Dear Friends in Christ,

As you might imagine, since the actions of the Churchwide Assembly, I have received many communications, mostly in the form of emails, most of which I've read.  As I've read, I've been struck again by the depth and breadth of diversity that is the Sierra Pacific Synod.  I give thanks for that diversity and I hold all who have written in my prayers. 

I also appreciate receiving links to newspaper articles which have been published in your communities. What gets reported matters.  But then I have to wonder:  "what about what DOESN'T get reported?  Yes, about the ELCA and this most recent assembly, but perhaps more importantly, about your congregations and your ministries in your context.

With that I mind, in the wake of all this "free" publicity we've received by way of scrolling "footers" or flashy headlines, I need to raise a couple of questions from what may be a different perspective:

-- What are we doing as congregations and leaders to be ready for those who will find this to be "good news" and want to learn more about our ministries?

-- What are we doing to remind those who may be troubled by this decision that we are not a "one issue" church, and that our witness continues to be that we are called to do God's work with our hands? 

Perhaps it will help, as you wonder how you will be an answer to these and other questions about what it means to be a Lutheran Christian these days, to consider the words of Pr. Ishmael Noko, General Secretary of the Lutheran world Federation, who spoke to our Assembly in Minneapolis:

"I was impressed today, and I began to think: If I were to go to heaven tonight, and God gave me an audience for six minutes, I might have a chance to gossip about those people called Lutherans in the ELCA.  And what shall I say about them?  Do you want to know what I would say? Do you really want to know? Well, I will tell you, only you. Don't tell anybody else. I would say, "God, those people love their church. I know it. I have witnessed it so many times when I attended the assemblies or other events. God, those people are very generous. They give and share what little they have with their sisters and brothers beyond the borders of the republic of the United States of America. God, those people are fantastic in volunteerism. They volunteer for everything! God, send the Holy Spirit to keep them together."

Peace,

Bp. Mark