Month: October 2014

By Jen Rude, program director

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.   Romans 12:2

Is your congregation open to LGBTQ pastors?

Do you need help beginning that conversation?

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries is thrilled to be sharing a new resource with you – Enrich & Transform: Welcoming LGBTQ Candidates into the Call Process.

ELM’s Ministry Engagement Team has been working hard gathering wisdom and insight from call committee members, LGBTQ pastors, synod staff, and bishops in an effort to develop a useable resource for call committees to become more open to the full diversity of gifts and people that God has called, including LGBTQ persons.  It’s inspiring, colorful, practical, and faithful.  And I’m going to keep this blog post short so you can get right to it.  Check it out HERE!  And help us get it out there – send it to a congregation looking for a new pastor in your area!

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries’ wonderful friends made this resource possible through their contributions. Your continued support will help us identify and produce more tools for ministry. You make ministry happen!

By Rev. Jen Rude.  Jen is enriched and transformed by the bold and faithful people that are connected with Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.  Today this especially includes all the voices and stories that are represented in this resource and the Ministry Engagement Team convener, Dr. Margaret Moreland, who was a champion on this project.

By Jen Rude, program director

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.  Hebrews 10:24-25

This past Sunday, on a crisp but sunny autumn day in Chicago, a group of Proclaim members and their families gathered in the home of Rev. Michael Fick and his husband Charlie.   What a delight to be together, to catch up, to encourage each other, to talk about our work, our families, transitions, new adventures and more – all of this enriched by the delightful tastes of pumpkin and apples and other fall treats at our potluck.

As part of the evening, we shared briefly a few things that are going on in the Proclaim community and it’s exciting! This month Proclaim members are connecting as part of a book group reading Patrick Cheng’s Rainbow Theology: Bridging Race, Sexuality and Spirit, gathering to talk about Advent worship planning, and hosting conversations for those navigating being a single seminarian or rostered leader.

Although the annual Proclaim retreat is the largest gathering of the Proclaim community, this year we’ve been trying to connect in person regionally as well.  Since a lot of the work we do together is via video and conference call or email it is always so nice to see each other in 3D.

Next month I’ll be in Philadelphia gathering with Proclaim members at the home of ELM board member Jim Kowalski and Bruce Jervis, as well as connecting with students at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.  Your support helps make these connections possible as we seek to support and affirm LGBTQ rostered leaders, candidates, and seminarians as they faithfully serve God in our church and world by proclaiming God’s love and provoking one another to love and good deeds.

By Rev. Jen Rude.  Jen loves a good potluck and for this Proclaim gathering made a delightful avocado-lime purple cabbage and apple slaw (okay, so mostly her partner Deb made it).  She also delights in the funny mid-western tradition where no one will take the last piece/bite/scoop/slice during a meal.