In reply to Charlotte Gebauer Koelling.

Charlotte, this LCMS pastor, at least, is not the LEAST bit surprised, but he IS of course disappointed.

Since our days on the Board (you DO of course recognize my name, no?), the gulf between the LCMS and the ELCA has significantly widened, so, no, no surprise. After ELCA's infamous and national-news-making Friday 8-21-2009 assembly decision allowing homosexual clergy, our (New England) church marquee, for a spell, bore the message, "The Lutheran Church body in recent national news -- that's not us!"

I'm afraid that LCMS-ELCA cooperatives have become simply something that can't be carried out faithfully -- of COURSE the Communion table was out from the word go, as was joint worship with or without the Sacrament, but even, as is said in theological circles, in the "externals" such as Thrivent. To work, the company needs to have the spine to say to ELCA, "NO -- we're NOT going to run according to your standards. Rather, it's pro-life, anti-abortion rights, anti-homosexual legitimacy, etc." May we in the LCMS insist upon this!