Staphlobob
Puritan Board Sophomore
Well, it finally happened. After 10 years of my praying, preaching and writing against them, the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) finally got rid of me. I read my Letter of Resignation to the church council on Sunday, March 4th (lots of anger at me), and then to the congregation on Sunday, March 11th (lots more anger at me). Here are its contents ...
March 4, 2007
In 1997 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America entered into complete “altar and pulpit fellowship” with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ, and the Reformed Church of America. Although I’d previously spoken up loudly at Synod Assemblies and among gatherings of pastors regarding my opposition to entering into unity with such obvious heretics, “full communion” was accomplished nonetheless. Consequently I wrote a Letter of Excommunication to the national bishop and council, as well as to the bishop and council of the Delaware-Maryland Synod, informing them that I could no longer commune with any pastor, bishop, or official representative of the ELCA. (And I have been faithful to this decree of excommunication for 10 years.)
Nothing was ever done in response.
Since 1997, by virtue of a biblically-informed conscience, I have refused to fill out and send in the annual “Parochial Report” as well as any other pertinent pastoral information, to the Delaware-Maryland Synod. Failure to do these things was in clear violation of the ELCA’s constitution.
Nothing was ever done in response.
Since 1997 I have consistently preached, taught, and written against the theological stance (or lack thereof) of the ELCA and these other so-called “church” bodies
Nothing was ever done in response. (In the meantime, the theological and spiritual condition of the ELCA continued to deteriorate … severely.)
In 2005 I brought up the issue of St. Andrew Lutheran Church’s benevolence going to an organization that is as clearly unbiblical and anti-Christian as the ELCA; that the Christian conscience should be bothered by our financial support of such an institution. Consequently, at my prompting, St. Andrew Lutheran Church voted not to provide monies to either the ELCA or the Delaware-Maryland Synod.
THAT got their attention.
In October of 2006 Bishop Knoche and some members of his synod council met with me and several members of St. Andrew Church Council. At that meeting the bishop asked if he could attend our December 2006 congregational meeting. Because we did not have the authority to issue such an invitation we guaranteed that his request would be brought to the full Church Council of St. Andrew, and that he would be contacted regarding the decision. In turn the bishop – in front of everyone there! – promised to abide by such an action.
At the next meeting of the St. Andrew Lutheran Church Council (November 2006) the decision was made NOT to invite Bishop Knoche to the December congregational meeting. Instead the resolution was to have the entire church body, at the upcoming December gathering, vote on whether or not to invite the bishop to the next congregational meeting which was scheduled for February 2007. The bishop was duly contacted with this information.
Yet, in spite of his previously-given word, the bishop nonetheless showed up – knowingly uninvited – to our December meeting.
Following this particular meeting the bishop then asked to meet with me on Monday, February 5, 2007. At that meeting he asked for my resignation as pastor from St. Andrew Lutheran Church, threatening to have me disciplined by the synod council should I refuse. I immediately responded with joy – not at being forced to resign – but because, after 10 years of ignoring me, these people finally responded.
Furthermore, it must be noted that the cause, the motivation, for their actions was certainly not their theology or doctrine. (The ELCA is, in fact, theologically empty and has no discernable doctrine.) Rather, it was simply the issue of money. Sad, but true.
Nonetheless, as a result of the actions of the bishop and council of the Delaware-Maryland Synod I am required to resign as pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church. My last day will be April 8, 2007 – Easter Sunday.
My 13+ years at St. Andrew have been the most formative and enjoyable time of my life. I will forever hold you in my heart and my prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Kevin Guillory
March 4, 2007
In 1997 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America entered into complete “altar and pulpit fellowship” with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Church of Christ, and the Reformed Church of America. Although I’d previously spoken up loudly at Synod Assemblies and among gatherings of pastors regarding my opposition to entering into unity with such obvious heretics, “full communion” was accomplished nonetheless. Consequently I wrote a Letter of Excommunication to the national bishop and council, as well as to the bishop and council of the Delaware-Maryland Synod, informing them that I could no longer commune with any pastor, bishop, or official representative of the ELCA. (And I have been faithful to this decree of excommunication for 10 years.)
Nothing was ever done in response.
Since 1997, by virtue of a biblically-informed conscience, I have refused to fill out and send in the annual “Parochial Report” as well as any other pertinent pastoral information, to the Delaware-Maryland Synod. Failure to do these things was in clear violation of the ELCA’s constitution.
Nothing was ever done in response.
Since 1997 I have consistently preached, taught, and written against the theological stance (or lack thereof) of the ELCA and these other so-called “church” bodies
Nothing was ever done in response. (In the meantime, the theological and spiritual condition of the ELCA continued to deteriorate … severely.)
In 2005 I brought up the issue of St. Andrew Lutheran Church’s benevolence going to an organization that is as clearly unbiblical and anti-Christian as the ELCA; that the Christian conscience should be bothered by our financial support of such an institution. Consequently, at my prompting, St. Andrew Lutheran Church voted not to provide monies to either the ELCA or the Delaware-Maryland Synod.
THAT got their attention.
In October of 2006 Bishop Knoche and some members of his synod council met with me and several members of St. Andrew Church Council. At that meeting the bishop asked if he could attend our December 2006 congregational meeting. Because we did not have the authority to issue such an invitation we guaranteed that his request would be brought to the full Church Council of St. Andrew, and that he would be contacted regarding the decision. In turn the bishop – in front of everyone there! – promised to abide by such an action.
At the next meeting of the St. Andrew Lutheran Church Council (November 2006) the decision was made NOT to invite Bishop Knoche to the December congregational meeting. Instead the resolution was to have the entire church body, at the upcoming December gathering, vote on whether or not to invite the bishop to the next congregational meeting which was scheduled for February 2007. The bishop was duly contacted with this information.
Yet, in spite of his previously-given word, the bishop nonetheless showed up – knowingly uninvited – to our December meeting.
Following this particular meeting the bishop then asked to meet with me on Monday, February 5, 2007. At that meeting he asked for my resignation as pastor from St. Andrew Lutheran Church, threatening to have me disciplined by the synod council should I refuse. I immediately responded with joy – not at being forced to resign – but because, after 10 years of ignoring me, these people finally responded.
Furthermore, it must be noted that the cause, the motivation, for their actions was certainly not their theology or doctrine. (The ELCA is, in fact, theologically empty and has no discernable doctrine.) Rather, it was simply the issue of money. Sad, but true.
Nonetheless, as a result of the actions of the bishop and council of the Delaware-Maryland Synod I am required to resign as pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church. My last day will be April 8, 2007 – Easter Sunday.
My 13+ years at St. Andrew have been the most formative and enjoyable time of my life. I will forever hold you in my heart and my prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Kevin Guillory
Your story is thoroughly inspiring, Rev. Guillory. Faithful service to the Lord in the face of much opposition, even from within your congregation will not be for naught. May the seeds you have planted in your time there blossom gloriously.
