Give Obama credit for church loyalty

I am a ELCA Lutheran pastor and must take issue with Hillary Clinton's recent comment that we can "choose our pastor."

In the ELCA, it is the congregation who chooses the pastors. And I am sure it is a similar process in the United Church of Christ.

This simply means that a pastor will reflect a variety of perspectives which are part of the congregation to which she or he has been called to serve. It also means an individual member may or may not agree with everything a pastor might say or do.

It also means that where there is disagreement, a member's responsibility is to the congregation. Over the years, if every person who disagreed with something I said from the pulpit left the congregation, none of the congregations which I have served would be around anymore.

I give Sen. Obama a great deal of credit for his loyalty to his congregation, despite disagreements with his pastor. And I also give him credit for his support of his pastor even in the face of major disagreement with him. Both are marks of a wise and dependable person.

Rev. Paul E. Flesner

Wheeling

Let's not repeat Clinton presidency

Who would ever want the Clintons in the White House? Does the country want the Clintons' family values?

James Schreiber

Arlington Heights