Redeemer’s Historic Website was recently redirected by the server to 2×2. We are working to reestablish the many links to historic documents that were lost in this transfer. Most are now restored. We apologize for the few that are still duds.
Correspondence with Bishop Mark Hanson
Redeemer wrote to Bishop Hanson monthly for about 10 months. Only the first letter was acknowledged, suggesting that we negotiate with the SEPA and our bishop, for whom he had great regard.
Report on Redeemer’s Swahili Outreach
This report was in response to interest shown by the national church in our Swahili Ministry.
A Comparison of Redeemer’s Ministry in 1998 and 2008
SEPA attempted to close Redeemer in both years, but our statistics had greatly improved since Bishop Almquist’s interference had cost us members.
Redeemer attempted to work with the absentee trustees. We regularly provided information on our ministry. Our efforts were routinely ignored. Nevertheless, the trustees represented to Synod Assembly that they had worked with us and worshiped with us. Neither claim is true. One trustee (Larry House) showed up at worship the week before giving the report. All other visits, few as they were, came after the trustees had already presented their damaging report to Synod Assembly.
Redeemer’s Letter to the Bishop and Trustees after the 2008 Synod Assembly
For months, SEPA advised Redeemer that we as a congregation had no right to appeal their actions to the Synod Assembly. Only days before the Assembly in 2008, we were informed that they had changed their minds. Our appeal was scheduled. The trustees read a report to Synod Assembly that they had never shared with Redeemer. It was unfair and inaccurate. We responded promptly with this letter asking that the record be corrected. Our letter was ignored and the same report was read at the 2009 Synod Assembly.
Related Blog Posts
- The Role of Intimidation
http://2x2virtualchurch.com/2011/11/08/head-in-the-sand-leadership-fosters-bullying-in-the-elca/ - Frustration with ELCA Leadership
http://2x2virtualchurch.com/2011/09/17/as-congregations-flee-elca-secretary-swartling-has-concerns/ - Redeemer’s Successful Multicultural Ministry Ignored
http://2x2virtualchurch.com/2011/09/13/how-redeemer-met-the-elca-multicultural-ministry-goal/ - ELCA Destroys Multicultural Ministry while Claiming It As A Goal
http://2x2virtualchurch.com/2011/09/12/redeemer-east-falls-is-ahead-of-the-curve-in-addressing-key-elca-issues/ - SEPA Publishes Statistics with No Foundation
http://2x2virtualchurch.com/2011/09/10/are-sepa-congregational-statistics-cooked/ - Synod Council Takes Action Outside Its Constitutional Authority
http://2x2virtualchurch.com/2011/07/31/are-we-or-arent-we-a-lutheran-church/ - Bullying Is A Standard Operating Procedure
http://2x2virtualchurch.com/2011/06/17/what-to-expect-when-the-church-is-given-a-license-to-bully/ - The Philosophy of Current SEPA Leadership
http://2x2virtualchurch.com/2011/08/17/reviewing-the-concept-of-transformational-ministries/
Statistics from 2005 and 2010
SEPA Statistics are inexplicably amended. Redeemer reported having more than 70 members in 2007. Several more joined in 2008.
We took a screen shot of Synod’s statistics for our 2009 appeal. It shows us with 28 members and growing—the only small congregation that was growing. Lucky we did! Now we can prove that SEPA doctored their books! Here are the statistics as they appeared online in 2009.
By the time we were in court, the record was mysteriously altered. Here is what the synod claimed our membership to be in court. These figures are completely made up by SEPA. Redeemer never supplied them.
Here are the actual records presented to Bishop Burkat on November 1, 2007, by Redeemer’s Church Council. SEPA intentionally lied to the Synod Assembly and to the courts.
Redeemer’s 2007 Ministry Plan adopted unanimously by the congregation.