A: This issue continues to be one that is hotly debated in our culture today.
The LCMS in our national convention back in 1990 passed and re-affirmed our position on this issue with the following statement (shared here in condensed form): 

 “WHEREAS, Many in American society are demanding legal recognition of same-sex unions as “marriages” by appeals to “equality under the law” and
WHEREAS, God gave marriage as a picture of the relationship between Christ and His bride the Church (Eph. 5:32); and
WHEREAS, Homosexual behavior is prohibited in the Old and New Testaments (Lev. 18:22, 24: 20:13; 1Cor. 6:9-20; 1Tim. 1:10) as contrary to the Creator’s design (Rom. 1:26-27); and
WHEREAS, For our Synod to be silent, especially in the present context, could be viewed as acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Synod urge its members to give a public witness from Scripture against the social acceptance and legal recognition of homosexual “marriage”; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the members of the Synod deal with sexual sins with the same love and concern as all other sins, calling for repentance and offering forgiveness in the Good News of Jesus Christ when there is repentance; and be it
RESOLVED, That the LCMS, in convention, affirm, on the basis of Scripture, marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman (Gen. 2:2-24; Matt. 19:5-6).” 
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In conformity with the 1990 resolution of the LCMS set forth above, St. John’s has adopted the following Statement of Faith Appertaining to Marriage:

“St. John’s Lutheran Church of Orange is a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). The LCMS, in Convention in 1990, affirmed, on the basis of Scripture, that marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman. As such, St John’s Lutheran Church, as a member of the LCMS, only conducts marriages that join one man and one woman who intend to be joined for their mutual lifetime. (Genesis 2:2-24; Matthew 19:5-6).”

But pastor, I thought you said we were to “love all people”? Doesn’t this kind of statement keep us from doing that? 

You are right! We are called by God to love all people just as He does. God loves all sinners and because He loves them He died for their sins. This doesn’t mean that Christ said that sinning is permissible now. He died so that all of us who sin can find forgiveness and be restored to God’s design and purpose for us as His children. This means then that as His children we are called to both bear witness to the truth of God’s Word and to extend God’s grace and favor to all sinners.

But pastor, if we are all sinners, why are we making a big deal of this one?

As a congregation deeply rooted in confessing God’s Word we are called upon to publically confess our faith. With this particular area of God’s Word being challenged by our government and society in a very public way through the laws of this land we are moved to respond and make such a confession. This confession today is not meant to highlight one sin over another. In no way does the LCMS nor St. John’s Lutheran Church believe that the sin of homosexuality is any more offensive than for example the sin of adultery. If there was a proposition on the ballot to permit the marrying of one man to two or more wives we would again be moved to speak publicly to the issue and make a confession of how God defines marriage.

What can I do?

We need to continually open our doors and welcome all those who would like to come and hear all of God’s Word and what it says to us. As Christians it is important for us to stand up for the truth of God’s Word. As Christians it is equally important for us to love all people with the love of Jesus. We should repent when we take on attitudes and verbiage that makes light of one sin over another. We should also repent if we are found by God’s Word to be allowing sinful behavior to have a normal place in our lives. To both of these repentant prayers we can be assured that God always says, “I forgive you all of your sins” and then sends us out to go and live the new life that He gives and provides.