Our Father's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Hannah Wieting

a month ago

Love this church and school!

M.P. Z.

3 months ago

Because of their behavior, I no longer trust this Pastor, principal, and a teacher. Our last interaction being the nail in the coffin. We are done with this church and school. Before I give you my reason; This is not an attack. I have no anger or ill will in me while typing this. 2 Timothy 4 : 14 - 15 serves as my resource in making me comfortable in bringing this to light. Trying to resolve a matter in a meeting with the principal, the board of educators, and this Pastor, I found a lot of them to be very argumentative. I offered my initial solution and right away they turned it into accusations towards me [all but 2 or 3 who stayed quiet]. Manipulating my words back to me using phrases like, "so what you're saying is..", when I'm not, and I'd have to remind them that is not anything like what I just said. I'm simply offering a solution, trying to be a peacemaker, while they're trying to turn this into an argument. Skipping over all the accusations they made towards me, which I didn't return to them, and skipping over the word salad by the principal saying what he fears instead of sticking to the point, and all the times I had to correct thier reframing of my intent.. I thought this Pastor would help the matter but he only joined in when one of the women of the board of educators accused (nearly yelling) me of cherry-picking scripture. I asked her, "so you want me to 100% believe the teacher?" She said, "yes." I replied, "and by default, I call my daughter a liar?" She said, "yes." So I opened my ESV study BibleI and read John 7:24 [Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.] That's when she accused me. I said I have the Bible here I can read the verse for context. She snapped back, "I've read the Bible!" Wow.. While we were talking back and forth the Pastor interrupted as I was trying to continue to my next point [Being John 20.]. I didn't want that important point to be talked over so I stopped and said, "out of respect for you.." then gestured to him to go ahead and speak as I took a drink of water. He then says, and I do quote, "Now you're going to hear from a man who has actually studied the Word." ...then he proceeds with accusations towards me in a another word salad. No scripture. No reference of how we should be handling this according to God's Written Word. Just one thing after another of accusations to which I actually lost track of most of them and just told him, "if you rewind what I said, I didn't say any of that." He didn't say anything back. He did compliment me for coming to the meeting and speaking with all of them and say we must keep the 8th commandment at the end of it, after he regained his composure. But you're not going to put a cherry on a dog pile and convince me it's a hot fudge Sunday. After that they wrapped things up pretty quick while I was trying to remember where I left off while at the same time realizing I'm not getting through to them and to leave it in God's hands. He sees everything. Finding no reasoning in their choice of words, I no longer wanted to waste my energy. In John 20 : 24 - 28, when Thomas didn't believe, Jesus didn't make accusations or get offended. He didn't gaslight. He stuck to the point of the matter. He didn't say there are at least 1-2 witnesses here. He simply said, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."

M Feller

a year ago

Lovely church. Convenient hours. Friendly