A Statement from the First Vice President
Atlantic District
Rev. Charles Froehlich

August 12, 2002

1. Dr. Benke's Suspension, Appeal and Path of Supervision

On June 25, 2002, Rev. Dr. David H. Benke was suspended from the clergy roster of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod by Rev. Wallace Schulz. The specific location of the process involved in the LCMS Handbook is under Bylaws 2.25 and 2.27. Dr. Benke has since appealed that suspension, as is his right. I have written previously concerning my opinion as to my conviction that the suspension is specious and needs to be overturned.

Once suspended, Dr. Benke is supervised locally by the First Vice-President of the Atlantic District, which is the position to which I was elected by the Atlantic District in June, 2000.

2. Dr. Benke's Duties under Suspension as described in the LCMS Handbook

Under Bylaw 2.25, c Dr. Benke has been and will remain, while under suspension,

a) "relieved" of his duties as Chairman of the Board of Regents of Concordia College, Bronxville, NY

b) "relieved" of his duties as the President of the Atlantic District, LCMS

c) "ineligible" to accept a Divine Call to another area of church service in the LCMS – in such regard, he informed me that he returned the Divine Call extended to him to be Pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church, Ft. Collins, CO in late May.

d) remains "eligible" to serve in his capacity as Pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Brooklyn, New York

3.Effects of Bylaw 2.25c on the Atlantic District, LCMS

I know that Dr. Benke's gifts and talents were deeply appreciated as Chairman of the Board of Regents, Concordia College. And I know from conversation that the people of God at St. John's, Ft. Collins, Colorado, were terribly disappointed that the Divine Call extended by them in good faith had to be declined due to the constrictions of the LCMS Bylaws.

But what I truly know is that David Benke's absence from his position of spiritual leadership of the Atlantic District is a terrible blow to the dynamic mission and ministry opportunities here in eastern New York.

• We are attempting to recover from the devastation of September 11, and our leader cannot attend official meetings of the District.
• We are attempting to continue the growth pattern that saw the Atlantic District rank Number One in confirmed membership growth and new mission starts last year, and our spiritual leader is out of the loop.
• We are attempting to find the financial resources we need to do what the Lord requires here in this area of the country and world so abundantly blessed with global mission openings and our President has to spend his time preparing for hearings.

We in the Atlantic District know what this means, and how it hurts. We know how it hurts him, even as we receive new pastors and he cannot ordain or install them, even as he gives consultancy as requested from a distance in the Atlantic District. But he will not be deterred, nor will we. He will persevere, and so will we. For the sake of the Gospel, it must be so. That simply is our legacy and our desire, by the grace of God. We beseech one and all to continue to keep us in prayer, most especially as September 11, 2002 draws near!

4. Pastor David Benke's Duties under Suspension.

Pastor Benke's life is spent mostly preparing for the system of justice in the LCMS. This is, in my opinion, tragic, but true. And so that justice might the more readily prevail, it is necessary.

Pastor Benke is also serving in his pastoral capacity at St. Peter's, preaching, teaching, visiting and empowering the ministries of God's people in church and school in English and Spanish there. The people of St. Peter's are well known and loved throughout the Atlantic District, and are in the prayers of their sister congregations.

Pastor Benke has received invitations to participate in other events outside the congregation. Insofar as those events are directly in line of duty as District President, he is ineligible for such participation. He cannot ordain or install pastors of the church. He cannot attend meetings of the Council of Presidents. He cannot attend meetings at which he attends because of his position as a District President, such as the Concordia Pulpit Resources Committee, which he served.

He can, however, preach, attend meetings, and participate in worship services upon request and under my supervision in his capacity as parish pastor. He has communicated with me in the case of each such request, and will continue to do so in terms of requesting and receiving permission. This is the same procedure followed in any case while suspended status is in effect. Any such schedule will be posted as appropriate on the website of St. Peter's Lutheran Church.

It is extremely healthy and important for him, for us in the Atlantic District, and I believe for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod for his voice to be heard and his presence felt even in this time of suspension in every possible way and forum – we need the healing and restorative power of the Gospel especially now in New York. I and virtually every single one of us here believe that Pastor Benke has been called by God to communicate Jesus to us.

5. August 11, 2002

Today Pastor Benke preached at the invitation of Rev. Stanley Macholz on the occasion of his fiftieth anniversary of ordination into the Holy Ministry – fifty years to the day! The service was held at St. Luke Lutheran Church, Dix Hills, New York, where I serve as Pastor along with Associate Randy Mueller, ordained one month ago. David described Stanley's "office," the office of the Holy Ministry as lived out by one specific well-loved pastor over fifty years, as "a roomful of hearts touched by the Gospel." After the service he spoke with and held Mrs. Kathy Thompson, a member of St. Luke whose husband Brian was killed on September 11 in an upper floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center. She told me that in her hour of grief and pain, David Benke represented her on September 23 at Yankee Stadium when he prayed in the Precious Name of Jesus. She told him what it meant to her that he was there. All of us at St. Luke, Dix Hills, in the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod are proud that our District President represented us, and the Thompson family, on September 23, 2001. There is a roomful of hearts out on Long Island praying for Dr. Benke's suspension to be overturned. I suspect there are many roomfuls of hearts all over the country praying the same prayer!

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