download pdf version of the frist letter


October 31, 2006

Dear Chairperson of a Congregation
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada (“ELCIC”)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

In spite of the 2005 Convention vote, the National Church Council (“NCC”) of the ELCIC, by a vote of 15 to 0, with 3 abstentions, and one member being absent, has ratified a motion, which will be presented at the 2007 National Convention of the ELCIC (“the Convention”), to reconsider a local option for pastors and congregations to bless same-sex couples.

In contrast to past conventions, the ELCIC National Office requires that:
a.) lay delegates be elected prior to January 20, 2007 by the congregation and
b.) the Secretary of NCC receives notification of the name and address of the lay delegates from the respective Synod Secretary by February 20, 2007.
Failure to comply with these stringent time-sensitive registration criteria could jeopardize your congregation’s participation at the National Convention.

Given the same-sex blessing issue and the increasing financial obligations that the ELCIC has imposed on congregations to fund past service pension liabilities, we encourage your congregation and all congregations of the ELCIC to participate in the 2007 Convention to work towards theologically and fiscally sound solutions.

At the July 6-8, 2006 Eastern Synod Convention, a motion was presented to transfer control of all property including real estate, owned by individual congregations to the Eastern Synod. Although this motion did not pass, it was referred to Synod Council for “further reflection and consideration” (ES 06-04). As a free lay group, our view is that one of the key foundational principles of Lutheranism is the primacy of the local congregation in carrying out the mission of the “church”. We believe any attempt to control or strip a congregation of its property is inappropriate and not acceptable.

Enclosed with this letter is the “Here We Stand” declaration that summarizes our response to the theological challenges facing the ELCIC. It is our hope that you will use all resources available to your congregation (especially the Bible and the Book of Concord) to discuss and debate the choices facing the ELCIC. Websites that may be helpful in gaining an understanding of the issue of same sex blessings are www.solid-ground.ca, the ELCIC-authorized site, www.elcic.ca/docs/2005/addcontrib.html, and www.herewestand.ca.

The Chinese word for “crisis” is composed of two characters, “danger” and “opportunity”. The ELCIC faces important theological, governance and financial dangers and opportunities as it gathers at the 2007 Convention. It is our prayer, that working together, convention participants will ensure that the ELCIC is devoted to the one true Christian faith.

We ask that you share this letter and declaration with your Church Council, Pastor and congregational members. Those who would like to work with our group are invited to contact us. God willing, we can work together to address the challenges facing the ELCIC!

Yours in His Service,

download pdf version of the second letter


January 7, 2007

Dear Council Chairperson,

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

As concerned lay members of the ELCIC, we sent you a letter on October 31st, 2006 that included the Here We Stand confessional declaration to which we have subscribed. The declaration was developed because of our church’s ongoing departure from Scripture and the Confessions (Article II of the ELCIC Constitution). If you did not receive our first letter, you can view it and the Here We Stand declaration at our web site: www.herewestand.ca.

As stated at our web site, we believe that the time has come for the people of this church to take a stand in support of the traditional values and teachings of our church in the face of efforts by some (primarily in leadership positions) to radically reshape the theology of this church. For those individuals and congregations in the ELCIC concerned about the drift away from traditional orthodox Lutheran theology, the Here We Stand declaration provides a banner around which they can gather. We invite you and your congregation to become a subscriber to the Here We Stand confessional declaration. The declaration provides a place for individuals and congregations to hang their confessional hats and say, “It is Here that We Stand and stay, alongside these neighbours in the faith. We confess the same beliefs and want to get on with doing what Jesus has called us to do.”

With the local option for same-sex blessings coming back for reconsideration and the need to elect a new national bishop given Bishop Schultz’s announced early retirement, it is important that the voice of every congregation be heard at the upcoming ELCIC National Convention to be held in Winnipeg, June 2007. Therefore, as pointed out in our first letter, according to an announcement from the ELCIC National Office, please keep in mind that congregations must elect their lay delegates by January 20, 2007. The secretary of the Synod then needs to advise the National Office of the names and addresses of lay delegates elected by the member congregations by February 20, 2007.

Once again, we ask that you share this letter with your Church Council, Pastor and congregational members. God willing, we can work together to address the challenges facing the ELCIC!


Yours in His Service,