Monday, November 23, 2009

Losing Momentum - Dom Patterson Point Man Leaves WELS Synodical Council





VP Don Patterson has affluent members, so one must wonder why he has his hand out for more synod money.

Robert Timmerman owns a business called Fine Lumber (http://www.www.finelumber.com/). He was the congregational president but is probably an Elder now. He has served on the national WELS Synodical Council. He has funded safaris for Kudu Don Patterson and Missionary Johne (father-in-law of Marc Schroeder, who was booted from WELS and joined Missouri with his congregation).


***

GJ - In case anyone doubts the Church and Chicanery side of Dom Perignon Patterson - he attended the latest conventicle meeting. Judging by their extended bargain ticket offer, it was more of a conventicle than a convention.

Dom Patterson also gathered a group of WELS workers to attend the Exponential Conference in Orlando, Florida.

Timmerman offered this insight about Lutheran worship - "mostly adiaphora."

The official story is that Timmerman left the SC because he did not agree with the direction of the synod, as evidenced by the last convention. I refuse to believe the unofficial version.

More will develop, soon, I am sure.



Obama's Nice Guy Act Gets Him Nowhere on the World Stage




Showboating in his Muslim robes, Obama continues to favor Islam.


German periodical buries Obama as another Jimmie Carter.


Persecution of Christians in China Has Resulted in 100 Million Christians






Here is the link. Some of us remember this history. I have been hearing claims about the growth of Christianity in China. Active persecution is welcomed as cross-bearing there. Here, Lutheran pastors are afraid of not getting their choice committee assignments.

Yale University had its own Yale-in-China program. Years ago, Yale Divinity was known for its world missions program. Some may remember the line in Hawaii, by Mitchener, when the boy was sent to Yale to become a missionary.

I knew the world missions professor at YDS. When asked, he always said that Christianity was so superior to all other religions that it would be a shame to keep it from others. That may seem weak to many, but most world religion professors are ardent atheists.




Yale Divinity's Day Missions Library


Goodbye, Columbus




Wizard of Oz: "A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others." 

Mark Jeske, "fifth generation WELS," was prepared to move into the Columbus, Ohio media market. Unfortunately for him, the Columbus WELS pastors are united in blocking him. I do not know what effect this will have on Jeske's media empire, perhaps none. But it is significant that Pastor Snowden Sims, now at St. Paul German Village, is part of the group opposing Jeske. Sims' home church is St. Marcus, Milwaukee.



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More shrinkage, thanks to the Church Shrinkage Movement in WELS:

------------------- P O S I T I O N  -  E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Buch, Mr Nathan M - St John's - Dowagiac MI - 06/30/2010
Monday, Mr Andrew J - St John - Newark DE - 06/30/2010
Treder, Miss Amanda C - St John's - Dowagiac MI - 06/30/2010

------------------- P O S I T I O N -  E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Ehrenberg, Miss Amanda B - St Thomas Luth School - Goodyear AZ- 11/06/2009
Virant, Mrs Jodi L - Gloria Dei - Grand Blanc MI - 11/30/2009
Nommensen, Mr Bradley A - Immanuel - Waupaca WI - 05/31/2010
Nottling, Miss Rachel A - Peace - Otsego MI - 06/30/2010

----------------------- C A L L T E R M I N A T E D ----------------------
Pappenfuss, Mr Paul E - New Salem - Sebewaing MI - 06/30/2010

------------------ P O S I T I O N  - E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Thompson, Rev Donald L - Shepherd Of The Palms - Jupiter FL - 12/31/2009

------------------- P O S I T I O N  - E L I M I N A T E D -------------------
Baumann, Rev John C - Mt Olive Chinese Ch - Saint Paul MN - 09/16/2009
Balge, Rev Jonathan R - MLC - New Ulm MN - 06/30/2010

------------------------ C A L L S - A C C E P T E D -----------------------
Witte, Rev Steven L - Asia Lutheran Seminary Board - 07/24/2009 - Vice President.

***
GJ - Isn't Witte one of the prime architects of Church and Change? Did he not get a DMin from Gordon Conwell? Wasn't he a leader of the Appleton Dumbling Gang? He must be thankful that Engelbrecht is DP for the Anything Goes District of WELS.

Music Industry Updates




Miley Cyrus, survivor.

Ichabod readers include a large number of Rock N Roll fans, judging by all the posts defending Party in the MLC, the video where athletes lip-thynced to a Miley Cyrus song. I feel obliged to keep them updated, especially on the topics they favor.

Miley was interviewed about her lyric, "a Jay Z song was on," a line sung three times in a row. Here is a shocker, fans. She has never heard a Jay Z song and could not name a single one. She even added, "I don't write the songs. I just sing them." She was clearly irritated, as any great talent would be.

Her bus cavalcade managed to have an accident while driving down the road in daylight. The driver of one bus was killed. We entertainment writers refuse to label that an act of God, Who in His mercy would surely have aimed at the most irritating member of the troop.

Adam Lambert, doubtless inspired by the famous Party videos, decided to outdo Party in the MLC during his routine at the American Music Awards. Whenever I hear there is an awards show on TV, I go in the next room and open a book. I missed his/her performance, but my media peers have covered it extensively. Lambert did a Michael Jackson, a Madonna, and then some. I hestiate to criticize his makeup, behavior, and dancing, because readers will jump in and say, "He was just doing an innocent parody of Party in the MLC, which was just an innocent parody of Party in the FIP, which was just an innocent parody of Party in the USA."


Even Rolling Stone was appalled. Get the message yet, MLC?
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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Music Industry Updates":

Thanks be to God if they, finally, DID get it - with the taking down of the video; that's the impression you're here giving.

But various other reports conflict that this video ever was taken down. What is the actual situation here ?

Again, had public sorrow been made clear, for offense given, which it never was, all could have had opportunity to exercise forgiveness.

So has public sorrow for public offense ever been given ? Not that I am aware.

Please correct me if I am wrong, giving proof. .

Thanks !

***

GJ - The only sorrow expressed is that I posted the video from You Tube, where it had 64,000+ views, half of that number from Fire Island. The latest MLC response, in WLC's The Thword, was petulant and resentful.

Still posted on You Tube: The video of Martin Luther fighting with the Sprinter statue is far more obnoxious than "Party in the MLC." The posted video has "Luther" flinging the Scriptures into the air so he could chase the "Sprinter." Perhaps WELS has too much invested in their friend to give him up. If the Sprinter really came to life, a lot of Shrinkers would be very sorrowful.



Run, Changers - I just saw the Sprinter move. Run for your lives!


Church and Change Districts Feeling Heat



As many know, the Wisconsin Synod is concentrated in the State of Wisconsin. The state is was also the hub of Church and Change. The three Doctrinal Pussycats were in the mainstream of unionistic Pietism when Mischke and Gurgle were infallible Synodical Popes. Paul Calvin Kelm and Wayne Mueller made sure the Fuller Seminary agenda ruled and rocked.

The Love Shack enjoyed controlling the synod convention and calling it the highest level of governance, the ultimate legislature. The Holy Spirit spoke through Mission Vision directives! Moreover, when Voss tried to speak in favor of keeping Northwestern College, he was not even allowed the floor. SPs let the staff dominate all discussions, and the drones always lined up to give themselves even more staff and money while starving the schools. Besides, the vote to have DMLC annex NWC actually failed at the convention. As told to me by someone who knew, the votes were flipped. The count was accurate, just turned around so amalgamation won.

But now, the same people--who hid behind their manufactured conventions--are howling about the results of the last two meetings. Church and Change even had to name their last meeting Regaining Momentum. Meanwhile, they are taking on more water than the Titanic.

The worst Doctrinal Pussycats are the State of Wisconsin leaders:
  1. Rev. Douglas Engelbrecht, Northern Wisconsin District, home of the Appleton Dumbling Gang and The CORE.





  2. Rev. David Rutschow, Southeastern Wisconsin District, protector of the Mark Jeske empire.







  • Rev. Herbert Prahl, Western Wisconsin District: his son vicared for Dom Patterson.






  • ---

    Here is the Synodical Council, unwieldy and unLutheran, with a few exceptions:

    Rev. Mark Schroeder, president and chairman
    Mr. Dale Anderson, South Atlantic District.
    Mr. Rodger Anderson, North Atlantic.
    Mr. Kurt Austad, Nebraska District.
    Mr. Warren Ehlke, Pacific Northwest District.
    Rev. Douglas Engelbrecht, Conference of Presidents. Ski's best friend, besides Andy Stanley.
    Rev. Jonathan Schroeder, pastor-at-large.
    Mr. James Moeller, teacher-at-large.
    Mr. Seth Hansen, Dakota-Montana District.
    Mr. Philip Hempel, Michigan District.
    Mr. Ron Hillmann, Northern Wisconsin District.
    Mr. Paul Holzhueter, Minnesota District.
    Rev. Philip Koelpin, chairman of WELS Board for World Missions.
    Rev. Peter Naumann, Conference of Presidents.
    Rev. David Rutschow, Conference of Presidents. Human shield for Jeske.
    Mr. Tom Schlittenhart, Arizona-California District.
    Mr. Timothy Snyder, Southeastern Wisconsin District.
    Rev. Philip Hirsch, chairman of WELS Board for Ministerial Education.
    Mr. John Tappe, Western Wisconsin District.
    Mr. Robert Timmermann, Central Southern Babtist District - Safari leader for Dom Patterson. According to Timmerman, worship is mostly adiaphora. Rock on, Robert.
    Rev. Earle Treptow, pastor-at-large.
    Rev. Charles Westra, chairman of WELS Board for Home Missions - most unlikely trained in Church Growth. His governance coincides with the SPcy of Mark Schroeder.

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    +Diet O. Worms has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Districts Feeling Heat":

    "Dom" Patterson -- as in Dom Deluise?

    ***

    GJ - Dom is a title of respect, but some may also associate it with Dom Perignon champagne, living high on the hog.


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    Phil has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Districts Feeling Heat":

    To say that someone is "most likely" involved in something sinful is slander. I don't know Pastor Westra, but if he is the orthodox Lutheran pastor Anon 10:32 says he is, you have tarnished his good name.

    Keep reporting the stuff you know is true and publicly committed (through MLC and I've read the Book of Concord? whaaat?) but stay away from the "educated guesses".

    ***

    GJ - I think it is a sin to post an accusation anonymously, but I am a legalist, according to David Valleskey who never did go to Fuller Seminary.

    The Bored of Home Missions (bored of Lutheran doctrine and worship) has promoted Fuller's Church Growth agenda ever since Norm Berg, maybe before. They systematically looted WELS offering money to send missionaries, domestic and foreign, to Fuller and Willow Creek, all the while pretending to uphold "fellowship principles." There they high-fived LCMS, ELS, and ELCA pastors going for the same purpose. And they worked together, feverishly, on CG projects funded by skimming Thrivent funds.

    This post is based on knowledge, reading, library research, speaking to people, and getting letters from people directly involved.
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    Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Church and Change Districts Feeling Heat":

    Greg, much of what you say about home missions is true, but there's a reason Westra's chairmanship coincides chronologically with Pres. Schroeder's election. To blame the new man for past errors would be v e t y (sic) shoddy research, and just poor math.

    ***

    GJ - That is good news. My comments about the past are unimpeachable, and I have never heard WELS issue a correction, an apology, or even an "Excuse us." Note my correction about Pastor Westra above. How many bloggers take the time to update or correct a post? I even adjusted the Timmerman listing. I appreciate all discussions where more precise information comes out.