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Chronology of Grace Lutheran Church - Eau Claire, WI

5/1/2013

9 Comments

 
Many of you have probably read something about the legal battle between Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, WI and the ELCA. Here is a good rundown of all that happened.  This was posted on a Lutheran message board.  (see here)

Here is a brief summary of what has happened so far.  Offer a correction if you think any of this is not accurate.

Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, Wisconsin was going through the process of trying to leave the ELCA.

At least one of the pastors stated that others were interfering in the ministry of the congregation.

They failed to get a two thirds majority vote to leave the ELCA.

The synod bishop informed them that they would hold a special service of the congregation in which he would preside and the pastors of the congregation would assist him.

The congregation council decided not to hold the special service the bishop had scheduled for them, and that service was not held.

The congregation council voted to affiliate with the LCMC in addition to being a congregation of the ELCA.

With the encouragement and support of the synod bishop, some of the members stopped attending services at Grace Lutheran and formed a worshipping community called Amazing Grace which held services in the building of another congregation.

The congregation council of Grace Lutheran moved those who had stopped attending their services from the list of voting members to the list of associate members.

Some of the members of Amazing Grace Lutheran sued Grace Lutheran.

The circuit court judge ordered that Grace Lutheran could not hold their annual meeting, or elect new officers until the case was settled.

Grace Lutheran complied with that order and continued on with the officers who had been elected previously.

The synod decided that Grace Lutheran could not be affiliated with the LCMC and that those who had been moved to associate member status were still voting members of Grace Lutheran.

The circuit court judge agreed with the synod.

Grace Lutheran complied with that order.

The synod bishop removed the pastors of Grace Lutheran from the clergy roster of the ELCA.

The synod decided that those who had continued to attend services at Grace Lutheran had been disloyal to the ELCA and had to be moved from the list of voting members to the list of associate members, and that the keys to the property of Grace Lutheran had to be handed over to the members of Amazing Grace Lutheran.

The circuit court judge agreed with that decision of the synod.

The leaders of Grace Lutheran complied with that order and handed over the keys to the property to a representative of the synod and those who had been members of Amazing Grace.

A representative of the synod told the employees of Grace Lutheran that they had a certain amount of time to remove any of their personal property from the property of Grace Lutheran.

The Grace Lutheran building is now locked up and not being used by anyone.

Those who were members of Amazing Grace, who are now the only voting members of Grace Lutheran, held a Sunday Service in the building of another congregation.

A number of those who by the order of the court are no longer voting members of Grace Lutheran held a Sunday Service, Sunday School and a meeting in a funeral home chapel.  At that meeting they voted to form a congregation that would be affiliated with the LCMC and asked the former pastors of Grace Lutheran to continue serving as their pastors.  They are calling this congregation they are forming Saving Grace Lutheran.

As of now, the only voting members of Grace Lutheran are those who were members of Amazing Grace.  Since the voting members of the Grace Foundation are the voting members of Grace Lutheran, those who were members of Amazing Grace also control the ministries and property of that large foundation.  (It is possible that the orders of the circuit court judge, enforcing the decisions of the synod, may be appealed to a higher court.)

I doubt that many think this is good for the reputation of that synod or the ELCA.

                     Mel Harris
9 Comments
John Volkening
5/2/2013 03:35:52 am

Just a sickening turn of events. It is painfully obvious to me that the bishop of the big formerly lutheranish church is consumed with enforcing evil, and destroying the unity of the people of Grace. There is no "peace that passes all understanding" there. G
May God bless Saving Grace, and selfishly I know that the building that used to house them will not prosper. God will punish those who lead His people astray.

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Kurt Haebig
5/2/2013 05:58:13 am

A very fitting name(Saving Grace Lutheran Church)
Members of Cornerstone Lutheran Church in Wausau will keep Saving Grace in their prayers as we know all to well what you are all going through..we had our struggles with the ELCA and have been made stronger in our faith for it. God will have the final say on judgement day.

Reply
Cliff Hill link
5/2/2013 06:02:48 am

Well, false doctrine divides the church. I'm not horribly surprised by what the ELCA is doing, I've seen it a few times now. I would hope that Saving Grace would have wanted to be affiliated with a Synod that is a bit more confessional than the LCMC, but that's neither here nor there. Really sorry to see ELCA continue to drag the name "Lutheran" through the gutter.

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Carl Cole
5/2/2013 08:39:16 am

The leaders of the ELCA have only two interests. One is re-making the church to fit the political and social standards of todays society and the other is money. It is sad that the average pew sitter in the ELCA has no knowledge of where their leaders are taking them.

Reply
Didaskalos link
5/4/2013 10:33:34 am

More from Don Kriefall on Amazing Greed's collusion with a predatory ELCA bishop to dispossess Grace Lutheran:

. . . About 70 disgruntled ELCA supporters left Grace and began to do whatever they could to disrupt the congregation that they once worshipped with. Anonymous complaints made against a council member at their place of employment. An unauthorized Facebook page purporting to be the official Grace Lutheran worship community was set up announcing that worship services would no longer be held at the church. Some would call this persistent troublemaking, but the all welcoming, all inclusive and tolerant ELCA not only allowed this behavior, they encouraged it.

Out of a few angry congregants, "Amazing Grace" was born and dubbed the “synodically authorized worship community”, to be led by none other than Bishop Duane Peterson, himself embroiled in a messy divorce. Now the ELCA specifically and strongly recommends that clergy involved in divorce refrain from ministering to congregations, since they may be negatively affected by the stress and proceedings of their divorce. Not this champion of the ELCA. Peterson filled the void in his life by leading the small break away congregation out into the world of legal proceedings. Not satisfied with the daunting task of beginning a new mission church, Peterson, the "Amazing Grace" malcontents, and the ELCA decided to take Grace to court. New territory here, but as you know, the ELCA has been claiming to be hearing God saying all kinds of new things, so they deem it is best to avail themselves of worldly laws and to use them against the people of God in spiritual matters.

. . . The final court proceeding ordered the leadership of Grace to step down, turn over the keys and assets to the 70 malcontents, and removed the other 1700 members, (no, this is not a typo) from the active membership roll, making them associate members with no voting rights. Judge Molly GaleWyrick, one of the lowest rated judges in the state of Wisconsin, presided over one of the most illogical judgments ever rendered in a Wisconsin court. . . .

http://commonsenseforasenslessworld.blogspot.com/2013/05/just-sayin.html

Reply
Kris Sullivan
5/7/2013 02:41:23 pm

I am one of the 1700 members... and was for close to 40 years. We are going to be o.k. God's church is not the "bricks and mortar" of that building on 2nd Avenue.. it is His people.
We are no longer there, but we are still together... and our faith and work in His name will not cease. We trust God has a new plan for us. In fact, we've been blessed many times over since the day the doors were locked. I pray for the groups that met there... Boy Scouts, AA and more. But what's so sad is the doors of the Grace Lutheran food pantry has been closed. Groups will find other meeting space... but what about the hungry of our city, they depended on us. God teaches to love one other and take care of those in need. And now God's house, where people have come to worship for over 100 years, has doors that are locked to God's people.
Yes, we worship at a funeral home for now .. there is standing room only...and filled with loving and caring people, who are proud to proclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Yes, we are going to be alright... we have each other and we have God holding us in the palm of His hand... How can we fail!??!!

Reply
Rev Kris Snyder
5/11/2013 08:56:29 am

Again not surprising actions from the intolerant tolerant. The ELCA here in Iowa intentionally plants an "authorized worshiping committee" in a community divided by previous congregational splits. Why keep doing this? What possible good does it serve ?

Reply
Jim Ellingson
5/11/2013 10:49:24 am

Maybe it's things like this that explain why Mahatma Gandhi once said "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Reply
Merv Olson
5/15/2013 02:22:04 pm

The ELCA must enjoy paying lawyer fees. While at Seminary I worked for Augsburg Publishing House, which is owned by the
ELCA. The Pension program for loyal workers of 30 years or more were left with small pension because of poor management. The workers had to sue and were rightfully awarded 4.2 million from the ELCA and includes about $800,000 in lawyer fees. Where does the money come from for the settlement? The courts were told not to reveal where but we all know where. The amount spent by the ELCA on GRace Lutheran law suit and others in the country could have really done a lot in the Malaria Fund!

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    "Then he (Joshua) took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD.

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