Pray. Trust. Invest. Love.

Other articles by Bishop Stuck

Dear Friends in Christ,

Blessings to you in this holy season as we journey together to the cross and anticipate the joy of the resurrection.

In the ELCA we have been on a journey these past eight years trying to discern God’s will for us as a church on the issue of the rostering of gay and lesbian persons who are in same-gender relationships.

All have been invited to be in prayer, study and discussion together over this important issue. As a part of this process the church has produced a proposed document, Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, which will be brought before the Churchwide Assembly for adoption this summer. Along with this statement there will be a “Report and Recommendations on Ministry Policies” that will be presented to the Assembly.

As we together consider these recommendations, I ask, as your bishop, that you do these things:

PRAY – As you have been in prayer, I ask that you continue to pray for yourself, the church and its leaders, that together we might make decisions that are according to God’s will for the church in its mission and ministry in the world.

TRUST – That you trust the working of the Spirit in the midst of this process. Because we are a church organized around a constitution, the Assembly is the highest governing authority. Long before we vote at an assembly, though, there is a time of discernment, prayer, study of scripture and dialogue. The Holy Spirit has been with us during this time and we trust the Spirit’s continued presence during these next few months.

INVEST – I ask that you continue to invest yourself in this process. Read the proposed document and the recommendations for ministry policies. Pray, study and talk with others. Read the pastoral letter from the Conference of Bishops. At its last meeting the bishops continued their prayer, study and dialogue, and through this letter are inviting the whole church to continue in this journey.

LOVE – These documents call us to be respectful of one another and the place each has come to in their journeys on this issue. The documents often talk about the “bound conscience.” Not only are we to speak out of our own “bound conscience,” but to also respect the “bound conscience” of the other. This requires love... the kind of love that only Christ can give.

May God continue to be present with us in this journey. We know that, as we are open to the Spirit’s presence, we will be guided to Christ and the love of God shown in Christ on the cross. In Him we will find hope for the future.

May we trust that promise.

Your brother in Christ,

Bishop Jim Stuck