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A Message from Bishop Wollersheim
What Will You Do, if You Disagree with the Churchwide Assembly's Decisions?
I have been asked this question: "What will you do, as bishop of the synod, if you disagree with the Churchwide Assembly's decisions concerning sexuality?". In other words, Will I protest? Will I ignore the decisions? Will I try to undermine what has been decided?
To all of these questions I answer a clear and strong, "No!"
I will do what I have always endeavored to do - to compassionately and fairly administer the decisions and policies of the ELCA, even when it is difficult.
I will support the decisions of this church, because I believe that the Holy Spirit will work in and through the prayers and discernment process of the voting members at the Churchwide Assembly.
I will support the decisions of this church, because I believe that the wisdom of the whole assembly is greater than the wisdom of any individual person.
I will support the decisions of this church, because I took a vow to uphold the Church's Constitutions. In the ELCA we confess that the constitutions of this church are based on the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.
I will support the decisions of this church, because I believe that we can be more faithful in God's mission working together than we can separately or in splinter groups. We need to plant the Church. We need to feed the hungry. We need to renew congregations. We need to make disciples of all. We need to support our leaders. We need to raise up new leaders - especially among our youth. We need to stand for justice. And much, much more.
So, I go to the Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis with 19 prayerful voting members from the Northern Illinois Synod and about one thousnd others from across our ELCA. We all ask for your prayers that we might prove to be faithful in the decisions that we make. Upon returning home, we pray that we might be granted the courage and endurance to follow the direction which God, in God's grace, has given us.
In Christ,
Bishop Gary Wollersheim
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Synod Prayers
Pr. Chris Schoon and her family at the death of their son Brandon Schoon on July 27.
Those from our synod -voting members, volunteers, and visitors - preparing to go to the Churchwide Assembly, August 17-23 in Minneapolis.
www.elca.org/50days .
The monthly rostered leader prayer calendar is online at www.nisynod.org/prayers
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Calendar Highlights
8/8 Churchwide Voting Members Meeting 10am-1pm
8/17-23 ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis
9/2 Interim Pastors' Meeting
9/3 Deans' Meeting
9/12 Synod Council meeting at Christ, Belvidere, with worship and installation of new Council members and afternoon meetings of all NIS standing committees. Committee photos will be taken.
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August Birthdays
1 Rev. Michel Clark
2 Rev. Herbert Priester
5 Rev. Bryce Formwalt
8 Rev. Howard Jacobson
10 Rev. Robert Linstrom
10 Rev. John Heins
12 Rev. Robert Kasperson
12 Rev. David Hedlin
14 Rev. Joshua Auchenbach
15 Rev. Randy Willers
17 Rev. Katharine Zimmerman
17 Rev. Kathryn Whitney
18 Rev. David Miley
18 Rev. Keith Forni
19 Rev. Alfred Beck
22 Rev. Lowell Albee, Jr.
28 Rev. Harold Hoekstra
29 Rev. Dr. Linda Kersten
29 Rev. Robert Dealey
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 Tour de Revs is coming to Rockford August 7-9! Find out the Northern Illinois Synod schedule and more on the Synod website. What is Tour de Revs? It's three Lutheran pastors on a bamboo bike made for three (a triplet) riding 13,000 miles over 100 days to to raise at least $5 million to fight world hunger. Find out more at www.tourderevs.org
A Day of TLC @ LCM
NIU Lutheran Campus Ministry students, board members and staff invite everyone to come help at a work day, Saturday, August 15 from 9-3. Projects include exterior painting, exterior sign replacement, lawn work, organizing the kitchen and student office and more. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is providing most of the work materials so all that is needed is your help on the work crew! For more info Pr. Diane Dardon
The Northern Illinois Synod Women of the ELCA Convention will be held at St Paul, Dixon, Saturday September 19. Register by August 15. For more information, contact Geraldine French at 815-288-3480
Application forms for Rostered Leaders Educational Debt Retirement Fund are due no later than September 30. Find out more. |
Want a sneak peek at Augsburg Fortress' Vacation Bible School for 2010? Free webinar August 11!
 Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson has called each of us to 50 days of prayer leading up to the churchwide Assembly which begins Aug. 17. This church is invited to pray for wisdom in discernment for the ELCA and voting members of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly. Prayers, scripture readings and hymns are posted at
Fast Facts: ELCA World Hunger kicked off the 2009 Lutheran Youth Challenge, "Change the World," at the National Youth Gathering. In under four days we raised over $130,000 towards the 2009 goal of $1 million! This year we hope to unite the voices, offerings and hopes of thousands of young Lutherans to do something about hunger and poverty. Learn more at www.elca.org/youthchallenge .
This Week at The Lutheran:
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Continuing Education Opportunities
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| The First Annual Augustana Day - Learning From Islam - A gift of Augustana College to our colleagues in the ministry of the ELCA,sharing the richness of the college in a way that will nourish your ministry. Thursday, October 8, 2009, 9am-2pm Westerlin Residence Center Lounge, Augustana College. The program, including lunch, is completely free of charge to all ELCA rostered leaders. RSVP by October 1 to conniehuntley@augustana.edu or 309-794-7213. Find out more. |
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Twin Cities welcome '09 assembly
