Leaving ELCA

Edial · #31 1st November 2009, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by Willy

All I know is that when we had families who came from WELS to our place they had a lot of adjusting to do--adjusting they wanted to do and later really appreciated. The thought world of WELS had shaped them to such an extent that it was almost as if they had not been exposed to the modern world. This had been for them quite a self-contained world. In part I think, this was the nature of these two families. We had other people from WELS who were just so excited to "rebel." Finally, these folks said, a place where women as leaders were taken seriously. These folks would laugh about officially women were denied leadership roles but in essence were leading. They were grateful that now in our church people could live as things really were.,

Different people want different things.

I know a lady, an Assistant Director of Engineering in CBS.
She just retired.
She managed a whole bunch of male engineers. Hired, fired, gave raises, etc.
When it comes to church however, she understands that spiritual thresholds are there.
She refuses attending a church where women have spiritual authority over men.

She is intelligent enough to understand, if God established certain things in the Bible it is foolish to go against them.

Yet there are other ladies that choose to disregard these parts of the Scriptures.
Which is fine. I will not judge them.

I just find life way too complicated to bluntly go against the Bible.

But that's me.
You certainly are free to do as you wish.

Thanks,

Ed

Edial · #32 1st November 2009, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by Protoevangel

It is always sad to leave those you have grown to love. However, I respect and agree with your reasoning... I did the same years ago for much the same reason. I still visit my old congregation every once in a while, to let them all know they are still close to my heart.

I think you may like the WELS.

I plan visiting one WELS congregation in Jackson Heights in a week or two.

Thanks,

Ed

Edial · #33 1st November 2009, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by Studeclunker

Well done Ed! You'll find WELS to be a slight culture shock. Stick with it though and you'll also find that they take the Bible, Book of Concord, and the writings of Luther very seriously. They even like Walther.

I seriously doubt it will be a culture shock.

Our ELCA congregation was all liturgy, all hymns.

I like this type of stuff.

I clearly will not agree with 100 percent of what WELS teaches, such as limiting fellowship and prayer only among the members.
But I never believed 100 percent in any denomination and church I attended.

WELS has traditional differences? Fine.

As long as they stick with the Scriptures.

No church is perfect.

This is our temporary abode here, on Earth.

The real Thing is yet to come.

Thanks,

Ed

Edial · #34 1st November 2009, 01:02 AM

Originally Posted by LutheranChick

Oh I'm sorry- I misread your post. But anyway, God be with you. It's a shame the others don't fully understand the problem. There is a time to shake the dust from your feet and move on.

Oh, I don't have a problem with dusting and shaking.

I do however sneak back in on Friday nights to lead the Bible study.

Our Bible study group was really shaken up when they heard I was leaving. And there are really some good folks there, Simple, plain, with a faith of a child.

I plan to lead it as long as the Lord allows.

My guess however, is that it might break up.

We'll see.

doulos_tou_kuriou · #35 1st November 2009, 01:54 AM

Godspeed as you depart. Sad to hear that this poor decision at minneapolis has caused another casualty among our synod. Indecision can truly be as devisive as taking a side. My prayers are that whatever church you now call home welcomes you and delivers to you the Gospel in its purity. I am truly sorry that ours could no longer do that for you.

Pax

Edial · #36 1st November 2009, 01:59 AM

Originally Posted by doulos_tou_kuriou

Godspeed as you depart. Sad to hear that this poor decision at minneapolis has caused another casualty among our synod. Indecision can truly be as devisive as taking a side. My prayers are that whatever church you now call home welcomes you and delivers to you the Gospel in its purity. I am truly sorry that ours could no longer do that for you.

Pax

Thanks man.

Ed

Studeclunker · #37 1st November 2009, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Edial

I seriously doubt it will be a culture shock.

Our ELCA congregation was all liturgy, all hymns.

I like this type of stuff.

I clearly will not agree with 100 percent of what WELS teaches, such as limiting fellowship and prayer only among the members.
But I never believed 100 percent in any denomination and church I attended.

WELS has traditional differences? Fine.
As long as they stick with the Scriptures.

No church is perfect.

This is our temporary abode here, on Earth.

The real Thing is yet to come.

Thanks,
Ed

You know... that's the one thing I miss the most from ELCA, the liturgical setup. The Liturgy was truely beautiful. The musical arrangement was bright and beautifully done. Sometimes, I'm tempted to sneak back for a fix.

Then they pull something like what happened so recently...

Phoebe · #38 1st November 2009, 09:07 PM

Ed, I completely understand. I'll be praying that the transition is a smooth one. That you end up where God has called you.

I, too, am praying about transferring membership to a Christian and Missionary Alliance congregation. I will dearly miss many of the people that I used to attend with. I will visit again on the 15th. The Assistant to the Bishop of our Synod is coming to preach. There will be a question and answer session following worship. Since my "current" congregation is under an interim pastor, this seems like a good time to make a run for it. Pray for me, too.

Willy · #39 1st November 2009, 10:59 PM

I think sometimes it is necessary for people to find a congregation that meets their particular world view, unless, of course, they might be willing to have that world view reshaped and that the congregation that they are a part of can contribute to that reshaping. I would find it hard to be a part of a congregation or a church body that does not welcome the leadership of women or does take seriously the historical shaping of the scriptures or finds it hard to embrace the insights of modern science. I would probably find it necessary to leave such a congregation. Admittedly, I would have never joined it in the first place. So I understand that some people need to leave a congregation or the ELCA to feel that they are being faithful to their view of the faith. I wished that people would agree with me that views about human sexuality are not determinative of church unity, but many people don't agree. So I guess they must leave. Many who are leaving the ELCA will find that both the Missouri Synod and WELS will be phenomenally different from the ELCA and prob. will not be comfortable with what they experience there. But that becomes their concern, I guess--not mine.

QuiltAngel · #40 1st November 2009, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by Willy

. So I guess they must leave. Many who are leaving the ELCA will find that both the Missouri Synod and WELS will be phenomenally different from the ELCA and prob. will not be comfortable with what they experience there. But that becomes their concern, I guess--not mine.

Yes, that is the person's concern of what they do then. I suspect that those considering the LCMS or the WELLS or the AALC are doing so because it bring them back to where they were before the ELCA merger. We must remember that more than one synod merged to create ELCA..