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The ELCA Attack

5/13/2013

5 Comments

 
Local ELCA pastors and churches, one of them reportedly armed with information from the NW Synod of Wisconsin, are going public with their attacks against the Synod-ordered removed members of Grace Lutheran, who are now members of Saving Grace, an LCMC congregation. (see here if you do not know about this situation)

For clarity this congregation will be referred to as “Saving Grace” from now on.

The ELCA affiliated St. John's Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, WI posted a document on their church website about Saving Grace. St. John's Pastors Nate Aaseng and Christine Emerson signed the document which they claim was “based on information from our synod office.”

The St. John's document claims “those from (Saving Grace), etc.” are “attacking the ELCA.” And then refers to concerns Saving Grace has about the ELCA as “conspiracy theories.” (see here)

Then there are two blogs attacking Saving Grace authored by ELCA pastor Michael Rehak, which are posted on his church's website (First Lutheran in Eau Claire, WI). In one of Pastor Rehak's blogs he claims “the constitutions of Grace Lutheran Church, the NW Synod of WI, and the ELCA were deliberately violated and dismissed.” Pastor Rehak then accuses the members of Saving Grace of threatening and abusing ELCA supporters from their former church. He said, “No one dare minimize the depth of the abuse, threats – including personal, physical, and to the building, public humiliation, ridicule, and public demeaning that was directed toward individual members in fellowship, council meetings, in worship – from the pulpit, at funerals of friends, and out in public at stores or on the street. These hostile behaviors not only drove them into exile but have continued.” (read here)

In another blog by Pastor Rehak, called “The Presence of Christ,” he expounds on these accusations, reporting that ELCA supporters said they were “'Called names,' 'screamed at,' 'told to leave,' 'mocked,' 'yelled at,' 'told I wasn’t a member anymore,' 'declared worthless,' 'told I was the problem,' 'spit on,' 'threatened…' With such remarks, others would echo, 'So was I,' or, 'I heard that too…'” (see here)

ELCA Pastor Rehak wrote that these ELCA supporters from Grace Lutheran “were the presence of Christ in our midst,” but he conveniently fails to mention that suing their church and taking them to court is a violation of God's Word (1 Corinthians 6:1-7.)

The ELCA leadership in Wisconsin has shown their true colors with the lawsuit and currently with these attacks on Saving Grace. It shouldn't surprise us though, the ELCA has always been about rewriting God's Truth so it conforms to “their truth.” That is what is most important to them.

--

But God has been blessing Saving Grace.  Here is an update from Dean Kallenbach:

“Just a little update from Saving Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire.  Just two weeks after forming (and less than three weeks after being expelled as members of Grace Lutheran Church by the ELCA), Saving Grace Lutheran Church has been forced to add a second Sunday morning service in order to accommodate the sheer numbers of people turning up at the funeral home chapel in which they are meeting Sundays.  They also are holding a Saturday afternoon service at Faith Lutheran Mission Church, and are sharing a Wednesday night service with Faith.

“In addition, the TV ministry of the congregation lives on.  Though not it the old timeslot of 10:30 Sundays (being used now by the small faction that was placed in power at Grace Lutheran Church by the ELCA), the Saving Grace broadcasts featuring the sermons of Pastor Rolf Nestingen and Pastor David Irgens now airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. on WQOW-TV, Channel 18.

“I encourage you to check out their Facebook page 'Saving Grace LCMC.'”

---

Lastly, would you or your church be willing to support Exposing the ELCA in its ministry? It would be greatly appreciated. You can find information on how to do that on the right hand side of this page. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

5 Comments
Jim Cristallo
5/13/2013 09:39:44 am

Oh how I need to hold back anger upon reading the lies spewed by the ELCA. In the church meeting, the first vote we ever had to leave the ELCA, it was members of Amazing Grace that told people to leave the church who wanted to dual affiliate. The dual affiliation was to keep people from leaving not to drive them away. We would have gladly had any of the 70 of Amazing Grace back to the church but they refused to come back. They had decided to put their heads in the "sand" (no pun intended) and stay worshiping in and ELCA church that was also feeding them lies about what we were doing and saying. We have had nothing to hide. We did not bring suit against them. We have stood strong 400 plus of us. We follow Christ teaching and do not try and water down the Bible as just a bunch of stories. Christ resurrection is not a metaphor. We will stand with Jesus not with an organization that says that Jesus is love, for He is more than that. On judgment day when asked if I stood for Christ and his teaching I will be able to say that I did. I have lost much but gained in spirit. In that spirit we shall regain our faith and our joy and giving. The things we lost shall be restored in time, like the food pantry (third largest in Eau Claire), the room for groups to meet (Boy Scouts and AA groups), and a place where people welcome people not condemned for race or social status. I pray that God and time opens the eyes of Amazing Grace and the ELCA.

Reply
Dave from Minnesota
5/13/2013 09:54:02 am

I stopped in Eau Claire about a week ago while on a business. Walked by Grace Lutheran. As report here, there are signs on the doors saying there are no services for now at the church, and telling people to go to St John's Lutheran on Oxford.

A couple of observations. The Grace complex is quite large. They must hope to have a lot more than 67 members there, or its going to be like an almost empty European Cathederal. Also, St John's is right next door. Why not have the 67 just go there?

Also, I stopped and had lunch with some relatives in Eau Claire early last week. These people are moderate ELCA members. Defenders of the ELCA in most cases. I was surprised that they are supportive of Saving Grace. Their theory was the same as mine...that the ELCA is trying to make an example of Grace to stop future disobedience to ELCA rulers. That the 67 are very wrong for doing what they did.

Why are ELCA pastors in Eau Claire going after Saving Grace now, after the ELCA has won? And in such as vicious nasty way? Grace Lutheran has a great reputation in Eau Claire. Saving Grace isn't a new fringe congergation. Its a very old congergation that everyone is familiar with and comforable with. Moving from your old ELCA church to a Missouri or Wisconsin synod would be tough for old ELCAers.

But leaving your Eau Claire ELCA church to go to Eau Claire's Saving Grace would be an easy move for many fed up with the ELCA. Its possible the local pastors see this and are worried that some of their most dedicated members, including in financial giving, may want to be a part of this exciting new church.

Reply
Didaskalos
5/13/2013 10:13:21 pm

It would be instructive to look at a few revealing statistics on the ELCA Congregational Trend pages for First Lutheran (whose pastor defended Amazing Greed, now housed at the church) and for St. John's, whose pastors dutifully repeated the synod's talking points about Saving Grace:

FIRST LUTHERAN ELCA
** Membership decline: 41 percent since 2009 (1,690 in 2009 to 996 at the end of 2012, including 522 members lost in 2012 alone)

** Average worship attendance in 2012: 269 (27 percent of the confirmed membership)

ST. JOHN'S ELCA LUTHERAN
** Baptized membership: down 43.8 percent from 1990 through 2012

** Regular 2012 giving by the current 1,557 members: $508,428 (an average of $426 annually per confirmed member, or 8 dollars a week).

By comparison, the annual report for an evangelical church in my neighborhood (non-ELCA, naturally) shows annual giving of more than $690,000 for an adult membership of fewer than 300. Counting members and regular attenders, kids included, the total is slightly over 500.

It's no wonder First Lutheran and St. John's Lutheran are such loyal minions of the ELCA and such strident defenders of Amazing Greed. Like their heretical denomination, these two churches are prime examples of enervation and atrophy.

Reply
Didaskalos link
5/13/2013 12:23:24 pm

Can you decode "NW WI Synod's Pathetic CYA Ploy," students? Hell hath no fury like a heretical bully exposed.

FOUR weekly services for Saving Grace? Marvelous. As in, "This is the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes."

Where's Amazing Greed meeting these days? Not at Grace Church, obviously, where they'd fill up about two pews.

[The sole post on the "Grace Lutheran Church ELCA" website today, May 13:] "During this time of transition, the Grace Lutheran Church building on 202 West Grand Avenue will be closed. During transition, Grace ELCA will worship at First Lutheran 1005 Oxford Avenue, Sunday April 28th, 11:00 AM. Please come back to this site for up-to-date information."

Up to date? It's May 13, 7 P.M. Do you know where your desiccated ELCA cabal is?

Reply
Marie Litschauer
5/14/2013 12:26:10 am

Beyond the legal battle is the social aspect. The former Grace Lutheran Church saw a community in need, hungry and hurting. The Wednesday evening meal was open to everyone even if you did not wish to stay for the service. It was probably the only hot meal some folks had all week. The boy scouts had a food drive recently and donated some of the collection to the Grace food pantry, for people in need, not people in greed. Shame on you for locking the doors. If you believe that Christ is just a metaphor then where is your salvation from? Where is your grace? God's Riches At Christ's Expense. Grace is not possible without Christ. One day every knee will bow to the Lord Jesus Christ, even the ELCA. I am not ashamed of my Lord Jesus Christ, who came to earth, was crucified and rose again, and is most certainly alive at Saving Grace. Glory be to God!

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    Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.  
    ​1 Thessalonians 5:21

    Dan Skogen

    Former ELCA seminary student and former ELCA member who is fed up with the ELCA's consistent mockery of God's Word.


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  • Home
  • ELCA Exposed News
    • on The Bible
    • on Homosexuality & Sex
    • on Universalism & Hell
    • on Goddess/Mother God/Gender Neutral Lang.
    • on Israel
    • on Abortion
    • on Social Media (ELCA Wolves Blog)
    • on Radical Hospitality and Prophecy
    • on Transgenders and Drag Queens
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  • Responses to ELCA
    • The Bible vs. ELCA
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  • Share
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  • More
    • About & Contact
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    • Want to Know Jesus?
    • Exposing the ELCA Newsletters & Important Websites
    • Submit Tips