Synod-Wide Conversations on Resolution 6

At the request of the 2011 Greater Milwaukee Synod Assembly, a task group of the Synod invites your participation in discussions regarding the role of the church in addressing the public employee collective bargaining debate in Wisconsin.

This debate has elicited strong feelings in many people, including the members of our churches. While churches are sanctuaries from some of the clutter of daily life, they are also the places where we are engaged by the Holy Spirit to be good leaven for the whole of our society.

With this in mind, we invite you to join this discussion in one of two ways: face-to-face at one of four facilitated discussions around the Synod; or by written response using a link available soon on the Greater Milwaukee Synod website.

While other discussions or actions may grow out of the four face-to-face sessions, the goal of these conversations is simple: allowing for the respectful expression of a variety of viewpoints. These discussions are not designed to be debates with winners or losers, nor to forge consensus or change minds. As followers of Christ our common blessing is that we can listen to each other and articulate the feelings behind our beliefs in a respectful way.

This is what we invite from the members of our Synod:

Attend one of the four sessions listed below at the time or location best for you. The majority of the time will be devoted to facilitated discussion in small groups. Again, we are NOT there to argue the facts as we see them, but rather to listen to each other and through the guidance of the Spirit, seek possibly surprising common ground.

It may well be that deeply held values, fears, or stresses—even those we share in common—cause us to reach our vastly different conclusions on this subject. Knowing this, we might bring a unique witness of Good News to this difficult debate.

Please direct questions about the four events to those of us engaged in its planning. We thank you in advance for your prayerful consideration of this request.

Bishop Jeff Barrow (jeff@milwaukeesynod.org)
Resolution 6 Task Group Co-Facilitators:
John Horner-Ibler (john@crossoflife.org) and Lisa Bates-Froiland (batesfroi@gmail.com)

Session Dates, Times, and Locations:

Wednesday, February 15 — 6:30-8:30 PM — St. John’s Lutheran Brookfield
Saturday February 25 — 9:30-11:30 AM — Cross Lutheran-Milwaukee
Thursday March 8 — 6:30-8:30 PM — Atonement Lutheran, Racine
Sunday, March 18 — 4:00-6:00 PM — Grace Lutheran- Thiensville

Add your voice online

Resolution 6 Online Discussion Questions

Your answers to these three questions will be shared with the task force organizers and not posted on the website.

Adding a comment below (at the very bottom of this page, below the three question form and submit button), however, will be displayed publicly on the website.

Use either of these methods to share your viewpoints. But PLEASE remember to keep your comments respectful.

Thank you!

Name
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Home congregation
1) What was your response to the ‘collective bargaining controversy’ in Wisconsin? What from your own personal history and experience informed your response?
2) As a church body (the Greater Milwaukee Synod), what would we have to ‘get at’ in order to say that we are really addressing the concerns raised by the ‘collective bargaining controversy’?
3) As the debate continues, what pitfalls/opportunities exist for this body of the church (the Greater Milwaukee Synod) to comment publicly on the ‘collective bargaining controversy’?

Jbnana34

You people have got to be kidding. Why are you meddling in this subject which is mostly union directed? I am so tired of the church getting into gay marriage and now union activity. I have been considering looking for another church, and this is about to push me into it! Why don’t you go into the problems that Obama has given us? That might be more helpful to our country even though I don’t feel that it should be directed to the church either.

http://tracyappsdesign.com tapps

i’m sorry you feel that way. if you disagree with even starting a civil discussion surrounding current events, i fear that is one way that the church will move more and more to being seen as “not relevant” to this generation and the future. just avoiding the tough topics doesn’t make them “go away” or make “everyone agree.”

If you are frustrated with the church and the ELCA’s stance on social issues, please bring your talking points to the table. GOD’s table is big enough for every view point to be CIVILLY, and RESPECTFULLY discussed.

we as the body of Christ are as diverse as GOD GODself. let us enter into tough conversations while always recognizing Christ in the other person/people.
Lisa Bates-Froiland

your viewpoint–the church need not address this issue–is welcome, will be duly noted and passed along to Synod Council. it is one viewpoint among many that we expect to hear both online and in the small group discussions,