Dear Friends,

The church body known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), in its recent Church wide Assembly in Minneapolis, MN, has chosen to depart from nearly 2000 years of Christian teaching by reversing its traditional ministry policy and grant non-celibate homosexual ministers the privilege of serving as roistered leaders in the ELCA and to affirm same-gender unions as pleasing to God.

The congregations of Lutheran Church of the Cross (LCC), Port Charlotte, Florida and Redeemer Lutheran Church & Child Care (Redeemer), Englewood, Florida are members of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS). We feel it is important to clarify that the LCMS constitutes a church body that is separate and distinct from the ELCA. We have neither Altar nor Pulpit Fellowship with the ELCA as a result of significant doctrinal differences since the inception of the ELCA twenty-one years ago.

Additionally, members of LCC and Redeemer feel it is important to make it known that their Christian faith requires that they strongly disagree with the recent ELCA decision because it is not in keeping with the clear and consistent teachings of Holy Scripture.

While members of LCC and Redeemer strive to love everyone with Christian compassion, we are very alarmed and saddened by the ELCA’s recent decision to ignore God’s Holy Word.

We would embrace a conversation and offer faithful pastoral care during these tumultuous times. We would also welcome all in the community to join us in the fellowship of our faith and in the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.