Resolution 2009-12:

A Memorial in Support of the Social Statement on Human Sexuality and the Report and Recommendations on Ministry Policies

Tabled as ammended

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1 WHEREAS, the Task Force for
2 Evangelical Lutheran Church in
3 America (ELCA) Studies in
4 Sexuality has earnestly studied and
5 struggled with these matters for
6 eight years, and their work models
7 and invites mutually respectful
8 dialogue about sexuality
9 throughout this church; and

10 WHEREAS, the proposed statement
11 Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,
12 powerfully proclaims this church’s
13 teachings on trust, love, and
14 service to neighbor as the proper
15 foundation of sexuality, while
16 honestly recognizing that there is
17 no consensus regarding same-
18 gender relationships or the rostered
19 ministry of people in them; and

20 WHEREAS, the ELCA Church
21 Council, at its March 2009
22 meeting, voted by an
23 overwhelming margin to
24 recommend to the 2009
25 Churchwide Assembly the
26 proposed statement Human
27 Sexuality: Gift and Trust, its
28 implementing resolutions, and
29 Report and Recommendation on
30 Ministry Policies; and

31 WHEREAS, the Report and
32 Recommendation on Ministry
33 Policies allows a way to maintain
34 a uniform standard and process for
35 candidacy and call throughout this
36 church while respecting the bound
37 consciences of all; and

38 WHEREAS, the time has come for
39 both those in this church who
40 support publicly accountable,
41 lifelong, monogamous same-
42 gender relationships and those who
43 oppose them to join together in
44 creating a means to continue living
45 together faithfully in the midst of
46 disagreement;

47 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
48 that the Southeastern Minnesota
49 Synod, meeting in Assembly,
50 memorialize the 2009 Churchwide
51 Assembly to adopt the proposed
52 statement, Human Sexuality: Gift
53 and Trust and its implementing
54 resolutions, as recommended by
55 the ELCA Church Council;

56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
57 the Southeastern Minnesota Synod,
58 meeting in Assembly, memorialize
59 the 2009 Churchwide Assembly to
60 adopt the four parts of the
61 proposed Report and
62 Recommendation on Ministry
63 Policies, as recommended by the
64 ELCA Church Council.

65 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
66 the Southeastern Minnesota Synod,
67 meeting in Assembly, memorialize
68 the 2009 Churchwide Assembly to
69 add the following to the
70 implementing resolutions of the
71 document Human Sexuality: Gift
72 and Trust
73 a. That the appropriate
74 churchwide units be directed to
75 develop, in consultation with
76 those most affected, resources
77 for congregations or faith-
78 communities and ministers that
79 choose to do so to support
80 same-gender relationships by
81 holding them publicly
82 accountable in the exchange of
83 promises of lifelong love and
84 fidelity.
85 b. That the Vocation and
86 Education unit be directed to
87 develop, and the Church
88 Council be directed to approve,
89 procedures for the reception
90 from another Lutheran church-
91 body and for the case-by-case
[Removed: expedited]
92 reinstatement to the roster or to
93 candidacy of those whose
94 rostering was precluded by
95 previous policies on same-
96 gender relationships.

Submitted by Rev. Joy Gonnerman and the undersigned voting members of the 2009 Southeastern Minnesota Synod Assembly:

Marcia Nagel, Jim Nagel, Tom Engstrom, Dottie Barrett, Rev. Robert Albing, Rev. Bruce W. Benson, Allan Bieber, Rev. Jason Bryan-Wegner, Zashata Burton, Rev. Joy Gonnerman, Rev. Judy Reitz Gustafson, Rev. Michael A. Gustafson, Rev. Jennifer A. Koenig, Rev. Kristen Schlauderaff, Roger Sween

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