Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries

Today we hear from guest blogger, Rev. Jay Wiesner a member of the Proclaim community currently living in the Philadelphia area.

Guarding Against Illusory Hope

Eight years ago, on July 25, the Feast Day of St. James, I was ordained into the Ministry of Word & Sacrament. Sometimes it feels to me like it was just yesterday and other times it feels like it was twenty years ago. I never know what to make of the day, because my ordination was filled with so many strange sights and happenings. There are precious few ordinations that witness news cameras, picket signs, and the like. Very few pastors get the chance to be condemned by religious fanatics and zealots on the day that they officially enter into this vocation. I remember walking into our worship space we were utilizing that morning with picket signs on one side to the entrance. As I was walking in I heard someone shout out: “Bring out that faggot Wiesner!” My humor protected me from what I was feeling: “At least they pronounced my name correctly.” And Pastor Anita Hill held onto me and told me to go inside; that I didn’t need to hear these words on this day.

Truth be told, I don’t remember much from the day. After so many cameras in your face and questions raised by news reporters, it is hard to. Every once in a while, I have to go back and look at the worship folder for my ordination and remind myself what I have promised to do.

The final charge that is given right before those gathered are asked whether or not they will support the newly ordained is powerful and daunting: “Care for God’s people, bear their burdens and do not betray their confidence. So discipline yourself in life and teaching that you preserve the truth, giving no occasion for false security or illusory hope. Witness faithfully in word and deed to all people. Give and receive comfort as you serve within the Church. And be of good courage, for God has called you, and your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Illusory hope seems to be all the world can give these days. Hope in the weapons that will “protect” us. Hope in the latest technological device that will make our lives “simpler” and “more complete”. Hope in money earned that will keep our lives “secure”.

Pastors are not supposed to be in that business of illusory hope, even though we find ourselves in the same atmosphere that breathes these “hopes” as everyone else. I don’t think that there is a pastor alive who doesn’t succumb at times to these false dreams of “security” and “blessing”. What makes it even more vexing is that Jesus has been warped by many to reflect these illusory hopes that we are to guard against.

I think that there are times in my life when I have created an illusory hope of my own. I can’t speak for my fellow LGBT sisters and brothers who have walked in similar shoes; I can only speak for myself. There are times when I have held onto a hope (without fully admitting it, mind you) that I have the power to be able to communicate to the Church and world that LGBT pastors are just as good as our heterosexual, cisgender pastors. Yes, little old me. Trying to hold onto this hope that I have what it takes to make all the wrongs become rights within this “issue” can be exhausting and damaging to my soul. It is the reason that I hear a voice inside of my soul say: “You’re the reason why the Church is at war. You’re the reason why so many people are angry.”

Nowhere in the liturgy of my ordination service did it say: “Spend hours, days, months, and years of your life proving to the world that you are just as good as other pastors and people within the body of Christ who claim that you have no business here today. Bend over backwards to legitimize your standing in the Church.” Instead, it said things like: Pray. Study, read, and live the Scriptures. Nourish the Church with the Word and Sacraments. Let God’s love be known in all that you do. There’s no illusory hope in any of that. Instead, there’s a whole lot of real hope grounded in Christ, whose foolish message of the kingdom of God is the wisdom that changes everything this world builds up and proclaims.

On this eighth anniversary marking the day when I was set apart to the office of Word and Sacrament, I give thanks and I let go. I give thanks for all of those wise and broken saints and sinners that have nurtured the faith I have received from the Holy Spirit in Jesus. I give thanks for their love, words, and deeds. And I let go of any hare-brained idea that I have what it takes to make all of the misunderstanding and discrimination be wiped away, because I don’t. No one does, save for one. That is the one who equips all of us:

“The God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of eternal covenant, equip you with everything good so that you may do God’s will, working in you that which is pleasing in God’s sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

The Rev. Jay Wiesner was extraordinarily ordained on July 25, 2004. He served as pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minneapolis from 2004-2008. Jay was a member of the ELM Roster until he was received onto the ELCA Clergy Roster in 2010. Jay is a co-founder of The Naming Project, a faith-based youth group serving youth of all sexual and gender identities. Jay is a member of Proclaim and has served as pastor of University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation in Philadelphia since 2008.

The Saint Paul Area Synod Council has issued a call to The Rev. Anita C. Hill to serve as the ReconcilingWorks Regional Director for Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

ReconcilingWorks: Lutherans for Full Participation cordially invites you:

Saturday, August 11, 2012; 2:00 pm

Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church

1669 Arcade St N St Paul MN 55106-1041

Preaching: The Rev. Bradley Schmeling

Presiding: The Rev. Bonnie Wilcox

Installing: The Rev. Paul Erickson

All are welcome, without exception! Reception to follow.

Anita is known through the region and the U.S. for her integrity, compassion and pastoral identity as she has worked to advocate for the full inclusion of marginalized peoples into the mainstream of our society. Anita has an M.A. degree in Religious Studies and M. Div. Degree from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities.

Anita was extraordinarily ordained in 2001. She was a member of the ELM Roster until she was received onto the ELCA  Clergy Roster in a special “Rite of Reception” in the Saint Paul Area Synod on September 18, 2010, in a special celebration with ELM roster colleagues Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart. Anita is a member of the Proclaim community. Proclaim, a program of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, is a community for Lutheran rostered leaders and seminarians who publicly identify as LGBTQ.

On Sunday, July 15 First United Lutheran in San Francisco took a historic vote to rejoin the ELCA.  First United unanimously voted for the reunion. After calling openly gay pastor Jeff Johnson, First United was suspended in 1990, then expelled in 1995. Their actions, along with those of St. Francis Lutheran Church began the movement that became Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries, then the Extraordinary Candidacy Project and eventually to the formation of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. First United has been a voice for inclusion and expansive outreach and has been an active independent Lutheran congregation.

Rev. Susan M. Strouse is pastor of First United Lutheran Church.  Pastor Susan was on the ELM Roster for a period of time when her call was in jeopardy because she was serving First United.   You can read her blog here.

For more on the historic vote read here.

2012 ELM Grant recipient Grace Lutheran Church of Houston, TX ministry was profiled in The Lutheran Magazine. Grace Lutheran Church runs the ministry Grace Place, an organization that serves homeless youth in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston.  Grace Place “provides a safe, welcoming environment for vulnerable homeless youth of all sexualities and gender identities, providing nourishment, healthy relationships and hope for the future. ” Grace Lutheran Church has been an ELM Grant recipient for three years. 

Rev. Lura Groen, the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church asked to share this with ELM supporters:

“Thanks, ELM! You provided grant money that made ministry at Grace Lutheran possible, and it is more fun than I ever could have expected! Not only that, through Proclaim I was connected to other pastors doing tranformative homeless ministry. They inspired me, held me accountable, and were always on the other end of the phone when I needed advice. What a wonderful community ELM is for empowering God’s work in the world!”

Read more about Grace Lutheran Church here. Information about ELM’s 2013 Grant Cycle will be posted on our website at the end of July. 

Huffington Post ran the article “How LGBT Summer Camps Shaped My Faith” written by Nicole Greer, a young LGBT advoacte about her experince at LGBT summer camps. The article features Wonderfully Made Camp and The Naming Project. Wonderfully Made Camp was created by University Lutheran in Philadelphia. The congregation is served by  Proclaim member, the Rev. Jay Wiesner. One of the founding members of the camp was former ELM board member Fred Wolfe.  The Naming Project is staffed and directed by Rev. Brad Froslee, Rev. Jay Wiesner and Ross Murray.  Both Froslee and Wiesner are part of the Proclaim community.

Nicole shares:

The Naming Project and Wonderfully Made both strengthened my faith. Although the dynamics were different, both religious camps provided spaces for LGBT Christians. Not only did the camps allow attendees to feel safe being themselves, I found the environment to be a reaffirming sanctuary. I think that it is so important for LGBT Christian youth to have places in which they can be themselves and explore their faith and identity. 

Read the full article here.

Today we hear from guest blogger, Cary Bass a member of the Proclaim community currently living in the Bay Area. Cary is a 2012 Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries seminarian internship grant recipient. 

A reflection on my wedding and marriage equality

Michael and I began dating in 2006, and we moved to San Francisco to follow my career less than two years later. In March of that year, he proposed marriage to me, and I accepted. This was not yet an easy proposition. At that time, Massachusetts was the only state in the United States permitting same-sex unions. Canada was also a possibility for us, especially given that Michael was born a Canadian. As what happens with many couples, we did not quickly decide on a date; preferring to wait until we had more time to prepare for the blessed event.

Two months later, the California Supreme Court overturned the state’s ban on same-sex unions, opening the door for the possibility of getting married right where we lived. As we know from history, this window was only open for just over four months, after which time, the state constitutional amendment known as Proposition 8 passed by minimal margins of 52.47% to 47.53%, ending the hope for legally recognized marriage between Michael and I. 

Why did we wait? There are several reasons, not the least of which was that I refused to contemplate that Proposition 8 would actually pass. Additionally, we consider marriage to be a sacred rite, more than just a legally binding document between two people. For myself to enter into this sacred bond with another person meant to make it publicly affirming, thereby allowing the opportunity for our friends and family to be a part of it. As both of our families live in the eastern part of the United States, this meant announcing the event long before it was to take place; and there was just not enough time before election day.

Furthermore, to us marriage involves a sacred and holy ceremony, involving God. For us that means a member of clergy perform it and it take place in a church. 

On June 9, 2012, Michael and I entered the bond of holy union. The ceremony was presided by Sarah Birdsall Isakson at Lutheran Church of the Cross in Berkeley. Many of our family and friends were in attendance.

While the same-sex marriage debate rolls on around us, Michael and I now consider ourselves joined in holy matrimony. I find it ironic given the nature of complaints that my marriage is recognized by the churches we attend and my seminary. Our family recognizes it. Our friends. The only thing missing is that of our state government. It saddens me that there are members of our own faith who sincerely believe that the recognition by the government of same-sex unions impinges on their religious freedoms, while it is evident to me that its non-recognition is a violation of my religious freedom and the millions of others who believe that marriage applies to us as well.

Cary Bass is a 45 year old Candidate for Ministry with the Sierra Pacific synod.  Prior to his clergy life, he worked as the volunteer coordinator for the Wikimedia Foundation, the organization behind Wikipedia, and as a writer, having published two short stories.  He lives full time with his spouse, Michael in their home in North Oakland, and Banjo, a 10-year old Staffordshire Terrier/Boxer mix. 

Last week Rev. Bradley Schmeling began his new call at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in St. Paul, MN. Gloria Dei now becomes the largest Lutheran church in the nation with a pastor who is openly gay. 

Bradley made national headlines for being put on trial by the Lutheran Church for being in a relationship with his partner Darin Easler, also a Lutheran minister. Bradley and Darin are both members of Proclaim, the professional community for publicly-identified LGBTQ Lutheran rostered leaders and seminarians, a program of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. Read more about Bradley’s call here. 

Bradley gave a video interview with  5 EYEWITNESS News, watch the full video here.

Today we hear from guest blogger, Brenda Bos a member of the Proclaim community currently living in southwest California. 

Los Angeles Pride Parade & Festival

Reconciling in Christ Lutherans marched in the Christopher Street West Los Angeles Pride parade June 10, 2012.  This was my third parade as a member of RIC, my first wearing a clerical collar.  For many people, Pride is a place to come out as an LGBT person.  For me, I was coming out as a pastor.

My internship supervisor and fellow Proclaim member Pr. James Boline and I marveled at how fortunate we are to be serving in the Southwest California Synod.  We humbly acknowledge we stand on the shoulders of those who have come before.  In fact, this year’s Street Eucharist, held before the Parade, honored The Berkeley Four (Joel Workin, Greg Egertson, Pr. Jeff Johnson and Jim Lancaster) who were the first “out” seminarians at PLTS in the 80’s as well as our current bishop, The Very Rev. Dean Nelson and former bishop The Very Rev. Paul Egertson and his wife Shirley, all of whom have been advocates and pastors to us all.  Because of these brave people, we can be out and proud today.

There are three major points of ministry at the L.A. Pride parade and festival, and I wanted to celebrate them all with you.

First: our bishop and other Lutherans march in the parade.  We hand out club cards with a list of welcoming churches in the area.  Bishop Nelson blesses the crowd, smiles, shouts “Happy Pride!” and “God bless you!”.  You can imagine people are both amazed and touched.  A few years ago we overheard one woman ask another in the crowd, “What’s he wearing around his neck, a chalice?” and the other said, “I don’t know I’m an atheist,” and then started applauding and called out, “Thank you, Bishop, thank you for being here.”  You never know who will be touched by our presence.

Second:  the Street Eucharist.  We share this service with local Episcopalians.  One of their bishops also attends.  It’s incredible to see bishops in full vestments, on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, preaching and presiding, usually right next to a float of dancers who are preparing to hit the route.  Talk about Proclaiming!  Every year people stop and listen, needing a few minutes to take in the sacred space at Pride.  Then they look around and see the rainbow boas, the drag queens, the LGBT couples holding hands while they pray…their minds are officially blown.

Third is our booth at the festival.  We apply over 2500 RIC heart temporary tattoos to anyone and everyone every year for three years.  You have to experience it to understand the power of those thirty seconds spent with a stranger as the tattoo is applied.  Sometimes there is only silliness, when a group rushes the booth and says, “We want that great tattoo!”  Sometimes it is a chance for a young gay person to whisper, “Really?  Your church is OK with me?”  Nothing compares to that moment when you can look a person in the eye and say “Yes.  God loves you.”

This year I started to understand how members of Proclaim are role-models to LGBT Lutherans.  A lesbian couple from my home congregation kept introducing me to people they met at Pride.  “She’s doing it!” they would say.  “She’s going to be a pastor and she has a partner!”  We offer a powerful message of hope about the future of our church and the work of Jesus Christ in the world.

You may not have a Pride festival or parade in your area.  If you do, wear a collar.  Open a booth with a rainbow flag and offer free blessings and tattoos.  If you don’t, consider a street Eucharist at a public event.  Start wearing a RIC temporary tattoo and share with friends.  Or just try to find a way to tell someone, “It’s true, God loves you!”  Happy Pride, Proclaim!

Brenda Bos is a member of the Proclaim Communications Duo and a 2012 Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries seminarian internship grant recipient. She lives in Pasadena, California with her partner Janis Reid.  She will serve as Vicar of St. Paul Santa Monica beginning August 1, 2012.

Today we hear from guest blogger, the Rev. Susan M. Strouse, pastor of First United Lutheran Church in San Francisco, CA. After calling openly gay pastor Jeff Johnson, First United was suspended in 1990, then expelled in 1995. Their actions, along with those of St. Francis Lutheran Church began the movement that became Lutheran Lesbian & Gay Ministries, then the Extraordinary Candidacy Project and eventually to the formation of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries. First United has remained an active independent Lutheran congregation. On July 15, they will vote on whether or not to become a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American. In this guest blog (reposted with permission from PS – Pastor Susan’s Blog), Pastor Susan shares part of that journey. You can follow the rest of this story on Pastor Susan’s blog by clicking here. 

Circling Back towards the ELCA

When I moved to Berkeley in 2002, my bishop back in the Upstate New York synod cleaned out my file and sent me a few documents she thought I’d like to have. One of them was a copy of the letter I had written in 1995 to the synod council of the ELCA, begging them not to expel the two churches in San Francisco for calling openly gay pastors. I love it that a copy of that letter made it back into my file.

Little did I know then that nine years later I myself would be called to one of those congregations, First United. It was and is a great fit, and I feel privileged to be part of this amazing group of people. Now, the wheel of history has turned once again, and First United is poised for a historic vote next month to decide whether or not to return to the ELCA.

The road to July 15 has not been without its bumps – even when they called an openly straight pastor! Before the ELCA changed its ordination policy, there was little discussion about returning. The only reason then would have been to insure that I would not be dropped from the clergy roster, having been placed ‘on leave from call’ when I went to First United. I didn’t want that to be the reason, and I’m grateful to Bishop Mark Holmerud for finally making that a non-issue.

And then the policy changed. Everyone immediately wanted to know if we’d be coming back. St. Francis began their process towards reinstatement. Opinion in the community was divided. Some asked, “Well, why wouldn’t you?”  Others, “Why would you?” Within the congregation there didn’t seem to be much incentive to make a change. 

But with the reception of the ELM 7 – http://extraordinarylutheranministries.blogspot.com/2010/06/eucharist-and-rite-of-reception-and.html 

and then St. Francis’ beautiful ‘Festival of Reconciliation and Restoration’ – (http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4719)
the spotlight was on us. We entered into a time of discernment, including a congregational forum facilitated by the Rev. Dr. Rachel Rivers, a Swedenborgian minister and licensed counselor and spiritual director. We made  a list on three separate sheets of newsprint: ‘What Would We Gain By Rejoining the ELCA,’ ‘What Would We Lose . . .’ and ‘What Do We Have to Offer the ELCA?’

The discussion revealed some fear: of loss of identity, of uniqueness, of forgetting our history. It also revealed awareness: of the need to forgive, of the danger of moral superiority, of the courage of the ELCA to change the policy. And possibilities: of what gifts we could bring to the denomination, of being part of working for change from within the system, of being part of something bigger than ourselves. It was a fabulous forum, and we appeared to be well on our way to a decision.

Then we ran up against the constitution.  The next step of the process was to get our constitution in alignment with the ELCA model.  Sounds simple, right?  Not for First United!  With a strong commitment to inclusive language, insistence on an article about the right to marry, and a penchant for getting bogged down in wordsmithing everything anyway – the constitution became a stumbling block.  It took us a year to work through feelings of attachment to the constitution that had been written after the expulsion and anger at once again having to submit to an institution’s authority.  We finally worked through it all and sent it off to the synod, an it was approved last month. And now we get to vote.

Last week at our annual meeting, the proposed constitution was introduced with a tongue-in-cheek “In 1996, when the ELCA left us . . .”), followed by Q&A time.  It was an honest – at times emotional – productive discussion. And now we are ready.  On July 15, we’ll vote
1) to rescind our current constitution;
2) to accept the proposed new constitution;
3) to rejoin the ELCA

As we circle back, we do so knowing that we have all been changed by the past 20+ years: Jeff Johnson, Ruth Frost and Phyllis Zillhart, the pastors called to First United and St. Francis, the two congregations, the ELCA, countless people interested in and affected by the story. My story is a small part of it, but I feel incredibly privileged to be part of it at all. My circle – from pastor of North Park Lutheran Church in Buffalo in 1995 to pastor of First United in 2012 – is part of the bigger circle, which is part of a bigger circle, which is part of  . . . and so on.

Stay tuned for news on July 15.

Below is a reflection written by 2012 Workin Scholar Asher O’Callaghan on the piece “Sermon for the Installation of the Rev. Jeff R. Johnson” by Joel R. Workin:

I was especially struck by Joel R. Workin’s sermon, “The Installation of Pastor Jeff Johnson”. In particular, the sermon helped me to identify two seemingly simple but thoroughly transformative expressions of the Gospel that have changed the course of my life: feet and the ground on which they stand, walk, and dance. Human feet. Like mine. Or yours. Or Christ’s. In my case, they feature frightening hairy toes which look freakishly akin to monkey-fingers. But in all cases they are somewhat embarrassing, often stinky, and are inescapably weird. So in many ways they’re a fitting expression of Church.

Read the full essay here.