St. Mark Lutheran welcomes gays, lesbians

[William769]

http://cmsimg.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=J0&Date=20111126&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=111260315&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&St-Mark-Lutheran-welcomes-gays-lesbians

St. Mark Lutheran Church on Nov. 20 announced at two worship services that it welcomes all people in the Salem community, including lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people.

The downtown Salem church is the first Lutheran congregation in the city to obtain Reconciling in Christ status, said St. Mark Pastor Charles Mantey. The church is among few local religious groups to publicly support the LGBT community, Mantey said.

The Reconciling in Christ designation is administered by Lutherans Concerned/North America, a Christian ministry, which recognizes Lutheran churches that welcome LGBT people of faith.

Members of St. Mark voted 62 to 1 by anonymous ballot Oct. 30 to become a Reconciling congregation.

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20111126/NEWS/111260315/St-Mark-Lutheran-welcomes-gays-lesbians?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cs

[murielm99]

1. I didn't know any Lutheran churches did this.

I love it!

[William769]

2. The ELCA is on the verge of doing this in all their Church's.

Until then the "Reconciling in Christ" Church's are able to do on their own.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. I doubt that the Missouri and Wisconsin Synod churches will in the foreseeable future

(for those of you who aren't up on Lutheranism, the names of those varieties of Lutherans refer to where they were organized, not where they currently exist--they are nationwide).

But the ELCA has already approved ordaining gay clergy.

[murielm99]

4. I was raised Missouri Synod.

I am familiar with the thinking.