Who is the Real Grace Lutheran?--An ELCA&LCMC Perspective

Subject: Update from Grace Lutheran, Eau Claire
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012

Friends,

Much has been happening of late regarding attacks on Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire by the ELCA’s Northwestern Synod and its bishop and a splinter group of former Grace members who now belong to the ELCA’s Synod Authorized Worship Community (SAWC) Amazing Grace.  Most urgently for your prayers, an injunction has been filed by a former member to prevent Grace from having its regularly scheduled annual meeting this Sunday, to remove the duly elected church council, and to freeze the assets of the congregation.  The hearing for the injunction is set for 3:15 Friday, January 27 before Polk County Circuit Court Judge Molly GaleWyrick in Balsam Lake.  Grace will be represented by its attorney.

This is the latest salvo in a two-pronged attack against Grace Lutheran Church and its council, which is taking place both in the civil courts and in ELCA hierarchy.  The Amazing Grace group, calling itself Grace Lutheran (ELCA) has filed suit against Grace Lutheran (calling it Grace Lutheran LCMC) and its council.  Of course, Grace Lutheran ELCA and Grace Lutheran LCMC are one and the same since the congregation decided to add LCMC affiliation to its ELCA membership two days after 56% of the congregation voted to leave ELCA and join LCMC.  The congregational vote was not enough to continue disaffiliation with ELCA (which requires two 2/3 majority votes), but the council felt the congregation was directing it to add LCMC affiliation, and took the action to affiliate with LCMC on April 5.

ELCA Northwest Synod Bishop Duane Pederson formed a SAWC (Amazing Grace) for Grace Members who were offended by the addition of LCMC, and worshiped just two blocks from Grace Lutheran.  Because several of its former members had publicly declared membership in Amazing Grace, the council of Grace Lutheran followed its constitution and changed the membership status of those people to non-voting associate status.

The suit was filed by the splinter group November 29, urging the court to force Grace to end its affiliation with LCMC.  The injuction filed last week asks for a temporary injuction to postpone Sunday’s annual meeting and also asks to remove members of the church council, and to restrain spending and borrowing by the church.  The Amazing Grace group, representing itself as Grace Lutheran Church, filed a claim the Grace’s insurance company to cover its legal fees.  That claim has been rejected.

In addition to the action in the courts, the ELCA has been taking other steps to change Grace Lutheran’s affiliations and leadership.  After a hastily called adjudication committee of the ELCA (the Monday before Christmas) in which the chair of the committee did not allow Grace’s attorney to complete her testimony, the Synod Council decided, in a letter dated January 16^th that Grace should terminate its affiliation with LCMC, that is should fully restore full voting memberships to all members whose status was downgraded in 2011, that any members wishing to remain affiliated with LCMC be downgraded to associate status, and that ELCA shall be the sole affiliation of Grace.

While the leadership of Grace, including President Anne Carter and Pastors Rolf Nestingen and Dave Irgens are saddened and shocked by these events, they remain upbeat, confident that God’s hand is on the congregation, and hopeful for a positive resolution.  Please keep them and that congregation in your prayers.