You Saw Me Crying in the Chapeltorium

Michael Schottey has left a new comment on your post "MLC Yet Again":

Ah Rev Jackson, how I longed over your absence to comment even though I knew my words would be twisted to your preconceived notions. A few thoughts from a student who is not only at MLC, but was at synod convention when this was discussed, and also has talked at length with the people deciding how to build it.

a) The Chapel fund was primarily (at its beginnings) not just a chapel fund. There were extraneous things (new boiler, updating the grounds, improving existing facilities) all which would one day point to a new chapel. All of these extraneous things are completed, all that was left was to build a chapel.

b) The synod in convention approved that a chapel be built ONLY with existing monies. No new money could be solicited.

c) No new monies have been solicited since the budget crisis arose. Of course, good natured lutherans still gave to the chapel fund, many on admonishment changed the designation of their funds, but others still saw it a fitting gift.

d) It is illegal to spend the money on something else unless the person donating or the estate therein changes the designation. This approach was tried. The money managers came back and said the overwhelming theme was "Keep the money until you can build a new chapel"

e)MLC does not need a chapel for aesthetic purposes only. The "chapeltorium" is a fine place to worship God. However it is also a fine place for Children's Theater, or the many other things that happen there which move worship to the gymnasium at times. Yes indeed we are a small school, but we have scheduling issues too.

f) Finally, what would you rather spend the money on? Certainly the synod's work of missions and ministerial education is more than fitting. But did anyone begrudge David for the wealth he gathered for the temple? Or Solomon for constructing it? What about Haggai when he wanted to construct a house for the Lord.

Are there plenty of things to spend money on? Yes...there will never be a shortage. But we should never work against God's people as they build houses fitting to him, where the architecture, lighting, seating, and decor of our rich heritage which has been fine tuned to point to Christ can all come together.

***

GJ - I don't twist words. I just quote people. That gets them all twisted up. Mouse gets his Breezies in a bunch just from Lutheran quotations. Even worse, I quote the CG gurus of WELS.

Yes, we need a lecture on spending designated money for the wrong purposes. I suggest a postcard to the Love Shack Curia would be more fitting. "The $8 million? You lie! We only took $7 million."

Gurgel fired the treasurer who told him this was wrong, then blamed the treasurer for the spending spree. Then it was explained as an Excel typo. "Oh, we just forgot to add the one and carry the nine and divide by six."

Mike, do not stir up the facts. The Law fills the room with dust (Pilgrim's Progress, Bunyan, never read by Sweet-hearts). Too many unpleasant things may come to light.

Listen up, chapel fans. Buying a building at a failing college is not considered wise. At the rate they are going, this chapel will cost $1 million for each student using it. (Hyperbole, humorous exaggeration to make a point.) Prairie spent $500,000 on a music building while planning to close. And they closed Prairie.