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Benke Is Suspended
June 28, 2002 Memo To: LCMS President Gerald B. Kieschnick LCMS District Presidents Subject: Official Notification of Suspended Status of Dr. David H. Benke Dear Brothers in Christ, This memo is official notification of the decision of LCMS Second Vice President Wallace Schulz to place Dr. David H. Benke on suspended status on the Minister of Religion-Ordained roster of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. This decision follows Rev. Schulz's investigation of the charges brought against Dr. Benke as a result of his participation in a post 9/11 event in Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2001. A ruling of the Commission on Constitutional Matters of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod on June 27, 2002, has charged me as First Vice President of the Atlantic District of the LCMS with the responsibility of fulfilling the requirements of Bylaw 2.25 d.2. to "notify, in writing, the President of the Synod and all other District Presidents of the affected member's suspended status..." President Kieschnick is planning to communicate with you the specific implications of Dr. Benke's suspended status. Please pray for David and Judy, their family, the people of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Brooklyn, as well as all the people and ministries of the Atlantic District. The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod Board for Communication Services LCMSNews -- No. 37 June 28, 2002 Update on Atlantic District President The following information is being provided by the Division of News & Information, Board for Communication Services. Because of LCMS Bylaw provisions regarding publicity relating to matters in dispute, this is the only information on this matter that is being made available at this time: Dr. Wallace Schulz, the Synod's second vice president, has placed Atlantic District President David Benke on suspended status. This action results from charges related to Dr. Benke's participation in a post-Sept. 11 event at Yankee Stadium that included non-Christian clerics. 'Suspended status' means that Dr. Benke may not carry out duties related to Synod or district responsibilities while an appeals process takes place. His district duties will be assumed by the first vice president of the Atlantic District. Dr. Benke will continue to serve as pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Brooklyn. Dr. Benke has 15 days to request that his case be heard and resolved. This begins the multi-level appeals process. The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod takes seriously its doctrine, its practice and its public witness. Because the Synod also is concerned for the well being of people, it has a process for dealing with accusations that is intended to see to it that people are treated fairly and not capriciously. We are now seeing that process in action in this case.
June 30, 2002 |