Happenings With Confessional Lutheran Movement in WI

I received this update from a friend.

Much is happening with the confessional Lutheran movement in Wisconsin.  Here are some highlights - please pray God's guidance and glory be demonstrated in each of these circumstances: 

• Pastor Mark Richardson, service coordinator for the Augustana District of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, held an educational session about LCMC at Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire May 8.  Nearly 90 people were in attendance.  Another education session was held Thursday night as that congregation continues to move forward.  You'll recall from earlier posts that Grace's council decided to affiliate the congregation with Lutheran Congregations in Missions for Christ two days after 56% of the congregation voted to extract itself from the ELCA (while an obvious majority, short of the 2/3 vote required to continue the disaffiliation process).  At present, Grace is dual rostered for ELCA and LCMC.  In the meantime, Grace has voted to withhold funding from ELCA, and continue to provide educational opportunities for the congregation about LCMC.  Northwest Wisconsin ELCA Bishop Duane Pederson has established a new congregation (officially a Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community) two blocks away from Grace.

• Hope Lutheran Church of Ladysmith held its first vote to disaffiliate from the ELCA on Sunday, May 15.  The vote resulted in more than 85% favoring to leave the ELCA, more than the two-thirds majority required to continue the process.  The next step in the process will be a consultation with the Bishop Pederson.  After at least 90 days and that consultation, the congregation may hold a second vote.  If two-thirds or more again vote to leave and join another Lutheran organization at that time, the only ELCA congregation in Ladysmith will have removed itself from that organization.  Despite the fact the Hope is early in its process, Bishop Pederson has already authorized another Synodically Authorized Worshiping Community in Ladysmith, called Walking in Grace.  You may visit the website at http://walkingingraceelca.org/walkingingrace/.

• This Sunday is another big day at Hope in Ladysmith, as it will ordain a daughter of the congregation.  Jody Becker invites anyone to attend her ordination at Hope at 3 p.m. on Sunday.  The Bishop of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) Paull Spring will preside over the service.  Following the service, there will be a picnic in Hawkins, 20 miles east of Ladysmith.  Rev. Becker, who received her Master of Divinity degree from Luther Northwestern Seminary earlier this month, has been called to serve Bethel Lutheran Church of Hawkins and Bethany Lutheran Church of Catawba, which are associated both with NALC and LCMC after leaving the ELCA last month.  Rev. Becker has been serving both congregations while attending seminary for the past three years.

• Peter Rimmereid, another recent Luther grad, will be ordained on Sunday, June 5 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bloomer (ELCA), his home congregation.  Two weeks later, Peter will be installed as pastor at Bethesda Lutheran Church (LCMC) in Dresser at it’s 10 a.m. service. The ordination Sunday will be the last in the pulpit at St. John’s for its long time pastor, Peter’s father Bruce Rimmereid.  Rev. Bruce Rimmereid announced his resignation from St. John’s after the congregation failed in its effort to extract itself from the ELCA in a vote last month.

• There are new beginnings in Bloomer, however.   A new congregation is forming, initially from people who were members of St. Johns, but made the decision they could not stay with their congregation if it was staying in the ELCA.  They have held several organizational meetings, and have a steering committee dealing with key details, including incorporation and naming.  The as-yet-unnamed congregation will have its first worship at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 22 at the Bloomer Senior/Civic Center on Duncan Road.  Pastor Jerry Hibbard of Stanfold Lutheran in Rice Lake will be leading that initial worship.

• There was a nice article in today's Eau Claire Leader Telegram newspaper about New Life Lutheran Church, the NALC congregation that began earlier this year in Menomonie after Bishop Pederson took action last fall to remove Rev. Roy Harrisville III and the church council at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Menomonie.  This link should work for awhile, if you'd like to read it:  http://www.leadertelegram.com/features/religion/article_f82f4353-7002-599e-bcc8-9d719c0a2b4c.html.

• Calvary Lutheran Church of Brookfield became the first Milwaukee area ELCA church to leave the demonomination.  The story was reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  http://www.jsonline.com/features/religion/122037484.html.

• Faith Lutheran Mission Church, the first LCMC church in Eau Claire which formed in January of 2010, votes tomorrow on issuing a letter of call to its first pastor.
  

• Please be in prayer for a conference coming up this weekend in Waupaca sponsored by Lutheran CORE (Coalition for Renewal) of Wisconsin.  The conference entitled “Strength for Today..Bright Hope for Tomorrow…the Journey of Discipleship” takes place Sunday 2-5:30 p.m.  The conference is for inspiration, learning, and mutual encouragement for all orthodox Lutherans in Wisconsin.

• Our friends in the Twin Cities Area Chapter of WordAlone/Lutheran CORE are having an open meeting Thursday, May 26 featuring Dr. Hans Wiersma, Asst. Professor of Religion at Augsburg College.  Dr. Wiersma will speak on the subject, “Feathers and All: Luther, Lutherans and the Holy Spirit,” dealing with such questions as how Lutheran understanding of the Holy Spirit lines up with the Biblical witness, and to the understanding of others.  The event takes place at Roseville Lutheran Church, 1214 West Roselawn Avenue in Roseville.  If you’d like to learn more, call 612-889-5709, or e-mail wordalonespas@aol.com.