The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's decision in late August to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy has prompted some deep soul-searching among many local ELCA members.

It's an issue that is complex, confusing and many-layered, said several Flathead ELCA pastors, and congregations need time to sort through their feelings.

Many Lutheran churches in the Flathead Valley are committed to sticking by the ELCA; some are contemplating their options.

Calvary Lutheran Church in Evergreen took a congregational vote Sept. 13 and agreed to leave the ELCA. It's the first step of a 90-day process that will require a second vote.

Members of Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork took a congregational vote on Sept. 27 about whether to leave the ELCA, but didn't get the required two-thirds majority vote.

"We're currently in the process of seeking unity in the midst of incredible pain and discord," said the Rev. Joseph Strandjord of Bethany Lutheran. "There are people on both sides of the issue.

"My hope as a pastor is that the mission of the church continues and that this one issue won't affect other ministries," Strandjord said.

BISHOP Jessica Crist of the ELCA's Montana Synod has been visiting with pastors and congregations across the synod, which includes 145 congregations in Montana and Northern Wyoming.

"The responses to the church's actions range from joy to anger, and everything in between," Crist said. "I urge congregations and pastors who are unhappy with the ELCA's decisions not to do anything in haste. I have urged them not to leave the ELCA in anger, but to remain a part of the body.

"I have urged them not to use their offerings as a protest," she added. "We have work to do as a church. We have missionaries to support and social ministries to fund."

Crist said no congregation will ever be forced to accept a gay pastor, celibate or otherwise. The bishop's office consults with congregations in their choice of pastors and makes recommendations, but Crist noted that each congregation is free to accept or reject those nominations.

Several local ELCA pastors fear the church's new statement on human sexuality will create a schism within the denomination driven by fear and reaction to a complicated issue.

And they worry it will overshadow the multitude of ministries and community-service projects that Lutherans are involved with.

"It's not a yes or no. It's not black or white," the Rev. Wayne Pris of Eidsvold Lutheran Church near Somers said. "Things are very much in flux and the ELCA is working on all kinds of options" that will be made available to congregations.

Pris said his congregation is "in conversation, in prayer and continuing to think through these issues and being as faithful as we see ourselves being called to be."

Strandjord said the national media's coverage of the ELCA decision is playing into people's confusion.

"Folks who don't have connections to the church pick up the newspaper and read one thing and think they understand the entire situation," Strandjord commented. "It's frustrating."

Crist pointed out that "media coverage to the contrary," the churchwide assembly did far more than debate issues of human sexuality and interpretation of scripture.

"We voted for full communion with the United Methodists, for health-care reform, for a bold new anti-malaria initiative as part of the Hunger Appeal, and so much more," she said.

The Rev. Peter Erickson of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls, like several other local ELCA pastors, stressed that the statement on sexuality "is really quite gray. It leaves a lot of interpretation up to congregations."

Our Savior's Lutheran held an informational meeting on Tuesday evening to talk about the recent ELCA statement on human sexuality.

"I wanted to make sure the congregation was getting the right information," he said.

Erickson pointed out that while the ELCA chose to allow congregations to find ways to recognize and support lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships, the ELCA assembly was not asked to consider and thus took no action concerning a churchwide rite of blessing of same-gender unions.

ELCA social statements are developed through a participatory process over a five- to six-year period. This particular social statement involved broad study, discussion, prayer and dialogue that began in 2002. It involved three studies and more than 30,000 responses to those studies, according to the ELCA Web site.

Interpretations of the statement vary, pastors and Crist agreed.

"The ELCA has been studying this for several years and even the most devoted Bible teachers are split," Erickson said.

Crist said that while the ELCA has "come to a number of conclusions that we all share, we have also come to the conclusion that we are not of one mind on homosexuality."

As a congregation, Our Savior's members are "very dedicated to the ELCA at this time," Erickson said. "We're trying to talk with each other. We're trying to be the church of God together," Erickson said.

The Rev. Dan Heskett of Northridge Lutheran Church in Kalispell and The Rev. Larry Stappler of Kalispell's Bethlehem Lutheran both said their congregations are dealing "in house" with what they consider a very complex issue.

At Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish, the Rev. John Bent said discussion is ongoing.

"We'll be in discussion about the ramifications," he said. "But we need more time to talk it through as a congregation."

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com