Not the public voice.

Dear editor,

Rev. Peter Mikelic, writer of the Concerning Lutherans column, is also a clergy member of the National Church Council (NCC) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC). In the October issue of the Journal (Constitutions are not set in stone), Mr. Mikelic expressed his point of view concerning the decision that was to be made by the NCC at its Sept. 15-16, 2006 meeting regarding the legality of the Eastern Synod Convention's action in July giving congregations the authority to decide whether or not to conduct blessings of same-sex couples.

One oddity is the timing of this article. The NCC made its ruling on this matter in mid-September. And yet it is written as if that decision by the NCC were still to come. (The NCC ruled that the Eastern Synod's resolution on the blessing of same-gender couples was "beyond its constitutional authority.")

There is a section of the ELCIC's constitution which is essentially "set in stone," namely, Article II, which sets out the ELCIC's Confession of Faith. Article II is so essential in defining who we are as a Lutheran church that it alone among the various articles "shall be unalterable." Article II also is germane to the issue of the blessing of same-gender couples.

Mr. Mikelic seems to look upon himself as the public voice of the ELCIC. As a lay member of the ELCIC, I am ashamed and embarrassed by his one-sided points of view. While he is certainly entitled to his opinion, it would be a mistake for Journal readers to consider those opinions as being representative of the majority of the rank and file members of the ELCIC.

Ron Voss

Cochrane, Alta.

Editor's note: Due to publishing deadliness Peter Mikelic's column was written before the September meeting of the ELCIC's National Church Council.