A policy decision by delegates of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America at its annual convention in Minneapolis in August lifted a ban that had prohibited sexually active gay men and lesbians serving as clergy and leading congregations .

Now they may serve if they can show they are in committed, lifelong relationships and if they can find congregations to bring them on board.

Here in Brookings the decision has had little impact; and that may be the impact nationwide, according to the Rev. David Schoeld, pastor of First Lutheran Church in Brookings

"For the most part, probably for 90 to 95 percent of the (ELCA) churches in the country, this doesn't mean really that much," he said.

He added that some ELCA churches "have been very upset about this." But Schoeld explained that "churchwide headquarters sent a letter to everybody and said if this is not something you want, you can write it into your constitution."

And the decision contains no mandate regarding gay clergy.

Schoeld explained, "This only says if you want to have a pastor who is in a lifelong committed same-sex relationship that you can have it.

"It also says if you don't want to have that, you don't have to have it.

"So , it's not anything that's being forced on anyone. It's not anything that has to be done. It is merely an option for congregations that would be either open to it or would intentionaly seek that out to be able to have it."

Schoeld said he has talked with about a dozen people not pleased with the decision; but he stressed that "this does not change anything about First Lutheran Church in Brookings, S.D."

The Rev. Rhonda Hanisch, pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings, said, "My people here, they've been non-reactive , calm. We're praying over it."

She and her congregation are "waiting for further development ; policy will be forthcoming next year." Tough job for s bishop

Hanisch said that Bishop David Zelmer, ELCA South Dakota Synod, will hold meetings at various locations in South Dakota in January. He represents 123,000 of the ELCA's 4.7 million members.

Schoeld said the bishop would be "checking in, explaining some things, asking questions, hearing what people's feedback is." And he had admiring words for how Zelmer is handling a difficult situation.

Schoeld explained, "He's been really good in this process. He's taken a lot of heat for this decision. And he had nothing to do with making this happen or not happen.

"He's just one bishop among 65 bishops, among 1,100 people who got to vote on this. I've never asked him how he voted."

Schoeld said Zelmer has "been beaten up pretty bad by a lot of churches, and it's been really unfair. It's not his fault; he didn't initiate it. His call is to serve the church. That's what he continues to do; and I think he does it with great faithfulness."

As to the genesis of gay clergy, he said, "This conversation started as early as 1993. Again, as everything for the ELCA starts, it starts out in a local congregation or minimally a conference, which can be a small grouping of churches." Issues then work their way up through the ELCA levels of authority for a final decision. Issue of age, generation

If there's one factor determining how ELCA members are dealing with the gay clergy issue, it's age, according to the Rev. Bob Chell, pastor of the University Lutheran Center (ELCA), at South Dakota State University.

"This is not an issue for people under 40," he said. "It's a hot issue for the 50-andolder crowd. It won't be an issue in another generation." For now he sees "no fear, anger or turmoil."

Chell, with a look at history, said controversy in the religious arena is nothing new in America. By way of analogy, he noted slavery and the ordination of women as past issues that have been resolved by religious denominations.

For the pastors of Wisconsin and Missouri synod churches in Brookings, the ordination of women or gay clergy is a non-issue . But that doesn't men ELCA members who have trouble dealing with women or gay clergy are jumping ship to join those churches. More conservative synods

The Rev. Ken Brokmeier, pastor of Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church, a Wisconsin Synod congregation , said that while nobody from the city's ELCA congregations has come over to his church as members, they "have visited our congregation ."

He did note that there are differences between the ELCA and the Wisconsin and Missouri synods. In a word, the latter two synods are "conservative ."

The Missouri Synod pastor of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Brookings, the Rev. Terry Naaz, took a hard-line stand on the gay clergy issue: "Homosexuality is wrong; it's a sin. It can be forgiven, but they have to amend their lives."

The Missouri and Wisconsin synods do not ordain women. But men who have same-sex orientation could be ordained if they live celibate lives.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

John kubal may be reached at jkubal@brookingsregister.com.