Episcopal Bishop Sees Lutheran Vote As Missed Opportunity

While the moment in Philadelphia was bittersweet, it doesn’t matter nearly as much as what the reaction is in communities across the United States, Spokane-area religious leaders said Monday.

“Unity of the church is incredibly important,” said Bill Ailes, executive of the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest. “The older I get the more I realize this.”

By joining forces with Presbyterians, the United Church of Christ and the Reformed Church of America, Evangelical Lutherans agreed to share ministers and pool their resources.

The vote sanctions agreements like the one in Potlatch, Idaho, where the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches have shared a minister for 25 years. It also paves the way for agreements in other small communities throughout the region.

But in a second vote, the Lutherans shut the Episcopalians out of a similar arrangement.

And that may be a missed opportunity for this area, said Episcopal Bishop Jeff Terry of Spokane.

“There are many, many small towns in North Idaho and Eastern Washington that seem to have too many churches,” he said. “In these situations we have no way to come together because of these historic differences.”

Lutheran Bishop Robert Keller of Spokane was in Philadelphia participating in the historic conference. He said the nine members of the Inland Northwest delegation were split on the Episcopal agreement. He voted in favor of it.

He said during a telephone interview Monday that the entire Lutheran Assembly was concerned about the Episcopal reaction.

“This was a close, close vote. We hope that it does not say to (Episcopalians) that we reject them,” Keller said. “We want to continue to work together in our common mission as disciples of Jesus.”

But it will take some time to see if there will be any fallout, Terry said.

“It’s going to take a while to get some perspective on it,” he said. “People will have their gut reactions. But I think they are going to have to step back and chew it over.”

The final reaction will vary in different locations, Terry said.

Lutherans and Episcopalians have had active relationships in places like Colville, where they run a joint vacation Bible school or Richmond, where they are working together to build a retirement center.

Terry said he doubts that will change.

“You can have all your pronouncements on the national level, but the place that the rubber hits the road is in local situations,” he said. “That’s where people are going to work together or not work together.”

, DataTimes