From The Sheep Dogs Spot Blog

http://thesheepdogsspot.blogspot.com/2009/12/whats-going-on.html

Saturday, December 26, 2009

What's going on...

I had imposed a gag order of sorts on myself to not delve into the crisis in the ELCA until after the Christmas season. However, recent events make that self-imposed guideline not in the best interest of the church.


A published report in the Washington Times (Dec. 19) reports how pastors and congregations critical of the ELCA are being threatened and intimidated by bishops, synod staff, and their synod councils. This has included at least one pastor, at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Illinois, being threatened with the loss of his pension. The bishop of that synod will not comment on that. Yesterday (Dec. 25) the Word Alone Network published a report also saying that bishops and synod councils were not following the constitution and putting coercive pressure on pastors and congregations voting to dissolve their relationship with the ELCA.

I myself was put on notice by a member of our synod council's Executive Committee that she was going to make a motion a that I not be allowed to participate as a synod council member because of my protest against the ELCA. Also, another member of our synod council showed up at a class I was teaching in my parish to publicly say that she is married to a gay man who is living with another man, and who has had other homosexual lovers, and that this all biblically and theologically justified, in her opinion, because God gave him a need for "male sexual energy." No one has taken any action to exclude her from the synod council.

Such politics of intimidation and terrorism from Christian people is reprehensible.

The last I heard, more than 130 congregations have already taken a first vote to leave the ELCA, and nearly 100 of them have received the necessary 2/3 majority. You can be certain more will follow. I know of several parishes in our synod that are redirecting their benevolence away for the synod and the ELCA. Undoubtedly, for many of them this is a first step toward leaving the ELCA. The ELCA has already cut its budget 10% and terminated more than 40 employees. It is said financial receipts at ELCA headquarters are down 20-40%. What the exact figure is, the ELCA isn't saying. Our synod was looking a deficit for 2009 nearing $200,000 before some of its largest parishes voted to redirect their benevolence. It will be interesting to hear -- if I'm actually allowed to be at the next synod council meeting -- what that deficit is today.

From the ELCA website

Because Jesus is the unique and universal Savior, there is a large hope for salvation, not only for me and others with the proper credentials of believing and belonging to the church, but for all people whenever or wherever they might have lived and no matter how religious or irreligious they may have proved to be themselves. It is clearly God’s announced will that all people shall be saved and come to the knowledge of truth (1 Timothy 2:4)."


The link is furnished already in the Words "

From the ELCA website

Our Church Council letter to Trinity Lutheran Council

December 30, 2009

--- ----------, President

Faith Lutheran Church

1611 41st St.

Moline IL 61265

Trinity Lutheran Church Council

1330 13th St.

 Moline IL 61265

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am writing this letter on behalf of Faith Lutheran Church, Moline. I asked your President if I could speak to your Church Council about an important matter involving our congregations and was told to first put it in writing. 

The matter that I wish to raise is the fact that one or more leaders of your Church have apparently involved Trinity in an attempt by Bishop Gary Wollersheim, under sections 7.46 of the ELCA Constitution and S14.13 of the Northern Illinois Synod Constitution, to investigate "allegations of physical or mental incapacity of the pastor or ineffective conduct of the pastoral office have come to the attention of the bishop of this synod."  He is conducting a consultation under these sections to intervene in our call process.

Despite repeated written requests for facts supporting this disruptive process, the ELCA has produced none.  If you would like copies of the letters between our Church's attorney, J----- P----------, and the ELCA, we would be happy to provide this documentation. 

Initially, the Synod said that the consultation was based upon a petition circulated by some of our members and claimed that it was authorized under our congregation's constitution.  Our Council asked for verification that the signatures represented 1/3 of our voting members, but the bishop ignored our request. He then shifted gears to the above referenced sections, even though the petition specifically stated that there was no allegation of any improper conduct of our Pastor or his office.  We have been told that the Bishop himself told some of his supporters from our congregation after a "Coffee with the Bishop" meeting at your Church, that he had no grounds to seek the removal of our Pastor.

Despite this, the Bishop, with assistance from your Church, is planning to hold a consultation at Trinity on January 7-10, 2010. Why are you getting involved in this internal matter dealing with the call to our Pastor? We would like to understand the reasons for this willingness to assist the Bishop in his attempts to intervene in our call process. For this reason we would appreciate the opportunity to appear before your Church Council to address these infractions and/or immediately cease the scheduled "consultations" at your facility.

---- ------------

President, Faith Lutheran Church, Moline, IL

Their response

From: --------- --------- <-------------------@gmail.com>
Subject: Your Explanatory Letter
To: ----------------------
Cc: "Rev Larry ----------" -------------@trinitylutheranmoline.org>, "Pastor L---------------------------" <---------------@trinitylutheranmoline.org>

Date: Thursday, December 31, 2009, 2:48 PM

Dear -- ----------,

I wanted to acknowledge receipt of your explanatory letter. I will bring your request to our next regular Executive Council meeting which is Tuesday 5 January. I will inform you of our decision Tuesday.

Respectfully,

----- ---------------

Church Council President, Trinity Lutheran Church

Denial

ELCA Churches Finding Good in Doctrinal Chaos

I attended several LCA conventions (Chicago, Toronto) and one ELCA convention (Minneapolis) with Mrs. Ichabod. I heard many examples of synod worship. No one dared dissent from the infallible, inerrant leaders. The bishops, as they came to be called, were told what to do and say. In ELCA, the bishops were stripped of their power on the national level, reducing them to an advisory panel. Imagine my surprise when one of the bishops, Ken Sauer, began urging everyone to leave ELCA and join his new denomination.

The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau has always been an outfit somewhat to the right of ELCA and to the left of Missouri. Many soon-to-be Roman priests comment on the site as well. That is often a topic, but the current debate concerns leaving ELCA. Two great points have been made.

One. The doctrinal debates are making people look at the Scriptures and the Confessions. They are no longer relying on the seminary intellectuals to tell them what to think. Wide open ordination of pan-sexual couples was the final straw about the integrity of ELCA leadership.

Two. The previous crisis in forcing a doctrinal union with the Episcopal Church made one thing clear. There is no possibility of reconciling the Reformed view of the Lord's Supper with the Biblical Lutheran view. They are incompatible. Hence, no legitimate fellowship is possible. (Hear that - WELS, ELS, LCMS?) That claim was based on the Formula of Concord, argued by an ELCA pastor.

If things get worse in WELS and the ELS, their pastors and laity may be moved to study the Formula of Concord, too. Beware, the ELCA members are not looking to join another Emerging Church circus with Whoopie Worship. They had plenty of that, done better, in ELCA. They are leaving ELCA informed and aware. Synod worship will not impress them.

A letter from our Curch council regarding the vote and present state.

Since the ELCA leadership has failed to respond our numerous requests, we pray this vote will go without further incidents. The group that refers to themselves as the "saving faith" should realize they are following a leadership that has failed not only us but them as well.

.

Our Next Vote is scheduled!