Live from the NALC Constituting Convention

The Birth of a New American Lutheran Church

I'm in Grove City, Ohio, at the Second Lutheran CORE convocation and the founding conference for the North American Lutheran Church, the newest group to be formed from the continued disintegration of the ELCA.

General Impressions:
Amazed at how many people are here. Somewhere between 1500-2000.
Disappointed, but not surprised that there is no Wi-Fi, so I cannot Tweet, and wishing I had 3G.
Lots of clerical collars.
Lots of older folks, by which I mean, older than me.
I know almost no one. What does that mean? Simply that this is a much, much broader group of people than the midwestern types I generally associate with. There are people here from all over. The churches are mostly traditional Lutheran, they know the hymns in the green book that we at Zion never sing,

Opening Remarks from Pastor Paul Uhlring
"We have developed a provider of services view of denominations." That will change with NALC.
NALC will link us together as faithful, confessional lutherans... It will be less and quite different than what the ELCA was.
We will learn just how well we can be church with less.
"Ecclesiology is no bureaucracy."
We will look at each other and say, "We can do that."
We must do mission.
"A year from now or whenever we meet next, may there be people who came to faith in Jesus." Nothing is more important or matters more than that.
Let us live in forgiveness and grace. I don't want to be merely against things, lets not peddle dirt and pain around. Resentment is the only poison we take ourselves. Let us be salt and light for JC. Lets be for his heart and desire that all come to know him and be saved. Lets be for serving in his name. Lets connect with those who don't know him.
American Lutheran history isn't good - a history of what people are against. Let's change it. They never figured out what they were for (previous divisions). Let's learn from what has failed. Let's be for, not against.
Throughout let's be known for mission. Let's feast on God's word, the kingdom that is coming and stop eating poison.
These are wonderful times ahead.
Never heard so much good Lutheran theology than in the last year. Lots of discussion.
CORE will continue to gather and connect faithful Lutherans. Many will head off to join NALC.
Many of the best things, thoughts, theology, are happening lately... God is at work.

Visitors were introduced. The list is impressive. The remarks were made that their presence reminds us that we are not alone and that the larger church is interested in what is happening here.

Guests:
Ev Lutheran Church in America. (ELCA)
Board of Pensions, (ELCA)
West Virginia - Maryland SYNOD, ELCA
LCMC
LCMS
Roman Catholic Church - sec for ecumenical affairs, USC
Ethiopian Evangelical Lutheran Church - Mekani Yesus
Anglican Church in NA - 4 bishops
EV Lutheran Chu in Tanzania - a bishop
Letter of welcome and support from the bishop of the Lutheran Orthodox Church