The Oromo Evangelical Church of Washington DC has never initiated membership termination of any form unless forced by the core issues that challenges its core values of the faith it professes.

We believe the Bible is infallible word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and the only norm and unchanged guiding principle. Biblical Statement on human sexuality is clear. God created mankind in a specific and precise fashion, without any shadow of doubt. He created male and female (Gen. 1:27). Originally, God instituted marriage between male and female. God created human beings as man and woman, with two fundamental elements, to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth (Gen. 1:28). It is only male and female that fulfills the commandment of God of being fruitful and multiplying and filling the earth. In Matthew 19:4-5 Jesus reiterates, underscores, and upholds the original intention of God’s creation, which is heterosexual marriage life style, when He said, “that at the beginning the Creator made male and female”.

When it comes to homosexual practice; all statements both in New and Old Testament without any exception regard homosexuality as a diversion from the will of God, as “an abomination” as “degrading passion” as a sin, which excludes people from God’s kingdom and an offense against the Law of God. (Cf. Lev. 18:22; 20:13; Rom 1:26f; 1Cor. 6:9-11; Tim 1:10)

There is no scriptural base for supporting homosexuality out of the love of our neighbor to compromise the Word of God. Instead we believe in the redemptive love to sinners.

We believe that the study done by Social Statement Task Force of the ELCA to produce this social statement is mostly based on proof texting and exegesis that is not loyal to the rules of biblical interpretation and is dishonest to the text that is quoted.

Despite the grounded and clear biblical evidences of the inappropriateness and the immorality of the same sex marriage, ELCA engaged in validating the same sex marriage. We were very saddened and dismayed that this happened in ELCA, which we joined to proclaim the Bible in its entirely. ELCA’s Church-wide Assembly of August 2009 (ELCA’s highest legislative body) decision on marriage and human sexuality has become contrary to the core values of the faith we profess; hence, we have been expressed our position and our concerns at various occasions including the yearly assemblies and various meetings of DC Metro Synod of ELCA. The United Oromo Evangelical Churches (UOEC) to which we are also members, in its letter dated November 12, 2010, also issued a statement strongly opposing the August 2009 resolution of ELCA on marriage and human sexuality. The statement said the resolution of ELCA totally contradicts with the Holy Scriptures.

And, finally, OECWDC congregation had unanimously voted to terminate its relationship with ELCA and then, with the help of God, the Washington Metro synod council of ELCA, on its meeting which held Saturday July 25, 2015, officially accepted and approved the termination to be effective immediately.

Now, it has been over three years since the OECWDC congregation had called our senior pastor, the Reverand Alemayehu Oljira, who, with the help of the Almighty God and the full support and collaboration of the Council of Elders, is leading the worship of our congregation in a new direction by inviting members to serve the house of God in ways that connect them to ministries that match their passion and skills. The power of the Holy Spirit that has been at work in our church has made our congregation a warm and caring community of God’s grace and mercy. By reflecting on the challenging and dynamic journey we endured together over the last  22 years, we give thanks and praise to the Almighty God, who has blessed us beyond measure and empowered us to overcome our challenges and to do His mighty will through this thriving congregation.