John 3:21

John 3:21
"It is the nature of all hypocrites and false prophets to create a conscience where there is none, and to cause conscience to disappear where it does exist." Martin Luther

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

MORE: ELCA Seeks Dismissal of Claims in Pension Plan Suit

The ELCA churchwide organization filed a motion in U.S. District Court in Minnesota June 28, seeking dismissal of all claims against it in a lawsuit filed following termination of a defined benefit compensation retirement plan by Augsburg Fortress Publishers (AFP).
On April 21 former employees of the Minneapolis-based publisher who were covered by the terminated pension plan filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota. Named as defendants were Augsburg Fortress; its president and chief executive officer, chief financial officer and vice president of human resources and organizational development; the ELCA; and current and former members of the publisher's board of trustees. About 500 people were affected by the termination of the plan.
The lawsuit seeks to recover losses allegedly suffered by the plaintiffs because of what they claim were "breaches of duty" with regard to the termination of the defined benefit pension plan. The suit also asks the federal district court to declare that the terminated pension plan is not a church plan, but a defined benefit plan regulated by the 1974 Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
Augsburg Fortress, a separately incorporated entity apart from the ELCA churchwide organization, maintained and continues to maintain its own retirement benefits for its staff. At the time the lawsuit was filed, the ELCA churchwide organization asserted that "it had no role in the creation, management, funding or termination of the Augsburg Fortress pension plan." It also denied all legal claims made against it by the plaintiffs.
The plaintiffs assert that the ELCA is liable for the Augsburg Plan's losses under ERISA or, alternatively, state law, states the ELCA's dismissal motion. The ELCA churchwide organization denied this. The ELCA churchwide organization noted that it is named in three counts regarding ERISA. One count seeks a declaration that the terminated pension plan is an ERISA Plan (Count I); another claims the ELCA had a duty to monitor the plan under ERISA rules (Count V); a third claims the ELCA had a co-fiduciary duty under ERISA (Count VI).

"All ERISA counts must be dismissed because the Plan is a 'church plan,' not an ERISA plan," the ELCA  motion stated. "Even if the Plan is deemed an ERISA plan, Plaintiffs' allegations that the ELCA is an appointing fiduciary fail to state a claim as a matter of law, requiring dismissal of Counts V and VI as to the ELCA."
Augsburg Fortress Publishers similarly filed a motion on Monday seeking to dismiss the counts based on ERISA but did not address other claims in the lawsuit.
The ELCA churchwide organization motion also said the plaintiffs claim that Augsburg Fortress is an "alter ego of ELCA" which should render the ELCA liable for breach of contract (Count X), or for failure to keep the promises made to the publisher's employees concerning their pension (Count XI) or under the Minnesota Consumer Fraud Act (Count XII).
"The allegations that AFP is an alter ego of the ELCA are neither legally sufficient nor plausible. The Minnesota Consumer Fraud Act allegations also fail to state a claim under the terms of the statute," the ELCA's motion stated. "Accordingly, the ELCA requests dismissal of all claims asserted against it."
In 2005 Augsburg Fortress' board of trustees froze the organization's defined benefit plan, and began offering a 403b defined contribution plan to employees. The costly defined benefit plan "has been underfunded for about nine years," Beth A. Lewis, Augsburg Fortress president and chief executive officer, said at the time the defined benefit plan was terminated on Dec. 31, 2009.
Lewis said when that plan was terminated most participants in the defined benefit plan would receive a lump sum payment. The trustees provided for a "more equitable allocation of plan assets among plan participants," she wrote in a letter to plan participants. Without the amendment, more than half of the plan participants would have received nothing at all, Lewis wrote.
"If we had done nothing, the plan would have run out of money in approximately five years and left about 60 percent of those in the plan with no retirement benefits," Lewis said. "We didn't think that was equitable or fair."
Distributions were made to plan participants in March, Lewis said. Lewis denied all claims of wrongdoing against Augsburg Fortress in the lawsuit.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

ELCA Churchwide Organization Seeks Dismissal of Claims in Pension Plan Suit

From <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>
Date Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:51:06 -0500

Title: ELCA Churchwide Organization Seeks Dismissal of Claims in Pension Plan 
Suit
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>June 28, 2010  

ELCA Churchwide Organization Seeks Dismissal of Claims in Pension Plan Suit
10-177-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The churchwide organization of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) filed a motion in U.S. District Court in
Minnesota June 28, seeking dismissal of all claims against it in a
lawsuit filed following termination of a defined benefit compensation
retirement plan by Augsburg Fortress Publishers (AFP).

>More:
>http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4563

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

WordAlone's “Leaving the ELCA” series


Should I leave the ELCA? This is a question that many congregations and members in North America’s largest Lutheran church body are beginning to ask. Recent changes in ministry policy that allow the ordaining of practicing homosexuals are bringing a significant challenge to the traditional understanding of the Bible and its authority for Christian life. However, this is only the most recent development in a long history of problematic decisions by the ELCA. After a decade of concerted effort WordAlone has reached the conclusion that the theological decay of the ELCA cannot be stemmed or reformed. The entire infrastructure of the ELCA is extremely damaged and the pervasive apathy of the membership at large assures that the current tragic direction will continue indefinitely. We urge confessional and biblical Lutherans to begin making plans to disassociate from the ELCA for the sake of their spiritual well being and particularly for the spiritual well being of their children and grandchildren.
Questions that are frequently asked by those considering leaving the ELCA can be found by clicking …Click HERE...

Taking Action

The action you choose to take in leaving the ELCA depends a lot on your situation. It is vital to know what the other members of your congregation think about the matter of leaving or staying in the ELCA. It is also extremely important to know where your pastor(s) stand on the issues. Another crucial factor is to know how current leaders in the congregation understand the problems that give rise to the need to leave the ELCA. WordAlone recommends that individuals, groups and congregations carefully consider their situation as they decide what action to take. We have worked through this with many congregations, groups and individuals. We have some suggestions for analyzing your situation and the actions you may want to take. To read more about this click HERE...

Follow a Careful Process

photo of compass overlaying Constitution
Moral Compass
The environment surrounding the process of leaving the ELCA has become increasingly charged in the months following the August 2009 churchwide assembly. ELCA officials and synod staff members have become increasingly anxious as more congregations choose to leave. The rules have been tightened across the ELCA but are being enforced differently in various synods. This means that everyone engaging in the process of voting to leave the ELCA needs to be very careful about how they do it. We have compiled a number of suggestions, cautions, and advisory notes about how a congregation should engage in the process of voting to leave the ELCA. To read more about this click HERE...


Study Resources

photographic collage of literary resources
So much to read...but there's time...
Our experience suggests that the uninformed members of ELCA congregations are the most content with the present direction of their church. WordAlone has consistently worked to bring the actions, theology, and policy of the ELCA into a critical light. We are convinced that such analysis is healthy and beneficial to the faith of Christian Lutherans. For this reason we have included a large study resource section in this website to help our readers locate quality resources as they carefully work through the process of leaving the ELCA. To access these resources click HERE.


Case Studies

meshing gears illustrate in synch
In "synch" with what others are doing...
It is often best to learn by example. For this reason our series will include a section of case studies that will grow as we are able to gather them. These are stories of people that have successfully found faithful ways to leave the ELCA in an effort to make a more emphatic response to Christ’s command to go and make disciples. We believe they will encourage and inspire you. If you have a story that you think would make a good case study for this series please contact us at info@wordalone.org.

Living Word Lutheran Church

For instance, Living Word Lutheran Church started worshipping with 83 people Nov. 1, 2009, in Alexandria, Minn. By this spring, their number had grown to 150 and they were on the verge of not only calling their first pastor but also deciding whether to buy a vacant church or to buy land and build a church with probably a 300-seat sanctuary. The new congregation is affiliated with Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ . . . Read more

Redeemer Lutheran Church

Another example is Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fridley, Minn. is a 2,100-member congregation in a northern suburb of Minneapolis with a focus on outreach. “Changing denominational affiliation won’t change that concentration on reaching out,” says their pastor. As a matter of fact, the two votes they took in the past few months to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have taken a back seat to the excitement and work for their newest project—launching a second campus for their congregation June 5, 2010, Pastor David Glesne said. . . . Read more

Monday, June 21, 2010

Gary Wollersheim Re-elected Bishop of ELCA Northern Illinois Synod

From <NEWS@ELCA.ORG>
Date Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:30:45 -0500

Title: Gary Wollersheim Re-elected Bishop of ELCA
Northern Illinois Synod
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>June 18, 2010  

Gary Wollersheim Re-elected Bishop of ELCA 
Northern Illinois Synod
10-168-KG*/MRC

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Gary M. Wollersheim was 
re-elected June 18 to a third six-year term as bishop
of the Northern Illinois Synod of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) at the synod assembly
June 18-19 at Augustana College, 
Rock Island, Ill. Augustana is one of 27 
ELCA colleges and universities.

More http://www.elca.org/News/Releases.asp?a=4554

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
Twitter: http://twitter.com/elcanews

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Split votes on gay issues reflects divisions in Lutheran church


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The 2010 South Dakota Synod Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America twice voted in support of gay clergy on Saturday, aligning the state assembly with the national church’s position -- a seeming switch from Friday’s vote opposing the national church’s acceptance of gay relationships.
The resolutions were responses to the national 2009 Churchwide Assembly's inclusive position on gay couples and gay clergy, which disconcerted many congregations and worshipers nationwide.
Although both resolutions voted on Saturday asked to rescind the policy allowing gay clergy to be in monogamous, same-gender relationships, the second resolution was more tersely worded, stating the national church’s adopted policy violated the ELCA’s Confessions of Faith, the foundation of the church's beliefs.
The first resolution was presented to the state assembly without recommendation from the resolutions committee, and the second resolution came with a “do not pass” recommendation by the committee. The assembly moved the resolutions for a vote, anyway.
The first resolution failed 256-246 with five abstentions; the second failed by a wider margin, 283-207 with 15 abstentions.
Clergy and lay people, representing South Dakota's 123,000 Lutherans, attend the annual state synod to vote on resolutions, hear reports on the state of the church and to worship.
This year, the three-day assembly was held at Calvary Lutheran Church in Rapid City. Although the church attended to other business during the assembly, much attention this year has been focused on three votes opposing the controversial Churchwide Assembly’s votes on gay couples and gay clergy.
That national vote resulted in some churches choosing to withhold funding from the national assembly and others choosing to leave the ELCA altogether. Seven South Dakota congregations have left the ELCA since the 2009 assembly’s decision, and seven more are waiting to take second votes on leaving.
The Rev. Thomas Stenzel of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Lead voted Saturday in opposition to the national policy to allow gay clergy, which is how his congregation feels on the issue. He said the national church’s decisions and the state assembly’s vote on Saturday signifies the overall political shift in the ELCA. That has left some in his congregation dissatisfied.
“There’s a definite turn in the house that not all are excited about the direction the church is going,” Stenzel said. “I think a lot of people are just giving in at this point,”
His congregation has not taken a vote about leaving the ELCA, but one of his parishioners has requested such a vote, and his parishioners are individually choosing whether or not to contribute to the state and national organizations. 
The Rev. Donald Lehmann of St. Paul Lutheran in Humboldt voted Saturday in support of gay clergy being able to serve while in monogamous relationships, which is in accordance with the feelings of his congregation. He said some congregations are struggling with the issue, and hopefully, the resolutions can help them decide on their relationship with ELCA.
“I believe that we are called to be inclusive,” Lehmann said. “I think the vote was the appropriate move because I believe people in monogamous lifetime relationships of the same gender are children of God. They’ve also received a calling from God to serve in a variety of ways, even as clergy.”
The Rev. David Baer of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood said he didn’t know what caused the assembly to switch voting outcomes on the resolutions from Friday to Saturday but theorized that perhaps people were more concerned about the teachings of the social statement than gay clergy themselves. Baer’s church stopped contributing to both the national church headquarters and the state ELCA synod. He is also a part of the Lutheran Coalition for Renewal -- commonly called CORE -- which formed in opposition to the proposed changes to ELCA policies and church teachings.
Regardless of the reason, Baer said, the split vote on the resolutions about gay issues reflects the lack of unity among the South Dakota congregations.
“There is still not a sense of what to do. We’re not that traditional stronghold that we used to be,” Baer said. “This is the first time when they’ve taken a significant step away from that.”
Contact Holly Meyer at 394-8421 or holly.meyer@rapidcityjournal.com.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

State ELCA Lutherans reject church's national stance on sexuality


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The 2010 South Dakota Synod Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America narrowly voted Friday against the national church's statement accepting gay relationships.
By a margin of eight votes, the state assembly passed a resolution, 251-243, with 10 abstaining, rescinding the national 2009 Churchwide Assembly's decision to recognize same-gender couples through its social statement "Human Sexuality: Gift & Trust," which also passed narrowly at the national level, according to Bishop David Zellmer, leader of South Dakota's ELCA congregations.
A re-vote was sought on Friday's action, but that request was denied by a 19-vote margin.
The state assembly is expected to vote Saturday on whether or not to rescind the national church's policy that allows gay clergy in a monogamous relationship to be on the ELCA's list of pastors and serve in churches.
The social statement lists four positions on relationships accepted by the ELCA, including gay marriage, Zellmer said.
The resolution and others being discussed during the three-day assembly at Calvary Lutheran Church in Rapid City are responses to the national assembly's inclusive position on gay couples and gay clergy, which disconcerted many congregations and worshipers nationwide. It resulted in some churches choosing to withhold funding from the national assembly and others choosing to leave the ELCA altogether.
In South Dakota, seven congregations have left the ELCA since the 2009 assembly's decisions, and seven more are waiting to take second votes on leaving.
More than 600 people attended Friday's Synod sessions.
The resolution passed Friday by the clergy and lay people, representing South Dakota's 123,000 Lutherans, makes two statements to the national assembly. First, it says adopting the social statement was a violation of the ELCA's Confession of Faith, the foundation of the church's beliefs. (The assembly voted down an amendment to remove this section.)
Second, it asks the 2011 ELCA Churchwide Assembly to reconsider and remove the social statement it approved in 2009.
Zellmer said it will be difficult to convince the national assembly to change what is now church law.
At the 2009 state synod, that assembly passed resolutions asking the national assembly not to pass the changes, but it happened anyway, Zellmer said.
The Rev. David Baer of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Whitewood said some congregations are not making a decision on leaving the ELCA until they see what happens at the state Synod, and others are waiting to see what happens at the 2011 national assembly.
Baer's church stopped contributing to both the national church headquarters and the state ELCA synod. He is also a part of the Lutheran Coalition for Renewal -- commonly called CORE -- which formed in opposition to the proposed changes to ELCA policies and church teachings.
Baer said churches are waiting because leaving the ELCA is like leaving your family.
"It's emotional; we feel connected," Baer said. "We do really relate to each other, and it's hard to say ‘no' to your family."
Zellmer said Friday's resolution may help some congregations decide to stay with the ELCA, but passing Saturday's resolutions on the church's policies on gay clergy would help the most.
"It would have more of an ability to have the churches step back and wait before they would take a vote to leave," Zellmer said.
Based on response from congregations at a national level, Baer and Zellmer both said it was unlikely the national assembly would change its mind. A splinter church, the North American Lutheran Church, is already forming for congregations leaving the ELCA; a constituting convocation is scheduled for August in Ohio, Baer said.
The South Dakota Synod Assembly will meet again in 2011, and the group's position could change before the 2011 national conference, Zellmer said.
In addition to gay clergy, the assembly is expected to vote on matters regarding mental illness education, encouragement of mission partnership, church elections and ending poverty and injustice.
Contact Holly Meyer at 394-8421 or holly.meyer@rapidcityjournal.com.