Council Crashers!

Select members from the renegade ELCA group who go under the moniker "Saving Faith" crashed the monthly Church council meeting last night and caused quite a disruption. They would not be respectful of the meetings agenda and only wanted to shout down all who did not cower to their ignorance. They could not conduct themselves in a professional manor and came across as enraged immature heathens. The bone of contention was our recently placed ad in the religious section of the local newspaper.

The ELCA without asking (although we would not have argued)  removed us from the ELCA block of the "Local ELCA" churches ad. Therefore out of our own money paid for an ad that did not include the letters "ELCA" within it and to their chagrins it does contain "LCMC". So this disrespectful group took it upon themselves to force the issue as to who gave the approval and by whose authority? If they would attend church they would have heard as it was announced who was in the "Forward with Faith" taskforce that approved this ad. These members have stopped attending our church months ago and only comes around to cause problems and dissension.  A few show up at our 8 o'clock service to get a head count and a bulletin and after giving our Pastor dirty looks they leave and go to Trinity Lutheran (ELCA) to their ELCA approved and paid for secluded service in the general purpose facility as they wished to be left alone. The ELCA has actually paid for their own Pastor and from my understanding reimburses Trinity Lutheran the payment for the facility use. This group has not attended or given any regular support to our church for months and yet they feel that they can come and disrupt our meetings. Do they not have a conscience and don't they feel guilty for being so disrespectful and hateful in a house of GOD!. They cannot accept loss being in the minority and move on so now we have to tolerate their insolence on a grand scale. We already know that they will attempt to disrupt our annual meeting on this month and try again to shout down all of those who don't side with them even though the vast majority (over 80 percent) of our church does not agree with them.  The ELCA is fully aware of their tactics and condones this disrespectful behavior. When will this stop and when will they accept that by their turning their back on scripture and siding with the ELCA is what is causing the problems they have and we all need to heal and move on.

The ELCA is not following the Bible Published Friday, January 29, 2010

The ELCA is not following the Bible

Published Friday, January 29, 2010

Dear fellow Evangelical Lutheran Church in America members:

I write this to inform you of the actions of the ELCA and the content of their teachings. It saddens me to say that the ELCA is a denomination that is continually following human thinking which go against the Bible and they reject God’s Word in their policies and their teaching.

This is evident in many ways:

The ELCA promotes “universal salvation.” You can find this confirmed on the ELCA Web site and in the notes contained in the Lutheran Study Bible, boldly stating, “Jesus includes in salvation people who do not believe in him or even know about him.” That is not Biblical.

The ELCA encourages homosexuality, despite God’s Word clearly stating that it is a sin and that people should refrain from such behavior.

The ELCA supports all abortions in their medical coverage.

The ELCA teaches that Jesus did not say what the Bible says he said.

The ELCA does not believe there is prophecy in the Bible. God says there is, in hundreds of verses in the Bible.

The ELCA policies and teachings show a denial of God’s authorship of the Bible.

The ELCA takes consistent stands against Israel, and the ELCA is aggressively attacking Christians who are in support of Israel.

The ELCA denies the truth of scripture again, by claiming that the people and stories of the Bible, like Adam and Eve, Noah, Jonah and others, are myths.

(You can read more details at my Web site http://www.exposingtheelca.com.)

The Biblical authors and Jesus himself viewed the scriptures as holy and true. Are we going to take the ELCA’s view over their witness? Should we stay connected to and support a denomination which teaches this way? I say no.

If you agree with me, please consult with your fellow church members and encourage your church to leave the ELCA. If, in the end, your church does not leave, find a new denomination that believes and teaches the truth of God’s word.

Dan Skogen

former Lake Mills, Iowa, resident

Marion, Iowa

What to Do When . . . (John 6:68)

What to Do When . . . (John 6:68)
The 2009 Churchwide Assembly for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America addressed
some very important issues of ELCA church doctrine and policies. Many are concerned as how
best to respond faithfully to possible changes in ELCA policies and practices. They are seeking
guidance for options available to faithful Lutheran Christians. In an effort to assist individuals,
pastors and congregations in their discernment, the WordAlone Network Board of Directors has
developed this document.1 WordAlone offers these considerations, to be taken only after much
deliberation and prayer.
This document addresses factors a person (or family), pastor or congregation might consider
after reviewing the actions taken at the 2009 churchwide assembly.
Response of a layperson
The complexity of this choice depends upon a person's involvement in a congregation and
his/her marital/family status.

A) Response as a single person without children
If the outcomes at the churchwide assembly conflict with one's conscience, seeking
fellowship in another Lutheran church in the area is the easiest option. The availability of
Biblically faithful congregations varies among geographic locations. One choice could be
joining a church in the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, www.lcmc.net.
WordAlone encourages you to visit nearby Lutheran churches, attend worship services there
and then speak with the pastor(s) so as to gain a deeper understanding of their theology and
church practices.

B) Response as a family with children
As a couple, each person is vital to choosing a church for faithful worship. It is important
for each to be nourished in their walk with the Lord. Likely they will want to discuss all
aspects of the worship experience, including things such as liturgy, music, worship times
and opportunities for fellowship.
One's involvement in the present church (serving on committees, singing in choir, etc.)
should be considered. Friendships within these congregations will affect responses to
possible changes.
For parents, the needs of children are of special concern. Sunday school, confirmation and
fellowship in youth groups are all factors that require prayerful contemplation. A child's age
and degree of emotional and spiritual maturity as well as connectedness with friends their
own age must be considered. The presence of baptismal sponsors, other family and
supportive friends in the current parish can be significant.
Wherever one decides to worship, consider that church’s programs to see if they are a good
fit for your child's needs. Your baptismal responsibility here cannot be overemphasized.

Response of a pastor
A pastor's response can be far reaching. A pastor's responsibilities to the flock must be
considered. If a pastor believes churchwide assembly decisions preclude remaining in the ELCA,
this must be discussed – first, with the church council, then, with the congregation. Asking
church members to pray for the pastor during this time of deliberation is most appropriate.
Keeping the congregation informed of the theological basis and consequences of the pastor’s
decisions is also important. Because of the critical nature of these issues, if the congregation is
not actively engaged, WordAlone encourages the pastor to help the members become so.

A) Pastor leaves the ELCA and congregation remains
In this case, it is evident that the pastor views the situation differently than the majority of
the church council and congregation. In such a case, the pastor should resign after fully
educating the congregation about the churchwide assembly decisions made, the biblical and
theological ramifications of them and his or her personal thinking that led to his or her
decision to leave the ELCA.
Leaving the ELCA may affect matters such as pastoral pensions, health care plans and other
personal and professional issues, so they should be thoroughly reviewed with the ELCA
Board of Pensions, the synodical bishop/office and an attorney. Typically ELCA pensions
are fully funded and can be rolled into another retirement program. It is appropriate to
cooperate with the synod bishop to effect a proper resignation from the ELCA roster.
A pastor can and should explore joining the clergy of another Lutheran synod. Most of them
have pension and health care plans that can be accessed.

B) Pastor remains in the ELCA, but congregation leaves
A pastor who desires to remain in the ELCA, but is serving a congregation electing to end
its connection with the ELCA, should consult with the synodical bishop. In at least one such
case, the synodical bishop worked with the pastor so that he could transfer his membership
to a nearby ELCA congregation (a constitutional requirement for ELCA pastors) and
supported the pastor to keep serving the congregation leaving the ELCA until the pastor
received a call from an ELCA congregation. It is also possible for an ELCA rostered pastor
to serve a non-ELCA Lutheran congregation with synodical approval. These are a couple
possibilities besides the pastor resigning. See C under "Response of a Congregation."

C) Pastor retires
If a pastor disagrees with churchwide assembly decisions and elects to retire, there is no
need to go through an ELCA separating process since pension and health benefits remain no
matter where a retired pastor worships. Such a pastor could elect to be removed from the
ELCA roster listing.

D) Pastor and congregation leave the ELCA
See B under "Response of a Congregation."
Response of a congregation
A congregation's response will depend largely on how it understands Biblical truth, the details of
policy drafts the ELCA has published and the theological discussions surrounding the drafts. It
will also depend on how well informed the congregation is of churchwide assembly decisions
and their theological and practical implications. Clearly not all members of ELCA congregations
will be satisfied with churchwide assembly decisions. Cottage meetings, congregational meetings
and council meetings can be venues for informing, delineating and determining the future
involvement of a congregation within the ELCA. A church's constitution and bylaws need to be
reviewed to clarify any potential legal issues.

A) Congregation and pastor remain in ELCA
(1) This will likely be the choice of congregations in agreement with the churchwide
assembly decisions.
(2) This may be the choice if a congregation is in disagreement with churchwide assembly
decisions but continues to believe it possible to faithfully remain in the ELCA to
influence future decisions for good. Congregations may achieve helpful influence in
several ways, including:
Pray that ELCA clergy and laity will seriously study God's Word and be open to a
clear understanding of the Church's mission to reach people for Christ and teach
God's revealed truth as applicable for daily living.
Offer orthodox Bible studies on the subject to ensure the laity is fully educated on the
biblical view of sexuality and marriage in our lives.
Become more involved in WordAlone and Lutheran CORE, the coalition for reform,
and be part of a national reform effort.
Reduce financial support of the churchwide organization as a way to “voice”
discontent with churchwide priorities. There are many ways for benevolence dollars
to be redirected in mission for Christ.
Encourage other pastors and councils to be in close communication with synodical
bishops who are sympathetic to concerns about the current mission, ministry and
policies of the ELCA.
Encourage church council members to write letters to "unsympathetic" bishops and
leaders in the ELCA national office to keep them aware of discontent and on-going
concern.
Look beyond the ELCA for resources. WordAlone can be of great assistance with
Sola Publishing, and recommends the Institute of Lutheran Theology for theological
education and ReClaim Resources for worship materials.
Improve the availability of on-going orthodox education in your area by becoming a
teaching center within the Institute of Lutheran Theology.

Join LCMC (Lutheran Churches in Mission for Christ) while remaining in the ELCA.
LCMC is an association of Lutheran churches that can act as a separate church. For
example, they have their own pension plan, health insurance, call process, etc.
However, they have also structured themselves in a way that allows churches to
belong to LCMC without leaving their current denomination. Although many
congregations are taking advantage of this “dual membership” option, the
congregation will need to be prepared for potential resistance from the bishop’s
office. Additional information is available at the LCMC website (www.lcmc.net).

B) Congregation and pastor leave the ELCA
The big questions become: (1) Who owns the church land and building when the
congregation leaves? (2) What affiliation might the newly separated congregation have?
The answer to the first question, in most cases, can be answered simply: The local
congregation does if you transfer to another Lutheran church body. A caveat applies
to ELCA churches having their roots in the Lutheran Church of America prior to the
formation of the ELCA. To effect a break from the ELCA and retain building and
property, such churches must have two consecutive affirmative two-thirds majority votes
of their congregations held 90 days apart. For ELCA churches that once were LCA
churches or were an ELCA mission start-up, there is an additional requirement of
permission from the synod council. This additional requirement has already been
successfully met by some churches. The details of “who owns what” may also involve
the date when your church was founded. These matters need to be fully researched by
legal counsel before decisions are made.
The answer to the second question includes various Lutheran church bodies. In some
cases, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (www.lcmc.net) has been the
answer. For others, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (www.lcms.org), Association of
Free Lutheran Congregations (www.aflc.org), Church of Lutheran Brethren
(www.clba.org), The American Association of Lutheran Churches (www.taalc.org) or the
Evangelical Lutheran Synod (www.evangelicallutheransynod.org) have provided "safe
haven." Each congregation would need to research these possibilities.

C) Congregation leaves ELCA and pastor remains
Though the congregation may prefer to call either a pastor who is not on the ELCA roster or
is in the process of resigning from the ELCA, there are other possibilities for the transition
process. See B under "Response of a pastor."

D) Congregation remains and pastor leaves.
See A under "Response of a pastor."
1 The purpose of this document is not to narrow choices, but to help inform them. As such, WordAlone
provides this document as only one source. WordAlone neither warrants the completeness of these
discussions, nor assumes liability for choices made by individuals, pastors or congregations using the
information provided herein.

More ELCA heavyhandedness

Brothers and Sisters in Christ.  Grace and mercy to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

     As part of the network that has been following the mischief of the ELCA for a number of years, I am not surprised by the heavyhanded approach of your bishop and synod.  It is my fervent hope that sometime in the future, I will never have to use the titles "Bishop" and "Synod" in the context of our Lutheran churches.  Not only is the synod and national assembly a "top down" organization, there is no consequence to their pronouncements and decisions.  In all meetings and decisions, they diminish the importance of the local congregation.  The only needs they serve in a political sense are their own.  So, when the synod and national assembly make these horrible decisions they face no consequences.  That, unfortunately, is left to us at the local congregation.  We, not they, are left holding the bag to explain to our friends and neighbors how a body can reach such a decision of disconnect that only reflects the views of an "enlightened few."  We are left to try to explain to our friends and neighbors how such a thing could happen. 
     Luther gave as the bible in his common language so that all could benefit from scripture.  Scripture is plain for all to see.  It should not and cannot be bent to assuage common secular desires.  All scripture is holy and unbroken beginning with Moses.  If we allow one pillar of belief to be suspended because some are "uncomfortable" with it, then no pillar of belief is sacrosanct.  We are not secular humanists.  Scripture for us is the map for us to get right with Christ and live our lives as Christian people.
     This last decision by the national assembly for me is the straw that broke the camel's back.  It is not so much the Statement on Human Sexuality.  It was the disconnect and arrogance of those people to have the gall to say they speak for me when they do not. 
     I wish you well on your journey towards removing yourself from the confining arrogance of the ELCA.  Your bishop does not serve you well but in a typically ELCA fashion in trying to prey on the fears of some in your congregation.  Do not demonize your brothers and sisters who want the ELCA.  That only allows Satan to be busy.  Godspeed to all of you.


Timothy Myer
Nipomo, Calif
St. John's Lutheran Church
       

Singsaas Church quits ELCA

Singsaas Church quits ELCA
Posted: Thursday, Jan 21st, 2010
BY: Jill Fier
The Singsaas Lutheran Church of rural Brookings County has decided to drop its affiliation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. ELCA rules dictate that in order to leave, a congregation must hold two meetings at least 90 days apart. A vote taken at each meeting must pass with at least a two-thirds majority. For the historic "old church in the country" near Lake Hendricks, the process has already been completed , with the first vote held Oct. 18 and second vote Jan. 17.

Singsaas President Trygve Trooien, a lifelong member of the church, said both votes passed with more than a two-thirds majority. The vote was not unanimous , but the church has a policy of not revealing vote totals.

Trooien did not want to comment on specific issues but said a majori-

of members agreed that the ELCA is heading in a direction they don't like.

"We feel that the ELCA is getting more and more liberal all the time and has become an organization we don't care to support or don't care to be a part of any longer."

A statement released by church members noted that the ELCA's viewpoints have drifted apart from Singsaas' .

In August, members of the ELCA's national assembly voted to adopt a statement on sexuality to allow gay people in a committed, monogamous rela- tionship to serve as ELCA clergy .

Hendricks resident Violet Nelson, who serves as church secretary, admitted that was one issue that raised concerns for Singsaas members.

"That's one of the issues, but not the only issue, " because what is this showing our future generation?"

Nelson said another ELCA trend that concerned Singsaas members is the declining amount of resources allocated to global missionaries, as well as the elimination of genderspecific references to God.

"Since ELCA formed in 1988, the total amount of international missionaries decreased by 62 percent, but staff for ministries increased by 16 percent. " Adjusted to inflation, money sent to global missions has fallen by 52 percent," Nelson explained.

The Singsaas country church prides itself on being frugal so more money can be spent on missions.

Nelson also referenced new hymnals purchased by the church about two years ago. The ELCA had eliminated all masculine references to God, such as He, Him and Father. The Singsaas church used the new book briefly but then reverted to older versions.

The press release issued by church members also pointed out that the ELCA has increasingly become involved in political activism rather than core church functions.

Also, members of the small Singsaas congregation noted that much of their time is being spent on ELCA governance issues beyond their control. 135 years old

Singsaas opened its doors in 1874, when a group of Norwegians settled in the area. These first settlers came from Singsas Norway, which is where our church gets its name. The church, located in lake Hendricks Township about one mile from the state border, now serves a congregation of about 75.

While it is physically located in South Dakota, Singsass lists its address as Hendricks, Minn., and has been a member of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod of the ELCA.

The church had been sharing its pastor, the Rev. Duane Baun, with several other congregations , but he cannot serve Singsaas any more. "We had a good relationship with him, enjoyed having him, but ELCA policy says he can't serve a church not affiliated with the ELCA," Trooien said.

Singsaas is now searching for a part-time minister. It will continue to hold services at 10:30 a.m. Sundays.

Trooien invited anyone looking for a place to worship to visit Singsaas. Over the next few weeks, the church will come to a consensus as to what its needs, goals and wishes for the future may be.

The church president said one of those decisions will be whether to join a new Lutheran denomination or affiliation. Members have already talked about several possibilities but have not finalized anything.

Contact Jill Fier at jfier@brookingsregister .com. 

An open letter to Bishop Hanson by Rev. Martha Uecker Nelson, an LCMC pastor

Bishop Hanson,

First, thank you for your Christmas greeting.  I was going through emails & came across your Christmas greeting once again and I was compelled to respond.  I am a pastor of more than twenty years. My husband is also a pastor serving as a senior pastor of a congregation.   I was a graduate of LSTC in 1988, so I had a sense of pride about graduating as the first class of the ELCA.  Bishop Chilstrom was someone who young pastors looked up to as a spiritual leader. 

I serve in a hospital setting as a chaplain.  That pride of being a part of the ELCA has long since disappeared. It is not all because of recent (within 10 years) actions but just generally how ill-equipped that bishops and synod staff are at supporting fellow clergy.  This is one of the reasons for the dis-effected feeling among many that has laid the ground work for some of the current situation. 

I would like to expand on the some thoughts, for what it is worth to you. I am sure that others could do a more eloquent job than I, but it comes from the heart & so I feel that I must put to words the thoughts that I have.

I may never hear from you, but the need is to make sure that I do express what God has put into my heart, as well as that of others hearts.  I hope you will take these simple comments to heart yourself and pray & reflect on them.

  

When I read your greeting, I was reminded of the sad state of affairs that the Church finds itself in recently.  I must say that I am truly surprised at your Christmas message of Christ.  You and the ELCA in August voted to basically abandon Christ with your "bound conscience" concept.  Perhaps it has not occurred to you that in the action of deciding that people can now decide for themselves 'what sin is and is not' you have rejected God and you have eliminated a need for the Savior?  You also have eliminated the need for and tied the hands of pastors to be a moral guide for their congregational members.  Perhaps you had not considered the "unintended consequences" of the decisions in August.  You made a statement in your town-hall meeting about being intentional to bring in more members to the church. What you have done is quite the opposite. 

This kind of action of rejecting Christ & errant theology is why many true Lutherans are now leaving the ELCA.

The ELCA had now rendered itself ineffectual & without sound doctrinal content.  It no longer exists as a Church.  I am very sad to see the state of the church that once was. Perhaps it never was what it seemed but now it definately has shown itself not to be a church but a political action arm of  Liberal agendas. I have to ask myself, when is the last time that any of you read the Book of Concord?

During seminary & the years after, I had not realized the extent to which the seminaries were teaching things that go against sound Biblical teachings.  When I was there, LSTC was starting to teach political correctness of situational ethics and the devil was a debatable entity, the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand was an issue.  Professors who were avid defenders of real interpretation of the Old & New Testaments stood strong on their interpretation of homosexuality issues in Scripture.  They now have done a 180 degree turn.  Is that from pressure to comply or be fired? 

More recently, I have learned that the teachings have become incredibly out of tune with sound theology.  This is an undenible fact as we have talked to many seminary students about what they are learning.  They tell us we are "old school" in our thinking.  Thanks be to God that Jesus is "old school".  I would rather be that than incorporate New Age theology any day.

Now, I understand, that we are to believe that there are no miracles, no virgin birth, no walking on the water, no resurrection, Jesus is just one savior among many, the Bible is just one authority- not THE Authority for our lives...I could go on. I had a fellow pastor, who is on Synod staff, say to my face that we can change the 10 Commandments any time we want.  If any of this sounds right to you, then continue on your course.  But if it does not, please wake up to what it true and right.

This summer we were at a family member's church where we heard the pastor preach a sermon that Jesus was just a random carpenter selected by God for the role of the Messiah at the time.  Beyond being shocked, we now have encouraged our family members to leave the ELCA as the teaching is not sound, let alone Christian. 

Sadly, you and other leaders have put the ELCA into this tail-spin, spiraling downward.  The  question is whether you are going to let it go into a death spiral.  Reading in the Lutheran magazine, there is basically a dismantling of the Churchwide Offices due to budget issues. The reasoning there are budget issues is that you have stepped away from the Gospel, nothing less.  I truly hope that you all will prayerfully look at where the Holy Spirit is guiding.  It is not guiding you on the current path.  It should be becoming quite obvious to you with all the voices saying that this is not where God  guides.  Come back to the Gospel, come back to the Holy Spirit guiding the church.  (2Timothy 4:1-5)

I never thought about being conservative or orthodox in my faith because I thought that we all were that.  How wrong I was.  I am deeply, deeply saddened that the 'devil' or 'evil', or whatever you all call things now, has gotten his foothold with the ELCA.  In the light of  Saint Paul, I admonish you to come back to the True Faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

God always provides.  I am thankful to God that there are other options for me and others to follow Him in the Lutheran Tradition.  I am thankful to God that He has opened my eyes to the errant ELCA ways and has lead me to another option for my Christian walk & for my Calling as a pastor.  God is Good!

I pray for you and for the ELCA to come back to the fold of Christianity & of Lutheranism. You have walked away from both for thirty pieces of silver (which in this case is political correctness & a current popular cultural fad).

Sincerely,

Rev. Martha Uecker Nelson, an LCMC pastor

Response from letter sent on 12/22...