Not that I would ever go back, but for the Nebraska Synod of the ELCA to announce on VALENTINE’S DAY that they are going to appeal the court decision between themselves and Bethel Lutheran in Holdrege is the epitome of cynicism and is completely contrary to the spirit of 1 Corinthians 6:7. I weep for my former church. :-( On Friday February 14th Bethel’s attorneys were notified of the intention of a small minority of loyal ELCA members directed by the ELCA Nebraska Synod to appeal the decision of Judge Harder concerning the lawsuit brought against Bethel and her council. The lawsuit sought to force Bethel to dismiss their LCMC pastor and call an ELCA roistered pastor, to declare Bethel’s affiliation with the LCMC as invalid and force them to return to the ELCA, to declare that Bethel’s council was illegal and hold elections for a new council, and to declare that all of Bethel’s assets now belong to the ELCA Nebraska Synod. Judge Harder determined that to adjudicate this case she would have to get into doctrinal matters and therefore under the protection of the 1st amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America she had no subject matter jurisdiction in this case. Interestingly enough the plaintiff’s meeting with their attorney came the day after First St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hastings Nebraska successfully took their second vote to disaffiliate with the ELCA and affiliate with the LCMC instead. Had the Nebraska Synod gone after First St. Paul’s they would have gotten the same judge who had already dismissed the same suit against Bethel as First St. Paul’s and Bethel are in the same judicial district. We believe that this is a last ditch desperate attempt to acquire the assets of both churches. If the Nebraska Court of Appeals upholds Judge Harder’s decision then her decision becomes Nebraska law and every congregation who wishes to, may leave the ELCA under this precedent without fear of a lawsuit. The ELCA has no other options but to gamble on this appeal. Please pray for Bethel as we continue to be the church and to do its work in Holdrege. We will never allow what the ELCA is doing to effect what we are called by the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) to do. Please also pray for the plaintiffs who have been misled and used by the ELCA causing rifts between families who have worshiped together for generations. There is no illusion here. This is all about money and money matters more to the ELCA then Christian unity in South Central Nebraska. Please also pray that by Bethel (David) standing up to the ELCA (Goliath) God will allow other congregations to gain their freedom without having to endure the harassment that we have endured here in Holdrege.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 20:35:30 +0000
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