XPost: or.politics, alt.politics.trump, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   From: biased@nowhere.invalid   
      
    christianpost.com   
   ELCA 'herchurch' in San Francisco promotes 'goddess' worship, features   
   'resident witch'   
   Ian M. Giatti   
      
   Church aims to 'deconstruct Christianity and other patriarchal religions'   
   A screenshot of a worship service at herchurch in San Francisco in May   
   2024.   
      
   A Lutheran church in San Francisco that was founded nearly 150 years ago   
   now worships a “goddess” and has a “resident witch” on staff.   
      
   Formerly known as Ebenezer Lutheran Church, “herchurch" is a congregation   
   within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and is part of   
   the progressive denomination’s Sierra Pacific Synod, which consists of   
   approximately 180 “worshipping communities” across Northern California and   
   Northern Nevada, according to its website.   
      
   Founded by Swedish immigrants in 1882, Ebenezer Lutheran changed its name   
   to “herchurch” around 2007, when its membership was around 115   
   congregants, according to a cached version of the ELCA website.   
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   The staff, which is led by “pastor and priestess of ritual” Stacy Boorn,   
   includes over a half dozen “priestesses” and a “priestexx” Thom Longino,   
   who is listed as “adjunct pastor” and “spiritual director.” A CP review of   
   Longino’s LinkedIn profile also revealed that he is an employee of   
   Catholic Charities San Francisco.   
      
   A video of Longino discussing his work with homeless LGB-identified youth   
   at San Francisco Night Ministry is featured on the YouTube page of Megan   
   Rohrer, who made headlines in 2021 as the first openly trans-identified   
   bishop to serve in a major denomination.   
      
   Rohrer was later suspended after allegedly using “racist” language.   
      
   One of herchurch’s “priestesses,” Christine Konkol, identifies as a   
   “resident witch” and is seen in a photo on the church website wearing a   
   traditional witch’s hat.   
   A screenshot of a copy of a May 2024 liturgy at herchurch.   
   A screenshot of a copy of a May 2024 liturgy at herchurch. |   
   Screenshot/YouTube/Herchurch   
      
   Described as an “open and affirming community” where all are “loved in the   
   love of Christ-Sophia and the Great Mother of us All,” the church’s   
   website calls “all expressions of gender identity…a blessing.”   
      
   As part of its about section, its website calls herchurch an “emerging,   
   liberating feminist congregation” which is “hoping to be a part of the   
   prophetic voice of the divine feminine that will deconstruct Christianity   
   and other patriarchal religions.”   
      
   The site also offers visitors language to use in a so-called “goddess   
   rosary,” which states, “Hail Goddess, full of grace. Blessed are You and   
   blessed are all the fruits of your womb. You are the Mother of us all.   
   Hear/ Heal us now and in all our [dreams]/needs. O blessed be, O blessed   
   be. Sophia, Ah-She.”   
      
   Painted in bright purple and lavender colors to “help proclaim this   
   liberating love,” the church building hangs a sign above its front   
   entrance which reads “Celebrate the Goddess.”   
   The exterior of the Herchurch building in San Francisco.   
   The exterior of the Herchurch building in San Francisco. |   
   Screenshot/YouTube/The San Francisco Standard   
      
   A copy of the church’s “liturgy of the divine feminine” states the   
   service’s objective of “honoring the ancient mother” Julian of Norwich,   
   who is widely recognized as the first woman to publish a book in the   
   English language.   
      
   The church has over 100 pieces of feminine-focused artwork on display,   
   including one profane piece described as a “bisexual love letter to   
   vulvas” featuring female genitalia.   
      
   CP reached out to ELCA for comment on herchurch’s status in the   
   denomination. This story will be updated if a response is received.   
      
   Over the last decade, the ELCA has experienced a considerable decline in   
   membership amid growing ecclesiastical and doctrinal divides between   
   member congregations. In 2013, the ELCA reportedly had over 3.9 million   
   members. The figure dropped to around 3.3 million members by the end of   
   2020. The most recent figures show a membership of fewer than 3 million   
   members.   
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