Meeting Minutes
March 30, 2010 Meeting (Annual
Meeting Continued)
April 18, 2010 (Annual Meeting
Concluded)
December 20, 2009 (First
vote to withdraw from ELCA and join LCMC)
May 12, 2010 (Second vote
to withdraw from ELCA)
May 12, 2010, 6 p.m.
Members present: Mary Bucholz, Orvilla McIntosh, Alice and
Bernard Olson, Ruth Raap, Doris and Norman Townsend, Norman
Anderson, Wally Loe, Ron Ask and Paul and Tina Kosel.
Meeting called to order by Ron Ask. Paul Kosel had a prayer.
Roger Noor, Aberdeen, representing the bishop’s office,
talked to the congregation about withdrawing from the ELCA and
he representing the office for the consultation. He outlined the
procedure for withdrawing from the ELCA and answered questions.
The following resolution was approved on a motion by Norman
Townsend, seconded by Orvilla McIntosh:
WHEREAS, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Pierpont, SD, (“the
congregation”) accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative
source and norm of its proclamation, faith and life; and
WHEREAS, this congregation accepts the Unaltered Augsburg
Confession as a true witness to the Gospel and accepts the other
confessional writings in the Book of Concord as further valid
interpretations of the faith of the church; and
WHEREAS, this congregation wishes to uphold the Scriptures of
the Old and New Testaments and the Lutheran Confessions as its
Confession of Faith; and
WHEREAS, the ELCA, at its 2009 Churchwide Assembly voted to
“commit itself to finding ways to allow congregations that
choose to do so to recognize, support and hold publicly
accountable life-long, monogamous, same gender relations”
although the Word of God has made it clear from the beginning,
that, whether one understands oneself to be heterosexual,
homosexual, bisexual or transgendered, chastity is the call for
those who are single and fidelity is the call for those who are
married - and those who are eligible for marriage are a male and
a female, as God explicitly designed and ordained and as Jesus
Himself reiterated; and
WHEREAS, this congregation’s primary objections to the
policies and practices of the ELCA have to do with the authority
of Scripture and the holiness of the Name of God as Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that this congregation, hereby initiates the
process of withdrawal from membership in the ELCA; and be it
further
RESOLVED, that this congregation is herby authorized to take
all actions necessary to carry out the purposes of the foregoing
resolution.
The resolution was passed on a 12-0 vote.
Members of the congregation thanked Noor for coming to the
meeting and for his conversation.
Moved by Norman Anderson, seconded by Doris Townsend to
adjourn. Motion carried.
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Pierpont, SD
Special Meeting
President Wally Loe called the meeting to order on December 20,
2009 at 11am with the following members present: Wally Loe, Norman
Anderson, Norman and Doris Townsend, Ron Ask, Orvilla McIntosh, Opal
Mydland, Clayton Litch, Bernard and Alice Olson, Paul and Tina Kosel
A resolution to withdraw from the ELCA synod was passed on a
motion by Orvilla McIntosh, seconded by Norman Townsend. All members
present voted aye. Motion carried. (Be it resolved that the voting
members present on December 20 voted to terminate its relationship
with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America)
Moved by Ron Ask, seconded by Norman Townsend to join the LCMC
Synod. All members present voted aye. Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Tina Kosel, Secretary
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
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March 30 2010
Annual Meeting Continued
Meeting called to order by President Wally Loe.
Agenda is to vote on the ELCA membership and who are active
members of the church.
The meeting was recessed to April 18, 2010
Continued on April 18, 2010
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April 18, 2010 - Annual Meeting
Concluded
President Wally Loe called the meeting to order. Ron Ask
volunteered to be the new president.
Orvilla McIntosh made a motion, seconded by Ruth Raap to nominate
Ron Ask as president. All members present voted aye. Motion carried.
Ron asked Doris Townsend for an updated treasurer’s report for
the following Sunday.
Annual meeting was adjourned on a motion by Doris Townsend,
seconded by Orvilla McIntosh. Motion carried.
Respectfully Submitted
Tina Kosel, Secretary
