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Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 11:41:01 -0400
From:Turboksc@aol.com
Greetings to everyone on the ELCA list!
After several days of lurking in the shadows, the time has come to
introduce myself to the list. My name is Scott Cecil, and I am a 37-year-old
Foreign Service Officer in the Wash., D.C. area. I and my family are members
of St. Mark's Lutheran (ELCA) in Springfield, Virginia.
I was raised Southern Baptist, but began to feel in my late-20's that the
Baptist church was no longer meeting my spiritual needs. I then met my wife,
Sandra, who was Catholic. She had two little girls from a previous marriage,
and we both agreed it was best to raise them in one church. In my last
posting in Berlin, we found the American Church in Berlin, independent but
Lutheran-administered. Lutheranism provided the Protestant theology with
which I was comfortable and the liturgy which my wife needed to worship.
Upon our return to the U.S. in 1994, we looked for a Lutheran church with a
strong educational program. We looked only at ELCA churches because my
younger daughter has been strongly influenced by a female vicar at our old
church and entertains thoughts of becoming a pastor herself -- we therefore
wanted her in a church that ordains women.
Although I have never regretted the ELCA-decision, I am still learning a
lot about the church, and have to reconcile quite a bit that is new with many
of the beliefs that were ingrained in my Baptist years. That's why I am so
interested in this list -- I hope some basic beliefs might be discussed here
-- vs. some of the highly theological discussions found on other lists.
(That too has its place, it's just not what I need right now.) A prime
example is that mentioned above -- if my daughter feels called to ministry, I
would never stand in the way of her desires and what she feels is a calling,
but I have to admit I am still struggling with Biblical grounds for the
ordination of women. Other examples: despite some of the rancor of the
recent thread of infant baptism, I have learned quite a bit from the
discussion, and can finally see (if not yet agree) how it can function in
lieu of believer baptism. I would also be interested in discussions of
divorce, sexuality, and the varying doctrines of salvation I have heard.
Short bio: I was born and raised in Oklahoma, with two degrees (a BA in
Letters, and an MA in German) from OU, and an MS in Foreign Service from
Georgetown. I joined the State Dept. in 1990 and have had postings in Manila
and Berlin. I currently work in the Nuclear Risk Reduction Center in D.C.
My wife, 30, is from Manila; she has a BA in Travel and Tourism from the
University of Santo Thomas in Manila and works for Delta. Our two daughters,
Kina (10) and Margaret (8), are bright and beautiful IMHO. Although not my
birth children, God has blessed me with the opportunity to raise these great
kids, and I am proud of the young women they are becoming.
Yours in Christ,
Scott Cecil Turboksc@aol.com
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Date: Tue, 04 May 1999
From: Jon Christenson prjon@hotmail.com
Probably an introduction is in order. I had a brief incarnation on this list
about a year ago before a flood in our church office ended my time in
cyberspace, due to computer damage.
I was baptized on Reformation Sunday, October 29, 1961 at St. Mark's, New
London, CT (Augustana Synod). Confirmed on Reformation Day, October 31, 1976
at Clairemont Lutheran (ALC), San Diego. BA in History, University of
California (Riverside campus), 1983; MDiv from PLTS, 1988 (although I
finished at Gettysburg). Ordained July 31, 1988 at St. Paul's, Erie, PA by
Bob White's current bishop (Paull Spring), and served a dual parish in Erie
County, St. Peter & St. James (ELCA) for 8+ years.
I am currently the Associate Pastor of Trinity, Ventura. I consider myself
an Evangelical Catholic and I am discovering that my confessional orthodoxy
is rapidly making me a conservative in the church of my birth.
I am married to Lisa and we were just blessed with our 4th child (I believe
in church growth the old fashioned way!). Colby is 6, Dylan 3, Karli 2, and
Lilly born 3/10). So my hobbies are pretty much my kids!
Pax vobiscum,
Jon+
Pr. Jon Christenson
Trinity Church (Confessionis Augustanae Invariatae)
San Buenaventura, CA
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Date: Sun, 06 Apr 1997 21:30:38 -0700
From: F Crocker
I'm a retired Episcopal priest of the Diocese of Utah. I was part of
the combined ELCA-Episcopal joint congregation in Price, Utah (ELCA
Church of the Ascension, Episcopal St. Matthews). Indeed, I was the one
who told the Episcopalians that I thought it would be OK for them to
approach the Bishop. It came about because the ELCA were worshiping in
the E. building at 9 am. When they had a pastoral vacancy, or vacation,
they would come enmasse to the Episcopal Eucharist (I traveled from Salt
Lake City) on the first and third Sundays. BTW, this was originally a
MS congregation, who voted themselves into one of the predecessor bodies
of the ELCA.
My next door neighbor is the Lutheran pastor here in Florence, OR.
I have done one sunday for him, and will supply again next sunday.
I am not very happy about the Concordat--I think we each need what
the other has to offer (Episcopalians expecially some clarity in
doctrinal boundaries) but I do not think sitting in a tub and opening
our veins is the way to unity. I am also intrigued by the way
proponents of the concordat chant, "That they may all be one." The
fervor seems oddly literalistic for two churches which value higher
criticisms.
I have donned asbestos underwear. I note there are other
Episcopalians on the list. I intend to be a lurker, but will jump in
when I think some of the others are presenting only one facet of E.
Church.
Lightlovelife,
--
J. A. Frazer Crocker, Jr. "I pray and incur
P. O. Box 3184 silence...am I
Florence, OR 97439 under regard?"
541-902-0554 R. S. Thomas
E-mail jafcjr@presys.com
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Date: Mon, 15 Jul 1996 18:17:54 -0600 (CST)
From: x8dcc@ttacs1.ttu.edu
David Cummins. Episcopalian. Interested in the continuing alliances
between Lutherans and Episcopalians, the Augsburg Confession and
Cranmer's 16th century Book of Common Prayer.
David Cummins, Professor
Texas Tech University School of Law e-mail x8dcc@ttacs.ttu.edu
Box 40004 voice (806) 742-3626
Lubbock TX 79409-0004 fax (806) 742-1629
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