Tim Niedfelt on St. John Lutheran Church Being Stolen

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Saint John's Evangelical-Lutheran Church · 147 like this

3 minutes ago · 

• It is with great sadness I write that St. John's is in crisis. This is Tim Niedfeldt writing today for full disclosure. Although I joined St. John's on Feb 16th as a new member I have not been officially accepted as a member and I never will be.
  
  Yesterday, Pastor Hastings received a letter of dismissal from two of the existing 4 members. One member and council member is in AZ. He was not notified of any action. Another elder matron is in a hospital. The remaining two are members, who if there was anyone to implement official church discipline, would immediately be under discipline and excommunicated. Although it is embarrassing to admit that the only remaining attenders before my arrival are homosexual, Pastor without any other members would have no way to do anything with these two members. He also would have often had zero attenders to worship.
  
  It is worse as one of the offending members was in a state of crisis a few years ago and needed a place to stay. He was given some rooms in the parsonage to stay in (perhaps it was still "the closet" at that time). The parsonage is furnished with furniture Pastor Hastings provided. Liberace paid no rent out of the graciousness of Pastor's heart. The other member came a few years ago after a recent divorce. At first he came with his son. Soon he started coming with his new lover. So St. John's got two gay members and a gay attender all through the backdoor (pun intended).
  
  Fast forward to February when Karen, Ike and I come to church. I have been increasing the public exposure of the church inviting members on Facebook. I had prepared the St. John's Ustream account to start streaming services on Easter. I was working on releasing a kick butt web site with all the social media widgets. Soon I hoped to engage St. John's to become a center for discussion and proliferation of confessional and Independent Lutheranism.
  
  So why a near neck-breaking pace to remove Pastor with no official warning, no official meetings, no voters, and no constitutional basis for the removal? The gay club was coming to an end. They knew church discipline was coming the moment they voted me in. They saw guests starting to come. They saw me, the "non-member" setting up recordings and broadcasting confessionalism to the world and paying to make sure we had an organist they didn't want for St.John's grand organ. As of Sunday, Karen and I were supposed to be voted on for membership. I'm guessing that's a no.
  
  So why do 3 gay guys hang out in a confessional church that condemns their sin for nearly 3 years week after week. This is just SPECULATION but I would guess it would be to hasten the departure of Pastor Hastings. When he was retired or removed the church can be sold and the endowment divvied up to the remaining members. Perhaps fund anew Gay bar or something.
  
  My prediction if we cannot stop this improper action. St. John's is sold as a campus church to Grace and the gays go off and have found a nice way to keep sinning and have church pay for it. Stay tuned for some calls to action in the next posts.

  
  

  

  
  

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  bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Tim Niedfelt on St. John Lutheran Church Being Sto...":
  
  Well, that's a very interesting end to a great church. 

  
  

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  GJ - No more puns, Dr. Church. I thought you were reared better than that.
  
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  Pastor emeritus Nathan Bickel has left a new comment on your post "Tim Niedfelt on St. John Lutheran Church Being Sto...":
  
  Ichabod -
  
  WELS is repeating history. As King Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard; so the synod covets this well kept church structure. Shame on them for their covetous and extortionist actions!
  
  Furthermore, WELS is guilty of sinning not only against the commandments not to covet; but, also against the 5th Commandment. That is (according to the rightful expanded definition as Luther taught) - hurting and harming one's neighbor in his body!
  
  Shame on these synodical officials! May the good Lord deal appropriately with them in the spirit of Psalm 1.
  
  Nathan M. Bickel
  www.thechristianmessage.org
  www.moralmatters.org 
  
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  Unknown has left a new comment on your post "Tim Niedfelt on St. John Lutheran Church Being Sto...":
  
  Question: While I understand giving proof of fellowship and belief, why would an approval process be necessary afterward? Or is this something that is an automatic process under normal circumstances?
  
  Dave P. 
  
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  Tim Niedfeldt has left a new comment on your post "Tim Niedfelt on St. John Lutheran Church Being Sto...":
  
  I have been to two different churches that require approval in a council meeting for membership and eligibility to vote after acceptance at a voters meeting. So there are custom rules out there. 
  
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  GJ - However, it is not customary to lock out the congregation and fire the pastor without notice. Official actions require notifying all members and giving them a chance to participate in a vote.