St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota, voted this past Sunday, with a 96% margin, to withdraw from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The congregation's pastor, Roland J. Wells Jr., stated that 20 years ago the congregation decided that if the ELCA ever voted to sanction practicing homosexual clergy, they would leave. The congregation is fulfilling that commitment after the ELCA's August 21st decision.
Under ELCA rules, St. Paul's congregation will now consult with the office of the Minneapolis bishop. To leave the ELCA, the church must hold a second vote at least 90 days after the first, and the proposal must pass by a two-thirds majority.
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