PROJECT LIGHT 2010
in honor and celebration of Rev. Philip N. Knutson
There has been a lot of publicity and conversation around the August 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote on human sexuality, and most of it has been negative. I however, am someone who has been deeply affected in a positive way by the August 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote.
And I KNOW there are thousand of you, who like me, have been affected in a positive way because of our church's decision. You have compelling, Spirit-filled stories of hope, healing and transformation in your life and congregations because of our recent ELCA decision to open our minds, hearts and doors to all people. So, LET'S START TALKING ABOUT IT!
This is the intention of PROJECT LIGHT 2010.
PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is a collection of stories of healing, hope and transformation in the lives of individuals and ELCA congregations because of the August 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote on human sexuality to include gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people as full partners and participants in ministry.
PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is a movement to shed light on the many ways God is at work for justice and equality in our world.
PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is a response of God's hope to the ever-present, sometimes dominant human undercurrent of fear and depression in our country and our church.
PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is you and me sharing our story, raising up, shouting to the hills, celebrating, bringing to light God's promise of love for all people.
PROJECT LIGHT 2010 is positive perspectives. It is not a forum for debate. Please do respect the intention of this project. Thanks!
So.....What is your Light Story? Short and sweet, what is your vignette? Together let's see how many positive stories we can circulate throughout Epiphany (season of LIGHT) and beyond! Thanks for sharing your COMMENTS!!!
"This past year out congregation, Trinity, became a Reconciling in Christ [RIC] congregation. It came at the end of a two year study. We now welcome everyone [of course] and a special welcome to Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender persons. In the course of the study we also heard from divorced persons who described how difficult it was coming back to a church, from persons with disabilities who felt unwelcome in their own churches, from widow and widowers who felt out of place, from long term single persons...and the result of the two year study and by word-of-mouth, suddenly, Trinity changed. There are new persons attending, and the color code has changed, not all white Scandanavians and Germans. AND A WARMTH AND ENTHUSIASM....WONDERFUL. Trinity feels lika new mission church, one just getting started, enthusiasm and the sense of a really open and good future." Roger, Eastern Washington
ReplyDeleteBishop H. received a letter of support and a check for $800 from a family in his synod. They wanted him know their donation was in support of the ELCA's decision on homosexuality.
ReplyDeleteD. was initially disappointed about the ELCA 2009 churchwide decision on human sexuality. But when after the vote, she heard her pastor preach about God's call to love all people and our call to not judge, she had a change of heart and her perspective has softened.
ReplyDeleteCarrie decided to join her local ELCA church BECAUSE of their recent decision about homosexuality!
ReplyDeletePastor S. has a member of his church offer to make up the difference monetarily of any benevolence money potentially being withheld as a result of the August decision by the national ELCA church.
ReplyDeleteI rejoice in the decision of the ELCA to be a church of grace and inclusiveness in the spirit of Jesus. My 40 years of ordained ministry was one effort to create an open and affirming church. The light has dawned!
ReplyDeleteThanks be to God! Pastor Bill Harman (retired) Encinitas, CA
Several adult children of our congregation who are gay or lesbian and live in town have returned sporadically to worship with their parents now that we are publicly a more inclusive Church.
ReplyDeleteGod is love. That's what I learned in my Lutheran upbringing (and from my outstanding parents) and it is what I believe today. I was so moved by the recent vote to become a more inclusive church that I joined my local Lutheran church, after years of not attending church regularly. I had been ready, thinking about it, but this was the event that pushed me over the edge. I am thankful that the church is acting in a way that demonstrates the message it is trying to promote to the world: love your neighbor as your self. I am a child of the 70s, I have quite a few friends who "turned out" to be gay, and they are productive citizens and wonderful people. Their love is as spiritual and important as my love. That's all there is to it.
ReplyDeleteIt has been 16 years since my brother, Phil, died of AIDS. He had been deeply closeted as a gay man from the age of 27 until he was 50 years old and came out to his family. It made it more difficult for him because he was a pastor in the Lutheran Church. Having deep roots in the Lutheran tradition, all of our family decided to stay in the church rather than leave it. Somehow we believed that change would come. And now I am thrilled to be a part of a church that has finally opened its doors to all people and has decided to welcome people who are gay to not only be part of the community of faith, but to serve as pastors as well. This is truly momentous and I am proud to be part of such a bold faith community that takes its mission to 'Love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself" seriously.
ReplyDeleteI am convinced that when people come to know of this remarkable decision, we will be welcoming back many people who thought they would never see this day and have decided that they, too, can be part of such a community of faith.
Thanks God for the ELCA!!
Mark Knutson
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