Sweden’s Lutheran church names first lesbian bishop
(Stockholm) Sweden’s Lutheran church consecrated its first openly gay bishop, just two weeks after it gave clergy the right to wed same-sex couples.
Eva Brunne became bishop of Stockholm’s diocese in a ceremony Sunday.
She lives in a “registered partnership” with another woman, a civil union between gays used in Sweden before …
Tags: Church Names, Civil Union, Clergy, Eva, Gay Bishop, Gays, lesbian, Lutheran Church, Partnership, Same Sex Couples, Stockholm SwedenCalifornia appellate court rules La Crescenta property belongs to Los Angeles diocese
A California appellate court’s June 9 ruling was the latest in a series of recent developments that return disputed church properties to three California Episcopal dioceses.
On June 9, the San Diego-based Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that the Diocese of Los Angeles is legal owner of property currently occupied by St. Luke’s Anglican Church. The congregation had cited theological differences when severing ties to the Episcopal Church (TEC) in 2006 and realigning with an Anglican diocese in Uganda.
In unrelated agreements, displaced Episcopalians will return July 1 to two other disputed properties, St. John’s Church in Petaluma, in the Diocese of Northern California and St. Paul’s Church in Modesto in the Diocese of San Joaquin.
“The long history of the Episcopal Church in La Crescenta will continue with new leadership and the potential for sustained growth, and as an open source of full inclusion for all humanity,” Bishop Jon Bruno of Los Angeles said June 9 after learning of the court’s decision.
“It is important that we preserve the essence of St. Luke the healer and the ongoing maintenance of the historic church building. It is a jewel in the crown of La Crescenta, and a blessing to the people of the Diocese of Los Angeles.”
Los Angeles: ‘property held in trust’ for wider church
The appellate court ruling affirmed a 2007 trial court decision that the church, located about 15 miles north of Los Angeles, was held in trust for the mission of both the local diocese and the wider church. In issuing the ruling, the ten-member panel cited a January 5, 2009 California Supreme Court decision, which returned St. James Anglican Church in Newport Beach to the diocese. Attorneys in that case, New v. Kroeger, have appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.
John Shiner, chancellor for the Diocese of Los Angeles, said a timeline for transition will advance in accordance with court procedures.
The Rev. Rob Holmann, rector of St. Luke’s Anglican Church, declined to comment June 10. “I know the general direction of the ruling, but I am withholding all comment until I see it” and until he could speak with attorneys, he told the Episcopal News Service.
A few days earlier, Holmann had told the Glendale News Press that he and the 200-member congregation “would very much like to stay” in the 83-year-old river-rock building, considered a cultural, architectural and historic local landmark.
Bruno said the future mission of St. Luke’s, now under his direct pastoral control, will be to focus on “deepening our understanding of what it means to be reconciled, welcoming and healthy people of God.”
Petaluma and Modesto: Episcopal congregations set to return July 1
After a bitter split and three years of “homelessness,” members of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Petaluma are returning July 1 to the 118-year-old church, the Rev. Norman Cram said in a telephone interview June 10.
“We are jubilant, overwhelmingly jubilant,” said Cram, priest-in-charge. “We celebrated our homelessness and we overlooked the inconveniences of living and worshipping out of a laundry basket but now that these things are almost behind us, it’s almost overwhelming.”
Citing disagreement over the ordination of a gay bishop, a majority of the 250-member congregation in December 2006 had voted to sever ties with the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Northern California but declined to vacate church property. They formed St. John’s Anglican Church, displacing about 55 continuing Episcopalians who initially met in homes.
The Rev. David Miller, rector of the Anglican congregation, had sought a transfer of his canonical residence to the Argentina-based Anglican Province of the Southern Cone and was eventually deposed by the Rt. Rev. Jerry Lamb, then bishop of the Diocese of Northern California.
Miller did not return ENS telephone calls June 10. Mike McIntosh, parish administrator for the disaffiliated group, said a news release would be issued eventually, but declined further comment. The congregation’s last service in the church will be Sunday, June 28.
The continuing Episcopal congregation eventually began meeting on Sunday evenings at the Elim Lutheran Church in Petaluma who “magnificently sheltered us,” said Cram. He added that he hopes: “to present a healthy Christian perspective of love, compassion and kindness to our community, to be the yeast for the values of unity and inclusiveness in Petaluma.”
Meanwhile, Bishop Jerry Lamb of San Joaquin told ENS that discussions are underway with St. Paul’s Church in Modesto for return of that property by July 1, which several years ago affiliated with the Anglican Mission in America.
The Rev. Michael McClenaghan, rector, did not return ENS calls.
Lamb was already planning an organizational meeting, seeking lay leaders to begin the work of transition. “I have been making calls this week to laity who are or have been members of St. Paul’s and have signaled their desire to remain in the Episcopal Church,” he said in a statement posted on the diocesan website.
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SD Evangelical Lutheran Church Synod Votes To Keep Current Policy On Gay Clergy
The South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America voted today to uphold its current policy, preventing gay and lesbian clergy from being in a committed relationship while serving as pastors. The vote is only a recommendation from the South Dakota Synod. The recommendations will be taken to the ELCA national assembly in August.
Pastors and church members on both sides of the issue voiced their concerns before voting at the annual Assembly.
Nearly 800 members of the South Dakota ELCA gathered in Sioux Falls for the annual assembly. But, this years agenda included a heated debate: whether to support allowing gay and lesbian clergy to serve as pastors *and be in a committed same-sex relationship.
“I think we really need to wrestle with a new vision here,” Pastor Mindy Ehrke of Salem Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon said.
“As a Christian person, as a teacher, I need to turn to the word of God,” Pastor Daniel Ostercamp of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Webster said.
ELCA members were here to debate and vote on two resolutions: one would reject a change to the social statement and current teaching documents on sexuality, the other would reject a change in ministry policy to allow gay clergy in relationships.
One by one, church members and delegates stepped up to floor microphones to defend what they believe South Dakota should encourage.
“I think that we all need to take a step back and look at the other words that god’s taught us, love your neighbor as yourself, I think we all need to take a look at that right now,” Kristin Ackermann, member of Shalom Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, said. See SD Synod Votes To Keep Current Policy On Gay Clergy
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Gay Groups Prepare For Prop. 8 Decision
Gay groups across the nation are preparing for Tuesday’s ruling by the California Supreme Court on the state’s controversial gay marriage ban, Proposition 8. The court announced Friday it would hand down its decision Tuesday morning at 10AM. Justices will rule on a lawsuit that seeks to invalidate the November results of a referendum that placed a gay marriage ban in the California Constitution. Proposition 8 effectively overturned the high court’s 4 to 3 decision that legalized gay marriage last May and put an end to the thousands of gay and lesbian marriages that took place during the June-to-November “summer of love” when gay marriage was legal. The court will also rule on the fate of 18,000 marriages. Gay marriage proponents began preparing for the decision in March, shortly after the court heard oral arguments. The largest event is being organized by veteran gay activists Robin Tyler and Andy Thayer. The Day of Decision is a large, multi-state demonstration scheduled to take place on Tuesday night, just hours after gay activists learn whether they will be celebrating or protesting the court’s decision. California activities connected to the event include: In San Francisco a prayer service at Grace Cathedral is scheduled for Monday at 7PM, while a blessing on Tuesday at St. Francis Lutheran Church begins at 8:30AM; On Tuesday in Los Angeles, a rally will take place outside the County Marriage License Office at 12AM and a rally and march begins at 7PM in the West Hollywood neighborhood; Activists will gather at 7PM Tuesday for a rally at the Palm Springs Courthouse; And San Diegans will rally Tuesday at 5PM at Balboa Park.
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Prayer Service on the EVE of Decision Day – Monday, May 25 Grace Cathedral (1100 California Street San Francisco), 7:00 – 8:30 pm
PROP 8 DECISION DAY IS ON MAY 26, TUESDAY!
Decision Day is on Tuesday, May 26!!!
From the CA Supreme Court website: “The California Supreme Court has announced that it will issue an opinion in three cases challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8 at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2009. (Strauss v. Horton, S168047; Tyler v. State of California, S168066; City and County of San Francisco v. Horton, S168078.) Tuesday at 10 a.m., the opinion will be available on the California Courts Web site at this link: http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/.”
You are invited to the following events:
1. Prayer Service on the EVE of Decision Day – Monday, May 25
Grace Cathedral (1100 California Street San Francisco), 7:00 – 8:30 pm
The night before the announcement of the CA Supreme Court’s decision, we invite the Bay Area community to come for an evening of songs and meditation that will center our hearts on peace, healing and understanding.
2. Service/Blessing on Decision Day – Tuesday, May 26
St. Francis Lutheran Church (152 Church St. San Francisco, across from Castro Safeway), 8:30 – 9:15 am
The morning of the decision, we invite the Bay Area community to come for encouraging music and words from community leaders, testimonies from married couples and blessings for those who will be doing civil disobedience. We will march in a procession from the church to Civic Center Plaza. Some people will join the march from the LGBT Center on Market and Octavia.
NOTE: We request clergy to come in their religious garb as appropriate for their tradition. Please come at 8:00am to prepare.
CONTACT: Rev. Roland Stringfellow at rstringfellow@clgs.org
3. Circle of Care – Tuesday, May 26, Civic Center Plaza
If Proposition 8 is upheld, we will surround those who are willing to be arrested in civic disobedience as we sing, and move aside as they are arrested.
Marriage is not just a nice idea for some. To deny it is a form of bashing. On Decision Day, a group of people will participate in civil disobedience if the Supreme Court upholds Prop 8. In partnership with an interfaith group of clergy, we’ll do a peaceful street blockade with the message SEPARATE IS NOT EQUAL!
We’re looking for people to participate in this action with us, and for friends who will support us as peacekeepers and legal observers. For more information, please email action@onestruggleonefight.com.
SPONSORED BY:
Bay Area Coalition of Welcoming Congregations
California Faith for Equality
Congregation Sha’ar Zahav
Fellowship of the Rainbow
Progressive Jewish Alliance
Jewish Mosaic - The National Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity
California Council of Churches
Colage
The Fellowship
Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco
Freedom in Christ Church of San Francisco
Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies of Pacific School of Religion
Equality California
Marriage Equality USA
Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry California
Glide Memorial United Methodist Church
Grace Cathedral
St. Francis Lutheran Church
One Struggle, One Fight
Nueva Vida Ministries
The Society of Franciscan Workers
API Equality
PANA Institute of Pacific School of Religion
Network on Religion and Justice for API LGBTQ
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Gay Marriage Arrives In Sweden
Gay and lesbian couples may marry in Sweden starting today. Swedish lawmakers approved a gay marriage bill in April, making it the seventh country to legalize gay marriage. The measure was approved in the Swedish Parliament by a wide margin – 261 to 22, with 66 lawmakers abstaining or absent. The legislation repeals a 1987 law defining marriage as a heterosexual union. A recent poll found that nearly three-fourths of Swedes (71%) approve of the new law.
Sweden has recognized civil unions for gay and lesbian couples since 1995. The union offered gay couples the same legal status as married heterosexual couples, including the right to adopt. The Lutheran Church, which was the state church until 2000, offered a separate religious blessing for gay unions.
See Gay Marriage Arrives In Sweden
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