%1

Gwynne Guibord was the chief ecumenical officer for the mostly gay Metropolitan Community Churches based in Los Angeles when that position was eliminated three years ago. The MCC cleric was active in ecumenical circles, serving as president of the California Council of Churches, among other posts.

Admitting she was disheartened to lose her denominational post, Guibord said she soon began the process of becoming an Episcopal priest that culminated on January 22. Bishop Jon Bruno ordained her and 11 other candidates to the priesthood in the Los Angeles diocese.

Augsburg Fortress, the Minneapolis-based publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), announced in January that it is eliminating 24 staff positions, discontinuing product lines and consolidating select overhead costs. The decision means the company will focus on “core ministry resources for the ELCA and the wider Christian community,” its news release said. Prior to the changes, the publisher employed 235 people. Fortress Press, known for its scholarly books, remains unaffected.