ELCA Fighting for a Congregation's Money

Grace Foundation, Eau Claire, is Pulled into Grace Lutheran Church Lawsuit - St. Paul religion & politics | Examiner.com:


In another stunning turn of events, Catholic attorney Drew Ryberg who vowed to “take back what belongs to the ELCA” has filed a motion on behalf of Amazing Grace and by proxy Bishop Duane Pederson’s Northwest Wisconsin Synod to prevent Grace Foundation from holding its annual meeting.  As late as yesterday afternoon, according to court staffers, Ryberg signaled that he would be filing a motion to prevent Grace Lutheran Church from holding their second vote to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  The most recent filing is a shocking change in strategy.

A leader of Grace Lutheran Church says, “We always knew they were after the foundation money, but now they have proven it.”

The annual meeting of Grace Foundation is set for April 22nd, and items of business include electing foundation officers and hearing the Foundation’s Annual report.

At risk are over 600 jobs in the ELCA’s most recent bid to make Grace Lutheran Church and now Grace Foundation inoperable.

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Ryberg argues,

“The Synod Council has determined that defendants have associate status…. The by-laws of Grace Foundation, Inc. provide that only voting members of Grace Lutheran Church are members of it and able to vote… therefore defendants may not vote at the annual meeting for Grace Lutheran Foundation, Inc.”

What this would mean, if Judge GaleWyrick accepts Ryberg's motion, is Grace Foundation would probably keep all its current Board Members, but be limited in its ability to set operating budgets and spend money, the same outcome imposed on Grace Lutheran Church in January this year.

Ryberg claims facts up to now not in evidence.

Grace Lutheran Church has never been informed that it is only an associate member of the ELCA.  The congregation continues to be on the ELCA list of congregations and as the defendant in the ongoing litigation is not an "associate member" of the denomination, nor are its active members who continue to worship at the church.

No process of denominational adjudication has been followed to establish that Grace Lutheran Church has been relegated to associate status by the Synod- a designation that does not exist for congregations- yet another example of Bishop Pederson’s refusal to follow the rules and constitution of his own denomination.

What's more is that in the ELCA, Bishops and Synods do not have constitutional authority to determine who can and can not be members of a congregation.  Disciplinary action in the case of members takes place under the authority of the local congregation, and Bishops only have the authority to suspend a congregation, remove a congregation from the ELCA, or censure a congregation.

In these ugly turn of events, Bishop Pederson and Amazing Grace Church of Eau Claire have decided to put at risk thousands of families that benefit from Grace Foundation’s work and ministries.

Grace Foundation funds and operates licensed daycare, retirement housing, assisted living programs, skilled nursing care, community based residential facilities for the care of the elderly, and adult day services for older adults all across Chippewa Valley.

The mission of Grace Lutheran Foundation, as a complementary arm of Grace Lutheran Church, is to respond to the spiritual, physical and social needs of people in order to enhance human dignity and growth by providing high quality Christian-based services.

Grace Lutheran Foundation, through its continuum of care, provides client and family oriented services that enhance the many stages of a person’s life and has long been an important and integral part of the Eau Claire Community providing exemplary care and services.

The move is being described by some in the Eau Claire community as “despicable” and “depraved.”

The ELCA is a denomination that focuses primarily on social justice and social programs that care for people.  Their latest move, putting thousands of families who receive care through Grace Foundation at risk, demonstrates how quickly the religious organization will abandon its own principles and do serious harm to individuals and families for money.

One former ELCA pastor says, “This is why so many congregations are clamoring for the exit doors in the ELCA.  The leadership is unprincipled, vindictive, and destructive.”



Continue reading on Examiner.com Grace Foundation, Eau Claire, is Pulled into Grace Lutheran Church Lawsuit - St. Paul religion & politics | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/religion-politics-in-st-paul/grace-foundation-eau-claire-is-pulled-into-grace-lutheran-church-lawsuit#ixzz1rsvwicBQ




'via Blog this'

Unorthodox behaviour rattles Russian church - FT.com

Now you see it, now you still see its reflection in the table.
Why didn't they call upon the real Photoshopper?

Unorthodox behaviour rattles Russian church - FT.com:

Photoshop used to remove (almost) a $30,000 watch from the Russian patriarch's wrist!

'via Blog this'

VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - FALLS CHURCH, VA:3,750 Anglicans Worship at Historic Episcopal Church for Easter

Rev. Dr. John Yates

VirtueOnline - News - Exclusives - FALLS CHURCH, VA:3,750 Anglicans Worship at Historic Episcopal Church for Easter:


FALLS CHURCH, VA: 3,750 Anglicans Worship at the Historic Episcopal Church for Final Easter Services

By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
April 11, 2012

It was a bitter sweet day for 65-year old the Rev. Dr. John Yates. Bitter because a long drawn out legal battle was finally coming to an end, and the day was soon coming when he and his flock could no longer stay in property they had loved and cherished, learned, listened and spiritually grown up in, having contended for several generations for 'the faith once for all delivered to the saints.' It was sweet because the transition was going relatively smoothly with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.

Yates himself was ebullient with joy as he stood before his flock of nearly 4,000 evangelical Anglicans on Easter Sunday, many of whom had been with him for his 33 years of ministry at The Falls Church. Now, three decades of gospel ministry in a church founded in 1732 was finally coming to an end. Crowds were so dense at six services that there was standing room only. Services were videoed to overflow locations. A CANA bishop told VOL that he and his wife were forced to stand at the back of the main sanctuary; there were simply no seats available.

Tears of loss might have been expected as emotions ran high, but it was not so. Yates was ebullient with resurrection joy at the Spirit that filled the worship space on Sunday morning. "It was a joyous time, he preached five different sermons, something he had always wanted to do...it was all magnificent," Senior Warden, Sam Thomsen told VOL.

"In the main sanctuary and the overflow accommodations in the Fellowship Hall, 3,160 people attended in three services where the usual capacity is 850, and the Fellowship Hall was maxed out. The remaining 800 attended one of the other three services, two of which were in the historic church."

Their WEF unit -
my little joke. WELS called their ugly first units
Worship Education Fellowship units.

Virginia became the nation's epicenter of Episcopal parish battles for the soul of Anglicanism. More than a dozen parishes, some mega church size believed The Episcopal Church had gone too far and had fallen off the cliff over the place and authority of Scripture and unscriptural innovations on human sexuality. It was a bridge too far for this and many orthodox Episcopal congregations around the country.

Here in Northern Virginia the heaviest price was being paid with tens of millions of dollars worth of properties. Yates knows that the eternal destiny of his people transcends buildings. The loss of one soul is more heart wrenching to God than bricks and mortar and a theologically corrupt and morally compromised denomination. With millions of dollars having been spent on legal fees and fruitless appeals to the courts, it was nearing time to move on.

Yates came to The Falls Church in 1979 when it had a congregation of 500. 33 years later the church can boast nearly 4,000 members with eight clergy and a staff of 60. The church's annual budget is $6 million. No small achievement. His is one of the top five most successful parishes in The Episcopal Church of nearly 7,000 congregations. The church's outreach in many directions is spectacular.

Among its many ministries, the church initiated an exciting church planting effort called Timothys program. It selects talented young men who have finished seminary and are interested in church planting to go through a testing process for three years to see if they are made of the right stuff to start a church of their own. A strong faith and entrepreneurial skills are a must.

Today several church plants have been established within 10 miles of The Falls Church with more are planned, some geographically further afield. Gracious in defeat, Yates noted, "Having served as rector of the Falls Church Anglican since 1979, I have witnessed first-hand this congregation's spirit of generosity to the local community and beyond.

"We continue to exemplify Christ in this way. Our congregation rearranged its worship schedule to provide an Easter service time for local Episcopal worshippers despite litigation that has been brought against us.

"The death and resurrection of our Lord this Holy Week reminds us us that even though we are facing legal obstacles, He continues to work through the Christ filled hearts of our congregation. Our prayer is that this historic site will continue always to be a place where the transforming gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed and lived."

The properties with an estimated worth of $25 million plus some $3 million in liquid assets (but no interest) are currently scheduled to be turned over to the diocese.

Falls Church has already been the recipient of substantial ecumenical support. "When word went out that we would have to get out, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington graciously made space available and offered us an auditorium of a local Catholic high school for our main worship services. It can seat 1,400", Thomsen told VOL.

"We have three locations for worship available to us in all. An Arlington County Middle School will allow us to use their attractive auditorium and the staff has gone out of its way to be helpful. Three Baptist churches have given space and other support and the Presbyterians have offered help. There are scheduling issues as we have multiple services but these will not stop us."

There are signs and indications that the challenging circumstances have already spiked church attendance. "This Easter Sunday had the largest attendance on any single day we can remember," Thomsen said. "We hope and pray that we can carry that forward."

The continuing Falls Church Episcopal parish of the diocese drew some 350 in its service in the historic church, which filled the structure that George Washington helped to build. Half of them may have been visitors in support of the congregation, VOL was told.


'via Blog this'

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GJ - If you think the vindictiveness of the diocese is unusual, you will find the same self-destructiveness in the Lutheran groups as well. ELCA and the "conservative Lutherans" have no qualms about driving out the orthodox, or even demi-semi-orthodox. They have an iron fist in an iron glove, unless they are dealing with felonious pals and heretics. Then grace abounds.

Possible successors to the Archbishop of Canterbury « Churchmouse Campanologist

ELCA's Bishop Hanson's book parrots the recent theme,
"It Gets Better."

Possible successors to the Archbishop of Canterbury « Churchmouse Campanologist:

The consultation process for finding Rowan Williams’s successor as the Archbishop of Canterbury will begin in May 2012 and end sometime during the summer.

The Anglican Communion will have a new spiritual leader by the end of this year.

So, who might be in the running?

Below are profiles of three possible candidates: the Archbishop of York, the current Bishop of Durham and a past Bishop of Durham.

'via Blog this'

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GJ - This is worth reading because the Church of England's appointment will have profound effects on America and Africa. Thanks to the radicals, the Episcopalian tradition is split between the traditionalists and those who advocate homosexual ordination and marriage. The appointment also affects American Lutherans because of the cozy relationship between the Odd Couple, Hanson and Schori.

The Synodical Conference (tm) works with ELCA,
and ELCA works with Schori.

Steadfast Missourians - Meet "Page Not Found"

Adolph Hoenecke has left a new comment on your post "Surrender! - A New Perfume Stench from Steadfast L...":

Well, the whip has come down in the LC-MS. Shall we wager to see how long it takes to come down in the WELS?

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Rev. Todd Wilken's article, "Some Thoughts about the Man Behind the Curtain," posted today on BJS, had some nine comments earlier this morning. All comments have now been deleted and the Comment section closed.

Something is going on. Perhaps some LCMS lawyer has put a painfully tight grip on sensitive areas of BJS moderators.


Rick Strickert, LQ


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The links above to BJS articles are "404", of course.

They haven't gotten to the Park Rapids newspaper yet.

Helen E. Jensen, LQ

The Synodical Popes Stifle All Public Discussion of Conservative Lutherans Abusing and Exploiting Children

The Missouri Synod began as a Pietistic cult dominated by a syphilitic bishop, Martin Stephan.
Stephan's Pietistic follower,  CFW Walther, took over as bishop, without using the title.
The LCMS has covered up Walther's knowledge of Stephan's adultery
and repeated Walther's lies about discovering it from a confidential confession
from Stephan's mistress.

Now people can see, within a period of months, that WELS and Missouri are just like the Roman Catholic Church. When children are exploited and sexually abused, the synod popes (Schroeder and Harrison) order secrecy and censor all discussion of the facts. It is a sin to comment on the scandals of WELS and Missouri, as Pope Paul the Unlearned explained:

It is a sin to assume the worst of our ecclesiastical supervisors and continually speak about them in a way that is nothing other than contemptuous and demeaning. We should be expected to give an account for our actions when we do.


It is a sin to look always for the worst in our church body, and expect it to do what we want it to do and then throw an online temper tantrum* when it does not. Our church body should do what is legal and work to honor those in authority – especially when doing what is legal is not easier than pleasing uninformed critics.


When the worst-construction thinkers among us get on their high-horses, a healthy skepticism and criticism of their activity is completely proper.


If we rightly require that our individual pastors meet the Apostolic standard to be “above reproach,” then we should expect them to be among the last to throw caution to the wind and indulge in Christian News/National Enquirer style rhetoric.
Paul T. McCain
*He will appreciate the irony of this later, when he reads his own words on the Net.


[Rick Strickert on LQ -


Some thought the pecksniffian phrases, "online temper tantrum," "high horses" and "Christian News/National Enquirer style rhetoric" were hilarious. One BJS poster noted that his keyboard got coffee all over it when he read that comment. And Publisher McCain's bosom buddy, Ichabod, noted, "He will appreciate the irony of this later, when he reads his own words on the Net."]

The Surrendered Fort - Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne.
The Surrendered Lutherans, aka, Steadfast (sic) Lutherans.
Note that Joshua Sheer, who first wrote about the Darwin Schauer scandal,
fell on his sword pea-shooter in publishing a cease and desist order.

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A Missouri layman responded:

“Some Thoughts about the Man Behind the Curtain”
But let’s keep the discussions to platitudes, euphemisms, slogans, and generalities… oh, and also, as #5 mentioned, pecksniffian comments.

There’s no need to get into any substantive details, provide links to factual information, or compare conflicting versions of reports about synodical events. We have been given the assurance that any matters of detail about synodical issues are being handled elsewhere with absolute integrity.
Carl Vehse [appropriate pseudonym - Vehse was the lawyer who covered up for Stephan]

***

GJ - I seldom look at Steadfast (sic) Lutherans because of its superficiality. They were the ones who backed Pope Harrison, who revealed his true nature in his obvious connection with Paul T. McCain, whom I have dubbed his campaign manager.

Now Missouri Synod Lutherans can see that Harrison is just another Kieschnick, and Missouri is just a retro version of ELCA, gladly working with the apostates while clucking the sanctimonious tongues about the apostasy of ELCA.

Many have expressed a similar disappointment with Mark Schroeder, who has spent his time rewarding the Church and Changers with promotions. At first one might have excused his timidity or indolence, since he was new in the job. Just as Harrison is not happy with his minions at Steadfast, Schroeder is not happy with his supporters at Intrepid Lutherans.

Readers - do you want to know why these scandals continue to erupt among the married clergy, teachers, and church workers? After all, we cannot blame celibacy rules for Lutherans having sex with men, women, boys and girls in their own calls.

The reasons are two-fold:

1. The synodical leaders impose silence on anyone who knows the truth, and they often lie about what happened. They have no qualms about attacking anyone who dares to expose the truth.
2. The clergy and laity go along with this campaign of corruption, silencing themselves when ordered, fearing any retribution from the bosses, joining in silencing the ones who object to this depravity.

Note that the Evangelical Lutheran Synod had no trouble working with Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, who was kicked out of the LCMS ministry for cause, for many causes. John Shep and Roger Kovaciny made Floyd out to be a heroic supporter of their cause, just as Marvin Schwan was.

The Schwan story will wait until the clergy are done with their Easter vacations.

Jay Webber, ELS, had no trouble working with Stolzenburg and collecting money from Emmanuel Lutheran in Columbus, Ohio. Jay knew all about Stolzenburg from me. The ELS had the court records about Stolzenburg. WELS knew about it all along, as Paul Kuske claimed, but WELS lied about Stolzenburg's "Scriptural" divorce. Yes, the holier-than-thou WELS clergy blamed Floyd's divorce on his wife!

Don't smirk, Misourians, because Walther blamed Stephan's adultery on Mrs. Stephan, who caught syphilis from her husband, was abandoned by her husband, and was left to die with her syphilitic children in Dresden by Stephan, Walther, Vehse, and the pious Saxon immigrants.

The longer Lutherans wait to deal with this mode of rewarding and empowering the abusers, the greater the judgment will be against them. Those who participate in the silence are more guilty than the sickos who do this and cling to their church vocations in the name of UOJ.

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Adolph Hoenecke has left a new comment on your post "Surrender! - A New Perfume Stench from Steadfast L...":

Well, the whip has come down in the LC-MS. Shall we wager to see how long it takes to come down in the WELS?

***

GJ - Remember these examples when Harrison and Schroeder say, "I am helpless to do anything about it."

I can count up quite a few people who have been silenced by Schroeder, but not one of them is a Church and Changer.

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Helen Jensen, LQ:



Why is a divorced man allowed to be playing pastor in the church? --R D Ryan

Divorced and remarried once is unfortunately not that uncommon, (if the pastor was the "innocent party", though I don't think you'll find that item in Paul's advice to Timothy).

It's triple divorce, married a fourth time, and graduate of a "lay ministry" program, estimated at as little as 6 months.

We should "trust the ecclesiastical supervisors" who allowed all this (and worse) into Word and Sacrament ministry to handle the situation "with integrity"!?  

"A bishop must be blameless, husband of one wife [at a time?]...."

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GJ - That is the situation in WELS, too. Columbus had three divorced pastors out of six, although two of them were really fakes who pretended to be. Nevertheless, the two fakes received calls - thanks to WELS district officials. The new DP John Seifert kicked Marc Schroeder and his church out of WELS (old grudge between Marc and Marc Schroeder) but Missouri took the parish and pastor in, no problem.

That is why people have no use for synodical officials. They are dishonest, deceptive, and abusive, always protecting and defending what is wrong.

Surrender! - A New Perfume Stench from Steadfast Lutherans.I Told You This Would Happen.

A new flag flies over Steadfast (sic) Lutheran Headquarters.

bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "The LCMS Case - Darwin Schauer - Convicted Sex Off...":

SP Harrison put his foot down, so Steadfast Lutherans took down their Darwin Schauer posts, and the site will report less synodical news in the future. (You see, the synod must keep this under wraps so more victims of Schauer don't know he's been busted a second time (sigh), and then come out of the woodwork and sue the LCMS.)

Editor and Rev. Joshua Scheer came out with the announcement, but then Todd Wilken protested in the next post saying it's not a violation of Matt 18 to talk about the news. One can see it's the ole 8 and 18 switch in action again shutting down discussion.

links:

Time to Cease, a word from BJS editors, by Sheer:
http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=18250

Some Thoughts about the Man Behind the Curtain, by Todd Wilken:
http://steadfastlutherans.org/?p=18262 


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Time to Cease, a word from BJS editors.
April 12th, 2012
Post by Joshua Sheer


One of our goals here at BJS is to be the “go to place for Lutheran news and commentary.” We are not afraid to take some liberties that more official Lutheran news media may not be able to. We also have a liberal commentary policy. Sometimes comments push the boundaries of the 8th commandment. In an effort to be responsible stewards of the trust with which you have graced us, we are ceasing reporting, commentary and comments on the child molestation story. The two postings on it already have been taken down. We thank you for your patronage of this website and will seek to continue reporting important news and trying to balance the cutting edge of news with the need to put the best construction on all things.
We have been in contact with the president’s office in St. Louis and have been assured that this matter is being handled with absolute integrity. We take great comfort in that and also ask that our readers continue to pray for all involved in this very serious matter.

Also, you may be interested to know that at the recent BJS conference we reformulated our Board of Directors and are working on a new version of BJS that will have less reporting of and commentary on church political news and more articles encouraging confessional understanding and edification in good piety and spiritual exercise.

Rev. Dr. Tim Rossow, Editor [and UOJ Fanatic]

Rev. Joshua Scheer, Associate Editor

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The Wilken post included this photo of the Wizard,
hiding behind the curtain.

Some Thoughts about the Man Behind the Curtain
by Todd Wilken


It isn’t a sin to question the actions of our ecclesiastical supervisors. They should be ready to give an account for their actions.

It isn’t a sin to demand that our church body do what is right, not merely what is legal –especially when doing what is merely legal is easier than doing what is right.

When the safety of “these little ones” (Matthew 18:6) is at stake, a healthy skepticism of our too often self-protective bureaucracy is completely proper in a church body that ought to have nothing to hide.

If we rightly require that our individual pastors meet the Apostolic standard to be “above reproach,” then we should require the same of every official action of our congregations, districts and synod.



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Comments -

Just as the record of child molestation among Roman Catholic priests has led to an unfair expectation of such from that group, so the record of actions among our DPs has led to a healthy skepticism of what they are up to. Explaining everything in the kindest way is not the same thing as being stupid.
Ted Crandall

***

It is a sin to assume the worst of our ecclesiastical supervisors and continually speak about them in a way that is nothing other than contemptuous and demeaning. We should be expected to give an account for our actions when we do.

It is a sin to look always for the worst in our church body, and expect it to do what we want it to do and then throw an online temper tantrum when it does not. Our church body should do what is legal and work to honor those in authority – especially when doing what is legal is not easier than pleasing uninformed critics.
When the worst-construction thinkers among us get on their high-horses, a healthy skepticism and criticism of their activity is completely proper.

If we rightly require that our individual pastors meet the Apostolic standard to be “above reproach,” then we should expect them to be among the last to throw caution to the wind and indulge in Christian News/National Enquirer style rhetoric.

Paul T. McCain

***

GJ - There are more comments. Perhaps these two posts will also disappear, so read them in the original before they are gone. [And they did disappear.]

Pope Harrison claps his hands and the mice run back to their mouseholes. WELS and the ELS are no different.

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bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Surrender! - A New Perfume Stench from Steadfast L...":

Paul McCain should answer this question: What is the kindest way to interpret CPH still selling Paul L. Maier's creation and flood books, both of which teach children to believe in theistic evolution, and both of which were published by Paul T. McCain? "None of your business" is not the correct answer, either:

http://www.cph.org/p-3167-the-real-story-of-the-flood.aspx?SearchTerm=paul%20l%20maier 

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Adolph Hoenecke has left a new comment on your post "Surrender! - A New Perfume Stench from Steadfast L...":

Well, the whip has come down in the LC-MS. Shall we wager to see how long it takes to come down in the WELS?