Lura Groen, a graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology at Philadelphia--where, incidentally, she was student body president--refused to sign the ELCA's "chastity pledge," but Grace Lutheran of Houston, Texas called her to be pastor anyway and ordained her last Saturday, July 26. (Video from KHCW in Houston is here.)
Groen comes to Grace through the Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) roster. ELM promotes candidacies of gay and lesbian seminarians. From OutSmart, a magazine for sexual minorities in Houston:
Bishop Michael Rinehart of the Texas-Lousiana Gulf Coast Synod says he will take advantage of the 2007 call for restraint until then (Churchwide Assembly 2009), but has been in touch with Grace and Groen, outlining what he can and cannot do for them at this time. For one, Grace will continue to be officially listed as being without a pastor, so Groen will not be able to attend larger church gatherings as a pastor (although she will be eligible to attend as a voting lay member so long as Grace remains in the ELCA). Groen is not eligible for the ELCA insurance or retirement plans.
When asked about being in the media spotlight, Groen says: “We are celebrating the opportunity to tell people what God is doing and how God is changing the church. We are celebrating the forum to say publicly that God loves everyone.”
Comments