have a lot of unity? No one seemed to care before !! I think it was sent to me, as I had talked to our interim pastor about some of my reservations. Got the same old crock, "It won't affect us.....etc.".
I note:
You should keep talking with your pastor and not dismiss everything he or she says as the "same old crock." It might help relieve some of the anger that colors your comments.
