April 2008 BC SYNOD CONVENTION REPORT

To the congregation of Grace Lutheran Church
Kelowna, BC
By Lay Delegate Bill Logan

I will start my report with Friday, April 18, 2008 Business Session 2.

The Registration and Attendance Committee Report is as follows Clergy 74 lay delegates 57; visitors 39 for a total of 170 and voting total of 131.  The day continued with the first ballot for secretary and then the Bishop’s Report.

The Bishop’s Report mentioned that during the past year Reverend Dr. Gregory Mohr began serving as the assistant to the Bishop.  The Bishop mentioned we only have to look next door to find opportunities to be the Church in mission for others.  Over 4 million people live in B.C. and over 2 million of these live in greater Vancouver, B.C. attracts 30,000 immigrants per year.  The Bishop mentioned mission outreach is happening and cross-cultural ministries are flourishing in a number of congregations, but we can do more.

He had two recommendations:
          That as individuals and as congregations we review our proportionate giving to the church.
          That all members of the BC Synod consider giving a “planned gift” to the church.

The report then dealt with mission challenges, which included an aging and dwindling membership.  The report mentioned that several (actually 8) Greater Vancouver Congregations have a Sunday morning attendance of between 25 and 50 worshipers.  The report says that All Saints Lutheran in Kelowna continues to grow and reach out into the community in various ways, when in fact regular attendance is between 16 and 18 with a few Sundays at 22.

We moved on to the first Reading of the 2008 – 2009 Budget.  

We had a short break and came back to listen to KEY NOTE SPEAKER DR. CHRISTIAN EBERHART. The lecture was 1 1/2 hrs long.  We broke for lunch and came back for Business Session 3 consisting of 2 ballots of secretary then Treasurer’s Report.  It was noted that giving is down in every Conference except Vancouver Island.  A question from the floor asked about the ongoing lawsuit from Christ the King Lutheran Church and whether the costs (39,000.00) for legal will be continuing.  Bishop Preibisch responded that he will be meeting with the parties and he thinks something can be worked out.

We then continued on to the Secretary’s Report, the nominating Committee Report, and the ELCIC Pension Update.  We had a short break and then went into forums in the afternoon.  After supper, we broke into groups of 11 people or so, creating Listening Circles.  The topic was Being a Welcoming Church for gays, lesbians and transgender people.  My group was very civil.  Your could either share or not share your opinions or feelings.  There were 3 people against and 11 people for. 

Saturday, April 19th, 2008
Business Session 5 started at 9 AM attendance 74 Clergy, 59 Lay Delegates. 
We went on to the Synod Council Report.  You can get information on the Report on the B.C. Synod web site.  One item of note was that the Lutheran campus center has fallen into disrepair and will have to be demolished and a new building constructed to replace it.  We then moved onto Committee Reports. Pastor Tim Johnson of Grace Lutheran Dawson Creek asked the following three questions of the committee chair:

1. Is it the opinion of your committee that this motion says that homosexuality is Not viewed as sinful?  What is the interpretation of the committee on this question?  The chair responded “yes”, but clarified this to say that there were differences of opinion on whether or not it is sinful.
2. Question (2): Your committee is on record in the BC Synod Newsletter of Spring and Summer 2003 as working for the BC Synod to move ahead to be a “Reconciled in Christ” synod.  Is that the committee’s intention with this motion and is it what you understand will happen if the convention were to pass this motion?  The chair answered No.  The chair had sat down after the third question and returned to the podium and changed his answer to question #2 to Yes.  Bishop Preibisch tried to clarify this changed response by saying that becoming a Reconciled in Christ synod would come up at a subsequent synod convention.
3. Question (3): Have you or any members of your committee or in your knowledge, any representative of the BC Synod, spoken with representatives from Lutheran’s Concerned North America, either in Canada or the USA, about the wording of this motion or its presentation at this convention?  The chairs answer was Yes.

Dr. Christian Eberhart then spoke for the 2nd time from 10:30 to 12:00. We broke for lunch then started Business Session 6.

The National Bishop’s Report can be viewed on the BC Synod website.

Reverend Susan Johnson spoke of the Five Pillars, which will guide and support of ELCIC in this time and place.  They are:

1. Effective Partnerships
2. Diverse Face
3. Compassionate Justice
4. Spirited Discipleship
5. Focused Frame Work

Bylaw Committee Report
          The amendment from the 2006 BC Synod convention to give youth delegates voice and vote was not prepared on time and so not submitted.

The draft Model Constitution which would (1) Change the required majority vote for the amendment of any provision of a congregation’s constitution or bylaws from 2/3 to 75%.  (2) Change the percentage vote for any congregation to sever its ties with the ELCIC from 2/3 to 75% and (3) Add a clause, which a congregation could add which would require the executive of any congregation that voted to leave the ELCIC to transfer the congregation’s property to the BC Synod upon the congregation leaving the Synod/ELCIC.

It was then noted in the following paragraph: the model constitution for congregations found in the bulletin of reports is for information purposes at this point in time.  A couple of issues need to be clarified and the model still needs to be submitted to the National Church Council’s constitution committee for a review. 

Now we come to the Reference and Council Resolutions.  This motion came from the Committee for Faith and Society:
R&C0 801:  ‘I move that the BC Synod in convention affirm that people of all sexual orientations and gender identities share the worth that comes from being persons created by God and are welcomed into the full life of the Synod, in accordance with its constitution and bylaws and its policies.’ 
This motion was challenged by two motions.  The first challenge was to have to motion postponed indefinitely on the grounds that it violated Bourinot’s Rules of Order, because the subject motion was ambiguous and unclear.  The second motion was to change the way the votes are counted; namely that you would separate Clergy and Lay voters and you would need a majority of both to succeed.  Both these motions were ruled out of order by the Chair.  The challenge to the Chair’s ruling was also defeated. 

Those speaking in favor of the motion basically declared that this was just a motion of welcoming to all people no matter what their sexual orientation was and was not making a statement of whether homosexuality was a sin or not.  They also stated that the words “In accordance with its constitution and bylaws and its policies” would preclude marriage and blessings of same gender couples and ordination of homosexuals involved in committed relationships.

Those speaking against the motion argued that the National Church was studying this whole question; therefore we should not be bringing this forward until the National Church finishes its study.  Others mentioned that the motion was vague and others argued “Where in scripture does it say that all sexual orientations and gender identities share status equally before God?”  Still others wanted to know whether this would be stating that homosexuality is no longer considered a sin.  In the end the motion passed approximately 2/3 in favor 1/3 against, in a voice vote.

The next motion by the Committee for Faith and Society R&C0 802: ‘I move that the BC Synod in convention encourage congregations to go through a process of study, which will enable them to consider becoming Reconciling in Christ congregations.’

Those speaking in favor of the motion wanted to make it clear that becoming an R.I.C. congregation does not mean the congregation has to declare that homosexuality is not a sin or that they advocate for the ordination of sexually active homosexuals or the marriage/blessing of same gender couples.  After more debate, a voice vote was taken and the motion passed.

The next motion by the committee for Faith and Society R&CO 808: ‘I move that the BC Synod in convention memorialize the National Church to review the policy of Holy Communion for those who are not yet baptized.’ 
A voice vote was taken and the motion passed.

The next Motion R&C0 811: ‘I move that the BC Synod in convention memorialize the National Church to allow individual congregations to apply for lottery funds in order to assist the congregations with their individual projects.’  After debate, the motion was defeated.

That finishes the business end of my Report.

I will now give you my personal views, opinions and feelings.  The Synod Convention was a very long 2 days.  I mostly stayed around like-minded people.  I was shunned by some people and a few Pastors avoided eye contact with me.  One Pastor would not even respond when I said “good-morning”.  I can now, in only a small way, begin to understand what our Pastor must have been going through all these years.  We should all have him in our prayers, especially whenever he has to go to any of these types of functions.

Dr. Christian Eberhart (associate professor of the New Testament studies at the Lutheran Seminary at Saskatoon) was the keynote speaker on Friday and Saturday.  He spoke on ‘What does it mean to be “In Mission for Others: A People Called.” 

I say to you, people be afraid, be very afraid.  I have 2 questions for you and I would like you to respond to my questions:

1. DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE BIBLE?
2. ARE YOU LUTHERAN?

Well people, we were told Lutherans do not believe in the Bible, we believe in Jesus.  During his lecture, he repeatedly tried to give examples of how the Bible had parts that could not be true.  He talked about being a “Christian” and a Protestant and what that meant.  He stated that we are not to proclaim the “book” but the person, “meaning the Gospel”.

This is all being done so they can try and justify their next step, which will be to reinterpret the Bible.  If you ever wondered why Pastors are becoming more Liberal, you only have to look at our seminary and people like Dr. Eberhart.  During his lectures he made many statements like, “I claim this and I claim that.”  Not Lutherans believe this and Lutherans believe that. You no longer have to wonder why the ELCIC is in turmoil after listening to Dr. Eberhart.

In conclusion, people be thankful, BE VERY THANKFUL, that we have Pastor Ed to lead us down right path so that our hearts and our deeds will be pleasing to God. 
Thank you.
THANKS BE TO GOD.

FOR LAY DELEGATE KAREN EMMOND'S REPORT, CLICK HERE.

© Grace Lutheran Church Kelowna 2006
Grace Lutheran Church is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada