May 23, 2010

President's Summary to St James Congregation

on Vote Results

For any of you who were not in attendance at last Sunday’s semi-annual congregational meeting, I want to give you a quick summary of the decisions made at that meeting.

Our congregation voted to not accept the Resolutions passed in August 2009 at the Churchwide Assembly (CWA) [Option A, agree with the ELCA 2009 CWA Resolutions as stated: Yes 8, No 76 (86 votes cast)].  Further we voted on two options to change our Congregational Continuing Resolutions to include statements that our rostered leader(s) are expected to abide by the previously adopted guidelines of ELCA and LCA doctrines, including:

The members present voted (but not a 2/3 majority as required to leave the ELCA) by majority vote to initiate the process to terminate our relationship with the ELCA (Option 3 vote: Yes 51 (59%), No 35 (41%) (86 votes cast)] 

In order to maintain our property, St. James will be required to have a minimum of 2/3 majority of our congregation in agreement to actually leave the ELCA to join another “Lutheran Church body”.  Since we did not have that 2/3 majority required by ELCA Constitutional guidelines, the upcoming months will be a time of discernment and discovery.  Options will be weighed -- and much prayer will be offered. 

In the interim, we are still the body of Christ in Sumter.  I hope (and pray) that we will worship together, pray together and fellowship together.  

I have talked with the Bishop, and I have informed him, as president of this congregation, I will not hurry this process along.  This will be a deliberate process and we should not lose focus of what our calling is in this world. 
We are called to be baptized children of the Most High God. 
We are to love each other in word and deed. 
We are to be ministers to one another and spread the Good News to all. 

Let us proceed to be about this mission. 

Karen Hesselbart

 

May 1, 2010

President’s Points

(from May 2010 Messenger Newsletter Article)

While I am writing this, I am sitting in a hotel room in Miami Beach preparing to attend a trade show.  Before leaving for this trip, I have grabbed a book to read by the writer Philip Yancey entitled “What’s So Amazing About Grace.”  What is so amazing about the grace that God bestows on His people?  What I have learned so far, is that we don’t bestow it on each other very well!!  “Church” should be the place where we accept and love each other “as He first loved us.”  It should be the place where we show no partiality.  It should not just be the place where we seek grace – but the place we also grant it ourselves.  It shouldn’t matter what we wear, or how we talk, or how long it’s been since we have been through the doors that matters.  Only that we come seeking God and hoping to be more like Jesus in our daily walk.  That demands that we not only accept God’s grace, but that we also GIVE God’s grace.  May it be so, Lord.

There is so much going on at St. James these days – some good – some not so good.  I hope above all else, that we can learn “grace” and how to live with one another in love.

We have a very important congregational meeting scheduled for May 16.  I hope all active members of the church will make the effort to attend this meeting.  We will be voting on our congregation’s response to the ELCA decisions made last August regarding policies and beliefs of the ELCA.  Whether you agree or disagree or just don’t care one way or the other, you need to come to this meeting so “someone else” isn’t making decisions about this church for you.

Information will be posted for several weeks prior to the congregational meeting regarding the votes that will be taken.  Informational sessions will be conducted as well so you can ask questions, if you like.  Please come to the meeting prepared with an understanding of what the votes mean to you and our life at St. James. 

Beginning on Thursday, May 6 (and going for 10 weeks) I will lead a video series / Bible study entitled “Operating in the Gifts of the Spirit.”  This is a Joyce Meyer teaching series. This is open to all members and I hope you will consider joining this group.  Watch the bulletin for further details.

Well, as I mentioned, I am in Miami Beach. . .   the sand and surf is calling!!   (NO – work is calling)  :-)

Peace and grace to all,
Karen Hesselbart

 

March 21, 2010

Mrs. Karen Hesselbart announces to the SJLC congregation the results of the SJLC "Path Forward" project survey. The strategy agreed upon by Council is to continue the open discussion & dialogue started during our Lenten services leading to a SJLC formal congregational statement on the ELCA Churchwide Assembly Human Sexuality postion adopted during the August 2009 meeting in Minneapolis, MN prior to the convening of the June 2010 SC Synod Assembly meeting.

Approximately 6 weeks ago, I asked a group of 4 past presidents to serve on a panel to assist Council with determining the sense of this congregation’s response to the resolutions (regarding Human Sexuality -- Gift & Trust) passed at the 2009 ELCA Church Wide Assembly last August.  

Several weeks ago, this panel came to you and asked for your quick response to a survey about these decisions.  The results of that survey showed -- of those in attendance that day at both services, 72 people responded – 55 were opposed to the Resolutions, 7 were in favor of the Resolutions, 8 wanted additional information before deciding and 2 were opposed but also wanted more information.

Last Fall, I asked Pastor Poole to prepare information in order to provide a series of discussions to present a balanced description of the information regarding these Resolutions to those members interested in understanding the thought process behind the Church Wide Assembly decision.  Recently, for 3 Wednesday evenings, he held the open forum following the Lenten Evening Prayer Service.  Approximately 35 people attended these meetings where much information has been offered and excellent dialogue has occurred.

There are various web sites were this information can be accessed still, if you are interested in continuing this search for yourself.  Please see the information following this article for the web sites.

At last Monday’s council meeting, the panel of past presidents made their recommendations to Council and we have agreed on a path forward.  I am here today to share this with you. This process will begin after Easter so as to not distract us from the importance of Easter, but it will be completed before Synod Assembly in early June.  

We will follow a model that has already been established by Rev. Bob Byrne of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aiken.  It is a process that will take us methodically through a decision tree whereby options for our congregation regarding the church wide decision are presented.  The members of the congregation will vote whether to accept an option or not.  If that option is accepted, we are finished.  If it is rejected, another option is presented to go deeper into our decision.

For instance, the first option would be to fully accept the resolutions made at church wide assembly in regard to the social statement. If the members of St. James vote to accept this option, our meeting is over.  If the members of St. James vote to reject this option, we go to the next option.  We continue to vote through various options until the final option may be to pull totally away from the ELCA.  We may find some option in between that we believe is best for our congregation. 

Council and the past president’s panel will be meeting to establish and prepare the options and resolutions for St. James’ members to vote on. 

Need I say that this is a monumental / church-life altering decision before the members of this congregation.  As your president, I will not let this decision be made without much prayer and forethought.  I am certain that some people think Council is not moving fast enough regarding this decision.  Let me assure you, we are following a path that has been recommended and requested by Bishop Yoos and one that I believe is God-directed.

After Easter and for several weeks following, there will be a series of information given to you for your study and reflection.  This will lead up to a special called Congregational Meeting where the actual process will be voted through.  The date of the special congregational meeting is yet to be determined but you will be given notice of the meeting in accordance with our Constitution. 

Please be prayerful and open minded while we go through this process in the next several months.  We are called by God and Jesus Christ to love one another and I pray that we, the members of St. James, will love one another deeply as we proceed down this path.

Additional information can be found at:

www.elca.org  (2009 Assembly Main Information Page)

www.elca.org  (What We Believe Home Page includes "Social Statements" / “Human Sexuality” and other information pertaining to Statements of Believe)

www.sclutheran.org  (Day of Holy Conversation link)

www.reformfromwithin.com  (Group of SC pastors seeking change from within the ELCA; An Orthodox Ministerium within the SC Synod of the ELCA)

www.lutherancore.org (Nationwide group; A Community of Confessing Lutherans upholding the CORE Lutheran principles)