I am an ELCA Lutheran pastor who is rather appalled reading some of the recent ads in the local Times-News by an organization claiming to be called “Concern for Children” in Almont, N.D.
These ads seem to have been geared towards the issue of Referendum 6, which deals with whether to allow for gay civil marriage or not. I have no problem understanding that there are differing opinions with this issue.
I do, however have a problem with any organization bashing the ELCA, the largest Lutheran church body in the USA, claiming that we are no longer Lutheran!
I did a bit of research on this organization which claims to be behind these ads. They are nowhere to be found.
The Almont address is not an actual building. It is an empty lot! There is no such organization listed in the state of North Dakota.
In other words, whoever posted them does not want to be recognized nor engage in any kind of discussion about what it means to be Lutheran or what the ELCA stands for.
Without claiming to fully represent the views of the ELCA in any way, I can as a Lutheran pastor assure you that we recognize that there is a wide variety of views regarding faith and human sexuality.
I also believe that all followers of Christ are called to live and proclaim God’s grace and love for all people. The ads that were placed by this organization were full of hatred and misinformation.
If you want to know what the ELCA is really about, visit their web site; http://www.elca.org/ or one of the local ELCA congregations. I am sure any of the pastors would be happy to chat with you.
Rev. Tormod O. Svensson
LaVale
Letters
Does content of the ad mean pastor is no longer Lutheran?
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Freedom isn’t exactly what he thinks it is
In the June 2 Times-News, R. Steele Selby (“Just how free are we?) defines freedom as “the capacity to do whatever he or she wants to do” and asserts that this definition is “most likely nearly universal.”
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What Maryland calls the Fair Share Act isn’t fair at all
The Fair Share Act was passed in 2009. This law allowed for service fees to be part of the collective bargaining process.
The law does not mandate that service fees be negotiated, it simply provides that they can be. -
We have lots to show for our education dollars
I would like to take this opportunity to respond to Judith Weller’s latest anti-education diatribe, “The money they already have isn’t being spent wisely,” (June 3).
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Western Md. Veterans continues its mission
My name is Dan Brashear, I am the founder and director of Western Maryland Veterans.
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Maybe the cyclists and casino workers should be armed
Again, unfortunately I have to remind Don Carns Jr. of Beans Cove, Pa., on his latest repeatedly inaccurate letter published June 10 in the Cumberland Times-News (“Township is nothing like either Pittsburgh or Philadelphia”).
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Let’s all kick in $1 to help save Frostburg’s Palace Theatre
As a former resident, I have many fond memories of the Palace Theatre (“Theater wall crumbles: Palace exterior collapses, unfit for entry: officials,” June 6 Times-News, Page 1A).
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Develop the waterway
Since the debate over removing the dam started about four years ago, I have been concerned about the effect the dam removal would have on the area’s welfare.
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Living center marks national nursing assistants week
Golden Living Center will join in the celebrations honoring the hundreds of thousands of nursing assistants across the country during National Nursing Assistants Week, June 13-20.
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West Virginia, Johnny Cash, coal miners honored on stamps
While this most likely won’t fall under the category of the most earth-shattering letter to the editor you will read today, it is still big doings for those of us here at the U.S. Postal Service.
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If you build a whitewater play spot, they will come
Regarding “River Project Prospects: Experts reveal benefits, challenges at Allegany Museum” (June 7 Times-News, Page 1A):
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Freedom isn’t exactly what he thinks it is
