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Eastern IL Lutherans Leaving National Group
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- A handful of eastern Illinois Lutheran churches have decided to leave the country's largest Lutheran denomination over a decision to allow gay pastors.

The (Champaign) News-Gazette reported that churches in Rantoul, Flatville and Royal have voted to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for the new North American Lutheran Church. Churches in Philo and St. Joseph have taken initial steps to leave.

At least a couple hundred Lutheran churches around the country have left the Evangelical Lutheran Church since the decision about pastors earlier this year. The group still has more than 10,000 member churches.

Bishop Warren Freiheit of Springfield, though, noted that almost 130 other churches in the area voted not to leave.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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