Why the ELCA?

During the month of October, the congregation at St. Lydia’s has been taking part in a conversation discerning how we might be in relationship with the wider Church.  We are already in relationship with Trinity Lower East Side, our host congregation, and through them, to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  But what would it mean for us to formalize our relationship with a denomination, specifically the ELCA?

We’ve had some wonderful discussion about why denominations matter, and talked about  the church as one body, a body of which we are a member.  You can’t be a Christian alone; begin a Christian is about being in relationship with others.  But why the ELCA in particular?

St. Lydia’s has a very particular identity.  We worship in a way that’s modeled after the practices of the early church, and draw people together from diverse traditions.  Therefore, I think that what we’re looking for in a denominational home is a tradition that resonates with us.  We’ll be a bit of an oddity wherever we land.  What we’re looking for is place that can be in relationship enough, find enough points of resonance, and nurture us as we grow.

Here’s where I see places of resonance between St. Lydia’s and the ELCA:

Eucharistic Theology: both the ELCA and St. Lydia’s place the table at the center of their worship.  God’s presence in known in the meal that we share.  This is different from other traditions that celebrate communion once a month or once a quarter, and place preaching at the center of their worship practices.

Earthy Sacramentality: St. Lydia’s celebrates God’s presence in the ordinary bread and cup we bless together, and in the ordinary people gathered around the table.  For Lutherans, God is also known through ordinary things and ordinary people.

The Bible as Living Word: At St. Lydia’s, we explore the place where scripture meets our experience as we read the Bible together.  Lutherans often talk about the “living word” which breaks into our lives.  Luther compares the bible to the manger that held Christ.  The manger and the bible are made by human hands, yet both hold God.

Liturgical Freedom: the ELCA invites its congregations to use the book of worship as a resource, and to experiment with different forms.  This is different from other traditions where congregations ask permission to depart from the denominational prayer book.

Ecumenical context: St. Lydia’s is home to people from a number of denominational backgrounds, and welcomes presiders from different denominations.  The ELCA has worked tirelessly to create ecumenical relationships with a number of other denominations.  They are in full communion with six other mainline denominations, which means that in the future, St. Lydia’s could call a pastor from one of those traditions.

Welcoming Congregations: St. Lydia’s is a congregation that welcomes and affirms GLBT people.  In 2009, the ELCA adopted a social statement called “Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust,” which sees bodies and sexuality as good, and means that openly gay and lesbian persons are now being ordained as clergy.

I invite you to reflect on what I’ve written here, explore the various links, and if you feel moved, participate in the online conversation!

-Emily M D Scott, pastoral minister