LCMS Sues California Congregation for Property

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August 30, 2009

LCMS Sues California Congregation for Property

It all sounded so preposterous I didn’t believe it until I actually had the 19 page lawsuit in my hand signed by Synodical Attorney Sherri Strand.
I will be speaking at a public meeting at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oakland California at 7:00 PM on Tuesday September 1, 2009 about the theology the LCMS used in the lawsuit. I will also be conducting a workshop on the Lutheran Confessions, Walther’s “Church and Ministry” and Walther’s “Pastoral Theology.”
Reclaim News has been rather silent for the pastor month. That’s because of a vacation and preoccupation with this lawsuit.
The LCMS is suing four members of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Sharon Bowles, Mary-Ann Hill, Portia Ridgeway, and Celia Moyer to gain control of their church property. The congregation voted itself out of the LCMS in 2007. The congregation has spent more than $220,000 defending itself against Kieschnick and the LCMS Council of District Presidents (COP).
Their property has no debt; may be worth 12 million dollars; and is located about 12 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge.
One of the reasons they are being sued is because they aren’t using traditional hymnbooks and liturgy. It is hard to believe but here is the quote:
The congregation was “dissatisfied with pastor xxxxxx’s liturgy, including his use of a traditional LCMS hymnal.” Pastor xxxxxx didn’t a have call. He was contracted for six months, and they didn’t renew it. He was too expensive for one hour a week.
The fact is they use LW. Reverend Julian Maire was the guest preacher on August 23, 2009 and heard them sing Divine Service setting II. It is the only service the 15 members know. They use LW every week and it’s in the pews.
District President Newton has refused to give them a pastor since 2003 when they had more members. The district wants them to “close with dignity.” They refuse to close. Newton says they are “unhealthy.” Their constitution says the property belongs to District if they close or to the members who remain faithful to Synod’s doctrine.
In 2006 the congregational president who was “licensed” to preach and serve Communion by Newton chaired a meeting where they contracted a woman minister. Less than a year later the President had a change of heart! Newton told him to join another LCMS congregation. Newton declared him the true owner of the property. The LCMS has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars suing Our Redeemer for the property in behalf of the past president. Guess who will finally end up with the property.
In my conversation with the members, the congregation has repented of contracting a woman minister. They didn’t know they sinned against the Bible. It didn’t take 15 minutes over the phone to get them to reject women pastors. They have not been taught Lutheran Doctrine. They were never offered dispute resolution as promised in 8-02A “To Affirm Christian Resolution of Disputes” passed by the 2007 LCMS convention. They have never seen the Book of Concord and never heard of Walther’s “Church and Ministry.”
The lawsuit portrays the members being sued as hooligans who are actually four senior ladies, one of whom is not retired. The congregational president who is going to get the property neglected to renew the part of the policy with Church Mutual that provides legal protection for the congregational officers. This is why Kieschnick and the COP can sue them individually.
The congregation wants to know how Redeemer Lutheran Church in St. Clair Shores was able to vote itself out the LCMS in 2004 and not be sued by Sherri Strand.
They want to know why an LCMS District President can pray with Moslems on national TV, but if a woman minister preaches the Gospel in their church they have to appear in Court on March 22, 2010.
They want to know why the LCMS says it is a sin to sue Christians in court, but Kieschnick and the COP can send out Sherri Strand to sue them.
They want to know why St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ames Iowa can advertize Pastor Mary Nelson, but they are getting sued for a contracting Episcopal Priestess to preach.
Pastor Maire said he was there wouldn’t be any more women preaching. On Sunday August 30, 2009 a layman read a sermon from the pulpit from a book of sermons by Walter Maier.
There will be a lot to say when I get back.
I plan to meet with these people and find out for myself exactly what his happing at Our Redeemer in Oakland California. It is about 10:20 PM on Sunday evening August 30, 2009, and my plane leaves at 7:45 tomorrow morning.
Good Night

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They're using the blue hymnal, Lutheran Worship, Beckie.

The congregation has been without an LMCS pastor since 2003 because the District President wouldn't allow one due to the size of the congregation.
The previous congregational president was presiding over the board when they chose a woman for minister. This president had been licensed, by the District President, to perform the duties of a minister and left the congregation a year after the new pastor was called. It seems that the District President then declaired that the church property belonged to the congregational president who left.

The whole thing sounds and looks fishy, as far as the LCMS leadership is concerned. Some of the coincidences are just a bit too convenient.


Looks like Rad has started a thread on this in the main forum. May I suggest everyone go there to discuss this? Sorry, I should have looked there first.