My Announcement Today at Saint Matthew

This is an announcment I shared during worship today at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church in Logan, Ohio, where I'm the pastor:

By now, most of you have probably read or heard accounts of the votes taken at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly. I will be commenting in more detail about these votes later. For now, I have just a few things to say:

• (1) The resolutions passed do not mandate that this congregation or this pastor change their policies on ordination or marriage.
• (2) I was and remain opposed to the substance of those recommendations.
  
• (3) I will be attending a meeting for all rostered leaders of the Southern Ohio Synod—that’s all pastors and associates in ministry—happening this coming week. There, our bishop, who, I’m pleased to say voted against these resolutions, will review the actions of the Churchwide Assembly.
• (4) I intend to ask the Church Council to allow me to attend a late September national meeting of Lutheran CORE, a coalition for reform of the ELCA. In the meantime, I ask all of you to pray that God will guide the Church and that we will accept that guidance.
  

As I have said many times, I could be wrong in my thinking and interpretation of Scripture. So, could others. I pray that the Holy Spirit will show the ELCA, Saint Matthew, and me the ways in which God wants us to go.

For a little background on my thinking on this subject, please go to a piece I wrote, I Could Be Wrong.