Contact Presiding Bishop

Archbishop, Presiding Primate:
The Most Rev. Sam Guido
Clergy:
The Very Rev Jack Adams
:
The Reverend Jerry Bragg
The Reverend Garland Byers
The Most Rev. Chuck Courtney, Ecc. D.
The Very Rev Leonard Easterday
The Most Rev Sandy Guido
Deacon Jennifer Guido
The Most Rev Kyle Lockhart
The Most Rev Sak Thomas
The Rev. Robert Viancourt
The Reverend Richard Wagner
The Very Rev Cindy Adams
The Very Rev David Rowe
ReverendDr Randy Wagoner, DD
The Reverend Christine Wagoner, DD
The Rt Rev Heidi St Michael
The Rt Rev Steffan St Michael
The Reverend Michael Layne
The Rev Thomas Scarino
The Rev Kent Wheeler
Deacon Ann Jacobs
The Reverend Joseph Jacobs
TheRev Andrew Mcmenamin
The Rev Christopher Moses
Deacon David Reinert
The Reverend Richard Wagner
The Reverend Bradly Varvil
The RevJerry Hemmingson
The Rev Richard Stoeker

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	ST PAULS LUTHERAN CHAPEL
	SAM GUIDO EVANGELICAL MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL, IN
	THE VISITING CHAPLAINS ASSOCIATION
	LUTHERAN RESOURCES
	VESTMENTS BY ADRIENNE,CUSTOM TAILORED VESTMENTS
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	ECUMENICAL ROSARY
	NEW ENGLAND ARCHDIOCESE
	OFFICE OF CHAPLAINCY SERVICES

The Lutheran Orthodox Church is a Lutheran Church in valid Apostolic Succession.
The Lutheran Orthodox Church does not consider itself a Protestant denomination, but rather an Evangelical Catholic denomination, in the same manner that Martin Luther considered himself and his followers. A more accurate description of this denomination would appropriately be described as Catholic Church-Lutheran Rite.

Before you read any further about our fellowship, we hereby declare that Jesus Christ is King Of Kings and Lord of Lords! This simple statement is the cornerstone of our faith.

OUR IMMEDIATE HISTORY

The Lutheran Orthodox Church sprang from a controversy within the Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church(LEPC) over the issue of Apostolic Succession, which has since been reconcilled. The LEPC traces its roots to the Reformation in Germany in the 1500's. The immediate history of The Lutheran Orthodox Church began in 2004 when several Bishops of The Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church, GCEPC were offered the privilege and opportunity to be consecrated in the valid Apostolic Succession by Bishops of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican churches. The process began in January of 2004 and culminated on July 11th, 2004 when LEPC Bishops Samuel Guido, and Raymond Copp,both from Pennsylvania, as well as Bishop Tan Binh Phan Nguyen, an ECCL Bishop from Atlanta Georgia, were consecrated as Bishops in valid Apostolic Succession in a beautiful ceremony held in NYC. The main consecrator, Archbishop Bertil Persson, Primate of the Order of Corporate Reunion,and Presiding Bishop of The Apostolic Episcopal Church (Holy Eastern Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox) and serving as Missionary General Igreja Catolica Apostolica Brasileira, (Scandinavia), and Missionary General of The Philippine Independent Catholic Church, (Scandinavia and all of Europe), flew in from Sweden to conduct the ceremony, extending the lineage of Apostolic Succession to the Lutheran Evangelical Protestant Church. Co-Consecrators were the Most Reverend Irl Gladfelter, Primate of The Evangelical Community Church-Lutheran, of Kansas City and The Most Reverend Peter Paul Brennan, of the Ecumenical Catholic Diocese of New York. Many other Bishops,including Archbishop Francis C.Spataro, of the Apostolic Episcopal Church, Bishop Paget James Mack, of the African Orthodox Church and Bishop Patrick E. Trujillo, to name a few, attended and extended their own lines of Apostolic Succession to these recipients.

Valid Apostolic Succession, (that which is recognized by both The Roman Catholic Church as well as Eastern Orthodox), had been denied to most Lutheran clergy for over 500 years. (Some Lutheran groupings in Europe maintained a type of lineage of Apostolic Succession). Today, however, by the Grace of God,it is being slowly restored. Many pastors understood and appreciated the importance of Apostolic Succession to the reunification of Lutherans with other denominations in the Apostolic Succession. They have come forward in enthusiastic support of it. Many however, have not, and a debate continues in the church over its true significance. Rather than cause angry division and controversy, those consecrated into the holy Apostolic Succession have decided to follow a different path. A path quite different but ultimately one that leads everyone to the same goal; reunification of every Christian denomination under the banner of the one true Apostolic Church. Although both groups have taken different paths they remain sister denominations, mutually working together for the Body of Christ and the growth of His church.

So, here we are, The Lutheran Orthodox Church, a small but strong, conservative Lutheran denomination, on a mission to reclaim the faith that Martin Luther once delivered to us all. We believe that many Lutheran churches have so far deviated from the teachings of Martin Luther that they can hardly be recognized as Lutheran anymore. You will find us as a church to be very 'Catholic' in style, as we wish a return to the practices and teachings of Martin Luther, who after all, was a Catholic priest. We also firmly believe that the Catholic Church of today is not the Catholic Church of 500 years ago, just the same as we believe that Lutheran churches of today also are not the Lutheran churches of yesterday. We seek an eventual reunification with Rome, in a type of 'communion arrangement' similar to the Eastern Orthodox churches and a growing movement in this trend is rapidly moving forward with many fine scholars, Lutheran, Catholic and Orthodox working on it. The Lutheran Orthodox Church, already being in valid, recognized Apostolic Succession seeks to be a part of this ecumenical movement, where the Body of Christ will become united as one, the way it was in the beginning.

We do not claim, nor would we ever be so bold to assert that we are 100% correct in every single interpretation of the Lutheran faith, and we recognize there are many other interpretations, which is why there are so many different churches calling themselves Lutheran. In other words, while we believe we are correctly interpretating the Lutheran Confessions, we accept our other Lutheran brothers of different synods recognizing that we are all imperfect and fall short of the Glory of God.

We cordially invite you to browse our site, read our beliefs and statement of faith, sign our guestbook, and feel free to email any questions you may have.

We also extend an invitation to those who desire to enter the ministry or transfer their credentials to contact us. We will gladly discuss opportunities and possibilities with you one on one at your convenience. There is never a fee nor any dues payable for any congregation or clergyman to affiliate with The Lutheran Orthodox Church.

Through the Order of Corporate Reunion, a holy order established by Pope Pius in the late 1800's,(and recognized as valid by the Vatican today), the line of Apostolic Succession has been extended through the Lutheran Orthodox Church.

Apostolic Succession is the laying on of hands, one to another in an unbroken line of succession from the original Apostles down through history to today. This lineage is recognized as a mark of a true church, one recognized by both Eastern(Orthodox) and Western(Roman)Catholic churches, as well as others.

Through these various lineages, The Lutheran Orthodox Church is in direct Apostolic Succession of St Peter, St James, St Mark, St Paul,St John and St Andrew.

Copies of the Apostolic Succession lineage of The Lutheran Orthodox Church are available upon legitimate request by contacting our office.

DECLARATION; DOMINUS JESU,
CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF FAITH, THE VATICAN,
AUGUST 6 2000

17.Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by Bishops in communion with him. The [other] Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by Apostolic Succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches. Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the Catholic Church..."

CANON 844.3, THE CANON LAW CODE OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, (1983)

"Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and annointing of the sick to members of the Eastern Churches [Orthodox] not in full communion with the Catholic Church, if they spontaneously ask for them and are properly disposed. The same applies to members of other Churches which the Apostolic See judges to be in the same position as the aforesaid Eastern Churches so far as the sacraments are concerned."

From THE AUGSBURG CONFESSION, Article XXI:

"There is nothing in our Confession that varies from the Scriptures, from The Catholic Church or from The Church of Rome as known from its writers"

While each church is independant, and remains the property of their respective congregations, we share many of the same styles of worship and music. An Orthodox Lutheran service consists of hymns, a liturgy which is easy to follow, even for a first time visitor, a short sermon or homily, and the celebration of the Eucharist, or Holy Communion. We believe in the presence of Christ in the elements, and we do allow everyone who is baptized and believes to participate in the Lords Supper.

We celebrate all the traditional observances and follow the Roman Catholic schedule of feasts and observances.

One very interesting point that separates the Lutheran Orthodox Church from most other Lutheran churches is that we recognize the Bishop of Rome as being 'First among Equals". We respect his authority and the Catholic position on nearly every issue, with the mandatory celebacy of the priesthood being our main point of disagreement. We believe that a priest has the right to marry. While we respect the Vatican stance, we respectfully disagree.

One other point of difference is on the Sacraments. We believe in 2 Sacraments, that of Baptism, and Communion. However, we recognize 5 other 'Sacramental Rites',(Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Extreme Unction, Penance/Reconcilliation) thus preserving, although not perfect, the traditional Catholic practice of 7 Sacraments.

Another point of interest is that you may also notice some Lutheran Orthodox parishoners saying or carrying the Rosary. We accept and encourage this practice, but recognize that not every member necessarily agrees.

All are welcome We hope you will find that a Lutheran Orthodox Church is one of the warmest, friendliest congregations you have ever visited. We pray that you find the worship experience to be one of the most spiritual, inviting and refreshing worship experiences you will find and you remain refreshed in body and soul as you leave to go about your daily lives, always in wonder and awe of the awesome God we serve, the Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Home Churches Welcome

If you currently pastor a House Church, or do not have a permanate building, but meet in private homes, you may have a difficult time affiliating with a larger Church body. But we in the LOC recognize the value and history (especially among our first century brethren) of such places of worship, and encourage your pastor to contact us so we can discuss options. Of course you would have to accept our core beliefs and statement of faith, among other things, but we welcome your inquiry.

The Lutheran Orthodox Church,which is headquartered at St Pauls Lutheran Chapel in northeast Pennsylvania, is governed by Spirit filled men and women consecrated in valid Apostolic Succession. These men and women are appointed according to our By Laws and Constitution, (copies of which are available upon request, and also published on this web site), and may serve in that position for life.

The Legal Corporate Structure

The Lutheran Orthodox Church,inc is a Non-Profit/Non Stock corporation as registered in the Commonwealth of Pa. There are 4 Offices of the corporation: President, Exec VP, Secretary /Treasurer and VP. There may be more than one VP serving in different capacities, but the Exec VP is the immediate successor to the president, (see our By Laws). As with most other corporations there is also a Board of Directors which is comprised of the Archbishops who serve on the Council of Bishops. The Presiding Bishop serves as Chairman of The Board. In this position, these members care for the legal, secular and worldly affairs of the church.

The Spiritual Affairs of The Church

On the more important spiritual aspect of the church, (and its main mission, to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ), The LOC is governed by a Council Of Bishops. The number is usually but not necessarily limited to twelve plus a Presiding Bishop, or Primate. These thirteen men and women serve as Archbishops and make up the governing body of the Lutheran Orthodox Church.They are responsible for the care of large regions in their assignment

Bishops are appointed to serve in their diocese, overseeing and caring for the congregations in their area.

Pastors care for their own congregations, as chartered by the denomination.

All Bishops who serve on the Governing Body do so as volunteers, no salary is paid to any member of the Governing Body. Pastors are paid by whatever arrangement is made on a congregational level.

Most pastors however, are bi-vocational, meaning they serve their congregations for little or no salary, (including the current Presiding Bishop) and maintain secular employment to support their families.

All churches of The Lutheran Orthodox Church are congregational in polity, meaning they own (or rent)their own property. Congregations wishing to withdraw from this denomination are free to do so upon written notice according to our By Laws.

Congregations may only call pastors consecrated in valid Apostolic Succession as recommended by the local Bishop or Archbishops.

Women in Ministry

The Lutheran Orthodox Church accepts the ordination of qualified women into the ministry up to and including The Council of Bishops. Our position on female ordinations is posted on this web site and can be accessed by clicking on the links to the left of this page.

World Headquarters:
St Pauls Lutheran Orthodox Chapel
Mailing Address:PO Box 74
Neffs, Pa, 18065
Phone 610-760-0773

The Most Rev. Sam Guido,OCR, DD, M. Div., EccD,PhD, Archbishop and Founder; The Lutheran Orthodox Church
Pastor, St. Pauls Lutheran Church, Slatington, PA
Apostolic Vicar of Pennsylvania, Order of Corporate Reunion

The Rev. Robert Viancourt,Archishop, Diocese of Ohio.

The Most Rev. Charlton P Courtney,EccD, Executive VP, LOC, Archbishop, Diocese of York, PA.

The Most Rev Kyle Lockhart Archbishop, Diocese of Florida

The Most Rev Sandra L. Guido, EccD, KSP Archbishop, LOC Sec/Treas

The Most Rev K.Sak Thomas, KSP, DD, Archbishop of India and All The East. (48 congregations)

The Reverend Jerry Bragg, KSP, Archbishop of Arkansas, Pastor, Amazing Grace Lutheran Church, Benton, Ark. Editor, The Evangelical Christian Magazine. (pending Incardination).

The Very Reverend David Rowe, KSP, DD, Vicar of So, California,.Observer to The Council of Bishops

The Reverend Dr Randy Wagoner,DD Archbishop, New England (pending consecration)Vice President, Chief Advisor to Presiding Bishop of The Lutheran Orthodox Church, inc

The Reverend Dr Christine Wagoner Vicar, Diocese of New Hampshire, Observer to The Council of Bishops

The Most Rev Heidi St Michael Diocese of Carbon County, Pa. Co-Directors, Office of Chaplaincy Services

The Most Rev Steffan St MichaelDiocese of Carbon County, Pa. Office of Chaplaincy Services. Co-Director.

The Most Rev James Groover, LOC Administrative VP. Currently on sabbatical due to illness, will return to active service upon recovery.Please offer prayer for his speedy recovery.

Most Rev Louis Marcel Pierre, Archbishop of Haiti, The Lutheran Orthodox Evangelical Mission of Haiti, Pastor, St Matthew's Lutheran Orthodox Church, Port Au Prince: Apostolic Visitor to The LOC.

The Most Rev Jerry Curry, Diocese of West Indiana,USA

The Most RevDr Michael Layne Diocese of East Indiana.

RevDr Joseph Jacobs Diocese of Northern Ohio (pending consecration)

The Most Rev Richard Stoecker Archbishop,Diocese of NYC, LOC VP of Media Relations and Marketing

Marriage Marriage is a union of one man with one woman. It is a vow made before God that both shall become one. The Lutheran Orthodox Church does not perform same sex unions or bless same sex couples.

Celibacy of Clergy Clergy of The Lutheran Orthodox Church do not take a vow of celibacy and may be married or remain unmarried by their own choice. Here is our main point of disagreement with the Church of Rome.

Homosexuality The Lutheran Orthodox Church follows the Bible in all matters of faith including the issue of homosexuality. We will not knowingly ordain any practicing homosexual to the Christian ministry. There are many denominations currently wrestling with this issue, including The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as well as some branches of The Episcopal Church. Our belief is that this should never even be an issue causing division and debate within the church at large, since Holy Scripture already settles the debate. Our clergy however will continue to minister to all people,following the example of our Lord.

Abortion Abortion is the willful taking of innocent human life. The human life begins at conception because there is simply no other point that it can begin. Therefore abortion is not acceptable under any circumstance except in the rare and unusual instance where the life of the mother is at real risk. Only then can an abortion even be considered.

The Holy Trinity The Lutheran Orthodox Church is a Trinitarian church in the traditional sense of the early creeds. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Co-equal, co-eternal.

The Bible The Bible is The Word of God. As Martin Luther stated, "I'd rather that all my books would disappear and the Holy Scriptures alone would be read..."

One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church We believe that the Body of Christ, as present in His church is united by closest of bonds, that being The Valid Apostolic Succession.

For further information on the beliefs and practices of The Lutheran Orthodox Church, call or write our office and we will gladly send you the information you request. You will not be added to any mailing list, nor will anyone contact you unless by your request. You may also wish to visit the web page of the New England Diocese (link is found to the left of this page) for very well written positions on controversial subjects.