Another WELS Church Worker Arrest

Principal arrested for molesting and exposing himself to student in Citrus County

By:
Valerie Boey, Beverly Hills, Florida -- According to deputies, former principal Derek Vanderheyden is accused of molesting and exposing himself to one of his students.

Citrus County sheriff's spokesperson Gail Tierney says it happened on several occasions, “She's a 15-year-old girl and he's a 38-year-old man and given the relationship between school and students this obviously is a criminal offense.”

Tierney says the incidents happened over several months off the property of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School, “Our victim did spend time at his home and one of the incidents happened on the way home from the airport when he had picked her up to come back here to Citrus County.”

According to deputies the victim now lives in Wisconsin. She told authorities there what happened. Vanderheyden then resigned from the school on November 3rd and turned himself into authorities on the 8th.

Tierney says, Vanderheyden confirmed what the victim told them.

He's been principal for the last 5-years, “He was certainly close to and involved with children for the years he spent at that school and so the concern is that there may be additional victims.”

Pastor Mark Gabb released a written statement, “We at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and School are currently working with law enforcement to investigate allegations against our former staff member Mr. Derek Vanderheyden."

The school has around 55 children in pre-k through eighth grade, ”As pastor at St. Paul's I continue to pray for everyone involved in this matter and make myself available to our church and school families in whatever way I can.”

The pastor says this is a matter that needs to be resolved in court. Derek Vanderheyden bonded out of jail. We tried contacting Vanderheyden, but he didn't return our call.

Five incidents are listed in this report.

Registered.

***

GJ - WELS likes to say, "Isn't it awful what the Roman Catholic Church has done? Those priests? Tch. Tch."

Wisconsin Synod Facing Another Lawsuit

Judge Lamelas with her father, a Cuban refugee.

Assault victim sues school, synod

Wisconsin Lutheran teacher was sentenced in '02 for assaulting 2 girls; damages sought

By MARIE ROHDE

mrohde@journalsentinel.com

Posted: May 7, 2008
A civil lawsuit was filed Wednesday on behalf of a girl who was sexually abused by a religion teacher at Wisconsin Lutheran High School beginning when she was a freshman there in 2001.

Past Coverage
7/30/02: Former teacher sentenced to prison

The lawsuit accuses the school and church officials of negligence and of covering up the episode. It seeks unspecified damages.

The teacher, Brent Biesterfeld, now 35, was sentenced in July 2002 to 18 months in prison on two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child for assaulting two female students both on and off school grounds.

The lawsuit seeks damages from Biesterfeld, the school, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the school principal, as well as four insurance companies.

Robert L. Habush, a lawyer representing the girl, who was identified under the alias of Jane Doe, has asked that the lawsuit not reveal the girl's name because of the humiliation, distress and other injuries she has suffered.

According to the lawsuit:

School and church officials should have been aware of a 1999 criminal report on file with the Milwaukee Police Department that accused Biesterfeld of engaging in illicit sexual activities with a minor. No charges were brought as a result of that report.

School and church officials had a duty to disclose the past allegations against Biesterfeld, who was hired by the school in November 1998, the lawsuit states. He was also the basketball and soccer coach for the school, 330 N. Glenview Ave.

The assaults that led to charges against Biesterfeld began in the spring of 2001 when the girl was 15 and in the second semester of her freshman year at the school, according to court records. She was a student in Biesterfeld's religion class and was a member of the teams he coached. According to the lawsuit, Biesterfeld had ongoing sexual contact with the girl between April 2001 and March 2002, when Biesterfeld was arrested.

The teacher had sexual contact with the girl in the school's athletic training room and in classrooms, according to court records, and he had her taken out of other classes for private training sessions and kept her after class had ended, making her tardy for other classes.

School officials should have recognized that Biesterfeld was spending an inordinate amount of time with the girl, and that his relationship with her was not normal, the lawsuit says.

The girl began psychological treatment in 2007 for the injuries she suffered as a result of the assaults, the lawsuit says.

The Rev. James Kleist, superintendent of the school, said Wednesday that he had not seen the lawsuit. He said that the school reported the allegations to authorities as soon as officials learned of it, and that Biesterfeld was immediately removed from the school.

"Our heart goes out to this student and her family," Kleist said. "We are confident that we followed all the right procedures."

The Rev. Mark Schroeder, president of the synod, said Wednesday that he had not seen the lawsuit but added: "We're confident that the legal process is one in which justice will be served."

The case has been assigned to Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Elsa Lamelas.

***

GJ - I warned District Pope Robert Mueller and VP Paul Kuske that there would be grave consequences - not only for their failure to supervise but also for their cover-ups. Their outright deception of the laity was another reason why both of them should have left the ministry. Wally Oelhaven and Fred Adrian went along with the Columbus scam, too. If someone opposed Church Growth or clergy adultery, the District Mission Board honchos were righteously angry.

Notice that Roger Kovaciny (ELS Missionary), Jay Webber (ELS Seminary Rector, Ukraine), and John Shep (ELS Thoughts of Faith) had no qualms in soliciting money from Floyd Luther Stolzenburg. Was Rolf Preus bothered by the situation when he went to Jay and Kovo's little school in the Ukraine? There is no record of any objection made. Jay could not tolerate anyone saying "The Ukraine." He had to correct them right away, saying "Ukraine, not The Ukraine." One must concentrate on important things.

If anyone wonders why I was disgusted with the Wisconsin Sect, read the news story above. Observe how the officials ignored everything and let the abuse happen and continue. If the judge is handed the facts about past WELS abuse and cover-ups, the award will be generous and justified. Adrian and WELS lost a $400,000 case in Grand Rapids, WELS lying to the judge, saying, "We know of no other cases of abuse." That case developed because Adrian's then-married vicar had an extended affair with a minor girl in the congregation. When the girl's lawyer went to the court with the facts, which I helped provide, justice prevailed.

The Wisconsin Synod was likely given a chance to settle this new case out of court. Lawyers prefer that. Filing the lawsuit suggests that WELS refused to settle.

WELS Cases
Scott Zerbe case - He went to state prison.
DP Ed Werner case - He went to state prison.
Al Just case - He went to prison for murder, married his children's babysitter.
William Tabor case - He got away, but his mistress went to prison for murder.

I have a list of other WELS cases, so do not imagine the above names are the only ones.

The Wisconsin Sect teaches that the papacy is the Antichrist, but they invited Archbishop Weakland, a known homosexual and an apologist for pedophilia, to be a featured speaker at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

But then, I keep forgetting the Wisconsin Synod rules. If a pastor has an affair with his secretary, he marries his mistress and keeps his high-paying job. If a pastor has an affair with a congregational member, he gets promoted to a synodical position. If a mission pastor insists on the efficacy of the Word, the synod excommunicates him--through an administrator's letter--and excludes him from the ministry. Yes, WELS is very strict about doctrine.

***

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Wisconsin Synod Facing Another Lawsuit":

I'm certain that this story will make the cover on the next issue of FIC. The WELS cult of secrecy is made public, one incident at a time. Notice the typical platitudes from WELS powers that be. The spin machine will have to go into full swing to pacify any laity who may be outraged by this. Sexual harassment can be a serious matter in the secular workplace. Most companies take it very seriously and go to great lengths to comply with the law and avoid lawsuits. It is a sad testimony to see a worst track record in the WELS.

***

Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Wisconsin Synod Facing Another Lawsuit":

Greg, I don't understand the connections that you are making here: GJ - I warned District Pope Robert Mueller and VP Paul Kuske that there would be grave consequences - not only for their failure to supervise but also for their cover-ups. Their outright deception of the laity was another reason why both of them should have left the ministry. Wally Oelhaven and Fred Adrian went along with the Columbus scam, too. If someone opposed Church Growth or clergy adultery, the District Mission Board honchos were righteously angry.

Notice that Roger Kovaciny (ELS Missionary), Jay Webber (ELS Seminary Rector, Ukraine), and John Shep (ELS Thoughts of Faith) had no qualms in soliciting money from Floyd Luther Stolzenburg. Was Rolf Preus bothered by the situation when he went to Jay and Kovo's little school in the Ukraine? There is no record of any objection made. Jay could not tolerate anyone saying "The Ukraine." He had to correct them right away, saying "Ukraine, not The Ukraine." One must concentrate on important things.

You were writing about this sad WELS case and then got into this other stuff. Please advise.

Norman Teigen
ELS layman

***

GJ - Floyd Luther Stolzenburg was forced to resign from the LCMS ministry by his DP in St. Louis. That happened on a Saturday. The DP preached for him on Sunday. If you want details, there is a lawsuit filed against Stolzenburg and his wife's divorce decree. Floyd followed his ex-wife back to Columbus, Ohio, where he began looking for another playground. Somehow, without ever joining WELS, Floyd got the WELS officials to lie for him and install him as a "Church Growth Consultant" via Lutheran Parish Resources. He and Roger Zehms, another divorced ex-pastor, ran LPR into the ground in five years.

Here is the connection. I warned the WELS officials that they would be facing many lawsuits for covering up sexual assaults. As one reader said, industry is far more careful about these matters than the denominations are. Mueller and Kuske were not in a listening mood. Mueller/Kuske even tried once or twice to get Stolzenburg into the WELS ministry. Their approach was to get rid of me and support Stolzenburg (who has never been a WELS member). Kuske wrote a letter of reference for Stolzenburg so Floyd could install himself in another call (Emmanuel, Columbus).

It is a long sordid story, a never-ending story.

Norm, if the WELS officials were honest and put church worker arrrests into FIC, church workers would be warned that the cover-ups are ending. Are the WELS officials any different from the Roman Catholic officials who simply moved offending priests into new positions? The only difference I see is that the Lutherans are married and have even less of an excuse to assault minors and married women. If someone takes advantage of a married woman while "counseling" her--in his office at church, or in her home alone--he should be canned, caned, and committed to prison, not elevated to synodical office.

The ELS leaders are just as guilty.

Just Robes Or, Justification by Faith?

Left to Right: Alb, White Geneva Gown, Cassock and Surplice,
Black Geneva Gown, Alb

Pastor Paul McCain had a question about the gowns: "I understand the historical origin of the alb with stole (worn by two men in the photo). The cassock and surplice worn by the Vicar. And I understand the origin of the black Geneva gown (the vestment of choice brought in during the Prussian Union days in Germany, by the way).

But I do not understand, at all, the white choir robe/academic gown."

***

GJ - Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, seems to specialize in graduating MDivs obsessed with clerical garb, equally adept at avoiding doctrinal discussion. I thought McCain's question sounded rather snooty, unless robes have been moved from the locus of adiaphora to In Statu Confessionis...or perhaps status epilepticus.

At St. Boniface Lutheran Church (Niles, Michigan), the links (when they work) are prioritized according to clerical garb (four links) and the Marian monastery loved by Niles Lutherans and the ALPB.

Jay Webber, another Ft. Wayne graduate, used to worry about the proper clerical collar. There are many different answers about the origin of the Roman collar. All clerical garb is derived from earlier customs.

The new parament colors used by all the Lutheran churches are from the Church of Rome. They do the thinking for Lutherans today.

Son of Jester

His Grace, Mark Jeske, preaching in a suit and tie.

WELS Time of Grace televanjellyfish Mark Jeske is featured on the You Tube video above.

Mark's father, Professor John Jeske, was called Jester and Jumpin' Jack at the Sausage Factory. The first-year students liked Jester's antics, but the seniors were so weary of the theatrics that one said, "Patronize me one more time, Jester." Not to his face, of course.

Mark does not identify himself as a Lutheran, certainly not as a member of the Wisconsin sect. Tell it not in Gath.

Wisdom from the Sausage Factory

Jeske video.

Rev. Mark Jeske, anonymous Lutheran, is the son of a Mequon professor and the grandson on his mother's side of two professors. Mequonites marry into each other's families more often than the Hapsburgs did, with the same results.

Obligatory Issues, Etc Post

Kieschnick to AALC cronies: "After you sign up for defenestration lessons from Pope John the Malefactor, I will show you a few tricks I learned from him."

Synodical Pope Jerry Kieschnick (LCMS) had his boys get rid of the radio show Issues, Etc.

I admire Mollie Z. Hemingway for getting her story into the Wall Street Journal, which prompted a prompt denial by Kieschnick. Needless to say, getting a feature article into the WSJ is not easy. Hemingway is an excellent communicator on this issue.

Mollie is one of the writers for the Augsburg 1530 blog.

Missouri always seems to move from a peak of shock and scandal to a plateau of acceptance. SP Al Barry and Paul McCain, MDiv, showed the way during their disastrous nine years together at the Purple Palace. When they were not placating the ELCA wannabees like DP David Benke, they were savaging their supporters. Wally Schulz said, right after the replacement of Bohlmann: "Barry is meeting with people he should not be seeing." One Barry supporter said, "At least the Bohlmann people were polite."

No, I do not think the solution is: "Everyone must quit Missouri" or WELS, or the ELS, for that matter. People love to latch onto the institutional answer and then debate institutions. No one worships the organization more than Lutherans. No wonder they pope when they give up on Holy Mother Synod. The change from Holy Mother St. Louis to Holy Mother Rome is not so great.

The only solution is doctrinal. The Word of God must be taught in its purity at all times. That is the only way to accomplish God's will. Political tricks will never work. The old method is, "I will keep quiet and go along until I am in power. Then I will throw off the cloak of invisibility and reveal myself as an orthodox Lutheran, full of wrath and plans." That has never happened, but posturing Lutherans love posturing leaders. They can call one another Confessional Lutheran, grouse in their secret blogs, bellyache on their secret email lists, whisper low in Jerusalem lest they be heard on the streets of Gath.

Tell It Not in Gath

Extreme Left - Paul Kelm. Close beside Kelm - Kent Hunter. Above them both - Mark Jeske, Televanjellyfish. Not pictured: David Valleskey, Frosty Bivens, Ron Roth, Robert Hartman, Waldo Werning, Leonard Sweet, and Church & Change.

"Shall we permit this to be done! in the name of Christian unity! and by a latitudinarianism that is our own heritage, which rises ever anew from the embers of the past to find such veiled support and strength in the citadel of Zion that Confessionalism is told to whisper low in Jerusalem lest she be heard on the streets of Gath."
Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: 1911, p. 941.

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
KJV 2 Samuel 1:19-20.

Stolzenburg, Kovaciny, and Jay Webber

Floyd Luther Stolzenburg: WELS District Vice Pope Paul Kuske and WELS Pastor Schuman endorsed him; WELS/ELS Pastor Roger Kovaciny solicited him for funds; ELS Pastors Jay Webber and John Shep received the funds with grateful and hardened hearts; WELS District Popes Robert Mueller and John Seifert saw and heard nothing; ELS Synodical Popes George Orvick and John the Malefactor did nothing.


Masonic Mother Church - Webber, Kovaciny, Stolzenburg
"Pastor Kovaciny, obviously excited about the possibilities, has agreed that the new church would be named Emmanuel Lutheran and would have a picture of the 'mother church' prominently displayed in the new building."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio #899 for August, 1999 1500 South Third Street Columbus, Ohio 43207.
[GJ - The money came from Stolzenburg with the blessing of ELS Pastor Jay Webber and ELS Pastor John Shep, with matching funds from the Schwan Foundation. That raises the question, "Who do I have to sleep with to get matching Schwan funds?"]

"About Missions" c. Thoughts of Faith through the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, d. St. Sophia Lutheran Seminary-Ukraine Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio August, 1996

"We supplied funds for our missionaries in the Ukraine, and the Gideons."
Sherry Huffman, Sunday School.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio February 1999

"From the Mission Committee...Good News from the Ukraine Reproduced at the bottom of this page is the masthead from the Ukrainian Lutheran, which has now been published by our mission in Ukraine for two years and grows in circulation with each issue."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November 1996

"EMMANUEL SAVES BIBLE SCHOOL! A SPECIAL MESSAGE was just received from Pastor Kovaciny to let us know that Emmanuel's Mission offerings have rescued their Bible School this summer!...[Pastor Kovaciny] writes to tell us about it. 'As we looked forward to an even more successful program this coming summer, we were told by our sponsoring organization that our Bible School budget had been cut by $8,000. It seems that some people in charge believe that we have been too successful and they need to put their funds toward programs in other areas which are lagging behind.' (Pastor Kovaciny)"
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio June 1998

"Since the salary of Pastor Kovaciny and their basic expenses are paid through the 'Thoughts of Faith' ministry, we will continue to include the overall work in our regular budget."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio October, 1994

"Pastor Kovaciny, in an effort to respond to our request, set a copy of the third quarter treasurer's report of the Ukrainian congregation, signed by the treasurer and written in his own hand. We thought you might enjoy seeing it! You should be aware that our budget offering goes to pay for Pastor Kovaciny's salary and expenses through 'Thoughts of Faith,' the radio ministry which has been bringing the Gospel to the Ukraine for many years...."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio January, 1995.

Roger Kovaciny's letter about seed distribution Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio October, 1995.

"All designated funds for Thoughts of Faith are spent on the program for which they are designated by the donor. Funds not designated by the donor are used to pay for administrative expenses. Thoughts of faith would like to thank our congregation for our support towards this important work in spreading the gospel throughout the world."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995 Recording secretary, Christine E. Scheiderer; treasurer, Charlotte Proctor. Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995

"...the Ukraine project of Thoughts of Faith (Pastor Kovaciny)" Use of mission funds. Charlotte Proctor, treasurer.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995

Pursuing Emmanuel
"I would also convey to you that I will continue to commune lodge members as long as I feel assured that they know and believe that their salvation is by faith." "Please feel free to contact Pastors Kuske or Schumann or come and hear for yourself."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg Letter to Emmanuel Lutheran Parish Resources letterhead "Serving the congregations of the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod"

"Consultant, Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, 1985-1991, as a consultant for this program, I worked with the training of pastors and lay people for effective ministry in leadership skills, Sunday School organization and teaching, youth ministry, outreach, stewardship and care ministry. I continue to work with supervision of some of these programs. Senior Pastor, Salem Lutheran Church and School, Florissant, Missouri, 1976-1985. (nothing said about being removed from the ministry) Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church and School, St. Charles, Missouri, 1968-1976.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, 2904 Maryland Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43209-1157 614-235-5200.

"People Person: Have been recognized as a counselor and mediator. Brought harmony to what was once described as 'the most troubled Lutheran church in America. Personal: Born, December 6, 1941, Columbus. Married, three children. Spiritual gifts: Exhortation, teaching, administration and evangelism.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, 2904 Maryland Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43209-1157 614-235-5200.

Separation agreement, July 24, 1986. Floyd Luther Stolzenburg and Jane Dorothy Stolzenburg. Sole care, custody and control of the minor children given to Jane.

"As you read, pick out the principles of Church Growth in this "FOCUS ON A GREAT CHURCH" (Acts 11:19-30)...11:26 tells us this studies the Word 'in great numbers.' How can we improve our numbers?" Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles,"
Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio January, 1986.

"WELCOME TO CHURCH GROWTH. Our study is designed to help all of us gain a new perspective of what God has always had in mind for His Church. Church Growth is not new."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "What the Bible Says about CHURCH GROWTH," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio p. 1.

"We have discovered that the Early Church was an institution that unknowingly saw its world through Church Growth eyes. We have some benefits they did not have in that we can look back today and analyze their successes and failures."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio.

***

Anonymous (Kovaciny?) has left a new comment on your post "Stolzenburg, Kovaciny, and Jay Webber":

With all your supposed readers, it shouldn't surprise anyone no one comments on your blog and that they don't sign their names. You just crucify them if they do.

***

GJ - In the Wisconsin Sect and the Little Sect on the Prairie, to crucify means to quote someone verbatim. Nothing is considered more unfair, more slanderous than copying the words of a Church Growth guru and publishing them.

A. Nony. Mouse Sometimes Signs His Name

The autobiographical comments remind me of Toad of Toad Hall.
See the PS below.

Kovaciny's Avatar Used at Answer Bag



Roger Kovaciny, January 8, 2008:
You think HE’s cheap–When a cereal box is empty, first we use the crumbs–for sweetner on other cereal if it’s sweet, for stew thickener if not. Then the box with liner becomes a garbage receptacle. When it’s full, staple it shut and out it goes–but the box does its second duty as a waste can. When it’s full of dirtynex and other paper stuff, it goes to the fireplace for kindling.

[GJ - Are the ashes saved for Ash Wednesday?]

***

A Mouse in Full:

Professor Roger Kovaciny
From UkrainianBible
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Professor Roger Kovaciny is a member of the Ukrainian Bible Translation Project's translation team.

Roger currently lives in Ternopil, Ukraine with his wife Ruth. Their five children are grown and living in the United States. Roger is the only member of the team who lives in Ternopil, which gives him access to St. Sophia Seminary's library and an English Lutheran congregation. Ruth directs the English choir at church.

Roger was born in Chicago and studied at Northwestern Lutheran College in Watertown, Wisconsin. After serving parishes in Tappen, North Dakota, and Columbus, Ohio, Roger moved with his family to Ternopil to start a mission church shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian Lutheran Church was blessed with quick growth and numerous congregations were founded around Ukraine. St. Sophia Seminary was established in Ternopil in the late 1990s and continues to produce new pastors for the ULC. Roger, who had been teaching Greek and Hebrew classes in the Seminary, switched to full-time translation work for the Ukrainian Bible Translation Project.

About Mouse....by Mouse
The composer Salieri, comparing himself to Mozart, supposedly said he was the "patront saint of mediocrity." In that case, he's my patron saint!

When the N.I.V. was translated, over 100 scholars took 14 years to translate it. Many were experts, the best in one narrow field. But if I were an expert in anything, it could only be at the expense of being not being good enough in several other fields. (With enough reference books and computer programs, "pretty good" is "good enough".)

I'm pretty good in many languages, but an expert in none of them. I've preached in five languages on four continents, without notes, and taught five languages while speaking a sixth or seven. Our meetings are conducted in up to six languages, and my work requires proficiency in all six (I'm proficient in seven, an expert in none). I mention all these things only to help you understand my colleagues, because I am an amateur and an adolescent next to Professor Turkonyak, Dr. Kachmar and Father Smuk. It is an honor and a privilege to be working with them, and I leave every meeting more impressed than before.

Does Anyone Need Kovo To Translate on His Own?

Donations
From UkrainianBible
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The Ukrainian Bible Translation Project is wholly funded by donations from individuals and church congregations. Please help us bring God's Word to Ukraine! Your donations are used to cover the cost of books and materials used during the translation process, and for basic living expenses for members of the translation team, some of whom do not have any other source of income.

Please contact us if you have questions about donating. Please let us know if you would like to be included on our list of donors.

Give online
One of the easiest ways to donate is using your credit card through PayPal. No PayPal account is required to donate, and any amount is greatly appreciated.

Give by mail
Send your donations to:

Roger Kovaciny
c/o Grace Bartel
4718 Regent St 94-A
Madison, WI 53705

***

GJ - Kovaciny worked with ELS Pastor Jay Webber and ELS Pastor John Shep. I believe WELS Professor John Lawrenz was also at the Ukraine seminary, before the Holy Spirit argued with John and convinced him to run the portable Asian seminary. (Those were John's words in an interview. I am not kidding. The Holy Spirit was lucky to win that one. John is used to getting his way.)

Kovaciny left the WELS for the ELS. Later he resigned from the ELS. One must wonder exactly how that makes him a professor at the moment.

I suggest people save their money. Russia has had the Scriptures for quite a few centuries.

PS

From The Wind in the Willows:

SPEECH . . . . BY TOAD.


(There will be other speeches by TOAD during the evening.) ADDRESS . . . BY TOAD


SYNOPSIS -- Our Prison System -- the Waterways of Old England -- Horse-dealing, and how to deal -- Property, its rights and its duties -- Back to the Land -- A Typical English Squire. SONG . . . . BY TOAD.


(Composed by himself.) OTHER COMPOSITIONS . BY TOAD


will be sung in the course of the evening by the . . . COMPOSER.

The idea pleased him mightly, and he worked very hard and got all the letters finished by noon, at which hour it was reported to him that there was a small and rather bedraggled weasel at the door, inquiring timidly whether he could be of any service to the gentlemen. Toad swaggered out and found it was one of the prisoners of the previous evening, very respectful and anxious to please. He patted him on the head, shoved the bundle of invitations into his paw, and told him to cut along quick and deliver them as fast as he could, and if he liked to come back again in the evening, perhaps there might be a shilling for him, or, again, perhaps there mightn't; and the poor weasel seemed really quite grateful, and hurried off eagerly to do his mission.

When the other animals came back to luncheon, very boisterous and breezy after a morning on the river, the Mole, whose conscience had been pricking him, looked doubtfully at Toad, expecting to find him sulky or depressed. Instead, he was so uppish and inflated that the Mole began to suspect something; while the Rat and the Badger exchanged significant glances.

Oh-Bomber's Political Godfather

Bill Ayers married fellow bomber Bernadine Dohrn. They sponsored Barack Hussein Obama's political birth at their home.

"No Regrets for Terrorism" - Obama Political Friend, Fellow Board Member

A fawning bio can be found here, with pictures.

If you can overcome your gag reflex, the article has quite a few facts in it.

In 1980, Ayers and Dohrn turned themselves in. (The first words Ayers's father said to him were, "You need a haircut.") By then they had had two children together, and the bombing conspiracy charge against the couple had been dismissed due to government misconduct.

Dohrn plea-bargained to charges of inciting to mob action and resisting police officers. She was sentenced to three years' probation and a $1,500 fine. Ayers was not charged. Even then he showed a way with words: "Guilty as hell, free as a bird—America is a great country," he said.

The next year, a Weatherman killed a Brink's guard and two state troopers in a bungled armored truck robbery. Kathy Boudin, the daughter of an esteemed New York civil rights lawyer, was sentenced to 20 years to life for her role in the crime; Ayers and Dohrn adopted her infant son.

***

Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Oh-Bomber's Political Godfather":

How are you linking Barack Obama to these terrorists? I don't get it.

Norman Teigen
ELS layman

***

GJ - I am glad you asked, Norm. Others must wonder too. Here are the known facts:

1. Bombers Ayers and Dohrn introduced Barack Hussein Obama to political activists in 1995, at their own home. This was a political coming out party to prove that Obama was OK with the limousine Leftist set.
   
2. Obama, Ayers, and Dohrn attended a party for Rashid Khalidi, an Arafat apologist. Khalidi sponsored a fund-raiser for Obama when he ran for Congress.
   
3. Obama and Ayers served together on the Woods Foundation, which sent money to Jeremiah Wright's church and to Khalidi's organization. Anti-American does not mean anti-money. The aroma of loot is too sweet for them to ignore.
   
4. Obama and Ayers spoke on the same panel discussion together, an event arranged by Ombama's mouthy wife, Michelle.

More details and a few whitewashes can be found by Googling the names of Ayers and Obama together. Here is a summary from Town Hall.

***

Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Oh-Bomber's Political Godfather":

Where do you get all of these connections? I am still not sure if I get this. (Warning: I have been advised that I suffer from intellectual anemia.)

Norman Teigen
ELS layman

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GJ - I have only summarized a few things about Obama. He is the apparent nominee, but I am still not counting Hillary out. The Internet has hundreds of informative articles about Obama, Ayers, and Hillary.

Before Clinton was elected, I told a lawyer, "There will be enough books about the corruption of the Clintons to fill a bookstore when he gets out of office." Every so often, the lawyer/professor said, "How did you know?" My reasoning was this - I already knew about Whitewater from various news sources. If something like that was out in the open, when a governor has so much power to destroy evidence, then a lot more would surface later. And it did. I also reckoned that Bill and Hillary would simply enlarge the franchise in the White House. And they did.

Exaudi Sermon

Built on The Rock, by Norma Boeckler

Exaudi – The Sunday after the Ascension of Christ

Live Lutheran Worship Service, Sundays, 8 AM, Phoenix Time


The Hymn #212 by The Venerable Bede – Lasst uns erfreuen
The Invocation p. 15
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual James 1:22-27
The Gospel John 16:23-30
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #341 – Diademata
The Sermon

Prayer the Fruit of Faith, Not the Cause

The Hymn #313 by Luther – Gott sei gelobet
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #361 – St. Agnes

1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, [let him speak] as the oracles of God; if any man minister, [let him do it] as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we give thanks unto Thee, that through Thy Holy Spirit Thou hast appointed us to bear witness of Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: We beseech Thee, inasmuch as the world cannot endure such testimony, and persecutes us in every way, grant us courage and comfort, that we may not be offended because of the cross, but continue steadfastly in Thy testimony, and be found always among those who know Thee and Thy Son, until we obtain eternal salvation through the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Gaost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth

Man searches for truth. The information has increased the distribution of facts and opinions, but people still wonder, “What is truth?”

In this Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the work of the Holy Spirit. This particular Sunday comes after the Ascension of Jesus and just before the Day of Pentecost. Most Christians think that Pentecost is a holiday unique to Christians, but the day is simply taken over from Jews who continue to celebrate Pentecost as they did in the past, as 50 days after Passover.

The Gospel lessons from John address the coming of the Holy Spirit several times. Jesus taught His disciples about the Holy Spirit before His death, resurrection, and ascension. Lutherans do well to understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. This doctrine gives us great comfort and confidence in the Gospel message. Knowing the this doctrine well also keeps us from turning to the false proofs offered by charismatics.

I find one description of the work of the Holy Spirit annoying, but it also fits very well. Once Northwestern Publishing House published a book about the Holy Spirit called, The Holy Spirit, The Shy Member of the Trinity.

This title comes from the Biblical witness that the work of the Holy Spirit is to witness to the glory of the Father and the Son. If you read many different passages in the Bible, you will see how often the Father and the Son are emphasized, while the work of the Holy Spirit is implicit.

Dr. Robert Preus taught at Ft. Wayne that Pentecostalism arose because modern Christianity was too interested in Jesus alone, to the detriment of understanding the Holy Trinity, especially in how the Holy Spirit works. This requires some explanation. The liberals attacked Christianity by denying the divinity of Christ and wondering out loud what He really thought about Himself. Their main code word was “the mind of Christ,” distorting a phrase from Philippians 2. What they meant by this was that Jesus did not consider Himself the Son of God, so we should have this same “mind of Christ.” This also became a good excuse to teach a new doctrine of salvation by works.

In the last two centuries, with this concentration upon Jesus, built upon distortions and the manipulation of facts, the work of the Holy Spirit was forgotten. In one verse we have two descriptions of the work of the Holy Spirit. One is that of Comforter, or Spokesman, or Advocate. In this role we know that those who are faithful in their study of the Word and careful in teaching the Word alone, without distortions or man-made additions, will speak God’s truth. That does not mean that any kind of blabber is the work of the Holy Spirit. But it does mean that “he who listens to you listens to Me.”

An individual could not on his own speak God’s Word. The Holy Spirit moves us to witness to the truth. Only the Spirit can plant faith in our hearts and nurture that faith through the Word and Sacraments. Knowing and believing this solves several basic problems. One is: how can I ever speak for God? The other is: how can I know what truth is?

The Christian faith is taught so clearly in the Bible that anyone can become an orthodox Christian through reading the Scriptures alone. We are helped by having other books, but the Bible does not require another book. What people often lack is not an understanding of the “difficult” Bible but a lack of study of the Word. The best professor of the Scriptures is the Holy Spirit. If we want to know what the Gospel of John teaches, the best books are not by Lenski and Luther, as good as they are, but by Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

I remember how excited Time magazine got about hyper-linked texts, long ago. We are used to it on the Internet now. Click on a link about Moby Dick and it takes you to the Melville museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, next to the WELS congregation there. Click on a word in the museum site and it takes you to the complete text of the novel.

The Bible did this many centuries ago. Every verse is linked to all other verses. We are confident that the entire Bible is God’s truth, but also that it is a unified truth. The tiny book of Jonah relates directly to the death and resurrection of Christ. The expulsion of Adam and Even from the garden includes the first Gospel promise of our Savior. The New Testament is filled with verses that contain a phrase from the Old Testament. Then we can see how God prepared His people for centuries to see and believe in the Incarnate Son of God, Jesus our Savior.

The Bible is the Book of the Holy Spirit. We can say the Holy Spirit does not get much credit, but to have that One Book on His resume is quite an achievement. After all, the Bible is not judged by any book. Instead, it judges all books. Recently I have been reading a massive book on Charles Darwin, who was quite a genius and student of biology. Nevertheless, Darwin’s works do not stand above the Bible even if Darwin is the smartest of all scientists. (I find it ironic that he studied the earthworm for 40 years and missed its unique role in improving the soil, emphasizing instead its ability to create soil and bury all the creations of man.)

The explosion of information makes people uncertain about the truth, but every believer can open the Scriptures and test the latest claims with what the Bible has always taught. This is a great comfort for adults and children, because we can be thrown into all kinds of educational turmoil and remain believers by clinging to the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

Although we have many faults, weaknesses, and sins, and fall into doubt about God’s power and goodness, the Holy Spirit constantly teaches us and strengthens our weak faith. As one person said to Jesus, “I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.” We believe. We trust in Christ, yet we fall into turmoil from the assaults of Satan, our weak flesh, and the unbelieving world.

How is an individual forgiven? Most of the confessions of Christianity are in confusion about this, but the Bible speaks clearly. Forgiveness comes only through the appointed Means of Grace: the Word, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. In each case, the Holy Spirit works exclusively through the Word to bring us forgiveness: through the invisible Word of teaching and preaching, the visible Word of Baptism and Holy Communion.

The source of that forgiveness is the reconciliation or Atonement won by Christ. How do we know our sins are forgiven? The Holy Spirit teaches us through the Word that Christ died for each and every one of us, that His righteousness becomes ours through faith, through trusting in this Gospel Promise.

We have consistent worship throughout the Lutheran Church (that is the ideal, no longer in effect) for a reason – to call attention to the Holy Spirit’s work in worship, creating sorrow for sins through the Law and rejoicing in forgiveness through the Gospel. The worship service should be consistent from congregation to congregation, so that people do not whisper to each other, “I like the congregation’s pit band better than ours. We really need some bongo drums and better sound. I think I will donate some loud speakers in memory of my mother-in-law.”

Christianity Today was forced to admit that the traditional Lutheran worship service glorifies the grace of God more than any other. Isn’t it odd to have people gibbering in tongues to prove they have the Holy Spirit when the Word, baptism, and communion are welded to the Holy Spirit. In fact, God never works apart from these means of grace.

This is important to realize in terms of forgiveness. The entire world may refuse to forgive you, but every believer knows he is forgiven by God because of the promises given by the Holy Spirit. Ultimately what matters is God’s forgiveness and not the world’s forgiveness.

I know that many pastors and laity are facing great difficulties today. I cannot mention details, because they are confidential. But there is little respect for the Word of God today, especially among church leaders who no longer recognize the divine call of the pastor. Nevertheless, as bad as things may be, we still know that the Holy Spirit guides us through the Scriptures. God will judge all these things in time and the judgment will begin in the house of God.

KJV 1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

It is easy to be in a position of power and gloat over the harm done to others through bullying and abuse of power, but God sees all and understands what is in the heart of man. Many a poor Lazarus will be in the bosom of Abraham in the age to come. Many a rich baron will cry out for a drop of water when his unrepentant sins toss him into the eternal flames of Hell.

The Holy Spirit warns us and comforts us. If we love the truth, the Spirit of Truth gives us confidence and peace. If we hate the truth, the Spirit of Truth will seem to be a burning fire, a hammer, a terror, and wrath without end.