Wisconsin Synod Facing Another Lawsuit

Judge Lamelas with her father, a Cuban refugee.

Assault victim sues school, synod

Wisconsin Lutheran teacher was sentenced in '02 for assaulting 2 girls; damages sought

By MARIE ROHDE

mrohde@journalsentinel.com

Posted: May 7, 2008
A civil lawsuit was filed Wednesday on behalf of a girl who was sexually abused by a religion teacher at Wisconsin Lutheran High School beginning when she was a freshman there in 2001.

Past Coverage
7/30/02: Former teacher sentenced to prison

The lawsuit accuses the school and church officials of negligence and of covering up the episode. It seeks unspecified damages.

The teacher, Brent Biesterfeld, now 35, was sentenced in July 2002 to 18 months in prison on two counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child for assaulting two female students both on and off school grounds.

The lawsuit seeks damages from Biesterfeld, the school, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the school principal, as well as four insurance companies.

Robert L. Habush, a lawyer representing the girl, who was identified under the alias of Jane Doe, has asked that the lawsuit not reveal the girl's name because of the humiliation, distress and other injuries she has suffered.

According to the lawsuit:

School and church officials should have been aware of a 1999 criminal report on file with the Milwaukee Police Department that accused Biesterfeld of engaging in illicit sexual activities with a minor. No charges were brought as a result of that report.

School and church officials had a duty to disclose the past allegations against Biesterfeld, who was hired by the school in November 1998, the lawsuit states. He was also the basketball and soccer coach for the school, 330 N. Glenview Ave.

The assaults that led to charges against Biesterfeld began in the spring of 2001 when the girl was 15 and in the second semester of her freshman year at the school, according to court records. She was a student in Biesterfeld's religion class and was a member of the teams he coached. According to the lawsuit, Biesterfeld had ongoing sexual contact with the girl between April 2001 and March 2002, when Biesterfeld was arrested.

The teacher had sexual contact with the girl in the school's athletic training room and in classrooms, according to court records, and he had her taken out of other classes for private training sessions and kept her after class had ended, making her tardy for other classes.

School officials should have recognized that Biesterfeld was spending an inordinate amount of time with the girl, and that his relationship with her was not normal, the lawsuit says.

The girl began psychological treatment in 2007 for the injuries she suffered as a result of the assaults, the lawsuit says.

The Rev. James Kleist, superintendent of the school, said Wednesday that he had not seen the lawsuit. He said that the school reported the allegations to authorities as soon as officials learned of it, and that Biesterfeld was immediately removed from the school.

"Our heart goes out to this student and her family," Kleist said. "We are confident that we followed all the right procedures."

The Rev. Mark Schroeder, president of the synod, said Wednesday that he had not seen the lawsuit but added: "We're confident that the legal process is one in which justice will be served."

The case has been assigned to Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Elsa Lamelas.

***

GJ - I warned District Pope Robert Mueller and VP Paul Kuske that there would be grave consequences - not only for their failure to supervise but also for their cover-ups. Their outright deception of the laity was another reason why both of them should have left the ministry. Wally Oelhaven and Fred Adrian went along with the Columbus scam, too. If someone opposed Church Growth or clergy adultery, the District Mission Board honchos were righteously angry.

Notice that Roger Kovaciny (ELS Missionary), Jay Webber (ELS Seminary Rector, Ukraine), and John Shep (ELS Thoughts of Faith) had no qualms in soliciting money from Floyd Luther Stolzenburg. Was Rolf Preus bothered by the situation when he went to Jay and Kovo's little school in the Ukraine? There is no record of any objection made. Jay could not tolerate anyone saying "The Ukraine." He had to correct them right away, saying "Ukraine, not The Ukraine." One must concentrate on important things.

If anyone wonders why I was disgusted with the Wisconsin Sect, read the news story above. Observe how the officials ignored everything and let the abuse happen and continue. If the judge is handed the facts about past WELS abuse and cover-ups, the award will be generous and justified. Adrian and WELS lost a $400,000 case in Grand Rapids, WELS lying to the judge, saying, "We know of no other cases of abuse." That case developed because Adrian's then-married vicar had an extended affair with a minor girl in the congregation. When the girl's lawyer went to the court with the facts, which I helped provide, justice prevailed.

The Wisconsin Synod was likely given a chance to settle this new case out of court. Lawyers prefer that. Filing the lawsuit suggests that WELS refused to settle.

WELS Cases
Scott Zerbe case - He went to state prison.
DP Ed Werner case - He went to state prison.
Al Just case - He went to prison for murder, married his children's babysitter.
William Tabor case - He got away, but his mistress went to prison for murder.

I have a list of other WELS cases, so do not imagine the above names are the only ones.

The Wisconsin Sect teaches that the papacy is the Antichrist, but they invited Archbishop Weakland, a known homosexual and an apologist for pedophilia, to be a featured speaker at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

But then, I keep forgetting the Wisconsin Synod rules. If a pastor has an affair with his secretary, he marries his mistress and keeps his high-paying job. If a pastor has an affair with a congregational member, he gets promoted to a synodical position. If a mission pastor insists on the efficacy of the Word, the synod excommunicates him--through an administrator's letter--and excludes him from the ministry. Yes, WELS is very strict about doctrine.

***

rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Wisconsin Synod Facing Another Lawsuit":

I'm certain that this story will make the cover on the next issue of FIC. The WELS cult of secrecy is made public, one incident at a time. Notice the typical platitudes from WELS powers that be. The spin machine will have to go into full swing to pacify any laity who may be outraged by this. Sexual harassment can be a serious matter in the secular workplace. Most companies take it very seriously and go to great lengths to comply with the law and avoid lawsuits. It is a sad testimony to see a worst track record in the WELS.

***

Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Wisconsin Synod Facing Another Lawsuit":

Greg, I don't understand the connections that you are making here: GJ - I warned District Pope Robert Mueller and VP Paul Kuske that there would be grave consequences - not only for their failure to supervise but also for their cover-ups. Their outright deception of the laity was another reason why both of them should have left the ministry. Wally Oelhaven and Fred Adrian went along with the Columbus scam, too. If someone opposed Church Growth or clergy adultery, the District Mission Board honchos were righteously angry.

Notice that Roger Kovaciny (ELS Missionary), Jay Webber (ELS Seminary Rector, Ukraine), and John Shep (ELS Thoughts of Faith) had no qualms in soliciting money from Floyd Luther Stolzenburg. Was Rolf Preus bothered by the situation when he went to Jay and Kovo's little school in the Ukraine? There is no record of any objection made. Jay could not tolerate anyone saying "The Ukraine." He had to correct them right away, saying "Ukraine, not The Ukraine." One must concentrate on important things.

You were writing about this sad WELS case and then got into this other stuff. Please advise.

Norman Teigen
ELS layman

***

GJ - Floyd Luther Stolzenburg was forced to resign from the LCMS ministry by his DP in St. Louis. That happened on a Saturday. The DP preached for him on Sunday. If you want details, there is a lawsuit filed against Stolzenburg and his wife's divorce decree. Floyd followed his ex-wife back to Columbus, Ohio, where he began looking for another playground. Somehow, without ever joining WELS, Floyd got the WELS officials to lie for him and install him as a "Church Growth Consultant" via Lutheran Parish Resources. He and Roger Zehms, another divorced ex-pastor, ran LPR into the ground in five years.

Here is the connection. I warned the WELS officials that they would be facing many lawsuits for covering up sexual assaults. As one reader said, industry is far more careful about these matters than the denominations are. Mueller and Kuske were not in a listening mood. Mueller/Kuske even tried once or twice to get Stolzenburg into the WELS ministry. Their approach was to get rid of me and support Stolzenburg (who has never been a WELS member). Kuske wrote a letter of reference for Stolzenburg so Floyd could install himself in another call (Emmanuel, Columbus).

It is a long sordid story, a never-ending story.

Norm, if the WELS officials were honest and put church worker arrrests into FIC, church workers would be warned that the cover-ups are ending. Are the WELS officials any different from the Roman Catholic officials who simply moved offending priests into new positions? The only difference I see is that the Lutherans are married and have even less of an excuse to assault minors and married women. If someone takes advantage of a married woman while "counseling" her--in his office at church, or in her home alone--he should be canned, caned, and committed to prison, not elevated to synodical office.

The ELS leaders are just as guilty.

Just Robes Or, Justification by Faith?

Left to Right: Alb, White Geneva Gown, Cassock and Surplice,
Black Geneva Gown, Alb

Pastor Paul McCain had a question about the gowns: "I understand the historical origin of the alb with stole (worn by two men in the photo). The cassock and surplice worn by the Vicar. And I understand the origin of the black Geneva gown (the vestment of choice brought in during the Prussian Union days in Germany, by the way).

But I do not understand, at all, the white choir robe/academic gown."

***

GJ - Concordia Seminary, Ft. Wayne, seems to specialize in graduating MDivs obsessed with clerical garb, equally adept at avoiding doctrinal discussion. I thought McCain's question sounded rather snooty, unless robes have been moved from the locus of adiaphora to In Statu Confessionis...or perhaps status epilepticus.

At St. Boniface Lutheran Church (Niles, Michigan), the links (when they work) are prioritized according to clerical garb (four links) and the Marian monastery loved by Niles Lutherans and the ALPB.

Jay Webber, another Ft. Wayne graduate, used to worry about the proper clerical collar. There are many different answers about the origin of the Roman collar. All clerical garb is derived from earlier customs.

The new parament colors used by all the Lutheran churches are from the Church of Rome. They do the thinking for Lutherans today.

Son of Jester

His Grace, Mark Jeske, preaching in a suit and tie.

WELS Time of Grace televanjellyfish Mark Jeske is featured on the You Tube video above.

Mark's father, Professor John Jeske, was called Jester and Jumpin' Jack at the Sausage Factory. The first-year students liked Jester's antics, but the seniors were so weary of the theatrics that one said, "Patronize me one more time, Jester." Not to his face, of course.

Mark does not identify himself as a Lutheran, certainly not as a member of the Wisconsin sect. Tell it not in Gath.

Wisdom from the Sausage Factory

Jeske video.

Rev. Mark Jeske, anonymous Lutheran, is the son of a Mequon professor and the grandson on his mother's side of two professors. Mequonites marry into each other's families more often than the Hapsburgs did, with the same results.

Obligatory Issues, Etc Post

Kieschnick to AALC cronies: "After you sign up for defenestration lessons from Pope John the Malefactor, I will show you a few tricks I learned from him."

Synodical Pope Jerry Kieschnick (LCMS) had his boys get rid of the radio show Issues, Etc.

I admire Mollie Z. Hemingway for getting her story into the Wall Street Journal, which prompted a prompt denial by Kieschnick. Needless to say, getting a feature article into the WSJ is not easy. Hemingway is an excellent communicator on this issue.

Mollie is one of the writers for the Augsburg 1530 blog.

Missouri always seems to move from a peak of shock and scandal to a plateau of acceptance. SP Al Barry and Paul McCain, MDiv, showed the way during their disastrous nine years together at the Purple Palace. When they were not placating the ELCA wannabees like DP David Benke, they were savaging their supporters. Wally Schulz said, right after the replacement of Bohlmann: "Barry is meeting with people he should not be seeing." One Barry supporter said, "At least the Bohlmann people were polite."

No, I do not think the solution is: "Everyone must quit Missouri" or WELS, or the ELS, for that matter. People love to latch onto the institutional answer and then debate institutions. No one worships the organization more than Lutherans. No wonder they pope when they give up on Holy Mother Synod. The change from Holy Mother St. Louis to Holy Mother Rome is not so great.

The only solution is doctrinal. The Word of God must be taught in its purity at all times. That is the only way to accomplish God's will. Political tricks will never work. The old method is, "I will keep quiet and go along until I am in power. Then I will throw off the cloak of invisibility and reveal myself as an orthodox Lutheran, full of wrath and plans." That has never happened, but posturing Lutherans love posturing leaders. They can call one another Confessional Lutheran, grouse in their secret blogs, bellyache on their secret email lists, whisper low in Jerusalem lest they be heard on the streets of Gath.

Tell It Not in Gath

Extreme Left - Paul Kelm. Close beside Kelm - Kent Hunter. Above them both - Mark Jeske, Televanjellyfish. Not pictured: David Valleskey, Frosty Bivens, Ron Roth, Robert Hartman, Waldo Werning, Leonard Sweet, and Church & Change.

"Shall we permit this to be done! in the name of Christian unity! and by a latitudinarianism that is our own heritage, which rises ever anew from the embers of the past to find such veiled support and strength in the citadel of Zion that Confessionalism is told to whisper low in Jerusalem lest she be heard on the streets of Gath."
Theodore E. Schmauk and C. Theodore Benze, The Confessional Principle and the Confessions, as Embodying the Evangelical Confession of the Christian Church, Philadelphia: 1911, p. 941.

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
KJV 2 Samuel 1:19-20.

Stolzenburg, Kovaciny, and Jay Webber

Floyd Luther Stolzenburg: WELS District Vice Pope Paul Kuske and WELS Pastor Schuman endorsed him; WELS/ELS Pastor Roger Kovaciny solicited him for funds; ELS Pastors Jay Webber and John Shep received the funds with grateful and hardened hearts; WELS District Popes Robert Mueller and John Seifert saw and heard nothing; ELS Synodical Popes George Orvick and John the Malefactor did nothing.


Masonic Mother Church - Webber, Kovaciny, Stolzenburg
"Pastor Kovaciny, obviously excited about the possibilities, has agreed that the new church would be named Emmanuel Lutheran and would have a picture of the 'mother church' prominently displayed in the new building."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio #899 for August, 1999 1500 South Third Street Columbus, Ohio 43207.
[GJ - The money came from Stolzenburg with the blessing of ELS Pastor Jay Webber and ELS Pastor John Shep, with matching funds from the Schwan Foundation. That raises the question, "Who do I have to sleep with to get matching Schwan funds?"]

"About Missions" c. Thoughts of Faith through the Evangelical Lutheran Synod, d. St. Sophia Lutheran Seminary-Ukraine Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio August, 1996

"We supplied funds for our missionaries in the Ukraine, and the Gideons."
Sherry Huffman, Sunday School.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio February 1999

"From the Mission Committee...Good News from the Ukraine Reproduced at the bottom of this page is the masthead from the Ukrainian Lutheran, which has now been published by our mission in Ukraine for two years and grows in circulation with each issue."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November 1996

"EMMANUEL SAVES BIBLE SCHOOL! A SPECIAL MESSAGE was just received from Pastor Kovaciny to let us know that Emmanuel's Mission offerings have rescued their Bible School this summer!...[Pastor Kovaciny] writes to tell us about it. 'As we looked forward to an even more successful program this coming summer, we were told by our sponsoring organization that our Bible School budget had been cut by $8,000. It seems that some people in charge believe that we have been too successful and they need to put their funds toward programs in other areas which are lagging behind.' (Pastor Kovaciny)"
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio June 1998

"Since the salary of Pastor Kovaciny and their basic expenses are paid through the 'Thoughts of Faith' ministry, we will continue to include the overall work in our regular budget."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio October, 1994

"Pastor Kovaciny, in an effort to respond to our request, set a copy of the third quarter treasurer's report of the Ukrainian congregation, signed by the treasurer and written in his own hand. We thought you might enjoy seeing it! You should be aware that our budget offering goes to pay for Pastor Kovaciny's salary and expenses through 'Thoughts of Faith,' the radio ministry which has been bringing the Gospel to the Ukraine for many years...."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio January, 1995.

Roger Kovaciny's letter about seed distribution Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio October, 1995.

"All designated funds for Thoughts of Faith are spent on the program for which they are designated by the donor. Funds not designated by the donor are used to pay for administrative expenses. Thoughts of faith would like to thank our congregation for our support towards this important work in spreading the gospel throughout the world."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995 Recording secretary, Christine E. Scheiderer; treasurer, Charlotte Proctor. Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995

"...the Ukraine project of Thoughts of Faith (Pastor Kovaciny)" Use of mission funds. Charlotte Proctor, treasurer.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, Cornerstone, Emmanuel Lutheran Church Columbus, Ohio November, 1995

Pursuing Emmanuel
"I would also convey to you that I will continue to commune lodge members as long as I feel assured that they know and believe that their salvation is by faith." "Please feel free to contact Pastors Kuske or Schumann or come and hear for yourself."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg Letter to Emmanuel Lutheran Parish Resources letterhead "Serving the congregations of the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod"

"Consultant, Lutheran Parish Resources, Inc., Columbus, Ohio, 1985-1991, as a consultant for this program, I worked with the training of pastors and lay people for effective ministry in leadership skills, Sunday School organization and teaching, youth ministry, outreach, stewardship and care ministry. I continue to work with supervision of some of these programs. Senior Pastor, Salem Lutheran Church and School, Florissant, Missouri, 1976-1985. (nothing said about being removed from the ministry) Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church and School, St. Charles, Missouri, 1968-1976.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, 2904 Maryland Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43209-1157 614-235-5200.

"People Person: Have been recognized as a counselor and mediator. Brought harmony to what was once described as 'the most troubled Lutheran church in America. Personal: Born, December 6, 1941, Columbus. Married, three children. Spiritual gifts: Exhortation, teaching, administration and evangelism.
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, 2904 Maryland Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43209-1157 614-235-5200.

Separation agreement, July 24, 1986. Floyd Luther Stolzenburg and Jane Dorothy Stolzenburg. Sole care, custody and control of the minor children given to Jane.

"As you read, pick out the principles of Church Growth in this "FOCUS ON A GREAT CHURCH" (Acts 11:19-30)...11:26 tells us this studies the Word 'in great numbers.' How can we improve our numbers?" Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles,"
Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio January, 1986.

"WELCOME TO CHURCH GROWTH. Our study is designed to help all of us gain a new perspective of what God has always had in mind for His Church. Church Growth is not new."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "What the Bible Says about CHURCH GROWTH," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio p. 1.

"We have discovered that the Early Church was an institution that unknowingly saw its world through Church Growth eyes. We have some benefits they did not have in that we can look back today and analyze their successes and failures."
Floyd Luther Stolzenburg, "Church Growth - the Acts of the Apostles," Taught at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbus, Ohio.

***

Anonymous (Kovaciny?) has left a new comment on your post "Stolzenburg, Kovaciny, and Jay Webber":

With all your supposed readers, it shouldn't surprise anyone no one comments on your blog and that they don't sign their names. You just crucify them if they do.

***

GJ - In the Wisconsin Sect and the Little Sect on the Prairie, to crucify means to quote someone verbatim. Nothing is considered more unfair, more slanderous than copying the words of a Church Growth guru and publishing them.

A. Nony. Mouse Sometimes Signs His Name

The autobiographical comments remind me of Toad of Toad Hall.
See the PS below.

Kovaciny's Avatar Used at Answer Bag



Roger Kovaciny, January 8, 2008:
You think HE’s cheap–When a cereal box is empty, first we use the crumbs–for sweetner on other cereal if it’s sweet, for stew thickener if not. Then the box with liner becomes a garbage receptacle. When it’s full, staple it shut and out it goes–but the box does its second duty as a waste can. When it’s full of dirtynex and other paper stuff, it goes to the fireplace for kindling.

[GJ - Are the ashes saved for Ash Wednesday?]

***

A Mouse in Full:

Professor Roger Kovaciny
From UkrainianBible
Jump to: navigation, search
Professor Roger Kovaciny is a member of the Ukrainian Bible Translation Project's translation team.

Roger currently lives in Ternopil, Ukraine with his wife Ruth. Their five children are grown and living in the United States. Roger is the only member of the team who lives in Ternopil, which gives him access to St. Sophia Seminary's library and an English Lutheran congregation. Ruth directs the English choir at church.

Roger was born in Chicago and studied at Northwestern Lutheran College in Watertown, Wisconsin. After serving parishes in Tappen, North Dakota, and Columbus, Ohio, Roger moved with his family to Ternopil to start a mission church shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian Lutheran Church was blessed with quick growth and numerous congregations were founded around Ukraine. St. Sophia Seminary was established in Ternopil in the late 1990s and continues to produce new pastors for the ULC. Roger, who had been teaching Greek and Hebrew classes in the Seminary, switched to full-time translation work for the Ukrainian Bible Translation Project.

About Mouse....by Mouse
The composer Salieri, comparing himself to Mozart, supposedly said he was the "patront saint of mediocrity." In that case, he's my patron saint!

When the N.I.V. was translated, over 100 scholars took 14 years to translate it. Many were experts, the best in one narrow field. But if I were an expert in anything, it could only be at the expense of being not being good enough in several other fields. (With enough reference books and computer programs, "pretty good" is "good enough".)

I'm pretty good in many languages, but an expert in none of them. I've preached in five languages on four continents, without notes, and taught five languages while speaking a sixth or seven. Our meetings are conducted in up to six languages, and my work requires proficiency in all six (I'm proficient in seven, an expert in none). I mention all these things only to help you understand my colleagues, because I am an amateur and an adolescent next to Professor Turkonyak, Dr. Kachmar and Father Smuk. It is an honor and a privilege to be working with them, and I leave every meeting more impressed than before.

Does Anyone Need Kovo To Translate on His Own?

Donations
From UkrainianBible
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The Ukrainian Bible Translation Project is wholly funded by donations from individuals and church congregations. Please help us bring God's Word to Ukraine! Your donations are used to cover the cost of books and materials used during the translation process, and for basic living expenses for members of the translation team, some of whom do not have any other source of income.

Please contact us if you have questions about donating. Please let us know if you would like to be included on our list of donors.

Give online
One of the easiest ways to donate is using your credit card through PayPal. No PayPal account is required to donate, and any amount is greatly appreciated.

Give by mail
Send your donations to:

Roger Kovaciny
c/o Grace Bartel
4718 Regent St 94-A
Madison, WI 53705

***

GJ - Kovaciny worked with ELS Pastor Jay Webber and ELS Pastor John Shep. I believe WELS Professor John Lawrenz was also at the Ukraine seminary, before the Holy Spirit argued with John and convinced him to run the portable Asian seminary. (Those were John's words in an interview. I am not kidding. The Holy Spirit was lucky to win that one. John is used to getting his way.)

Kovaciny left the WELS for the ELS. Later he resigned from the ELS. One must wonder exactly how that makes him a professor at the moment.

I suggest people save their money. Russia has had the Scriptures for quite a few centuries.

PS

From The Wind in the Willows:

SPEECH . . . . BY TOAD.


(There will be other speeches by TOAD during the evening.) ADDRESS . . . BY TOAD


SYNOPSIS -- Our Prison System -- the Waterways of Old England -- Horse-dealing, and how to deal -- Property, its rights and its duties -- Back to the Land -- A Typical English Squire. SONG . . . . BY TOAD.


(Composed by himself.) OTHER COMPOSITIONS . BY TOAD


will be sung in the course of the evening by the . . . COMPOSER.

The idea pleased him mightly, and he worked very hard and got all the letters finished by noon, at which hour it was reported to him that there was a small and rather bedraggled weasel at the door, inquiring timidly whether he could be of any service to the gentlemen. Toad swaggered out and found it was one of the prisoners of the previous evening, very respectful and anxious to please. He patted him on the head, shoved the bundle of invitations into his paw, and told him to cut along quick and deliver them as fast as he could, and if he liked to come back again in the evening, perhaps there might be a shilling for him, or, again, perhaps there mightn't; and the poor weasel seemed really quite grateful, and hurried off eagerly to do his mission.

When the other animals came back to luncheon, very boisterous and breezy after a morning on the river, the Mole, whose conscience had been pricking him, looked doubtfully at Toad, expecting to find him sulky or depressed. Instead, he was so uppish and inflated that the Mole began to suspect something; while the Rat and the Badger exchanged significant glances.

Oh-Bomber's Political Godfather

Bill Ayers married fellow bomber Bernadine Dohrn. They sponsored Barack Hussein Obama's political birth at their home.

"No Regrets for Terrorism" - Obama Political Friend, Fellow Board Member

A fawning bio can be found here, with pictures.

If you can overcome your gag reflex, the article has quite a few facts in it.

In 1980, Ayers and Dohrn turned themselves in. (The first words Ayers's father said to him were, "You need a haircut.") By then they had had two children together, and the bombing conspiracy charge against the couple had been dismissed due to government misconduct.

Dohrn plea-bargained to charges of inciting to mob action and resisting police officers. She was sentenced to three years' probation and a $1,500 fine. Ayers was not charged. Even then he showed a way with words: "Guilty as hell, free as a bird—America is a great country," he said.

The next year, a Weatherman killed a Brink's guard and two state troopers in a bungled armored truck robbery. Kathy Boudin, the daughter of an esteemed New York civil rights lawyer, was sentenced to 20 years to life for her role in the crime; Ayers and Dohrn adopted her infant son.

***

Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Oh-Bomber's Political Godfather":

How are you linking Barack Obama to these terrorists? I don't get it.

Norman Teigen
ELS layman

***

GJ - I am glad you asked, Norm. Others must wonder too. Here are the known facts:

1. Bombers Ayers and Dohrn introduced Barack Hussein Obama to political activists in 1995, at their own home. This was a political coming out party to prove that Obama was OK with the limousine Leftist set.
   
2. Obama, Ayers, and Dohrn attended a party for Rashid Khalidi, an Arafat apologist. Khalidi sponsored a fund-raiser for Obama when he ran for Congress.
   
3. Obama and Ayers served together on the Woods Foundation, which sent money to Jeremiah Wright's church and to Khalidi's organization. Anti-American does not mean anti-money. The aroma of loot is too sweet for them to ignore.
   
4. Obama and Ayers spoke on the same panel discussion together, an event arranged by Ombama's mouthy wife, Michelle.

More details and a few whitewashes can be found by Googling the names of Ayers and Obama together. Here is a summary from Town Hall.

***

Norman Teigen has left a new comment on your post "Oh-Bomber's Political Godfather":

Where do you get all of these connections? I am still not sure if I get this. (Warning: I have been advised that I suffer from intellectual anemia.)

Norman Teigen
ELS layman

***

GJ - I have only summarized a few things about Obama. He is the apparent nominee, but I am still not counting Hillary out. The Internet has hundreds of informative articles about Obama, Ayers, and Hillary.

Before Clinton was elected, I told a lawyer, "There will be enough books about the corruption of the Clintons to fill a bookstore when he gets out of office." Every so often, the lawyer/professor said, "How did you know?" My reasoning was this - I already knew about Whitewater from various news sources. If something like that was out in the open, when a governor has so much power to destroy evidence, then a lot more would surface later. And it did. I also reckoned that Bill and Hillary would simply enlarge the franchise in the White House. And they did.

Exaudi Sermon

Built on The Rock, by Norma Boeckler

Exaudi – The Sunday after the Ascension of Christ

Live Lutheran Worship Service, Sundays, 8 AM, Phoenix Time


The Hymn #212 by The Venerable Bede – Lasst uns erfreuen
The Invocation p. 15
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual James 1:22-27
The Gospel John 16:23-30
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #341 – Diademata
The Sermon

Prayer the Fruit of Faith, Not the Cause

The Hymn #313 by Luther – Gott sei gelobet
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #361 – St. Agnes

1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging. 10 As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, [let him speak] as the oracles of God; if any man minister, [let him do it] as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. 2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we give thanks unto Thee, that through Thy Holy Spirit Thou hast appointed us to bear witness of Thy dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: We beseech Thee, inasmuch as the world cannot endure such testimony, and persecutes us in every way, grant us courage and comfort, that we may not be offended because of the cross, but continue steadfastly in Thy testimony, and be found always among those who know Thee and Thy Son, until we obtain eternal salvation through the same, Thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Gaost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth

Man searches for truth. The information has increased the distribution of facts and opinions, but people still wonder, “What is truth?”

In this Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the work of the Holy Spirit. This particular Sunday comes after the Ascension of Jesus and just before the Day of Pentecost. Most Christians think that Pentecost is a holiday unique to Christians, but the day is simply taken over from Jews who continue to celebrate Pentecost as they did in the past, as 50 days after Passover.

The Gospel lessons from John address the coming of the Holy Spirit several times. Jesus taught His disciples about the Holy Spirit before His death, resurrection, and ascension. Lutherans do well to understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. This doctrine gives us great comfort and confidence in the Gospel message. Knowing the this doctrine well also keeps us from turning to the false proofs offered by charismatics.

I find one description of the work of the Holy Spirit annoying, but it also fits very well. Once Northwestern Publishing House published a book about the Holy Spirit called, The Holy Spirit, The Shy Member of the Trinity.

This title comes from the Biblical witness that the work of the Holy Spirit is to witness to the glory of the Father and the Son. If you read many different passages in the Bible, you will see how often the Father and the Son are emphasized, while the work of the Holy Spirit is implicit.

Dr. Robert Preus taught at Ft. Wayne that Pentecostalism arose because modern Christianity was too interested in Jesus alone, to the detriment of understanding the Holy Trinity, especially in how the Holy Spirit works. This requires some explanation. The liberals attacked Christianity by denying the divinity of Christ and wondering out loud what He really thought about Himself. Their main code word was “the mind of Christ,” distorting a phrase from Philippians 2. What they meant by this was that Jesus did not consider Himself the Son of God, so we should have this same “mind of Christ.” This also became a good excuse to teach a new doctrine of salvation by works.

In the last two centuries, with this concentration upon Jesus, built upon distortions and the manipulation of facts, the work of the Holy Spirit was forgotten. In one verse we have two descriptions of the work of the Holy Spirit. One is that of Comforter, or Spokesman, or Advocate. In this role we know that those who are faithful in their study of the Word and careful in teaching the Word alone, without distortions or man-made additions, will speak God’s truth. That does not mean that any kind of blabber is the work of the Holy Spirit. But it does mean that “he who listens to you listens to Me.”

An individual could not on his own speak God’s Word. The Holy Spirit moves us to witness to the truth. Only the Spirit can plant faith in our hearts and nurture that faith through the Word and Sacraments. Knowing and believing this solves several basic problems. One is: how can I ever speak for God? The other is: how can I know what truth is?

The Christian faith is taught so clearly in the Bible that anyone can become an orthodox Christian through reading the Scriptures alone. We are helped by having other books, but the Bible does not require another book. What people often lack is not an understanding of the “difficult” Bible but a lack of study of the Word. The best professor of the Scriptures is the Holy Spirit. If we want to know what the Gospel of John teaches, the best books are not by Lenski and Luther, as good as they are, but by Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

I remember how excited Time magazine got about hyper-linked texts, long ago. We are used to it on the Internet now. Click on a link about Moby Dick and it takes you to the Melville museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, next to the WELS congregation there. Click on a word in the museum site and it takes you to the complete text of the novel.

The Bible did this many centuries ago. Every verse is linked to all other verses. We are confident that the entire Bible is God’s truth, but also that it is a unified truth. The tiny book of Jonah relates directly to the death and resurrection of Christ. The expulsion of Adam and Even from the garden includes the first Gospel promise of our Savior. The New Testament is filled with verses that contain a phrase from the Old Testament. Then we can see how God prepared His people for centuries to see and believe in the Incarnate Son of God, Jesus our Savior.

The Bible is the Book of the Holy Spirit. We can say the Holy Spirit does not get much credit, but to have that One Book on His resume is quite an achievement. After all, the Bible is not judged by any book. Instead, it judges all books. Recently I have been reading a massive book on Charles Darwin, who was quite a genius and student of biology. Nevertheless, Darwin’s works do not stand above the Bible even if Darwin is the smartest of all scientists. (I find it ironic that he studied the earthworm for 40 years and missed its unique role in improving the soil, emphasizing instead its ability to create soil and bury all the creations of man.)

The explosion of information makes people uncertain about the truth, but every believer can open the Scriptures and test the latest claims with what the Bible has always taught. This is a great comfort for adults and children, because we can be thrown into all kinds of educational turmoil and remain believers by clinging to the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

Although we have many faults, weaknesses, and sins, and fall into doubt about God’s power and goodness, the Holy Spirit constantly teaches us and strengthens our weak faith. As one person said to Jesus, “I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.” We believe. We trust in Christ, yet we fall into turmoil from the assaults of Satan, our weak flesh, and the unbelieving world.

How is an individual forgiven? Most of the confessions of Christianity are in confusion about this, but the Bible speaks clearly. Forgiveness comes only through the appointed Means of Grace: the Word, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. In each case, the Holy Spirit works exclusively through the Word to bring us forgiveness: through the invisible Word of teaching and preaching, the visible Word of Baptism and Holy Communion.

The source of that forgiveness is the reconciliation or Atonement won by Christ. How do we know our sins are forgiven? The Holy Spirit teaches us through the Word that Christ died for each and every one of us, that His righteousness becomes ours through faith, through trusting in this Gospel Promise.

We have consistent worship throughout the Lutheran Church (that is the ideal, no longer in effect) for a reason – to call attention to the Holy Spirit’s work in worship, creating sorrow for sins through the Law and rejoicing in forgiveness through the Gospel. The worship service should be consistent from congregation to congregation, so that people do not whisper to each other, “I like the congregation’s pit band better than ours. We really need some bongo drums and better sound. I think I will donate some loud speakers in memory of my mother-in-law.”

Christianity Today was forced to admit that the traditional Lutheran worship service glorifies the grace of God more than any other. Isn’t it odd to have people gibbering in tongues to prove they have the Holy Spirit when the Word, baptism, and communion are welded to the Holy Spirit. In fact, God never works apart from these means of grace.

This is important to realize in terms of forgiveness. The entire world may refuse to forgive you, but every believer knows he is forgiven by God because of the promises given by the Holy Spirit. Ultimately what matters is God’s forgiveness and not the world’s forgiveness.

I know that many pastors and laity are facing great difficulties today. I cannot mention details, because they are confidential. But there is little respect for the Word of God today, especially among church leaders who no longer recognize the divine call of the pastor. Nevertheless, as bad as things may be, we still know that the Holy Spirit guides us through the Scriptures. God will judge all these things in time and the judgment will begin in the house of God.

KJV 1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

It is easy to be in a position of power and gloat over the harm done to others through bullying and abuse of power, but God sees all and understands what is in the heart of man. Many a poor Lazarus will be in the bosom of Abraham in the age to come. Many a rich baron will cry out for a drop of water when his unrepentant sins toss him into the eternal flames of Hell.

The Holy Spirit warns us and comforts us. If we love the truth, the Spirit of Truth gives us confidence and peace. If we hate the truth, the Spirit of Truth will seem to be a burning fire, a hammer, a terror, and wrath without end.

Synod Monopoly Games

The Game of Monopoly
The game of monopoly was invented to teach lessons about capitalism and greed. The game proves one of the rules of invention: "They throw bricks at the first one who thinks of it, gold at the second one." Ask Bill Gates, who never had an original technology development in his life. But I digress.

The second inventor failed to sell his game at Parker Brothers, marketed it himself, and found himself back at Parker Brothers. They saw it was a success, got behind it, and bought up the rights to the original didactic game and another version based on it. Monopoly saved Parker Brothers during the Great Depression and made the streets of Atlantic City famous.

Our favorite family vacation took place on the ocean at Atlantic City, before legalized gambling was established. We were given a house by the sea for a week of relaxation, bagels, and fun along the shore.

The Monopoly Synods
Norm Teigen found the hilarious cards posted above. They describe exactly how all the synods behave. Each one is an oligarchy, and that includes the mini-micro sects. The so-called leaders see the synod as a place to enjoy security, power, and status. They look down on ordinary pastors and loathe laity who dare to question their decisions.

The pastors and laity allowed to serve in positions of leadership must be slavish followers or they are dismissed. When a Lutheran district pope is installed, people claim the spine is removed. No, no - that is a slander. The spine has already been removed. Otherwise he would not even be considered for such an office.

The rest of the pastors and laity could move mountains, if they had faith in the Word. That does not mean they would change the synods. At this point they can only harden and blind the synods with the Word. Apostates hate the Word even more than the Confessions they supposedly cherish.

The Synod Monopoly Game teaches us all about greed. Where have all the millions from the Schwan Foundation gone? I know the administrator, an LCMS pastor, earns a salary of $400,000 - plus benefits and another $40,000 for additional work. He is the son of a Missouri pastor who tried to change the synod with a conservative paper, a forerunner of Christian News.

The LCMS, WELS, and ELS have received many millions of dollars from the Schwan Foundation. The reports are all available from Guidestar. The synods also receive huge Thrivent grants to work with ELCA on a number of projects. When Mrs. Ichabod found some of the reports at the Luther Seminary Library, she said, "Now I've got you, Bob, you fat little liar." (You will have to guess which Bob it was.)

Rest assured - how much money has come from Schwan, Thrivent, and other sources is none of your business. It is their money, not yours. They are forced to spend the money a certain way, they claim. (They advise themselves on how to spend the money, of course, forcing themselves to spend the money they are forced to spend, etc. etc.) As WELS deceptively claimed, "Others will get the money if we do not spend it their way." That comes from the synod still bragging about how they did not get the loot from Europe when they decided to move away from unionism. However, we know the 19th century truth has little impact on the 21st century lies. Unionism pays. Kissy-face with ELCA is far more lucrative than listening to faithful pastors and laity.

Elitism reigns in the synods. That is because the men claw their way to positions where they no longer need to be pastors. They do not want to visit the sick, teach the confirmation students, and give sermons every Sunday. Paul McCain MDiv gives away his elitism by posting a You Tube video mocking the preaching office of the Church. He must think it is hilarious. The very expensive video, with high production values, shows a buffoon with a fake wigged comb-over acting ridiculous. The congregation makes hateful remarks in response to his stupid ones. The camera pans over a the legs of a man who has hanged himself during the sermon. That is so funny, Paul. Suicide is hilarious. I wonder if you ever had to deal with suicide in your three years of parish ministry. You ranted about a satirical video done at a Lutheran church or chapel, Valpo or Concordia, Mequon. The one you posted was obviously produced by atheists to show how they despise the Christian Church.

Luther made an important point about preaching. Satan is furious that a mere, weak man with all his failings is allowed to wield the all-powerful Sword of the Word. One little Word will fell Satan, so he aims all his weapons at faithful ministers. The unbelieving world (including the synod) despises his office. Ministers' families have more illness than any other profession, I am sure. Not only that, Satan taunts the faithful with the persistence of his attacks.

Today, because we are in the Age of Apostasy, toward the end of all time, the faithful churches of every stripe are tiny. The apostate gatherings are huge, gloating and slavering as they rip, tear, and devour more souls. They plagiarize each other's sermons and even post their thefts as their own work.

Preaching is the most powerful office of the world. Where else can someone teach the pure Word of God without interruption? Even Herman Melville, a free-thinker, paid tribute to the sermon in Moby Dick.

Nor was the pulpit itself without a trace of the same sea-taste that had achieved the ladder and the picture. Its panelled front was in the likeness of a ship's bluff bows, and the Holy Bible rested on the projecting piece of scroll work, fashioned after a ship's fiddle-headed beak.

What could be more full of meaning? - for the pulpit is ever this earth's foremost part; all the rest comes in its rear; the pulpit leads the world. From thence it is the storm of God's quick wrath is first descried, and the bow must bear the earliest brunt. From thence it is the God of breezes fair or foul is first invoked for favorable winds. Yes, the world's a ship on its passage out, and not a voyage complete; and the pulpit is its prow.

...

Then God spake unto the fish; and from the shuddering cold and blackness of the sea, the whale came breeching up towards the warm and pleasant sun, and all the delights of air and earth; and "vomited out Jonah upon the dry land;" when the Word of the Lord came a second time; and Jonah, bruised and beaten - his ears, like two sea-shells, still multitudinously murmuring of the ocean - Jonah did the Almighty's bidding. And what was that, shipmates? To preach the Truth to the face of Falsehood! That was it!

"This, shipmates, this is that other lesson; and woe to that pilot of the living God who slights it. Woe to him whom this world charms from Gospel duty! Woe to him who seeks to pour oil upon the waters when God has brewed them into a gale! Woe to him who seeks to please rather than to appal! Woe to him whose good name is more to him than goodness! Woe to him who, in this world, courts not dishonor! Woe to him who would not be true, even though to be false were salvation! Yea, woe to him who, as the great Pilot Paul has it, while preaching to others is himself a castaway!"

A New Version of the Gatekeeper

Katharine Jefferts-Schori, Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church

VANCOUVER, BC: Apostolic Gospel Must be at Core of our Beliefs, says Priest Theologian

By David W. Virtue in Vancouver
www.virtueonline.org
4/27/2008

Read this last paragraph first:

The evangelical cleric told VOL that St. John's Shaughnessy, a parish valued at some $16 million is under 24/7 watch by guards just in case Bishop Ingham makes a lightning strike to change the locks on the doors. He did that once before with a parish in North Vancouver.

The priest of the largest Anglican parish in Canada, who is under ecclesiastical siege from revisionist New Westminster Bishop Michael Ingham, says his denomination has lost faith in the gospel. This is evidently revealed in the diocesan newspaper, which gives the impression that the gospel is about being nice, being compassionate, recycling "and we will even bless your pets."

"The eternal gospel of redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus' death and the power of his resurrection has been replaced with a gospel which is about approval, affirmation and acceptance. The apostolic gospel of sins forgiven, of rescue from eternal punishment has been smoothed and soothed to be more acceptable and relevant," said the Rev. Dr. David Short, pastor of St. John's, Shaughnessy in Vancouver.

Addressing some 400 members of the Anglican Network in Canada, Anglicans who have broken away from the mother church, Short blasted the denomination's Anglican seminaries saying that the gods of our culture have taken up residence in the seminaries of Canada. "They have spokesmen and spokeswomen in the House of Bishops who have managed to rewrite the gospel and to promote their worship."

Short said the three central myths of Canadian culture include pluralism which translates into thinking that there is one right and true faith; that one religion cannot be right, one gospel cannot be true and thus all religions have part of the truth. The second myth is tolerance, which used to mean I accept you, but not your view. It now translates into meaning I must accept you and your view and if I do not accept your view, I cannot really accept you.

In the area of human rights, Short said that originally human rights were based on the fact that we are made in the image of God. "Our charter recognizes the supremacy of God as the basis of rights. That has shifted. Now it is my personal rights and freedoms, which have been cut free from any religious foundation.

The supremacy of God has been replaced by the supremacy of my rights. "We cannot overthrow the gods and idols of our culture, but the gospel can. We do not have the power or brains to depose these idols, but the gospel is the power of God for salvation." The evangelical rector said the gospel is characterized as Christological, that is, Christ centered. It is not a vague idea about the love of God or general belief that god exists. It is fully biblical including both Old and New Testaments; the Gospel is theological, it is more than just historical events. It is the interpretation of those events. It is about Jesus as Lord; it is cosmic that is to say it is universal and eternal and it is personal.

The Gospel is above all the news that in the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has worked out our salvation. He offers us new life and new hope. Everything we do, based on the gospel, will last forever. Repentance is the basis of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all, said Short.

The evangelical cleric told VOL that St. John's Shaughnessy, a parish valued at some $16 million is under 24/7 watch by guards just in case Bishop Ingham makes a lightning strike to change the locks on the doors. He did that once before with a parish in North Vancouver.

***
GJ - Confidential to Paul McCain, MDiv - It is customary to spell names correctly, especially church leaders. The head of the Episcopal Church is Katharine Jefferts-Schori, not "Catherine Schori." I noticed how you borrowed my idea of having fun with her rainbow garments, so I borrowed one of your pictures.

When James Crumley was elected president of the LCA, various publications kept spelling his name as Crumbley. They were in shock that the nearly invisible man was elected. I thought he had a good chance at the time. That was my first electoral prediction.

May Day! May Day! All Engines On Fire! Emergency Landing! May Day!

May Day Announcement

United Methodist Church Adopts Full Communion Proposal with ELCA



FORT WORTH, Texas (ELCA) -- By a vote of 864-19, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) adopted an implementing resolution April 28 that will establish full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Full communion will be fully realized by both churches should the same proposal be adopted at the next ELCA Churchwide Assembly, which meets Aug. 17-23, 2009, in Minneapolis.

The UMC General Conference, meeting here April 23-May 2, is the Methodist's chief legislative body and meets every four years. The ELCA Churchwide Assembly is the ELCA's chief legislative authority, meeting every two years.

The ELCA and UMC have been in formal theological dialogue since 1977, which led to beginning a relationship of "Interim Eucharistic Sharing" in 2005. That relationship called for members to pray for and support each other, to study Scripture together and to learn about each other's traditions in anticipation of achieving full communion.

Full communion means the churches will work for visible unity in Jesus Christ, recognize each other's ministries, work together on a variety of ministry initiatives, and, under certain circumstances, provide for the interchangeability of ordained clergy.

April 28 was "a banner day" because of the UMC General Conference vote on full communion, said the Rev. William Oden, ecumenical officer, UMC Council of Bishops, at an April 29 news conference. "This has been a long time coming. A lot of careful work has been done," he said. Oden emphasized that the proposal is a relationship between the two church bodies and not a "church union."

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, Chicago, said he eagerly awaits the ELCA Churchwide Assembly vote in 2009 and hopes that it, too, will be a strong affirmation of full communion with the UMC. Hanson also preached at an April 29 worship service at the UMC General Conference.

"This is about revival of two church bodies that are deeply committed to re-presenting themselves in a pluralistic, dynamic changing culture for the sake of mission," Hanson said.

The two church bodies must consider what they can do together as full communion partners that was not possible before, Hanson said. He suggested possible cooperative ministries in campus ministry, global mission, advocacy for justice and peace, to name only a few. He also agreed with Oden's assertion that full communion cannot be successful if it is considered to be a "top down" action. Full communion should be a relationship in which mission initiatives should "bubble up" in the two churches, Hanson said.

"I always think of full communion as merely a step along the way toward a new, possible future because of the relationship," Hanson said. "That new, possible future is the for the sake of the world. It's for the sake of mission. Full communion calls for ecumenical, missional imagination."

Full communion also gives "formal expression" to what is happening in both churches already, said the Rev. Greg Palmer, president, UMC Council of Bishops. "In one way we're leading, and in another way, we're following. We are catching up with people on the ground who are doing things in partnership, in mission and in ministry," he said.

Christians "must find meaningful, significant and substantive ways of honoring the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in one another and together, living that before the world. We must live before the world what God intends for the world," Palmer added.

Assuming the full communion proposal is adopted by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in 2009, a coordinating council with representatives of both churches will be appointed, said the Rev. Donald J. McCoid, executive, ELCA Ecumenical and Inter-Religious Relations, Chicago. That council will coordinate how the two churches will plan for mission together and consider practical matters such as interchangeability of ordained ministers, he said.

The ELCA's five full communion partners are the Episcopal Church, the Moravian Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ.

While the ELCA has successful cooperative ministries with its full communion partners, it must improve how it receives and implements full communion agreements, McCoid said. "We need to do better with how we are able to be intentional (in) sharing ministry. Grassroots sharing is really very critical, and I'll just echo that again and again and again. The best way we can do that is by giving people permission and encouragement."

If adopted by both churches, this will be the UMC's first full communion agreement outside of the Methodist tradition.

The ELCA is one of 140 churches in the Lutheran World Federation and is the third-largest Lutheran church in the world with 4.8 million members. The United Methodist Church is a worldwide church with nearly 8 million members in the United States.

***

GJ - Who is more desperate - the United Methodists or the ELCA? No denomination is more anti-confessional than the Methodists. Their chief doctrinal book is Wesley's Sermons. The UMC bragging point has been this: repeated mergers have sent the more conservative followers off to create more traditional Methodist groups: Nazarenes, Wesleyans, etc. Each split has made the UMC more radical or wishy-washy. Just like ELCA. Now I get it.

The UMC pioneers were behind the Federal Council of Churches and the Social Gospel Movement. They were big supporters of abortion as a woman's religious right. Yes, a religious right. No one knows when unborn life is a baby, they reason. Everyone is different, they argue. QED, abortion is a religious right.

The UMC is more ecumenical than James and Paul Tiefel put together. That also suits ELCA, which partners with every hue of the doctrinal rainbow.

Update on Kieschnick Folly

Synodical Pope Kieschnick watches as the AALC submits to his infallibility.

Here is a good link on the Kieschnick clobbering of the radio show, Issues Etc.

The Augsburg 1530 blog seems to be worthwhile. Keep an eye on it.

Left Wing Daily Kos - Time of Grace Articles

His Grace, Mark Jeske

Time of Grace Ministries
by Tomato Observer

Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 08:03:58 PM PDT

Time of Grace Ministries is an evangelical Lutheran television ministry featuring the sermons of Pastor Mark Jeske of St. Marcus Lutheran Church in downtown Milwaukee, WI. It was incorporated in 2000 and received 501(c ) (3) status in 2001.
Tomato Observer's diary

According to a 12/15/2001 article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin),


Eight laymen and a Milwaukee pastor have launched an independent weekly television broadcast here with the goal of offering Lutheran programming to 95% of the households in the United States within five years.
....

Bolstered by a business plan and start-up funding of nearly $500,000, the non-profit organization hopes to make Jeske the nation's most visible spokesman for conservative Lutheranism.
....

Jeske's church is 60% white and 40% African-American.
"We just had the look of a universal place, and they liked that," said Jeske, 49.
....

Time of Grace Ministry is incorporated in Virginia. Both the idea and its implementation have come from the laymen, and officials of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, or WELS, have encouraged them.

Other board members include: Tom Baxter, Television Division chief of the U.S. Army Visual Information Center at the Pentagon; John E. Bauer, longtime chief academic officer of Wisconsin Lutheran College and current vice president for academic affairs; Steve Boettcher, president of Boettcher Productions, a five-time Emmy-winning television production firm in Hartland.

Also, Cliff Buelow, of the Milwaukee law firm of Davis & Kuelthau; Bruce Eberle, president of Eberle Communications Group, a national fund-raising firm in McLean, Va.; Arvid Schwartz of Green Isle, Minn., a farmer, former corporate treasurer, and chairman of the Wisconsin Lutheran College board; and John C. Zimdars, president of The Zimdars Co., Inc., a life insurance consulting firm in Madison.

All belong to the theologically conservative WELS, which is based in Wauwatosa. WELS has more than 400,000 members and is the nation's third-largest Lutheran denomination.

The idea for the ministry came from Eberle, who sits on the Wisconsin Lutheran College board with Jeske, Buelow, Raabe, Schwartz and Zimdars.

The board of directors

John Bauer is chief academic officer of Wisconsin Lutheran College for the past 20 years. Presently he is the Vice President for academic affairs and the Executive Director of CHARIS, the institute of the College.... He and his wife are members of Grace Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.

Tom Baxter: As Chief of the Television Division of the US Army Visual Information Center at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, Tom Baxter is the executive responsible for production and technical operations. His organization produces approximately 200 productions and special events annually....Tom currently serves as President of Christ Our Savior Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sterling, Virginia.

Steve Boettcher is president of Boettcher Productions Inc., a five-time Emmy winning production company. Boettcher Productions has been creating quality television for nearly two decades, including Kid's Connection, a video ministry of the WELS Commission on Youth Discipleship (CYD). I did not find Boettcher Productions on the web, but found Boettcher-Trinklein Mediaworks. This is the same Steve Boettcher, so maybe he has recently teamed up with Trinklein.

Cliff Buelow, Secretary, TOG, is a shareholder in the Milwaukee law firm of Davis & Kuelthau. Here's his mug. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents of Wisconsin Lutheran College where he serves as Vice Chairman. He has served on several other church-related boards and committees over the last 20 years. Cliff and his wife are members of St. Marcus Evangelical Lutheran Church in Milwaukee.

Bruce Eberle, Vice President, TOG, is the founder and president of the Eberle Communications Group, a national fund raising organization based in McLean, Virginia. Bruce serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents of Wisconsin Lutheran College. He has previously served as President of God's Word to the Nations Bible Society, which produces bibles in contemporary English language, to appeal to normal people. He's also served on several commissions and boards of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. He gave the 1994 commencement address at Wisconsin Lutheran College where he received the 1994 Pro Gloria Dei Award. Incidentally, Eberle gave the college $500,000 in 1999.

Bruce also serves as a Trustee of Joe Gibbs Youth For Tomorrow New Life Foundation, a residential "group village" for at-risk teens.

Mark Jeske has served St. Marcus Evangelical Lutheran Church in the inner City of Milwaukee since 1980. Pastor Jeske is in his third term as a member of the Board of Regents of Wisconsin Lutheran College. He is Second Vice-President, Southeastern Wisconsin District of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

Daryl Raabe, President, TOG
In 1978, Daryl joined the family business, and saw it grow through 1988, when he was appointed President of Raabe Corporation. Interestingly, he left his company in 2002. From the Milwaukee Business Journal, 1/25/02:

David Wacker isn't kin to founders and long-time operators of Raabe Corp., but he's being entrusted to carry on the company's business while the owners abdicate day-to-day duties to pursue religious interests.
Wacker, who has no ownership interest in the company, became president of the Menomonee Falls paint manufacturer Jan. 1 after being groomed for the job for more than two years. He succeeded Kent and Daryl Raabe, brothers who own the company founded by their father, Richard, more than 50 years ago.
....

Although retired from the day-to-day operations, Kent and Daryl Raabe check on the company daily while focusing on other interests in their lives revolving around their strong religious beliefs.

"You live your life to serve the Lord," Daryl Raabe said.
Daryl helped start and is a key leader of the "Time of Grace Ministry," a recently launched independent weekly television show focusing on the Lutheran religion. The show airs Sunday mornings on Milwaukee's WITI-TV (Channel 6). The creators hope to eventually distribute the show beyond the Milwaukee area via cable or satellite.
The program was launched by eight laymen, including Daryl Raabe, and the Rev. Mark Jeske, pastor of St. Marcus Evangelic Lutheran Church, 2215 N. Palmer St. in Milwaukee's central city, where the show is filmed. Daryl Raabe is chairman and president of the nonprofit organization that supports the show, which received start-up funding of about $500,000, primarily from two major donors and a pair of foundation grants.

Raabe also is temporarily executive director of the nonprofit organization.

"He's a very aggressive, hands-on person," Jeske said of Raabe.
The show was the brainchild of Bruce Eberle, president of Eberle Communications Group, a McLean, Va.-based national fund-raising company. Others involved in the project include: Tom Baxter, television division chief of the U.S. Army Visual Information Center at the Pentagon; and John Bauer, vice president of academic affairs at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
The Rev. Jeske knows the Raabes from when he was a high school and college student and worked for Raabe Corp. when the company operated retail paint stores in Milwaukee.
Raabe joined Jeske's congregation nearly two years ago. The church's multiracial makeup with a mix of blacks and whites appealed to Raabe, he said.
....


Raabe has served four terms on the Board of Directors of Wisconsin Lutheran High School, the last as President. Daryl currently is Treasurer of Wisconsin Lutheran College and a member of the Executive Committee of its Board of Regents.

Arvid Schwartz, Treasurer, TOG
Arvid has been a lifelong member of the Wisconsin Synod. Arvid is currently the Minnesota District representative on the WELS Synodical Council. He served on the WELS Board of Trustees for 12 years and was a member of the Executive Committee. He is serving his fourth term on the Wisconsin Lutheran College Board of Regents and is in his second term as Chairman of that board.

John Zimdars is president of The Zimdars Company, Inc., a third generation independent life insurance consulting firm, based in Madison, Wisconsin. He is serving his fourth term on the Board of Regents of Wisconsin Lutheran College and was Chairman of the Board for four years.

I have searched Lexis/Nexis and the web extensively, and can't find anything off-kilter about anyone/anything but Eberle himself. I remain unconvinced that he and Bobby Eberle are related, for what it's worth.

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GJ - Note the entire article above is from Daily Kos, where the author copied from other sources.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Left Wing Daily Kos - Time of Grace Articles":

Jeske is no longer VP of the Southeastern Wisconsin District. He resigned when he received flak after he accepted an invitation by the mayor of Milwaukee to pray at a public event, at which other ministers ALSO led the group in prayer, along with Jeske. (Jeske didn't know that was going to happen.)

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GJ - Note to Anonymous. Flack is a PR agent. I changed your word to flak, the German acronym for anti-aircraft cannon. Kanon = canon in German: easy to remember.

Correction - Wrong Caption

CLC Headquarters. The previous photo was ELDONA headquarters.

Who says Ichabod never corrects wrong information?

Our photo staff informed me that the previous headquarters caption was wrong. That was the ELDONA headquarters in Malone, Texas. The lovely abode above is the joint-CLC headquarters building. The bottom sign says MUST SEE INSIDE!

Yes, that is a for sale sign (by owner) on the trailer. The CLCs probably received a Thrivent grant to move into larger headquarters.

Bailing Water Blog Is Keeping Up

Purpose-Driven Rick Warren with Barack Hussein Obama

WELS Pastors Attended Another Church Growth Meeting

I negeglected to mention the Bailing Water Blog, which has had periods of inactivity.

There is a separate Bailing Water Discussion Board.

Kovaciny-Mouse has accused BW of being "just like Greg Jackson." And I thought Kovaciny-Mouse had nothing good to say to anyone!

CLC Headquarters

Stealth photo of CLC headquarters.

Some are going to ask, "Which CLC? The Church of the Lutheran Confession or the Concordia Lutheran Conference?"

The answer is - both.

One has a desk in the front of the trailer. The other has a desk in the back.

At one time the entire Augustana Synod was managed from the president's roll-top desk in his living room in Rock Island, Illinois. The Augustana Synod was quite large when it finally merged into the Lutheran Church in America in 1960.

The synods were better run when they had fewer administrative people meddling, wrecking, apostasizing, and charging it to their expense accounts.

However, the micro-minis are poorly run, even with their tiny budgets and clapboard buildings. There is a reason why God forbids incest in Leviticus.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "CLC Headquarters":

Gregory: This is just plain mean and nasty. There is no way you can defend yourself on this one. And you call yourself a pastor?

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GJ - I call myself a satirist. Others call me pastor. A. Nony Mouse has never had a sense of humor. And he has never read Luther, I am sure.

Some Lutheran Blogs To Read

Durer's Rabbit, or Portrait of a DP?

I appreciate how many blogs have listed Ichabod on their main pages. There are hundreds of Lutheran blogs now, but most of them post infrequently. I look around for new and interesting topics. Below are some of the religious blogs I check and the reasons why:

Norm's Desmense - Norm Teigen is an ELS layman, son of an ELS theologian. He posts more than most Lutherans put together, on all kinds of subjects, most of them interesting to me: the falling bridge, literature, religious art, Bach, WWII, Lutheran topics, etc.

Virtue Online - David Virtue is an orthodox Episcopalian layman who writes frequently and well about the differences between the apostate leaders and the orthodox dissenters. This is a valuable blog for many reasons. The site is more of a daily newspaper about what is rotten in Denmark...and Canterbury. Lutherans need to know this material, to realize how their denomination parallels the Episcopal Church. The main difference is that Lutherans have no leaders with spine. There is not one district pope who will part with his own Lutheran Vatican, wherever that headquarters may be (St. Louis, Milwaukee, Mankato, or a double-wide in the Midwest).

American Lutheran Publicity Bureau - This blog is primarily for ELCA pastors, a good way to keep track of what is being discussed in the largest and most absurd Lutheran organization. I find it amusing that the high church bunch (the ones who communed at Concordia, Ft. Wayne, with a WELS pastor apparently participating) calls itself STS - Holy Trinity Society (in Latin, of course).

Diatheke - just taught me how to add reader logs to the website. Pastor Joe Abrahamson (ELS) is the blog author.

The Plucked Chicken, from Jesse Jacobson (ELS) has plenty of material about computers and the ELS, especially the issue (Public Ministry of the Word) that got various pastors defenestrated by Pope John the Malefactor.

Bailing Water is now more of a WELS discussion blog. I have watched several editors take over BW and leave again. I get the impression that the Wisconsin sect does not want to be discussed.

I liked one LCMS News blog, but that man shut down his site. Likewise, Trouble in Paradise went silent months ago, came to life for a moment, then went silent again. I have not found any LCMS or WELS blogs worth reading. If you have suggestions, post a comment.

Also, I am interested in religious blogs with substance.

What Happened to Christian Giving?

Planned Giving Counselors Meeting

I left the my family's Disciples of Christ congregation for various reasons. One was the constant drum-beat for money through commerical activities. The annual youth trip was funded with car washes, slave days, and all kinds of hooey. The congregation had ice cream socials and bakery sales. The Disciples minister arrived for one worship service wearing his white chaplain's hat, in a fire truck. He was cool.

Gimmicks, tricks, and monetary manipulations have always been the strong suit of Baptists and Pentecostals. One Assemblies of God minister said they had "kite day," where every child bringing a friend earned a kite. It is not exaggeration to say that the Fuller Seminary crowd feels comfortable with stunts and performances.

The Luther Prep and WELS Lutherans for Life (Christian Life Resources) commercial enterprises are just plain tacky. They lack dignity. How can people respect Christian good works when people are selling trinkets, meals, and Bossy the cow to the public - in the Name of Christ? Too bad Paul dealt with meat sacrificed to idols instead of steak offered to alumni.

I served a congregation where we had various funds. Fortunately one person got a Junk For Jesus sale organized just in time to alienate the more sober members. The laity agreed among themselves to stop asking for money for coffee and cookies, to banish all hints of commercialism, and to rely on God's Word for giving. Ending the extra petty offerings and the commercialism gave a huge boost to Christian giving. A stewardship program built on God's Word doubled the giving in three years.

A WELS pastor I know used to work in a grocery story. The chain tried all kinds of gimmicks to make extra money, such as selling clothes. One day he said, "Why are we ashamed of being a grocery store?"

I wonder why congregations and synods do not ask the same question. "Why are we ashamed of being a church?" A church quietly raises its down money.

A Christian school does not ask students to roll in the mud to make even more money, in addition to their extortionate tuition bills. Martin Luther College admitted to overbilling its own students, then said, "And we are keeping the extra, too."

As Luther said, when people demand something from God, that is the very thing He will keep from them.

Beef for Bling Benefits Bulging Prep Coffers

Wayne's Bossy: "I gave until it hurt."

Wayne Mueller, President-in-Waiting, Wisconsin Sect, donated beef for the Luther Prep auction, after boosting tuition 30% in one year. The exploding cost of tuition effectively reduced enrollment at both preps.

If some well-heeled donor asked, "Where's the beef?" and purchased Bossy from Wayne (with a prime cut sliced off by the auction company), then Luther Prep probably bought their scrim curtain and other essentials for their high school. Anxious participants want to know how much loot was hauled in, how much Luther Prep kept, and how soon the next garage sale will be scheduled.

Lutheran Notes wrote about the scandalous cost of tuition in preparation for the ministry. Two things need to be added:

1. Extortion in the name of tuition began during the Schwan Foundation's biggest charitable donation ever - an avalanche of dough for Missouri, WELS, and the Little Sect on the Prairie. Synod officials kept the money for themselves and their pet projects while crushing their students with ever-increasing tuition bills.
2. In the past, WELS gave back all prep, college, and seminary tuition paid when the student graduated from seminary. That was the nest egg used so the shepherd could buy his new shepherdess a few sticks of furniture and a double-wide cradle for the expected brood.(Perhaps teachers got the same tuition refund. I am not sure.) Ending that policy was an effective, gigantic boost in the real cost of pastoral education. Those who benefited from truly free synod education took this benefit away from the current generation while talking about "recruiting more men," etc. etc.

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Beef for Bling Benefits Bulging Prep Coffers":

From the website of Luther Prep:

GALA UPDATE



Lights! Camera! Auction! - Saturday Night - April 19

About 320 guests joined in for the third annual gala event. Over 150 students were involved in setting up, serving, entertaining with musical talents, and cleaning up. We are thankful for the enjoyable evening of Christian fellowship and the opportunity for many friends of LPS to show their support for our school.

This year's event resulted in about $44,000 in gifts to LPS. $31,000 will directly support our operating budget, with another $8,100 directed to financial aid and $5,000 provided to replace and enhance the stage curtains in the auditorium.

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GJ - The alleged news lacks a certain amount of honesty (not blaming the innocent poster). The summary accounts for $44,000 in gifts, but how much went to the for-profit website auction company? Did they host the Junk for Jesus sale for free or is Luther Prep reporting the net results rather than the gross receipts? Anxious minds want to know.

When a charity goes into business in a big way, competing with local merchants, the stake-holders deserve an accounting.

Did they pay sales tax on Wayne's beef? Mattek's $350 dinner? Various trinkets?

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Beef for Bling Benefits Bulging Prep Coffers":

Looks like they are still counting the "re$ult$" of the 2008 GALA (results not yet posted) - -
From their website:


Q. What were the results of past Galas?

A. April 22, 2006 Gala "A Starry Night", after expenses were paid, raised $46,134.00!

April 21, 2007 Gala "A Knight to Remember", after expenses were paid, raised over $65,000!

April 19, 2008 Gala "Lights! Camera! Auction! - A Night on the Red Carpet", after expenses were paid, raised ___________!

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Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Beef for Bling Benefits Bulging Prep Coffers":

Looks like the GALA at Luther Prep was not enough - - - -

Fear Factor - Messed for Success

4/26/2008
Students, faculty and staff at LPS in Watertown celebrate the arrival of spring while generating substantial donations for the school during the second annual Phoenix Fear Factor event on Wednesday.
More than $60,000 has been donated over the past two years by an anonymous alumni couple through the event, which challenges voluntary participants to navigate a series of messy obstacles. The donors make a gift to the school of $100 per student and $200 per faculty or staff member that brave the course of slime, goo, and grit. The goal of the event is to generate an atmosphere of giving that is joyful and fun, but also demands a bit of sacrifice as well.
Ten stations were offered, each featuring a distinct challenge to the participant's pride and outward appearance.
Students and faculty explored buckets of earthworms looking for pennies, endured slip and slides of lard and oil, and made their way through tubs of corn meal, soy bean hulls, lard and eggs. A T-shirt commemorating the event was also sponsored by the donors and will be presented to each person taking part.
Thje event is part of a daylong series of activities which include a grounds beautification effort, the planting of the senior tree, and an outdoor picnic with students, staff, and families.