rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Bruce Church on the Synods Dividing and Conquering...":
Likewise, the laity should sound off before they depart from a CG congregation. At my former WELS congregation, a veteran teacher recently had his call terminated after the first semester. Usually, those calls are terminated at the end of the school year. Many of the members are up in arms because this faithful servant was given the heave-ho rather abruptly. My beloved wife commented that most of them will complain but get over it. Unfortunately, she is correct. My response was what they needed to do was to let some leaders know just exactly what they think, then walk away and never come back. The Wisconsin Sect has whipped so many into silence that only a few will have that much needed Luther moment and stand firm.
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Daniel Baker has left a new comment on your post "Speak Up":
Right, Scott. and I'm just a brainwashed, maligning grandstander.
In all seriousness, the case rlschultz describes is currently happening to a teacher I had back in gradeschool (this is his third call since then). He is the principal, but from what I gather that congregation most likely terminates positions based on seniority.
The most disconcerting thing, however, is not that they terminated him, but rather that they notified him right before Christmas. This is the third position at a WELS church in the last decade that has failed him, and they have the gall to notify him over the holidays? They were so eager to let him go that they couldn't wait until after New Years to do the dirty dead? Merry Christmas!
12 comments:
rischultz,
You and your wife are so correct. You would need to have a large number of the congregation leave with their offerings and their children from the school to get anyone's attention. Then they would probably just be thought of as "discontented", and happy to be gone. Other than that, time marches on and the called worker becomes just a memory. I would say I know all about this, but I might be accused of being a "bitter, old man" again. Right, Daniel?
Scott E. Jungen
Right, Scott. and I'm just a brainwashed, maligning grandstander.
In all seriousness, the case rlschultz describes is currently happening to a teacher I had back in gradeschool (this is his third call since then). He is the principal, but from what I gather that congregation most likely terminates positions based on seniority.
The most disconcerting thing, however, is not that they terminated him, but rather that they notified him right before Christmas. This is the third position at a WELS church in the last decade that has failed him, and they have the gall to notify him over the holidays? They were so eager to let him go that they couldn't wait until after New Years to do the dirty dead? Merry Christmas!
Daniel,
Did this man's termination have something to do with what he did or was perceived to have done, or was it a church budget problem? If it was a budget problem, he might have had some idea of what was going on. However, you are right, the timing stinks!
As a former called worker, thank you for saying "a WELS church...has failed him". So many times the called worker is blamed, when it was the congregation which did not uphold their part on the back of the call form.
If you're coming up north to see the President next Wednesday, give me a holler. I'll show you all the sights of Manitowoc!
Scott E. Jungen
This discussion brings up the nature of the (W)ELS doctrine concerning the Public Ministry of the Word (PMW). Clearly those in the office within the (W)ELS agree with the doctrine as it's taught and enforced (enforced is a strong word in the (W)ELS concerning doctrine, maybe encouraged or suggested would be better - have you read the essays in the (W)ELS Essay files?!).
(W)ELS teaches that they have the God given right to change what Christ instituted and restrict parts of the overall PMW responsibilities to one individual (male or female) and still call it a divine office instituted by Christ. They still insist that it's a divine office into which Christ Himself calls these people to serve. This is why they can so easily remove someone from the position. They have taken Christ's place. Certainly (W)ELS President Moldstad set a solid precedent when he wickedly schemed to have Pastor Preus removed from his active call. Less than a handful of churches protested so the churches that remain in fellowship with the (W)ELS agree that his Antichristian behavior was acceptable. I say, so far (W)ELS is getting less then what they have asked for. Why are you upset at the termination of this pastor? Or any pastor.
What are the reasons Scripture gives that allow the removal of the man that Christ calls to serve a congregation?
Beuhler, Beuhler....anyone?
Scott,
My understanding is that it was a budgeting issue - which was also the issue at the previous two calls (my church's former school included). If I am not mistaken, I believe he was the last called worker from our congregation's school (which closed a few years back) who still had a Call somewhere in the WELS.
Many churches run a Sep 30-Sep 30 fiscal year, and some a Dec 31-Dec 31 fiscal year. The Dec 31 fiscal year forces budget decisions to be made in Dec.
The advantages are that more people are attending church in Dec, and can be notified that the church needs money to meet the budget, and more congregants are there to vote on the next year's budget. Also, for tax deductions, people are more willing to give money at the end-of-year than in Sep.
If that's the case with that teacher, they might have been forced to tell the teacher in Dec that there wasn't enough money to keep him longer, knowing that if they withheld the information, someone would tell him anyway. Also, if you tell him in Dec, perhaps he won't spend as much on Christmas knowing he won't have a job soon. Finally, I hope they gave him a good severance package.
Daniel,
Thank you for the information. Poor man, three congregations with budget problems. I hope he doesn't accept a call to Michigan Lutheran Seminary next.
bruce-church,
A good severance package in the WELS? Please, remember this is the WELS.
Scott E. Jungen
You are correct about the issue of "people don't say anything" when there is an issue with a called worker.
The situation I was in was somewhat different. In this case, the pastor had a habit of driving long-time congregants away from the church. I think he was just a bad fit for the ministry.
Before each council meeting, members of the council would declare "I am REALLY going to say something this time"...
Well, the meeting would start, and the pastor would glare, and most of the council would just tremble in their seats like whipped little puppies. The few councilmen or members who WOULD voice concern about the current situation in the church would receive NO support from the same people that were so courageous BEFORE the meeting started.
The pastor did finally leave (although still eligible for a call in the WELS), so things are getting back to normal. Now those that quivered like puppies are again walking about very manly and asserting how much they are going to do for the church, etc....
It can really make you sick to your stomach.
Grumpy "You wonder why?" Lutheran
From my own experience, all of the above observations fit quite well. In the situation that I referred to, it was strictly a budget problem. The teacher was told after the last day of the semester. I am sure that there was much more to it all. It was the tip of the iceberg. The congregation just had a multi-million dollar expansion. They had engaged in full fledged masonry evangelism. They were borrowing against the pledges for the expansion to meet their operating costs. In a rare moment of conscience, they realized that this was wrong. My beloved wife had pointed out the total of 10 full time called workers on the payroll, including the full time child care director. My response was "that is a lot of salary and benefits". The expansion was sold to the voters with the assumption of a growth in both members and amount per giving unit. That never materialized. After three capital appeals, they are still coming up short. The third capital appeal caused my departure because they had contracted with Cornerstone Stewardship Ministries. (continued)
Working backwards from the comments:
Grumpy, I have been a part of the scenario which you have described. I was an elder when we had a pastor who was well known for his rather intimidating cold stare. Did they teach him this at the Sausage factory? I plead guilty for not speaking up when I should have. This is just another indication that the WELS can really be an abusive cult. When my wife and I were discussing the termination of the teacher's call, she reminded me of the history of the grumbling members who always talked, but never acted. When I was an elder, the Council President did stand up to the pastor. The pastor's knees buckled. Schoolyard bullies can get rather timid when you stand up to them. Members would complain that the same lapdogs would always be elected. In all honesty, who would want to serve under those conditions? (continued)
Mr. Meyer,
I agree about the WELS is cloudy (by design) concerning the doctrine of the public ministry. Furthermore, they co-mingle it with the doctrine of vocation. I have heard it said that everyone is a minister. But wait, not a public minister. So, then what they say they mean by everyone being a minister is that everyone has a calling. By that, they meant to say that they are talking about the doctrine of the vocation. Why did they not say so from the start? If it sounds confusing, it is. I'll bet that they use this convoluted argumentation to justify Bishop Katie being a "Worship Minister". I have also seen this used in a round about way to shame members into serving on one of the many useless committees. In other words, you are not really serving the Lord unless you are doing busy work in the congregation. (continued)
The name calling is usually engaged in by those who have no legitimate argument against you. It is similar to that schoolyard bully who does that in front of his minions to look tough. An abusive sect can be an equal opportunity offender. I have witnessed several faithful teachers get treated rather harshly. When members expressed outrage about it, they were called troublemakers. Mr. Jungen, thank you for pointing out that the congregation bears the responsibility for supporting the called workers. As we have been made aware of here on Ichabod, there are many faithful and knowledgeable laity. They need to be reminded to pray for and support their called workers.
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