The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall

DETROIT, MI: Cathedral Faces Closure. Cash Reserves At All Time Low

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
May 13, 2009

The Cathedral Church of St. Paul in DetroitThe Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Detroit may have to close unless it gets an injection of money to keep it going till the end of the year.

The Very Rev. Dean Scott Hunter, Dean of the Cathedral, has asked the Diocesan Council for emergency assistance, saying he needs $200,000 to get through 2009. The dean reported that the cathedral has cash reserves for only six to eight weeks of operations.

When asked if there were staff adjustments that could assist the cathedral in meeting the financial challenges it faces, Hunter said, "There are no staff cuts which save us dollars this year. Even if we release people this year, their departure expenses will equal what we would be paying them for the rest of the year. The bottom line is: if this doesn't happen, my brothers and sisters of council, what are your plans for closing and selling the complex, and ceasing the ministry of the cathedral that is 100 years old and is by congregational age, older than the diocese itself? "That's the challenge we are looking at," Hunter concluded.

A source told VOL that there is much more to this story. "The finances, audits (or lack thereof), and inaccurate parochial reports should be thoroughly investigated."

Neither Herb Gunn Director of Communications nor Bishop Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr., returned phone calls or e-mails to VOL asking for clarification of these charges.

Hunter outlined for council the various ministries and staff personnel involved in the cathedral's work--including a Sunday morning breakfast ministry that feeds 150 people and draws them into worship and the cathedral's renowned church music ministry.

Council member Matthew Bode, pastor at Spirit of Hope Episcopal/Lutheran congregation in Detroit, noted that the cathedral is engaged in valuable mission and ministry work in Detroit. "To allow a congregation at the intersection of Warren and Woodward to fold, at one of the prime intersections in the largest city in our state, is making a statement of our value in the city of Detroit. The cathedral's problems are our problems," he said.

Council member Sarah Midzalkowski, chaplain at Michigan State University, sought to "reframe the conversations," not only in reference to the challenges at the cathedral, but also the challenges of struggling university chaplaincies and other imperiled ministries of the diocese.

"What is our priority when it comes to the Extended Ministry Fund (EMF) and are we moving into a place where we are going to protect money rather than use the EMF to do the ministry we are called to do in this diocese?" Midzalkowski asked.

"If we want to use it as a rainy day fund, it is pouring for these ministries. If we want to look at it as an emergency fund, it is a red light emergency for these ministries. If there is ever a time to use the EMF for the reason it was established, it is times like this," said Midzalkowski.

Hunter concluded that if the council and the diocese consider the Cathedral Church of St. Paul as only a parish church or another congregation, emergency financial support shouldn't be considered. But he reminded the council of the history of St. Paul's being named the cathedral in the early 20th century and the joint project of constructing the Cathedral/Diocesan complex in the 1950s.

A large number of Episcopal cathedrals are in financial trouble across the country with dwindling congregations and Trust Funds. Most bishops have no idea what to do about it

END

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GJ - Watch the big congregations tumble as they first release staff members, then realize their fixed costs were too high anyway.

New Money Raising Project for Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary: On Site Ads

The sun is Bill Hybels, Willow Creek, who won the bid for the naming rights. St. Mark Depere is already a member of his denomination.

Andy Stanley was asked to remain in stealth mode, since most WELS disciples of the Drive Worship Conferences do not wish to be openly identified with a Babtist. Stealth rights were discounted 50% but they were still hefty.

Craig Groeschel got his face painted on the left roof, because, he says, "I'm writing their sermons anyhoo." He does Catalyst with Andy, and VP Patterson organized a bevy of WELS workers to attend.

Mark Driscoll fought for the right roof because "I am producing their materials and inspiring their multi-site vision."

Leonard Sweet earned the right to be painted at the top of the tower because of his philosophical influence as Rev. Moonbeam.

Granger Community Church was short on funds because no one wanted to pony up $1500 to watch them work, do church, and do life, so they could only afford a banner.

Johnsonville asked to change the name of the school legally to The Sausage Factory. President Wendland sighed and said, "The ELS already calls us that, so we might as well make some dough with it."

Some people claim they can see Babtist Ed Stetzer if they stare at the tower long enough, but Church and Change board members say that is a slanderous lie.

Glowering in the background, Paul Calvin Kelm is arranging for a complete takeover of Deformed Theology.

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Anonymous has given his scheme away, and his tortured childhood memories, by replying to your post "New Money Raising Project for Wisconsin Lutheran S...":

I was watching a cable show today and thought of you. I checked out Wikipedia, and yep, I was right. My guess is you're now making up for all the times you were picked on as a kid. Your site fills the bill for "cyber-bullying":

Wikipedia: "Cyber-bullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others."

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "New Money Raising Project for Wisconsin Lutheran S...":

Wonderful Caricature! Too bad you could not do it in brail (sic) for the WELS leaders blind to their own imperfections.

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Braille alphabet.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "New Money Raising Project for Wisconsin Lutheran S...":

The picture captures the essence of the problem, namely, a jumble of opinion and practices replacing the word of God and worship. Too bad the infallible leaders of WELS do not get it.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "New Money Raising Project for Wisconsin Lutheran S...":

I wonder what your employer would say if they witnessed the slanderous remarks on your site. You've tried to ruin many reputations. Maybe it's time someone ruined yours.

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GJ - I am also concerned about the reputations of Stetzer, Groeschel, Stanley, Hybels, Driscoll, Beeson, and Sweet. They would probably not like having their reputations ruined by their association with WELS apostates. Which photo should I erase from the satirical PhotoShop?

All the false teachers have worked with WELS leaders, and I did even list Trinity in Deerfield.

I am 100% self-employed and work exclusively from my spacious home, not far from my pool with a waterfall.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "New Money Raising Project for Wisconsin Lutheran S...":

The picture misses an important point. The CGM exists in large part due to pastors who abdicate their responsibilities of teaching the clean, pure Word of God, and emulating Christ. Instead they blithely follow the Devil’s enticements to take the easy way out. Specious promises that quack techniques, marketing, dvertising (sic), and ambience (sic) will do it for them proves too much of a temptation.

Chances of this situation being corrected remain slim to none as long as bulky pastors harden their hearts and attack persons seeking to admonish them.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "New Money Raising Project for Wisconsin Lutheran S...":

"...maybe it's time someone ruined your reputation..."

Oh, plz, Br'er Mouse, don't throw Pr Jackson in THAT briar patch. Whatever you do, DON'T tell your C&C friends about Ichabod, or the Book of Concord, or the Confessions. Oh, LAWSIE, NO! They might accidentally read a Bible verse instead of an Enthusiast "how to do church" book-o-the-month.


Don't let them read Ichabod!

Their heads would explode.


+Diet O. Worms

Ascension Day WELS Service - Lots of Ice Cream But No Sermon

A group of WELS congregations had a joint Ascension Day service at one of their churches. The service had no sermon at all, but ice cream was served afterward.

Eyewitness report.

Journalism Major Who Cannot Spell

J-school grad and Church and Change founder Joe Aderman claims to be a frog-kisser. But is he the mysterious Anonymous of today?

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Creepy Blog Stalker Cannot Stop Reading and Writin...":

Aw, Minnie Mouse must have touched a sensitive nerve, eh? The audaciousness of criticizing GJ has actually earned it's (sic) own highlighted posting!

Actually, GJ, you're not the only one who's studied journalism and communication laws.

Your interpretation of section 107 Fair Use is rather liberal. While purposes of "criticism" or "comment" certainly fit your blog, because that's just about all you do, in the legal world that's a rather loose application. Fair Use most often applies to the use of intellectual property for educational purposes - formal education. Furthermore, your definition of "truth" is also loose. Truth, as in factual? Or truth, as in your opinion? Hearsay is not a legal argument in U.S.courts.

You are taking the creative work of others without their permission. You are then using it for your own purposes and, quite often, distorting it in a manner of which the author or artist would not approve. As Christians obeying God's commands, copyright laws apply to us also. And, out of love, we should respect the talents God gave to creative minds: meaning, we should not be stealing their work.

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GJ - The only nerve it struck was in my funny bone. I post these inane comments because they are so WELS-Church-and-Chicanery. The laity are discovering the tactics of the foul-mouthed, bad-spelling, inarticulate Shrinkers - and how those thugs work the WELS grapevine anonymously. The sanctimony just oozes from their veiled threats and condemnations. An earlier one today said I should follow D. James Kennedy (!?) and worry about how many souls I am taking to heaven.

Minnie Mouse threatened me with lawsuits, without saying exactly why. The comment above could be from Minnie Mouse too - the advantage of unsigned communications.

All the accusations above are stated without a single reason or example given. The apostates have been using the WELS/Little Sect grapevine that way for years. If someone identifies false doctrine face-to-face, they scream, "Unloving! Unbrotherly! Eighth Commandment!" Meanwhile, they mutter anonymously that someone is senile, brain-damaged, or worse. Such brotherly love toward their own fellow pastors. GA must not have united them.

Quoting someone's blog or Tweet is not hearsay. It is digital scholarship. I copy and paste their eructations because Chicaneries quickly erase the evidence, as Pastor Rick did in Corona, California, when I exposed him as a Leonard Sweet-heart.

St. Mark Willow Creek DePere had a life-coach on the staff until I published that fact. Then the title disappeared, but the grant application for a life-coach remained on the Internet. My research team works 24/7.

I think the delightful critique of Willow Creek, written by a non-Lutheran, sparked the inner rage of Church and Chicaneries, prompting their battle cries, which must sound eloquent in the St. Marcus staff lounge.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Journalism Major Who Cannot Spell":

WELS Church and change really likes "to isolate, intimidate and even shame their critics into silence and cooperation with "hurt feelings" as their license and authority." Their despotic demeanor will continue to drive away the faithful replacing them with more feeling-sensitive members.

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GJ - Very sensitive about feelings - their own.

Non-Lutheran Smells the Fetid Waters of Willow Creek

Church and Chicanery: "Let's just sweep this under the rug."


http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/hybels/people.htm

As I went on to research The Willow Creek Association, I discovered that thousands upon thousands of established churches around the country were being transformed into sensory driven "seeker churches" EXACTLY like ours under the guidance and direction of this organization, all with the same tolerance, diversity and unity theme, liberal worship format, scripturally shallow teaching, heavy on the comfort and light on the conscience, equipped with huge multi-media projection screens, large sound systems, exotic music, no choir, female ministers, feelings-motivated skits, dance interpretations and heavily burdened with millions of dollars of debt from building state-of-the-art entertainment venues they call "worship centers". I think the revolving disco ball sparkling overhead at our dedication service a couple of years ago was a REAL poignant moment for me personally.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." (1st John 2:15-17)

I have long-since worn out my welcome with certain members of the church staff by repeatedly protesting our involvement in these ecumenical movements and carnal extravaganzas beginning with the "men's movement"; that emotionally driven, highly advertised, celebrity endorsed, spiritually misguided and now financially bankrupt organization known as "Promise Keepers". The "Consensus Process" or "Hegelian Dialectic" teaches "facilitators" to isolate, intimidate and even shame their critics into silence and cooperation with "hurt feelings" as their license and authority. This too is carnal. Those seeking group acceptance and approval are powerless against it. Frankly, I'd much rather have God's acceptance and approval than the herd's. You see The Willow Creek Association always emphasizes "felt needs", unity, harmony, peace and human relationships over everything else...Just like the United Nations. But, that's not the Gospel.

"Consensus" is all about compromising toward "group-think" not God think. It is conformity to the collective through peer-pressure. This is the very heart of the heresy.

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GJ - Go to Trapp's WELS congregation and Parlow's - and find the same doctrinal ID, along with heavy debt.

Both of them joined the Willow Creek Association, but Trapp desisted at some point. Nevertheless, Trapp transformed the congregation into a Willow Creek clone.

This corruption is far more extensive in WELS than most people realize. The Little Sect on the Prairie has its echo version, and Missouri is rife with it. McCain-Barry had nine years to rebuke the false doctrine of CGM and did nothing at all.