Metropolitan New York Synod urges restraint

At a special assembly Oct. 29, the Metropolitan New York Synod passed three resolutions to give leaders "guidance" as they navigate the candidacy process and the exercise of discipline after the 2005 Churchwide Assembly votes on sexuality.

In a report, Metropolitan New York Synod Bishop Stephen Bouman wrote: "This meeting was mandated by a resolution of the spring 2005 synod assembly, in the event that the three recommendations of the sexuality task force were not adopted by the ELCA in Orlando [Fla.]. For one hour we met as a committee of the whole and had a conversation best described as 'speaking the truth in love.'...

"Undergirding the conversation around the resolutions was an oftstated desire that the Metropolitan New York Synod not drift away from our national church nor be in conflict with its constitution. At the same time the assembly shared deep pastoral care and concern for all of its constituencies."

The first resolution thanked synod leaders for "the care and support they continue to offer the gay and lesbian persons among us."

In "finding ways to live together faithfully in the midst of our disagreements," the synod voted 153102 to call for "restraint in the administration of those policies that address the full service of partnered gay and lesbian persons in rostered ministry."

It also called for other synods to join them "in endorsing the practice of restraint... so that a number of ministries... may be looked to as exemplars through which our synods and the ELCA may evaluate the spiritual health and welfare of congregations and communities served by openly partnered gay or lesbian rostered ministers."

A third resolution, approved 130-114, said the synod's discipline committee or others who submit discipline charges must consider "how it would best serve the mission and pastoral needs" of the congregation or the synod "to impose the discipline sought solely on account of the rostered leader's being in a loving, committed, same-gender relationship."

The synod "exercises its constitutional responsibility over the final decision as to whether any candidate for rostered ministry will be approved for rostering, and in the process, the synod is not establishing new standards, but announcing how candidates will be evaluated against such standards."

The resolution also asked the Church Council to clarify "whether this resolution is in concurrence" with ELCA governing documents (see page 48).

Copyright Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Jan 2006
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