Lisa Larges Keynote Presenter at Gathering of LGBTQ Lutheran Clergy and Rostered Leaders

Sharei Green February 14, 2011
Lisa Larges
Lisa Larges

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) has announced that Lisa Larges will be the keynote presenter for its spring rostered leaders retreat. The retreat will be held April 1-3 near Lake Geneva, WI and is open to all publicly-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Lutheran clergy and rostered lay leaders. The retreat will be the formal launch of Proclaim, a new professional community for LGBTQ rostered leaders in the Lutheran church. Registration information is available here.

A lifelong Presbyterian, Lisa became a candidate for ministry in the Twin Cities Presbytery (a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church) in 1986, and a publicly-identified lesbian candidate in 1991. The Twin Cities Presbytery affirmed her call to ministry as an open lesbian.

In 1992, that affirmation was overturned by a ruling from the highest judicial court in the Presbyterian Church.

Lisa has continued to seek ordination to Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church for more than 20 years. In a groundbreaking decision the Presbytery of San Francisco approved Lisa to move forward in the Ordination process. The vote by the San Francisco Presbytery to move Lisa forward in the ordination process was challenged, and in the fall of 2009, the highest court of the Presbyterian Church ruled that the Presbytery could bring Lisa forward for the trials of examination for Ordination.

In 2010, the Presbytery voted 156-138 to approve her for Ordination. This decision was been challenged, and will go through the Presbyterian judicial process. A final ruling is expected in early 2011.

“Lisa’s story has parallels and intersections with many in our community,” said ELM Executive Director Amalia Vagts. “Her public identity as a lesbian called to serve has been instrumental in changes within the Presbyterian church. We are delighted to learn more with her!”

Lisa currently serves as Minister Director for That All May Freely Serve, an organization working for the full inclusion of LGBT people in the Presbyterian Church, particularly on the issue of ordination.

The Rev. Jay Wilson

Sharei Green February 14, 2011
The Rev. Jay Wilson

The Rev. Jay Wilson is a queer and genderqueer transguy, autistic and disabled, who identifies as a Lutheran postmodern, third-wave feminist, academic geek, disability rights activist, and social justice advocate. Jay completed his Masters in Social Work from College of St. Catherine/St. Thomas University and completed his Masters in Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Rev. Wilson worked at Welcome: A Communal Response to Poverty in San Francisco, CA. He was ordained to serve at Welcome through his work at First United Lutheran Church in San Francisco. Prior to working at Welcome, Jay worked in St. Paul, MN as a disability rights individual advocate.

Jay has worked with religious communities and diverse organizations as a presenter, educator, and advocate in cross-movement anti-oppression, sexuality and gender identity, Self-Advocacy movement, and community access.  He served ELM as chair of the Diversity and Inclusion committee until March 1, 2011.

Video of Rev. Paul Egertson Memorial Service

Sharei Green February 10, 2011

On January 15, 2011 a memorial service for the Rev. Paul Egertson was held at at the Samuelson Chapel at California Lutheran University.

“Paul Egertson, a senior lecturer at the Thousand Oaks university, was a compassionate man well known in the church as an excellent theologian and great teacher. He garnered widespread national attention, though, as an advocate for full inclusion of gays in the life of the church and the ordination of gay and lesbian candidates for ministry.”- California Lutheran University website

Paul served on ELM’s Board of Directors and was an essential part of ELM’s work towards the full inclusion of LGBTQ Rostered pastors in the ELCA.

Watch the video of the moving service here.

The Rev. Phyllis Zillhart

Sharei Green February 7, 2011
The Rev. Phyllis Zillhart

In 1990, Rev. Zillhart founded Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministry along with her colleagues, Pastors Jeff Johnson and Ruth Frost, to provide an outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community of the San Francisco Bay Area. These three persons were the first openly lesbian and gay people to be ordained in the Lutheran Church.

Phyllis was ordained extra ordinem on January 20, 1990 in a service at historic St. Paulus Lutheran Church in San Francisco that was attended by over 1000 persons, with participation by over 70 clergy members. She was considered ineligible for placement in an ELCA congregation because of a denominational policy that required a pledge of celibacy from gay and lesbian pastors. Phyllis served as the Associate Pastor for Outreach and Evangelism at St. Francis Lutheran Church, San Francisco. She served in this position from 1990 to 2005.

Phyllis currently lives with her partner in the Twin Cities Area of Minnesota. She currently serves as a Chaplain with Fairview Hospice in the Twin Cities Metro. Phyllis was received on 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 Anita Hill.

She was issued a Letter of Call to Specialized Ministry on Oct. 21, 2010 through the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA.

The Rev. Ruth Frost

Sharei Green February 7, 2011
Rev. Ruth Frost

Formerly a teacher and drug and alcohol counselor; Ruth was ordained on January 20, 1990 and served as the Associate Pastor for Outreach and Evangelism at St. Francis Lutheran Church, San Francisco. She served in this position from 1990 to 2005.

In 1990, she founded Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministry along with her colleagues, Pastors Jeff Johnson and Phyllis Zillhart, to provide an outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community of the San Francisco Bay Area. These three persons were the first openly lesbian and gay people to be ordained in the Lutheran Church.

Ruth was ordained extra ordinem in January 1990 in a service at historic St. Paulus Lutheran Church in San Francisco that was attended by over 1000 persons, with participation by over 70 clergy members. She was considered ineligible for placement in an ELCA congregation because of a denominational policy that required a pledge of celibacy from gay and lesbian pastors.

An accomplished stained glass designer, Ruth has helped congregations express their mission and identity through the arts.  You can see two of her projects at St. Francis Lutheran Church in San Francisco and Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer in Sacramento, CA.  Currently, Ruth is working as a chaplain for Hospice of the Twin Cities in Minnesota.

In 2008, Ruth Co-founded, together with her ELM colleague Richard Andersen, a new ministry called Third Act Life Discovery.  Third Act invites people to consider the question “Who do I want to be and how do I want to live in the third act of my life?” Check out this ministry at www.thirdactlifediscovery.org

Ruth was received on 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 Phyllis Zillhart and Anita Hill.

On Oct. 21, 2010, Ruth was also issued a Letter of Call to Specialized Ministry as Hospice Chaplain for Hospice of the Twin Cities.

Matthew James

Sharei Green February 4, 2011
Matthew James

Matt James is an approved candidate for ordained ministry with Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM). Matt received his BA from the University of Northern Colorado and an MA in Media Studies from The Pennsylvania State University, where he was very active in the Lutheran Student Community. Matt graduated from The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in May 2010.

Originally from Colorado, Matt ventured away from home after his undergraduate work and served for a year with the Lutheran Volunteer Corps in Washington, D.C. It was there that Matt began to claim his identity as a Lutheran.

While in graduate school, Matt began to sense a call to ministry that combined his passions of his faith, education, and social justice into one vocation. Matt chose to begin candidacy with ELM rather then negotiate the ELCA’s then-present policies for openly LGBT rostered leaders.

Matt met his partner, John Weit, while they were both students in seminary. John currently serves as Director of Music at Trinity Lutheran Church in Worcester, MA.

Matt is has been approved for ordination by the New England Synod of the ELCA and is awaiting a call to parish ministry in New England.

Rostered leader Rev. Megan Rohrer Vanguard Revisited Project

Sharei Green February 1, 2011
Rev. Megan Rohrer
Rev. Rohrer

Rostered LGBTQ leader Rev. Megan Rohrer is working on an exciting project- ‘Vanguard Revisited‘. The first stage of the project is to conduct oral history interview with members of Vanguard: “ Cited as the first gay liberation organization by historians, our project interviewed some of the original members of Vanguard and the pastors who made their work possible.” Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries is funding this portion of the Project.

Some other aspects of the project include a traveling speaking tour, creating a zine, writing a book, a physical exhibit at the GLBT Historical Society and much more.

The Rev. Jane Ralph

Sharei Green January 31, 2011
The Rev. Jane Ralph

Jane Ralph was ordained April 24th, 1992. She served as pastor of St. James Lutheran Church, Director of The Child Abuse Prevention Ministry  in a synodical call to Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry and as pastor of King of Glory Lutheran Church all in or around Kansas City, MO before being removed from the ELCA roster in 1998.

Since then Jane’s ministry has taken many turns and she has found herself working in media advocacy for GLAAD, homeless ministries and services at N Street Village in DC and COTS in Burlington, VT, and as Multicultural Outreach Coordinator for Holden Village. Along the way her unpaid work included significant investment in Soulforce, Anti-racism work, faith based community organizing and leadership in LLGM.

In June 2007 Jane was selected as Executive Director of the Clarina Howard Nichols Center in Morrisville, VT a feminist organization dedicated to ending sexual and domestic violence through survivor centered service and advocacy. Jane serves as Co-Chair on the Board of the Vermont Network to End Domestic and Sexual Violence and on the Core Team of The Women of Color Network’s Call to Action.

Jane and her partner, Ellen Maxon live in Worcester, VT with their dog, Mocha and their cat, Yoda

ELM Grants

Sharei Green January 28, 2011

Each year, ELM supports ministry by publicly-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual,transgender rostered and queer leaders through our Grants program.  We have provided over $750,000 in funding for ministry by LGBT leaders since 1990.  ELM awarded $62,000 in Mission Partner Grants in 2011.  The grant recipients are selected by the Grants program, led by Margaret Moreland.

2011 Grant Recipients

ELM will give away $62,000 in 2011 to support ministry by LGBTQ rostered leaders. This year’s grant recipients are:

EcoFaith Recovery
EcoFaith Recovery

EcoFaith Recovery

Portland, OR: Rev. Robyn Hartwig $15,000

ELM continues to support this ministry that: “Develops and supports spiritual recovery from the addictive patterns of human life that contribute to the climate crisis, heighten social injustice, deprive people of spiritual meaning, and threaten life on earth.

The means of fostering eco-spiritual recovery includes retreats, workshops, spiritual practices, institutional reform, and pilgrimages to reconnect with the natural world.”- EcoFaith website

Chicago, IL: Rev. Erik Christensen $6,000

St. Luke’s continues to experience growth in membership and development. Outreach to the community for music & arts and healing & healthcare continues, along with partnering with neighborhood organizations.

Houston, Texas: Rev. Lura Groen $15,000

This urban congregation continues to grow and expand. One recent significant project is the development of Montrose Grace Place, whose mission is: “not to evangelize, convert, judge or shame, but to provide 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 website

IAM
Rev. Pieter Oberholzer (center)

South Africa: Rev. Pieter Oberholzer $8,000

This new grant will fund outreach to churches in southern Africa that are welcoming and affirming, where LGBTQ people can participate fully and be strengthened in their spiritual, psychological and sexual identity as human beings. IAM will host programs that support, empower and stimulate dialogue. Check out their new website (above).

Rev. Dan Hooper
Rev. Dan Hooper

 

Hollywood Lutheran Church

Los Angeles, CA: Rev. Dan Hooper (pictured left) $18,000

This new grant will provide pastoral, mental health and community services to prisoners, parolees, and those who are homeless. This grant will further develop ministry to marginalized populations.

View More ELM Grants

ELM Co-Chair Selected to Plan Emerging Leaders Conference

Sharei Green January 27, 2011
Rev. Erik Christensen at CC
Rev. Christensen

ELM board co-chairs Rev. Erik Christensen and Rev. Jen Nagel are involved with an exciting upcoming event, the Emerging Leaders Institute sponsored by Plymouth Center for Progressive Christian Faith. The Institue is April 28-May 1, 2011 in Minneapolis. Diana Butler Bass is the keynote speaker.

Erik is a past attendee and this year he has been hard at work serving as conference planning chair. Jen is serving as a mentor to 2011 Institute attendees. Learn more about the Institute and how to apply by visiting the following sites:

Click here for the Emerging Leaders facebook page.

Click here for the Emerging Leaders event facebook page.