ELCA Churchwide Elections

[djbaer]

OK.  I'll drop a name for Secretary and add to the idle speculation.

Andrea DeGroot-Nesdahl.

Andrea is currently bishop of the South Dakota Synod but was unable to run for re-election because of the synod's term limits, so she'll be unemployed come September.

Andrea is a gifted public speaker.  She's great in front of a crowd.  She's been an elected leader in the conference of bishops so must be popular among them.  She's a friend of Bishop Hanson.  She's also a SHE which would be popular among those looking for a female face for the church.

Given that the secretary's position is mostly a widget counter (can you call pastors and church members widgets?) and constitution interpreter, this may not be the best position for her.  But she would make a good interpreter of the ELCA as one of its public faces.

[JMOtterman]

To the Right Rev. Dr. David,

I agree with you and I would more than likely nominate Bishop Andrea Degroot-Nesdahl for Secretary of this church but why not Donfried or Englund oops I know misspelled that name.  Well I gotta go, call me David, are we meeting tomorrow?

Pastor Jeff

[djbaer]

I wasn't talking about who would be the best candidate.  I was suggesting who might likely be elected. 

Andrea has some excellent gifts for public relations, but I'm not sure that's what we want in a secretary.

From my perspective, the best candidate would be, like Lowell Almen, someone who loves the church and treasures its history and theology and even loves the constitution and bylaws.  A secretary needs to care a lot about the details.  There are different gifts and the secretary needs a gifts for administration and details and structure.

The secretary, as the person who handles the rosters, will face a lot of questions about the GLBT stuff, so assumptions are that Good Soil et al will be working to find a sympathetic candidate.

Someone who would honor church policy -- rather than work from inside to change or circumvent it -- is essential as secretary.

[Vern]

Janaine would turn the ELCA upside down and bring it back to the Gospel!!! :>)

Vern

[pilgrimpriest]

Janaine would turn the ELCA upside down and bring it back to the Gospel!!! :>)

Vern

Pr. Jaynan Clark-Egland for those of you who continue to be spelling impaired.

Priest RKM

[Eric_Swensson]

Perhaps we could get the spelling of her name right (I have trouble myself) it is the Rev. Jaynan Clark Egland.

Listen, here is a link to a conference held by the Canadian group, Soild Ground, and you can listen to two of her talks and several by Dr. Jim Nestingen (I mispell his, too). http://www.solid-ground.ca/a-conferencereport2.htm

[Keith Falk]

Keith,

Why Dr. Taylor?  His candidacy would create an opportunity for discussion with Presiding Bishop Hanson and the voting members of CWA.  He is pastoral in his identity even as the toughest scholastic professor at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, he listens to people and he cares even in his disagreements.  I haven't asked him yet if I might be able to put his name into the ring but I will today.  Even as he might not get the nod his presence might carry the CWA to create healthy dialogue and find ways to future agreements.  He is passionate about the bible and the hermeneutic issues that tend to bog down the ELCA.  He would be a viable candidate, he was a successful pastor, he is a successful professor of New Testament, a man who champions tradition, Lutheran theology, identity, and he brings excellence as a way of life.  Of course, if he were editing my slop here at would fail, but my belief is that he might bring back some of those 250,000 folks that have left the church over issues not essential to the meaning of being a Lutheran Christian. 

PJ   

You'll have to let us know if he is willing for his name to be put out there.  I knew about his qualities as a teacher and a pastor, but I did not/do not know how well known he is... enough to be elected?

[JMOtterman]

Janaine would turn the ELCA upside down and bring it back to the Gospel!!! :>)

Vern

Pr. Jaynan Clark-Egland for those of you who continue to be spelling impaired.

Priest RKM

Priest Robert K. McMeekin I have had a flashback...class, class, I need you to write 8 or more times the name Jaynan Clark-Egland.
 


Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.

I couldn't spell or write her name one more time my ADD would not allow it.  So does she go by Jane or Jaynan?  Is she high church or low church, is it Rev. Jaynan, Pastor Jaynan, or Rev. Clark-Egland?  Not that we will be on a first or last name basis  but I just wanted to know.
 
OK now I probably will remember how to spell her name correctly, now where have I misplaced that Gerund?  On a more serous note about a D Major,  How many of the voters at the CWA will be friendlies of the WAN, LC3 and other groups like this?

You can call me PJ, Peej, or Pastor Jeff, but don't ever call me in the morning...  

[JMOtterman]

Keith,

When the sexuality papers pro and con were being written, he was very compassionate to those that were GLBT but he reflects a traditional position on sexuality statements based on his understanding of scripture.  He has gone to almost every synod in the US and he has spoken to the issues that this church currently faces and he could be a viable candidate for the position of Presiding Bishop.  http://www.trinitylutheranseminary.edu/Faculty-Staff/TaylorVita2.pdf  Check out his Vita.

PJ

[Eric_Swensson]

Pastor Jaynan Clark Egland. That is from the WA site. Perhaps she once was hypnenated but I haven't seen it that way in the three years I've been working with them.

Jeff, she's a gal-durned cowgirl, she wears cowboy boots, and that ain't no Gucci slippers that the pope favors.

[pilgrimpriest]

Janaine would turn the ELCA upside down and bring it back to the Gospel!!! :>)

Vern

Pr. Jaynan Clark-Egland for those of you who continue to be spelling impaired.

Priest RKM

Priest Robert K. McMeekin I have had a flashback...class, class, I need you to write 8 or more times the name Jaynan Clark-Egland.
 


Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.

I couldn't spell or write her name one more time my ADD would not allow it.  So does she go by Jane or Jaynan?  Is she high church or low church, is it Rev. Jaynan, Pastor Jaynan, or Rev. Clark-Egland?  Not that we will be on a first or last name basis  but I just wanted to know.
 
OK now I probably will remember how to spell her name correctly, now where have I misplaced that Gerund?  On a more serous note about a D Major,  How many of the voters at the CWA will be friendlies of the WAN, LC3 and other groups like this?

You can call me PJ, Peej, or Pastor Jeff, but don't ever call me in the morning...   

A minor correction, drop the hyphen. And no, she's nothing like "high-church" and probably never will be.

Priest RKM

[JMOtterman]

Is it any wonder why I get so confused? So once again Jaynan Clark Egland?  Or is it JaynanClarkEgland? Or is it PJ?

[janielou13]

Wally Taylor is a nice guy,,,,,,, does he really deserve the PBship?  I've known Wally for years first as a prof and outside the classroom,,,,,, truly one of a kind.
He would be a shoo in if he showed up at the assembly with his little red wagon in tow.  No one could vote against a man who carries all his worldly goods around in a little red wagon.

[Vern]

Thank you for the correction. Vote for her!!!!

Vern

[Deb_H.]

Her name is Jaynan Clark-Egland.
 So does she go by Jane or Jaynan?  Is she high church or low church, is it Rev. Jaynan, Pastor Jaynan, or Rev. Clark-Egland?  Not that we will be on a first or last name basis  but I just wanted to know.

My good friend goes by Jaynan.  She will answer to everything from "hey you" to Rev. Clark Egland.
She is of German-Irish descent, born and raised in Iowa.  Her husband, Steve, was born and raised in MN; they met at Luther Sem.  They have 4 children and two big dogs (a great dane and a Brazilian mastiff).  Steve was a Navy chaplain for a time and the couple served as missionaries in Tanzania for 7 years (I believe); they currently serve as pastors of Prince of Peace in NW Spokane (she is part time).

Definitely low church.  For a meeting with the leadership at Concordia Seminary at St. Louis, Jaynan wore cowboy boots (her favorite footwear) and a black leather skirt.  Some sort of shirt, but definitely no collar.

Jaynan has a very close relationship with Jim Nestingen, and I believe Steve Paulson was a classmate of hers while at Luther.

She's fun, but can be tiring to be around because of all of her energy.  When you become a friend, be prepared for bruises (literally) 'cause she's always punching you in the arm to make a point.  )
What you see is what you get; definitely no pretenses, false or otherwise, with the Eglands.

Debbie and I have enjoyed the Eglands hospitality several times; we live 120 miles apart out here in the PNW, and they were the ones who granted us sanctuary in their congregation when we were booted from our local ELCA congregation.

Lou Hesse