United List
Top of the Slate
May 7, 2001
United List met today and has announced the following candidates as their
preference:
- President: Rev. Dr. Dean O. Wenthe
- Vice President: Rev. Daniel Preus
- Secretary: Rev. Raymond Hartwig
(This Editor has said from the beginning that he
would encourage support for a true consensus candidate. I have asked Balance,
Inc. for evidence that Dr. Wenthe was the clear front runner rather than Rev.
Dan Preus, so that we would know for sure who was the most viable candidate. I
have yet to receive any response to my question. Until I am shown evidence
that Dr. Wenthe is a genuine consensus candidate, I cannot encourage delegates
to support him. I would be dishonest.)
What did Pastor Stefanski's poll show? My guess is that it would show a
little stronger than Concord's in favor of Dr. Wenthe, but many Ft. Wayne
supporters who voted in the Concord Poll went for Preus. The two polls taken
by Texas (one was synodwide) were both top heavy for Rev. Preus for President
and Weinrich for VP. Did Balance, Inc. go outside the cigar smoke-filled
cloakroom to see who was the most viable? We just don't know. We know they
have not consulted with any conservatives in Texas about who those in Dr.
Kieschnick's District prefer.
Texas is not considered, I suppose, a conservative powerhouse District in
synod anymore, but we do have quite a number of strong and outspoken
conservatives who served synod in the recent past quite well. Simply because
the last couple of TXD presidents have loaded up the District with liberals
and Church Growthers should not discount these people's opinions and guidance.
We have been accused of "Balance Bashing" because we have
expressed our disappointment at Balance's methods. Nothing could be farther
from the intentions of this editor. I want to see the LCMS united in doctrine
and practice as much as Balance's leaders do, but I want this to be done
"above the table." It is a serious error when Balance deliberately
ignores the conservatives of a District that:
- Sponsors two annual and long running Free Conferences that bring in
speakers to inform the laypeople of Synodical issues,
- produces one of the finest Conservative Publications,
- sponsors one of the most current and open Web Pages for Confessionals,
- established and supported three new mission congregations without
District funds,
- and have an enduring organization to promote true Lutheranism in
District and Synod, in spite of opposition.