Regardless of the impact of Hosanna -Tabor, one matter is clear. Officially, "church doctrine" requires that any controversy within a congregation must be resolved within the dispute resolution process. Since 2010 Gloria Dei Lutheran Church has been in a dispute regarding decisions made in December of that year. Members of the congregation, their pastor (myself) and others have repeatedly asked the Northwest District to allow the dispute resolution process to proceed in this matter. However, District President Paul Linnemann has refused to allow it to proceed. It wasas denied when I spoke to President Linnemann, and again denied when a petition was filed with the District Secretary, in accordance with our Handbook.
Perhaps this is because a decision in that process may require the District to give back real property owned by Gloria Dei and deeded to the District under "odd circumstances". We should all ask ourselves whether it is appropriate for the District to have a President who denies what the Synod has declared to be church doctrine. And may a party denied an opportunity to use the dispute resolution process then bring an action in a secular court for a court order requiring the District to proceed with its own established procedures. These are questions that may soon require answers.
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