A Sermon - A Verbal Expression of Hypocrisy.

"So many other small, but powerful things. The Kingdom of God starts with small things. We can help – in our own small ways. We can’t bring peace to Syria, or comfort to grieving families in Connecticut. We cannot resolve growing tensions between Christians and Muslims, even in Tanzania. But we can still do loving and gracious acts. Perhaps a Christmas message to someone we have lost contact with, a small gift for someone we know is lonely, a donation to our own church or to a charity for those who have nowhere to stay this Christmas: the Kingdom of God starts with small things."

16th December 2012 - Swahili Carols
Bishop Emerita Jana Jeruma-Grinberga at St Anne's Lutheran Church in London

"But we can still do loving and gracious acts."

She should have added:
"Unless a person challenges me. Unless I have decided a person is in my way. Unless I feel threatened by someone. Then I will tell lies, make up new rules, call government agencies and forget the words I preach and claim to believe."

What Is Happening in the LCiGB?

There is an Advent Message from the Interim Bishop on the Lutheran Church in Great Britain website but no explanation of what happened to Bishop Jana.

There has been no new newsletters "The Forum" since January of 2012 even though the website says the LCiGB prints these quarterly.

The "News" on the website, with the exception of the Interim Bishop's Advent Message, is mostly from 2011.

The only up to date content is from the Lutherans Up North.

Why??

Values Show Clearly in Actions

The Lutheran Church in Great Britain offers "Resources for Congregations" on the Lutheran Church in Great Britain's website. The resources include:

- The latest guidance from the Charity Commission
- How to prevent fraud in your congregation
- Information on CRB reports
- Rules and Regulations of the LCiGB
- Guidelines for planning an event which primarily focus on finances
- Finance resources for congregational treasurers

Finances, Rules, Guidelines and Regulations are apparently the values of the leaders of the LCiGB or, more accurately, the values of the Dean, Treasurer and Chair.

Not one congregational resource offered for:

- Bible study
- Christian Education
- Worship
- Prayer
- Spiritual Growth
- Lutheran Confessions
- Evangelism
- Social Justice

Why? Because the LCiGB is a "small church" unable to provide such resources? If there are limited resources why spend all the time, energy and money ONLY on finance, rules and regulations?

Racism? Ethnocentrism?

The Lutheran Church in Great Britain is again pressurising a congregation to dismiss an ordained Lutheran Pastor. Once again the Lutheran Church in Great Britain is creating new rules in order to claim that a Pastor who has served faithfully and was Ordained by Bishop Jana is not really an LCiGB pastor. Why?

Could it be racism or ethnocentrism? The Pastor is non British or European. This is the third non-European Lutheran Pastor attacked by the Lutheran Church in Great Britain. This is the third non-European Lutheran Pastor who suddenly is not Ordained correctly, Examined Correctly or Not Licensed properly.

The Trustees of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain are all white Europeans (two of which lost their US Citizenship) and one person from Asia. The majority of the members of the congregations in the LCiGB are of African descent. The most vibrant congregations are people from African countries. 

As the Dean regularly remarks: "The Africans aren't professional."

Beggar's Bowl

Dean TB complained endlessly that the Former Bishop of the LCiGB, now the Interim Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain, always traveled around the world begging for money from other Lutherans.

The Dean also enjoyed imitating the Interim Bishop with a fake Polish accent and saying, "Come over! I ordain you!"

The Dean complained that the Interim Bishop ran the LCiGB poorly and that his task was to clean the mess.

I wonder if the Dean will do his imitation for the Interim Bishop now?