ROY -- A church here has become the first Utah Lutheran congregation to separate itself from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America over a vote last year to allow gay clergy to practice while in committed relationships.
Last Sunday, members of Our Savior's Lutheran Church voted to become affiliated with the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, which does not allow its practicing ministers to be in gay relationships.
It was the second vote taken from the congregation as required for joining the LCMC, said members. The first was three months earlier.
According to information from the church, approval for the change required 127 votes to pass in order to meet the 67 percent majority needed. With 189 members present, 142 voted to leave the ELCA. There were 45 who voted to stay, and two abstained from the vote.
Our Savior's Lutheran Pastor Chuck Sabin had this to say about the vote:
"The Gospel says to love everyone all the time from every walk of life no matter who they are or what they do, even our enemies," he wrote in a prepared statement.
"The vote was not about whether we are willing to tolerate or love people of all walks of life. Rather, the vote for us was about whether we will continue to adhere to the Biblical norm when it comes to sexuality and marriage.
"We voted to uphold the Biblical mandate that both sexuality and marriage is an expression between husband and wife; that is between male and female; between one male and one female. This is the Biblical mandate from both Old Testament and New Testament.
"We voted to leave the ELCA in order to witness our conviction that the Bible is the norm for morality and lifestyle; and in order to witness our convictions that it is not outdated on issues of sexuality and marriage.
"This being witnessed, we are sympathetic to the Gay Community and wish to express our favor for equality and human rights when it comes to partnership and unions. We see this as a state issue and not a church issue.
"The State is to uphold the Constitution. So how can we as the United States acknowledge the Gay Community and their need for partnership, while at the same time honoring traditional marriage with its Biblical implications? No easy task to be sure.
"We will continue to welcome everyone to our worship and to ministry at this church. The only guideline for accountability will be if an individual or group is unwilling to declare the Word of God; the Bible as the chief authority in all matters of morality and lifestyle."
There are two other ELCA Lutheran churches in the Ogden area: Elim Lutheran Church in Ogden, and Ascension Lutheran Church in Harrisville. Both of these churches have elected to stay with their ELCA affiliations.
Members of all three churches have expressed their concern over this issue as it has served to create divisions as members have differences of opinion as to the correctness of the ELCA change.
News reports from throughout the country document similar divisions among congregations. As an illustration, one woman posted a comment on Our Savior's Lutheran Facebook page that reads, in part:
"I know this must have torn long time friends apart and left many wondering what to do, where to go, and what comes next," wrote Maxine Card-Fouks. "I pray that you all find piece (sic) as GOD carries you into the future."
The morning of the vote, those behind the church's Facebook page posted the following prayer, which reads in part:
"Father God, in the name of Jesus we pray that You would direct the leaders of this congregation in this time of crisis.
"Grant them wisdom and understanding, and help them to respond quickly and effectively to upcoming situations. May divinely directed decisions be on their lips, and may they do that which is right in Your sight."
The prayer ends with an acknowledgement of the pain the issue has caused.
"Bring peace and comfort to all those who are suffering as a result of this crisis," is the final line of the prayer.
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