Churchwide Assembly: Analysis

For not blogging a lot while I was actually AT the Churchwide Assembly, I'm sure getting a lot of mileage out of it while I'm at home. This will probably be my last post about the Assembly (and there was much rejoicing!). Tomorrow, I depart for a family vacation to Alaska with my Other Half, my parents, and my sister and her husband. I'll attempt to write a little while I'm there, but I make no promises.

The last thing I wanted to say about Churchwide has to do with pastoral care and concern. There was a point earlier in the week when it looked like a possibility that the policy preventing clergy in same-sex relationships would actually fall. The Goodsoil volunteers were excited, of course, but we had some major concerns. Namely, we were concerned about those folks who would be hurt because of the policy change.

We talked among ourselves about how to act at the moment of the vote. We made sure to spread the news that there should not be a lot of vocal rejoicing or applause. We did not want to disrupt the business and further alienate those who are opposed to policy change. More pastoral-type folks than I were also discussing how to make sure that we reach out and provide some pastoral care to those who would feel hurt and alienated by the policy change. This was going to have to be something that was handed very carefully.

Here's the thing: We don't want people to leave the church...for any reason. We don't want our GLBT brothers and sisters to head over to the UCC or some other denomination because they feel there is no space here. We also don't want people to break off to form a Church of the Common Confession because they feel that our presence chases them away.

Maybe I'm speaking corporately too much. I know that I do not want people to leave. Many of us feel as though the ELCA is our home, especially those of us who have mainly grown up in the ELCA. It is not perfect, but it is our home. And we work to improve our church home.

Here's the complaining part. I don't think that the Lutheran CORE (or any other opposition group) ever thinks about providing care for those of us who were hurt by the continued policy. They are happy that the policy is still in place. It seems that they are mainly concerned about orthodoxy. Now, I'm all for orthodoxy, but we need to ensure that we are providing care for people. When we steamroll over people by ignoring their cries of pain, then we are not the loving church.

Even discipline (which is the main issue of the Lutheran CORE, it appears) can be given in a loving way. When parents discipline their child, its best to do it in a way that continues to let the child know they are loved. I don't think this group wants us to know that we are loved. They would rather kick us out of the house.

I really wish we had the opportunity to show our love and compassion for others who were hurting. It may help to demonstrate that we are real people who care about the gospel. We want to provide gospel to those who are hurting. Instead, we are given something that is not gospel...it's not even law. It's just abuse.

I'm sorry this is such a downer. I'm not sure if there are more conservative readers of my blog (somehow I'm guessing not). I would really appreciate hearing other's thoughts on this. Am I way off base? Is there pastoral care and concern for those who are hurt by a policy? Please share.