North American Lutherans to gather in Ohio

HILLIARD, Ohio (AP) — About 800 members of the newly formed North American Lutheran Church will meet in Ohio this week to elect leaders and set church direction.

Church officials say the convocation of the North American Lutheran Church takes place Thursday and Friday in the Columbus suburb of Hilliard. Delegates will elect a new bishop and other leaders for the church formed last year.

The church was formed by churches that exited the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America after America’s largest Lutheran denomination decided to allow noncelibate gays into its clergy.

A church statement released today says more than 250 congregations representing more than 100,000 Lutherans have joined the new church.

The statement says the new church is committed to the authority of the Bible as the inspired word of God.