Chaotic Adventures of Alex: An Event I Wish I Was There For...

So this past Sunday was a big, big, awesome deal. A moment waited for and prayed for and about that was years in the making. What's that? You don't really follow events in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) or issues regarding gay partnered clergy? That's ok, I'll tell you about it!

So, for a while 'teh gays' have been allowed to serve as ordained ministers in the ELCA, but only if they were celibate. Some were and not and actually were removed from the roster. (The roster is a list of all ordained people in the denomination, they can be called by a church, preside over a worship service, etc., etc.) Others were just never allowed on the roster. So after a monumental vote now GLBT folks who are in long-term, monogamous, committed relationships can be called and ordained. Important side note here: It is still the church calling their pastor. If they don't want to call someone who happens to be gay they don't have to.

Anyway, it's been all over the news. The New York Times did a story on it. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/us/26lutheran.html?_r=1 The Washington Post did a story on it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/24/AR2010072402243.html And they had this amazing service to welcome and receive/reinstate seven of these folks in the San Francisco area. For the video portion of todays post I am thrilled to bring you the sermon from the event, preached by Denver's own Nadia Bolz-Weber, from House for All Sinners and Saints. I know it's in three parts. They are short, don't worry about it. Plus, on a really cool side note, she lays out so eloquently what I love about... well... all of it. Enjoy! :)

Part 1