NJ Lutheran Bishop Says
Bless Queer Unions

Following from Bergen NJ Record, 10-28-2001 Lutherans were urged Saturday

to welcome homosexuals into their congregations, bless their unions, and perhaps

even call them as pastors.

The New Jersey Synod, with nearly 200 congregations, is holding a yearlong

series of meetings to explore its approach to gays and lesbians in the church,

said Bishop Roy Riley, who heads the synod. Saturday's meeting, at St.
John's Lutheran Church in Summit, leaned heavily on the positive side of

accepting gays and lesbians in the church, he said. Future meetings of clergy

and others and observers say a split in the church is nearly inevitable if it
moves closer to approving ordination for homosexuals.

Non-celibate gays and lesbians have been ordained in Lutheran churches,

but the national denomination considers the ordinations illicit and has

disciplined congregations that call such pastors, sometimes ousting them

from the denomination.

Jim Cleary, a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Tenafly, said he is glad to

know of the program to reconcile gays and churches. "I didn't know this work

was going on," he said, "it's good for people to know these things."