Rev. Lura Groen, Rev. Jodi Barry received onto ELCA roster



Rev. Jodi Barry, right.

Lutherans Concerned/North America celebrates the rites of reception for Rev. Jodi Barry on October 30 and Rev. Lura N. Groen on November 7.

Both ministers were ordained “extraordinarily” in 2008, meaning they were ordained outside the usual practice of the ELCA. Their ordinations were not recognized by the ELCA. The Rite of Reception that received them recognized their ordinations as having been valid. Barry and Groen were received onto the roster of clergy as a result of the decisions of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly that voted to eliminate the policy that had since 1989 precluded service as ministers by those in a lifelong, committed same-gender relationship. Up until these rites, each had been on the roster of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM).

Rev. Lura Groen

Since 1990, ELM has credentialed pastors for ministry and maintained a roster of clergy barred from serving other denominations because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, worked with Lutheran congregations to open their calls to members of the ELM roster, and provided direct financial grants to fund this ministry. ELM is an independent organization, not part of any Lutheran denomination.

Rev. Barry serves as Chaplain for Mercy Hospital in the Twin Cities area. She is also the Youth Director at Grace University Lutheran Church, a congregation of the Minneapolis Area Synod. Bishop Craig Johnson presided at the service.

Rev. Groen serves as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas, a congregation of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the ELCA. The bishop of the synod, Michael Rinehart, said “[Lura] is an extraordinarily gifted pastor with a great deal of theological depth and a passion for those disillusioned with the church. This church is stronger with her.”

Please see the blog of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries for further stories Rev. Barry and about Rev. Groen.

Congratulations, Jodi and Lura!