Pastor Benke On the Move for SPIRIT

During the winter and spring, Pastor B. has been speaking on behalf of religious tolerance and inclusion for the sake of the mission of Christ in many places. He has received several prestigious awards for his continuing to stand for the right of Christians to pray in public at times of crisis, as he did at Yankee Stadium. His personal stand continues to cost him in terms of his ongoing suspension from the clergy roster of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

But he is "more than a conqueror" through Christ! As parishioners, we have been made aware as progress has taken place in his "case" with the Missouri Synod. Justice WILL prevail. It is truly time for the Missouri Synod to "let our Pastor go." All the preliminary indications are more than positive! But he remains in his denominational bonds even now. He is still suspended. Those of you who know him understand that this cannot keep him down. He is sharing the Good News of Jesus all the time, and all over the country. Here's what's been happening:

1. Queens Federation of Churches Leader of the Year
January 31, 2003
Declared Dr. David Benke Day in Queens
For Courage in Proclaiming Christ at Yankee Stadium following 9/11
For Co-Chairing Lutheran Disaster Response of New York

Twenty of us from St. Peter's celebrated this award with Pastor B. and 400 others at Terrace on the Park in Queens.

His speech told it all – "It's OK to Pray!"

And, being a Mets fan, he said "It's OK to Pray at Shea!"

Pastor B. spoke of the need to speak the exclusive claims of Christ in an expansive way in the public arena, and how he had learned that from the truths of Martin Luther and the Bible. He spoke of the need in the most diversely populated county in the world to speak of the hope that is within the Christian heart with gentleness and respect, so that the love of Christ might prevail through a spirit of tolerance.

 

2. LFCS of Michigan Banquet in Frankenmuth, Michigan
February 22, 2003

The text of this speech is available on our website by clicking here. 500 people were in attendance.

 

3. Ministry in the Atlantic District after 9/11
A Speech and Reflection at Concordia College, Seward, Nebraska
The Martin and Regina Maehr Lecture Series
March 6, 2003

Over 500 attended this event, which included question and answer segment after discussion of the interLutheran work of Lutheran Disaster Response of New York, and other mission-related activities of the Atlantic District.

 

4. The Problem of Profiling – Concordia College, Bronxville, New York
A Panel Discussion
March 26, 2003

This was a free-flowing dialog and debate with four panelists before 300 students and community residents in Westchester County, NY. Pastor B spoke about religious intolerance and the motivations that lead to acts of hatred rather than love from religious foundation.

 

5. Preaching and Teaching since 9/11
A Symposium with Bishop Stephen P. Bouman
Concordia College, River Forest, Illinois
April 3, 2003

100 in attendance for the workshops during the day, and 300 in attendance at Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest, Illinois for an evening session with stories and illustrations as well as theological foundation for the interLutheran effort called Lutheran Disaster Response of New York and pastoral ministry since 9/11/01 in New York City.

 

6. Good Friday Combined LCMS Worship Service
Saginaw, Michigan
April 18, 2003

2000 in attendance at the Horizon Conference Center in Saginaw.

The theme: "Christ for the world, Christ for me" (copy available upon request)

 

Pastor and Judy Benke at the Holiday Inn Kennedy Hotel, Bishop Wright Award Luncheon, April 23, 2003 .

7. Bishop Wright Award
 Kennedy Airport Man of the Year
Sponsored by the Protestant Chapel at Kennedy Airport
April 23, 2003

270 in attendance at this award luncheon. First honoree was Neil Armstrong. The awards go to the man and woman who represent excellence in flight during the year past. Pastor Benke has been very active in support of the airline industry, has ministered to families following 9/11/01, has participated in events and memorials to the victims who were airline employees and to the victims of Flight 587, and has received great national support from the industry for his participation in "A Prayer for America" at Yankee Stadium as a way to bring healing to the nation following a global disaster.

Rudy Auslander, LCMS Lutheran Operations Manager, JAL, Bishop Wright Awards Luncheon, Friend of the Protestant Chapel at Kennedy.

Pastor Benke was introduced by Rev. John Hiemstra, Executive Director of the Council of Churches, City of New York, who invited Pastor to pray at Yankee Stadium on September 23, 2001.

Pastor Benke, in his acceptance speech, took the opportunity of receiving the award to put forth a plan on behalf of the airport chaplaincies of the world for a series of conversations and workshops called

True Tolerance in a Time of Terror.

By hosting these interfaith conversations at airports, the location for so much anxiety and fear since 9/11, the goal is to develop honest dialog as a way to the future in de-escalating religious violence, and for those in the travel and tourism industry to take the lead in promoting such dialog.

The speech received a prolonged standing ovation. Plans will now be made for the first such conversations to be held at Kennedy, as part of the SPIRIT institute's agenda.

Pastor Benke and Sonia Salleh, Man and Woman of the Year (left), and Pastor Benke and Diana Solomon-Glover, Soloist, "I Don't Feel No Ways Tired" (right) Bishop Wright Awards Luncheon, Kennedy Airport. Rev. John Hiemstra, Pastor Benke, Rev. Pat Evans Atlantic District staff and leaders at Bishop Wright Award Luncheon

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