And what would be your third alternative..... roman catholic perhaps?
:laugh: Well, you guessed it!
Actually, I have noticed that in the area I live in more people leaving ELCA affiliated parishes are joining ACNA (Anglican Church of North America) parishes than with other Lutheran synods. The vast majority of Episcopal churches in the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin withdrew from TEC a few years back and became a diocese within ACNA. However, there are parts of the country where people have to drive 50-75 miles in order to find an ACNA affiliated church. The ACNA parishes in my area are thriving and the few Episcopal churches left in the area will probably soon close their doors once the few people that still attend die off. The average age in TEC churches in my area looks to be about 60. Most of these are pew potatoes that do not have a clue what is actually going on inside of TEC and are determined die as a part of that denomination. An Anglican friend of mine told me that the ASA (average Sunday attendance) in 7 Episcopal churches and missions in the Central Valley has fallen off significantly, although tithes have increased (this seems to be a trend in churches that are in a 'death spiral'. People increase their giving to try to stave off the inevitable closing of their parish. There are five diocese that were formerly TEC diocese that have withdrawn from that denomination and affiliated with ACNA. Happening in Canada as well but so far just individual parishes withdrawing from ultra-lib 'Anglican Church of Canada'.
BTW, not sure how familiar you are with The Evangelical Covenant Church, but as I mentioned before, they have Lutheran roots and also are receiving ELCA refugees.
There used to be Lutheran participants on this board that certainly would have a better understanding of the polity of the ELCA and how easy (or difficult) it is to leave that denomination and keep their properties. The Episcopal Church saw what was coming when they voted to consecrate Viki-Gene Robinson as their first openly partnered gay bishop and rammed a canon through at their General Convention (after some diocese had already withdrawn) basically saying 'individual can leave The Episcopal Church but parishes and diocese are held in trust for The Episcopal Church and future Episcopalians.
The leadership of The Episcopal Church after years of claiming that it is NOT a hierarchical church above the diocesan level, is now claiming that they are. There is a reason why the founders of The Episcopal Church in the U.S. did not confer the title ' Archbishop' upon the bishop elected at General Convention and use the title 'Presiding Bishop'. That is what her (Katherine-Jefferts Schori) function is, to 'preside over the General Convention'. She is supposed to be considered 'first among equals'.
So far most of the lawsuits have been decided in TEC's favor as a result of their being able to sell their claim of being hierarchical to the judges. In the San Joaquin diocese, some rulings have been in favor of The Episcopal Church and those properties have been returned to them. In other cases (and using the EXACT same facts of the case) the courts have sided with ACNA and they have retained their properties and all 'da silver.
Maybe the congregation of the OP wants to avoid this whole mess and take an easier road as a Baptist church. Reading the article it does sound like they have money issues to work through although the building has already been purchased. Good for them! Again, I hope they grow and disciple many new members.
