I was amazed but not surprised over how little information was coming from the ELCA regarding the momentous decisions that will be made by and the potentially momentous changes that will be coming from the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, which will be held July 28-August 2.  My impression is that the ELCA is saying as little as possible so that there will be as little conversation as possible before the assembly, so that when the decisions are made and the actions are taken at the assembly it will be a fait accompli and nothing can be done.  And the ELCA is counting on what will most likely be the case – that the people who will be voting members of the assembly will be people who will overwhelmingly vote in favor of the proposed actions and changes.  The only question is whether the voting members will feel that what they will be presented with to vote on will go far enough.

The ELCA has resumed offering “Living Lutheran” magazine in print form.  I recently received the Summer 2025 issue in the mail, which contains three articles regarding the Churchwide Assembly.  Admittedly that is something, but I wonder how many across the ELCA will receive it and read it.  In talking with people I find that the general consensus is that most people in the ELCA have absolutely no idea what is coming.

The first of these articles is entitled “A preview of actions” and can be found on page 11.  There are a total of ten words concerning proposed amendments to the ELCA constitutions – fewer words than are used for the required opening land acknowledgement.  Only ten words – in spite of the fact that the proposed amendments do many things including increase the mandated or desired level of participation of persons from “historically underrepresented groups” and fast track the approval process for amendments that come from the floor.  I have identified and evaluated many of the proposed constitutional changes in my April 2025 letter from the director.  A link to that letter can be found HERE. 

The second of these articles is entitled “Revisiting ‘Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust’” and can be found on pages 16-17.  The article continues what the ELCA has consistently been doing in downplaying the significance of the changes in this first phase of the reconsideration process.  It calls them “text updates without changing the meaning of the social statement.”  It quotes Ryan Cumming, ELCA program director for theological ethics, education, and community development, as saying, “The hope is that folks can be clear these are edits and not substantive changes right now and focus on the way in which the wording brings the 2009 social statement up to date.”  Please see my article regarding the Human Sexuality Reconsiderations Task Force in the January 2025 issue of our newsletter.  A link to that article can be found HERE.  As I pointed out in my article, I do not see how moving from merely approving publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same sex relationships (PALMS) to a full embrace of every form of gender identity and sexual orientation can be called mere edits and not substantive changes.  The article in “Living Lutheran” does have the honesty and integrity to conclude with a warning of what is to come.  It discloses the fact that the next step is a process that could lead to “substantive changes” in the section of the social statement that “names the ELCA’s recognition of four conviction sets that Lutherans can faithfully hold about same-gender relationships, typically referred to as ‘bound conscience.’”  That process is expected to begin this fall and conclude with action taken by the 2028 Churchwide Assembly. 

The third of these articles is entitled “Called to renew” and is about the work of the Commission for a Renewed Lutheran Church.  It can be found on pages 18-19.  A link to my article in the May 2025 issue of our newsletter on the Final Report of the Commission can be found HERE.  The 2022 Churchwide Assembly, which called for the formation of the Commission, had grand and glorious ideas regarding the work of the Commission, even that it might lead to a special, separate assembly that would reconstitute the ELCA.  But it seems that reality prevailed (as it has a habit of doing).  The Final Report of the Commission calls for many amendments and changes, but not for a totally new, reconstituted church formed at a separate reconstituting convention.  In the article Carla Christopher Wilson, Commission co-chair, is quoted as saying, “The only way to rewrite and restructure the entire constitution in one go would essentially be to dissolve the churchwide organization.”  Therefore the Commission has proposed a “phased approach, recommending amendments rather than dissolution” and the Church Council has responded by “forming tasks forces and committees to continue the work.”   Personally I find the language in the article toned down compared with the language in Recommendation 1 in the Final Report.  In that Recommendation the Commission shows that it is still thinking big time when it states that if all the constitution and bylaw amendments needed for the ELCA to become a “truly welcoming church” that realizes “authentic diversity” are not developed in time for consideration by the 2028 Churchwide Assembly, then the ELCA Church Council needs to call for a special meeting of the Churchwide Assembly to evaluate and enact the necessary constitutional revisions. 

The other part of this article that caught my attention is in the next paragraph, which tells how the ELCA Church Council responded to the Commission’s recommendation which “urged immediate accountability structures and compliance incentives to center equity across the ELCA.”  The Council responded by “strengthening the Strategy Toward Authentic Diversity Advisory Team and mandating DEIA standards development for congregations and synods.”  Whenever the ELCA uses any form of the word “mandated,” all confessional Lutherans still in the ELCA need to get really nervous.  In this sentence what is mandated?  Is the development of standards mandated or are the standards that will be developed mandated?  And if it is the standards that will be developed that will be mandated, what will happen to congregations that are not in full compliance? 

I am glad that the ELCA at least communicated something about the upcoming Churchwide Assembly in the Summer 2025 issue of “Living Lutheran.”  But I wonder how many will take the time and put forth the effort to read and understand it, and how many will remain blissfully unaware.  I will be attending the Churchwide Assembly as a Visitor and look forward to telling you about it in my August letter from the director.  

Editor’s Note: The author is writing about the outlandishness of the 1994 draft.  It promoted same sex relationships and masturbation.  And it was released to the press before it was released to ELCA pastors which caused an enormous uproar. 

Several of us on the current board of Lutheran CORE have been tasked with sharing where we are in our journey in or out of the ELCA. 

It was the early 1980’s and my then first pastoral “boss” (I was his associate) and mentor used to say things like, “In the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., everyone has a puke point. You’ll know it when you reach it.”  He often said graphic things like that such as, “Stay somewhere long enough and you can outlast your bastards” and “The milk of human kindness flows sparingly in the church.”  Wow, burned out much?  Please Lord, don’t let me get that hopeless.  A newly ordained still aglow with the infused idealism of stepping into the role I was wondering if I’d make a mistake learning from him.  But (and you knew that was coming) in some ways the years proved him correct.  Stay somewhere long enough that you form deep, abiding relationships with your members and it’s amazing what you can accomplish together.  Leaders shape culture and over time the character and competence of the Pastor will inform the priorities of a congregation’s mission and ministry.  People who don’t like the direction will drift out, sometimes with all the finesse of a toddler’s tantrum, but they’ll go. Hint: you know you’ve achieved that when you want to weep at members’ funerals because you’re now burying friends and not just people who called you to the role. That’s an important dynamic for this article, deep connections versus doing what’s right.  Relationship while feeling the tug of responsibility.

As per the “Puke Point” teaching that was harder to nail down.  In sitting down to write this tome I searched in vain about the internet’s nooks and crannies to substantiate the quote, but I couldn’t, but the notion is something I carried for years.  I didn’t reach that point when the 1994 draft on human sexuality was released.  While most reacted strongly to the call on the church to recognize same sex unions, something that started rattling around in the ELCA since its inception in 1988 so no surprise there, I noted that our confirmation instruction should now include the positive aspects of masturbation.  Where did that come from and why the sudden interest in budding adolescent sexuality? When the church started paying for abortions one exiting pastor wrote his Suma, “Real churches don’t kill babies.”   During my brief stint as an assistant to the bishop of Sierra Pacific Synod an openly gay pastor was called to be chaplain at UC Berkeley and several churches in Oakland held joint youth group activities with an openly gay seminarian leading. That should have been my early clue. Like a magician’s sleight of hand, adult relationships were waved in front of us but in my opinion the real target was children.

At the June 2018 national ELCA Youth Gathering a chemically and surgically mutilated child was paraded across the stage as an inspirational symbol of acceptance.  Adults who make such decisions are one thing.  I think they need therapy and not surgery, but that’s on them.  A child, one whose prefrontal cortex was not yet fully developed, was subjected to irreversible medical procedures and revealed as blessed by God. I was done.  I’d finally reached that unverifiable quote point. Six months later I announced my early retirement.  Relationships kept me in, but a quad bypass and the potential stress of taking out the entire congregation wasn’t something I could do, although much to his credit, my replacement soon had them out the door.  This is a short article, and the full story is more nuanced, but such is my journey.  I know you have your own.  May you find community and peace of Christ outside the ELCA.

Six years. That was the length of time St. John’s Lutheran Church of Nanticoke, PA, went without a called pastor. For six years, this incredibly close-knit group of strong lay leaders worked hard to keep their church family together and to remain an active congregation.

Why so long? While it would be nice if there were only one reason, such as only having one pastoral candidate offered to them over those six years, sadly, that was not the case. As time passed, several factors ultimately led to their decision to consider alternative Lutheran church bodies with which to affiliate.

The most consistent factor was a lack of support from the Synod. Initially, the congregation had two or three pulpit supply options, but it later dropped to just one: a pastor who was dying of lung cancer. Ironically, this pastor was once their called pastor, whom they put under a one-year review and eventually dismissed because her sermons were highly volatile, divisive, and not centered around the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Over time, conditions worsened as the Synod could no longer provide or guarantee bi-weekly or even monthly pulpit supply, leaving St. John’s to fend for itself. St. John’s had no choice but to seek support from other Lutheran groups that could assist fellow Christians in need on an occasional basis. Rotating between lay leaders and occasional visiting supply pastors, church leadership started to question the future of the ELCA and whether they wanted to stay in it.

What about their interim? Their decision to consider other Lutheran bodies had nothing to do with her. They felt sorry for her because she had her own congregation and was also serving as an interim at St. John’s and a few other parishes simultaneously. She did what she could to support them.

In 2018, the congregation was surprised to learn that an eight-year-old, who had transitioned from his biological sex to the opposite with parental permission, was a featured speaker at the national youth gathering.

That same year, Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton was interviewed by the Chicago Sun-Times, where she expressed her opinion as a representative of the most prominent American Lutheran Church body, suggesting that she believed there may be a hell, and in her view, it would be empty. Her publicly expressed opinion, as a representative of the ELCA, constitutes a denial of her ordination vows, which state that the ordinand is to affirm what the Church confesses, accepts, and teaches concerning the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. The ordinand is then asked, “Will you therefore preach and teach in accordance with the Holy Scriptures and these creeds and confessions?” How can an ordained Lutheran Pastor confess the Creeds and then say something that could cause others to doubt the existence of hell, contradicting the authority of Scripture? When someone no longer believes Scripture to be the norming norm, it is easy to understand such an answer.  

While I could continue, events like these prompted St. John’s church council to reach out and start discussions to find which denominations might be a good fit. As they learned more about the denomination they once proudly belonged to, the council shared their findings with the congregation. During the last three years of their pastoral vacancy, the congregation—which considers itself a church family—held many conversations and came together as one.

Feeling fed up, they took the necessary steps to initiate the vote process for disaffiliation. On November 19, 2023, they held their first vote. Afterwards, a representative from their Synod conducted a building inspection and asked whether the congregation had ever received a loan or grant to meet its church needs, which it had not. Following the constitutional rules, they held their second vote on February 18, 2024. Both votes were unanimous, and that is how St. John’s Lutheran Church of Nanticoke, PA, became the 500th congregation to join the North American Lutheran Church. By August of that year, they had completed their paperwork and gone through the call process. I was ordained and installed as their pastor on October 24, 2024. They prayed and worked to keep their church family together and are all the stronger for it.  

August 17: 10^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15)

Jeremiah 23:16-29 (Beware of false prophets who prophesy peace and plenty; God will act

against wicked; his word is like fire and hammer)

            ELW/RCL: Jeremiah 23:23-29 (Eliminates warning against false prophets)

Psalm 119:81-88 (My soul longs for your salvation; I am persecuted but shall remain faithful)

            ELW/RCL: Psalm 82 (God calls for justice; psalmist prays God should enact justice)

Hebrews 11:17-31 (32-40); 12:1-3 (Old Testament roll call of faith; we are surrounded by                        cloud of witnesses; run faith’s race; looking to Christ the pioneer and perfector of our faith)

            ELW/RCL: Hebrews 11:29-12:2 (Eliminates many Old Testament stories of faithfulness)

Luke 12:49-56 (Jesus will cast fire on earth, completing his baptism; interpret signs of times!)

*******

Opening Hymn:  God’s Word is Our Great Heritage: LBW #239, ELW #509, LSB #582

Hymn of the Day: LSB #667, Saints, See the Cloud of Witnesses (same tune as Rise, Shine, You People)

OR O God of Light, Your Word, a Lamp Unfailing (Not a hard tune, but easily sung to “Brightest

and Best of the Stars of the Morning,” LBW #84): LBW #237, ELW #507, LSB #836

OR Rise, O Children of Salvation: LBW #182

Communion Hymn #1: Lord, Keep Us Steadfast In Your Word: LBW #230, ELW #517, LSB #655

Communion Hymn #2: He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought: LBW #501

OR Let Justice Flow Like Streams: ELW #717

Closing Hymn: The Clouds of Judgment Gather (Can be sung to tune for “Lead On, O Kinky Turtle,” LBW

#495): LBW #322, LSB #513

OR My Lord, What a Morning: WOV #627, ELW #438

*******

Let us pray for the Church, the world, and for one another.

A brief silence

Father, sometimes your word dismays us! We don’t like to hear about divine fire, judgment, and division. Make us brave and steadfast in faith. Give us ears to rightly hear, and hearts to rightly repent. Give us grace to show the fruits of repentant faith, to your glory and for the good of your people.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Make your Church a faithful witness to your Word. When it must speak of fire, judgment, or sin, let it be honest, fearless, and humble. Help it always point to Jesus, the merciful pioneer and perfector of our faith, and the longed-for Salvation of the world.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Renew the faith, increase the zeal, and strengthen the deeds of everyone in this congregation. Cast the purifying fire of your Holy Spirit in our midst, so that all we say and do is in accordance with your Word. Use us to accomplish your will in the lives of our neighbors.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We are surrounded by a cloud of faithful witnesses, including Christians who are persecuted in this age of “tolerance and diversity.” Strengthen and encourage us by their example. Give them patient and steadfast hearts. And burn away the sin from the hearts of all who hate them, and you.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Establish your peace among all people of this world. No plan or project of ours can heal the seeds of wickedness and violence in our hearts. Thus we plead: heal, purify, guide and direct the people and the leaders of every human endeavor, in accordance with your will and for our common good.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Until your peace is established, good men and women must risk their lives to protect others. We pray for all of them. Direct their decisions and deeds, so that even places of chaos and violence may begin to know your peace. Bring them safely home, and bless their hearts and lives with that same peace.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for everyone who is afflicted by the powers of sin, suffering, and sorrow. This day we remember before you: {List}.  Be their sure hope and strong deliverer. Strengthen their faith in times of trial. Bring them safely into the fellowship of those who love them and into closer communion with you.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, we commend our departed loved ones into your care. Renew to us the promise you make to all the faithful: that “when through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply.” Keep our faith steadfast and firm in your excellent Word, until that day when you bear us in your bosom into your everlasting Kingdom, and make us stand before you with all whom you have upheld by your righteous, omnipotent hand.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear our prayers, gracious Father, offered through the power of the Spirit; and for the sake of your dear Son, grant us all that is in accordance with your merciful will, to your glory and for the good of your people. AMEN.

August 10: 9^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14)

Genesis 15:1-6 (Abram’s faith is reckoned to him as righteousness)

Psalm 33:12-22 (Happy is nation whose God is the Lord; he is our strength and shield; he delivers

soul from death; trust in him!)

Hebrews 11:1-16 (Faith is conviction of things not seen; patriarchs, especially Abraham, saw

God’s promises afar off and welcomed them; God not ashamed to be their God.)

            ELW/RCL: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 (Eliminates roll call of pre-Abraham faithful)

Luke 12:22-34 (35-40) (Part of Sermon on the Plain: consider lilies of the field; do not worry;

where your treasure is, there is heart also; be watchful for Son of Man’s coming)

            ELW/RCL: Luke 12:32-40 (Eliminates lilies, seek first the kingdom)

*******

Opening Hymn:  Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart: LBW #553, ELW #873 (#874 is a different tune, may be an unexpected challenge but feel free to go for it)

Rejoice, O Pilgrim Throng: LSB #813

Hymn of the Day: Evening and Morning: LBW #465, ELW #761, LSB #726

OR Jesus, Priceless Treasure: LBW #457/458, ELW #775, LSB #743

Communion Hymn #1: Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God (if you didn’t sing this last week!):

WOV #783, LSB #712

OR How Great Thou Art: LBW #532, ELW #856, LSB #801

Communion Hymn #2: Have No Fear, Little Flock: LBW #476, ELW #764, LSB #735

Closing Hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past: LBW #320, ELW #632, LSB #733

*******

Let us pray for the Church, the world, and for one another.

A brief silence

Thank you, dear Father, for the beauty of earth, sea, and sky. Thank you for blessings without number, and for your great faithfulness. Increase our faith and gratitude, and give us joy amidst suffering and comfort in sadness.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Adorn your Church with faith as steadfast as Abraham’s, and as lovely as the lilies of the field. Make it a storehouse for the treasures of heaven. Let it graciously and generously share those treasures with all.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless this congregation with deep faith, untroubled hearts, kindly spirits, and loving deeds. Remind us that our treasures are not found in buildings, bank accounts, programs, or progress. Give us eyes to see our treasure in the souls of those whom you have loved, forgiven, and redeemed.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Bless and guide all who are discipleship guides, spiritual directors, and pastoral mentors. Give them grace to lead others along the path of obedience, love, and faithfulness to you.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Send your Spirit abroad in the world, so that people in every land may say, “Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord; he is our strength and shield.” Help us to find our treasure not in possessions and power, but in faith toward you and in fervent love toward one another.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Be the strength and shield of all who risk their life in defense of others. Help them act with wisdom, integrity, and competence. When their work is done, let their homecomings be joyful, their bodies and minds be healed and refreshed, their service be honored, and their skills be used in new ways.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Grant healing, hope, and faith to all who are afflicted pain or sorrow. Today we lift before you the needs of: {List}.  Bless all who suffer with your goodness and mercy. Give gentle hands and patient hearts to those who care for them; and restore them to fellowship with all who love them.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Gracious Father, thank you for cherishing all who have died trusting in you. Keep our hearts firmly fixed on your mercy and loving-kindness toward us. Help us to encourage and help one another. Remind us of the gifts of eternal life and salvation that you have stored up for us through the merits of your dear Son. Bring us into your Kingdom, where, with all of your beloved people, we may enjoy those treasures and delight in your goodness forever.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear our prayers, gracious Father, offered through the power of the Spirit; and for the sake of your dear Son, grant us all that is in accordance with your merciful will, to your glory and for the good of your people. AMEN.

August 3: 8^th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 13)

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-26 (Vanity of vanities, all is vanity…)

            RCL/ELW: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23 (Eliminates what God gives to righteous, sinners; all is still vanity!)

Psalm 100 (…or not! Praise the Lord, enter his courts with thanksgiving, for he is good and his

mercy endures forever.)

            ELW/RCL: Psalm 49:1-12 (I shall speak wisdom; none can ransom their life.

Wealthy, poor, wise, fool all die)

Colossians 3:1-11(You have died; your life is hidden in Christ and will be revealed in his glory.

Therefore put away all evil deeds; be clothed in Christ; all will be like him!)

Luke 12:13-21 (Parable of the rich fool)

*******

Opening Hymn: All People That on Earth do Dwell: LBW #245, ELW #883, LSB #791

Hymn of the Day: We Give Thee But Thine Own: LBW #410, ELW #686, LSB #781

OR Forgive Us, Lord, For Shallow Thankfulness: LSB #788

(These words are powerful. This one is getting a one-time license to duplicate. I’m serious. Do it!)

OR Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God: WOV #783

Communion Hymn #1: Son of God, Eternal Savior: LBW #364, ELW #655, LSB #842

Communion Hymn #2: For the Fruit of All Creation: WOV #760, ELW #679

For the Fruits of His Creation: LSB #894

Closing Hymn: There is a Time: LSB #762 (jazzy rendition of Ecclesiastes!)

OR Take My Life That I May Be /and Let it Be: LBW #406, ELW #583, 685, LSB #783

*******

Let us pray for the Church, the world, and for one another.

A brief silence

Heavenly Father, you bless greatly, us even when we think we have very little! You give us life and breath. Each new day gives us a chance to repent, forgive, and share Jesus’ love. Help us to thank you for these things, to enjoy them rightly; and to share them generously.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Clothe your Church with Christ. Put away from it all evil desires, words, and deeds. Fill it with your Spirit, so it abounds in every good gift, overflows with Jesus’ life, and leads many to faith in him.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Fill the people of this congregation with wisdom and humility. Remind us that everything is done for you, not for ourselves, and that we must one day render an account of our stewardship of your blessings. Make us faithful, generous, and holy. Use us to draw many people into your fatherly embrace.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Keep your persecuted Church in your care, and bless their faithful witness. Help us to provide for our suffering sisters and brothers from the storehouses of our spiritual and material riches.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for your blessing upon our nation – and for all nations. Guide our leaders with your Spirit of wisdom and understanding, counsel and might. Remind them that they are to be faithful and honest stewards of the power and authority entrusted to them.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord, lead us on the hard path of discipleship. Teach us virtues that are often unpopular: responsibility, accountability, and self-sacrifice, grounded in faith toward you and fervent love for one another.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We lift before you the suffering and sorrow of your people, including: {List}. Anoint them with the oil of gladness. Heal wounds to body, mind, and soul. Grant that, with those who love them, they may enter your gates with thanksgiving, and go into your courts with praise.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Heavenly Father, keep our beloved dead close to your heart.  Comfort all whose grief runs deep. By the power of your Spirit, turn our hearts from the folly of sin. Keep us focused on Jesus and his love for us. Make us channels of his forgiveness and grace, because so many people need them. By your mercy, bring us into your Kingdom, where with all the redeemed, we shall praise and adore you forever.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Hear our prayers, gracious Father, offered through the power of the Spirit; and for the sake of your dear Son, grant us all that is in accordance with your merciful will, to your glory and for the good of your people. AMEN.

“Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me” (Matthew 26:38).

Grief is what we often experience in this world.  There are times where we would like it to be over.  Watch.  Watch with Jesus.  Sometimes we simply have to wait until what comes will come.  But we, unlike Jesus, become distracted and either take matters into our own hands or else, go off and do things we ought not do.  Learn how to wait upon the Lord, waiting for His lead and direction.

Lord, I am impatient and do not wait upon You.  You have created me and all things are in Your hands.  Guide me, Lord, so that I am in Your hands, waiting for Your direction.  Lead me not into temptation.  Keep me from wandering in this world filled with traps and deceit.  Open my eyes to understand that all things are in Your hands.  You have given me hope and promise.  Help me to focus upon these things.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for watching and waiting.  Your disciples shirked the call and I have too.  You alone have been faithful to the end.  Lead me to look to You as the One who will guide me all of the days of my life.  In Your goodness, help me to follow Your lead.  Hold me close to You so that I do not fall asleep in the mire of this world.  Keep me on the alert so that I may remain faithful.  Amen.