Our Church Is Under Attack for Its Successes,
and Needs Financial Assistance Immediately
Dear fellow Believer,
We find ourselves in a most peculiar position, and the only way forward is with the help of others. We are a 60-year-old Lutheran congregation, proud of our history and traditions, and intent on adhering to biblical teaching and our liturgy. In recent months, we reached unprecedented levels of revitalization and recovery thanks to the generous contributions of an ambitious and vibrant mission pastor, sporting a very innovative approach to church planting.
What we didn’t expect to discover – that our own church denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America – is banking on us to fail! Last June, they abruptly and unexpectedly stopped our progress by citing dubious legal action to demand we hand over our property. Why?!?
The ELCA is eyeing our beautiful church campus for its value to developers – $4M easy money.
This exceptional house of worship has only ever belonged to us – free and clear – since our founding. All costs and responsibilities have been borne by us alone. The ELCA has never helped in the least. But now, an iconic community treasure that benefits many is about to become disposable income for the one if we don’t act fast.
Even though we hold the moral high ground in this argument, we are forced to lawyer up and defend ourselves against the aggressors. The good news is – we have the most highly regarded, expert litigator in the country prepared to defend us. This boutique law firm specializes in church properties and enjoys an exceptional success record, greatly increasing our odds of prevailing.
Further bolstering our confidence, our case will be conveniently held in nearby Pomona Superior Court – in our own backyard where we hold a considerable degree of influence and recognition.
Such confidence comes at a cost. The case could be completed rather quickly and covered by the cost of the deposit, but it could also reach upwards of $500K if the other side acts irrationally. A $150K deposit needs to be raised by September 5th, and one third of it has already been generated by our church membership. We are seeking institutional and private source funds to generously match our contributions.
We may be small in number, but we are big in heart. We trust mightily in the power of the Word, and in God’s plan for our ministry.
Please contact our Council President for further information and to contribute.
Bob Velker, President
(909) 569-4832
Belker@att.net
