Damage at Central Lutheran

Here is the article from Central Lutheran's website and pictures of the damage:

Tornadic winds do damage at Central

Historic steeple damaged; Outdoor food venues destroyed

A rare downtown tornado passed close enough to Central this afternoon to completely destroy the two outdoor food venues set up for the ELCA Churchwide Assembly, The Carillon Cafe and Pub Central. The winds came quickly and swiftly at about 2:00 p.m. today. There were no public events in session at Central when the tornado passed. The Assembly was in legislative session across the street at the Minneapolis Convention Center. There were about 75 persons inside Central when the storm struck. They were all ushered safely to the Lower Narthex by Central's security team. There were no injuries.

The Carillon Cafe had served nearly 800 persons the last two days and Pub Central was full last evening for its opening day. Those hospitality offerings to guests of the Assembly are canceled. The Great Lutheran "Potluck Favorites" Supper, scheduled for Thursday, previously to be served from the North Plaza, will now take place at the Minneapolis Convention Center beginning at 5:30 p.m. The supper immediately precedes the National Lutheran Choir Hymn Festival at Central, beginning at 8:00 p.m. All other Assembly week events at Central will go ahead as planned.

The Lutherans Concerned North America Eucharist will take place as scheduled tonight at 7:30 p.m.

"We give thanks to God that no one was injured by today's tornado," said the Rev. Rick Nelson, Central's senior pastor. "I also thank God for the extreme talent and seemingly endless energies of our magnificent staff, particularly all related to events, security, and maintenance around this place; and also the Convention Center catering staff who’ve been scrambling outside to make for safe and clean passage. All of them are wonderful servants of God, and faithful practitioners of grace."

Photos by Joe Bjordal

---Katie

This Does Make Me Ponder....

I have been watching the ELCA Churchwide Assembly proceedings via live feed at elca.org. Today a tornado touched down in the area of the convention center. As voting members were discussing an amendment to the sexuality social statement which would have strengthened and supported wording regarding marriage, family and children, an amendment which was defeated, unfortunately, the winds knocked the cross off the steeple of nearby Central Lutheran Church, a church which has been ardent in its support of changing ministry standards and would be the location of the Goodsoil event that evening. Apparently part of the roof of the convention center was damaged as well.

I am a right wing nut for seeing any correlation between these events.

yeah

---Katie

Whole Foods CEO Ticks off the Liberals

How dare he suggest free market solutions to the healthcare "crisis" when we are so close to getting government control of the whole thing!!!!

Check it out by clicking on the title....and shop at Whole Foods!

---Katie

Can you "Come Out" more than once?

I guess so....

Ninety-five Lutherans come out during ELCA vote on gay pastors

by Andy Birkey

As the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) meets in Minneapolis to vote on the inclusion of openly gay and lesbian clergy, proponents are making sure the stories of gay and lesbian pastors are heard. Advocates are distributing a document in which 95 members of the Lutheran clergy — a number that references Martin Luther’s 95 Theses — announce that they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. The booklet, “One Table, Many Blessings” (pdf), shares how the ban on openly gay clergy has affected their lives.

Click on the title to read the entire article.

The Goodsoil folks did this at the last assembly as well. I can't say that the same people are in the two booklets because I don't have a copy from last time, but come on, folks, it is old news that Anita Hill is gay. Jen Nagel's ordination was in the news a lot last year. I think the press treating this as, "Oh, wow, look at all these pastors' coming out!" is a little, well, dramatic, if not disingenuous.

---Katie

ELCA Getting Noticed

I've been keeping up with the ELCA Churchwide Assembly via the live feed at ELCA.org, twitter (#CWA09), and over at ALPB, where Richard Johnson is doing his usual excellent job. I thought rather than just post his stuff here, I'd post things I found outside the usual channels. Here is an article from the Get Religion blog:

Let's Get Ready to Rumble

Posted by Mollie

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America is having it’s biennial convention this week and we’re seeing coverage about the most politically exciting topic that will be debated — homosexuality.

There have already been a couple of good stories. It may seem like such a minor thing but I’m impressed that Patrick Condon of the Associated Press had an anecdotal lede with someone opposed to changing the church’s teaching on whether clergy who are in same-sex relationships should be on the church roster. Here it is:

FRIDLEY, Minn. — The Rev. Dave Glesne stood before the members of Redeemer Lutheran Church a few weeks ago and told them there might be some painful decisions in the near future.

Glesne is against letting people in same-sex relationships serve as pastors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and he says his congregation is behind him. They’re worried this suburban Minneapolis church could find itself on the losing side as leaders of the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination vote on whether to take that step at their biennial national convention, which starts Monday in Minneapolis.

“Of course the question was asked: What will we do, Pastor Dave, if this goes?” Glesne said. “The conversation we had left me no doubt that we will definitely have a discussion about leaving the ELCA.”

I’m just so used to seeing the heartbreaking stories from the other perspective and only from the other perspective that it’s a refreshing change and reminds us that there will be heartbreak and loss no matter who wins the theological debate. In fact, that’s a major theme of the story and includes some great quotes from people on opposing sides.

Click on the title to read the entire article.

---Katie

And we want government controlled healthcare...

Three of the four words on this sign are misspelled.

Picture of Obama

This picture shows Obama not bothering to help his "friend" Henry Louis Gates, while the man Obama and Gates called "racist," Crowley, assists the frail Gates down the steps. As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.....

---Katie