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DISCIPLINARY PROCESS IN THE CONGREGATION OF LAJEADO
Considerations procedures of the Disciplinary Process
(presented in the Synodal Assembly of the
Taquari Valley Synod on 23.09.06)
I
- PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS
A - The reasons of this manifestation in the Synodal
Assembly
1.
In the last two Reports published by the Synod for the Synodal
Assembly, there are very grave affirmations against the Congregation
of Lajeado. These affirmations place the Community, all its
leadership and its ministers under strong suspicions. Many
have been the commentaries all over the Synod, the IECLB (Evangelical
Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil) and Brazil. The people
ask: what is happening in Lajeado?
2. All the leaderships of the Synod (and also of the IECLB),
in all the levels, have the right to hear a position and the
experience of who is being processed. The information cannot
remain restricted to a small group. We have the duty to tell
and you all have the right to take knowledge of what have
been happening.
3.
Two years have already passed. It is time for a public manifestation,
as a saying says: “Who remains silent assents”.
But we do not assent!
B
- On the work developed in the Community of Lajeado.
1. The work developed in the Congregation of Lajeado is in
accordance with the lines of direction established by the
IECLB in its Normative Documents and is also in compliance
with the Plan of Missionary Action of the Church (PAMI).
2. We want a living Church! In the forms in which the New
Testament presents it. The Ministers, the presbyters and the
leadership work to reach only one intention: to be Church
of Jesus Christ that serves the Kingdom of God. This intention
is clearly delineated in the Report of the Synod, at page
21. The vitality of the Community and statistical data prove
that this proposal of pastoral work produces very positive
results.
a.
From only one minister, in 1997, the congregation
has five since 2004.
b. While the normal complain is the too low frequency
to the services. In the Congregation of Lajeado
the frequency it tripled.
c. In the implementation of the strategical planning,
two nuclei of work missionary have been planted
and are in frank growth. The investment on infrastructure
today is evaluated around
R$500.000,00.
d. The already existing traditional ministries have
been extended and qualified; others have been created.
e. The work is developed in a fully integrated,
team of workers, ministers and leaders.
f. The variety and amount of services and other
programs grew enormously, giving the members different
possibilities (of worship).
g. Until the beginning of the Process, the financial
contribution of the Congregation of Lajeado for
the Synod corresponded around 25% of its budget.
h. Congregation of Lajeado is a community in frank
growth in all the directions. The registered data
proves it.
i. Saddly, all this work is being discarded.
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3.
And you all must be asking: but, after all, what is happening?
It is not possible to understand! Is it not exactly what everyone
wants: that the communities grow and that the members are
become involved? Which are the real reasons of all this movement
against the work that is being developed in the Community
of Lajeado?
II
- CONSIDERATIONS ON THE TRANSACTION OF THE PROCESS
1. In the General Assembly of the Congregation, in 15.12.04,
a small group of members, tried to assume the Presbyterate.
It presented an opposition list and it lost the elections.
In its electoral campaign, it was said that there was nothing
against the pastoral work nor against the workers.
2. Three months later, in March of 2005, the members of this
list have sent a Representation to the Synod - “with
copy for the Pastor President of the IECLB” - against
the ministers and presbyters of the Congregation and have
delivered it to the Synodal Pastor Erno Feiden.
3. The delivering of this Representation, after the defeat
in the elections (484 votes against 172) and the accusations
formulated [in it] - many of which susceptible the questioning
in tribunals - show unequivocally two facts: that the affirmations
done during the electoral campaign were not true and that
this group wanted to assume the direction of the congregation
whatever it costs. However, not obtaining to reach its objective
on a democratic way, it tried the way of institutional intervention
through the Synod.
4. Well, in the Report of the Synodal Assembly of the last
year reports that the Synod had received a Representation
signed by more than 200 signatures. On the way of the Process,
however, it was disclosed, that the great majority of the
people that signed the cited list not even knew what they
have signed, than they subscribed, literally, blank lists
without no heading. The used arguments to convince these people
to sign have been diverse, but none of them were referent
to a Representation to the Synod against the ministers and
presbyters. This fact, registered in the files of legal documents
of the Process, evidences the level of lack of faithfulness
of the signatories of the Representation.
5. Sadly, and this is the great disaster of everything, the
Representation has been accepted from the beginning by the
church authorities of the synod, as being “the truth”
and that we as the ones who are wrong, the “guilty ones”.
An uncontested prove of what it is affirmed, was the suspension,
for the Presidency of the IECLB, the Ordinance to the Catechist
Ministry of Mrs. Rosane Tünnermann, five days before
the scheduled termini. Such act configures a summary conviction,
without allowing any right of defence.
6. The Report for the Synodal Assembly of today reports, that
“among the irregularities appointed in the Representation”
some have been found and that “This compelled the Synodal
Council to move a disciplinary process”. The affirmation
in the Synodal Report is frivolous and irresponsible. It is
susceptible to questioning at tribunals! The fact is that
no irregularity appointed in the Representation objectively
was proven by the Commission of Investigation.
7. Although the Representation has been directed against all
the ministers, the Presbyters of the Parish and the Congregation,
the Chairman of the Synodal Board Otávio Schüler,
instored the Process only against the Presidents of the Parish
and Community; against the Ministerial Coordinator, Pastor
Rudi Tünnermann and against the Cand. Catechist Mrs.
Rosane Tünnermann.
8. The files of legal documents of the Process also evidence
with much clarity that as much the Synodal Pastor, Erno Feiden,
as the Chairman of the Synodal Board, Mr. Otávio Schüler,
had taken the party of the signatories of the Representation.
The Chairman of the Synodal Board asks the signatories of
the Representation what he can or not do with documents delivered
to the Synod. Such partiality is unacceptable! Perhaps it
is not a great risk for the IECLB?
9. This was not enough, in legal terms, the proceedings and
the results of the Disciplinary Process in the Synod are an
aberration, wounding the basic principles of the right and
justice. Let us see details:
a.
The affirmations of the accusers, in its depositions
to the Commission of Investigation, had been received
as prove and justification to begin the Process.
b. The Summary of the Evaluation of the Pastor Rudi,
was also used as justification for the Chairman of the
Synodal Board, Mr. Otávio Schüler, for the
installation of the the Disciplinary Process. Fact is
that the Summary is not part of files of the legal documents.
Therefore, it was strange to the Process. And not only
this, the Summary had been distorted in its meaning.
c. Basic orientations of our Legal-Doctrinaire Order
had not been observed for the indicated legal procedures.
If such orientations had been observed, the Process
not even could have been installed.
d. The basic rights of defence and the contradictory,
assured for the Federal Constitution, had been ignored
completely. Beyond others. |
10. Lead in such a way, the result of the Process could not
be another than the conviction of the defendant. All fit as
having committed serious infraction. The Presidents of the
Parish and Congregation had been condemned with the loss of
the position and the function. Pastor Rudi was condemned to
be transferred to another field of work. Mrs. Rosane was acquitted
in formal way, on grounds of legal prescription. However,
in practical she was condemned; therefore the commentary of
the vote of the judge in nothing is differentiated of a conviction.
11. Now, however, see the greatest of the paradoxes. Although
the Legal-Doctrinaire Commission of the Synod has made a sharp
conviction, the judge says that “the great majority
of the members” of the congregation approves the model
of pastoral work developed in the congregation.
12. Not accepting the verdict of the Legal-Doctrinaire Commission
of the Synod, we entered with Resource at the Legal-Doctrinaire
Commission of the IECLB. In the judgement of the Resource,
the reporter of the Legal Commission of the IECLB writes:
“The present process is contaminated of revocable vices,
what makes it necessary, since now, to remake it, than the
detailed analysis of all the parts that compose it, verifies
with solar clarity that the same did not obey the formalities
that the process requires”. In summary: the Process
is full of imperfections. However, in virtue of the lack of
clarity in the conviction vote, the Process was returned to
the Legal Commission of the Synod so that, “once corrected
the irregularities returns to judgement”.
13. The national Legal Commission only ratified what we said
above. However, in virtue of technician-legal questions, the
subject was returned again in the Synod.
14. Unfortunately, anything that goes to happen from now on
hardlyever goes to restore the institutional the disruptions
produced. How to cure the deep emotional wounds caused to
the workers, ministers and leaderships? What to do with the
moral damages produced? What to say concerning the damages
inflicted to the Lajeado Congregation. Who assumes the responsibilities
for these damages?
III
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. To continue similar attitudes and procedures to the registered
in this Process, the legal demands, the chaos and the general
anarchy in the IECLB will be inevitable.
2. With much sadness we need to proclaim that the level of
absolutism and injustice, evidenced in the proceedings of
the whole Process, arrived to such levels of nonsenses that
are impossible to remain silent. To be silent would be irresponsibility
ahead of the gravity of the registered facts. With deep moan
we make it. We try it in our own flesh.
3. The reason for the installation of the disciplinary Process
on grounds of discipline against workers and ministers of
the Community of Lajeado and its outcome is one only: the
ecclesiastic authorities of the Synod Valley of the Taquari
do not admit the developed model of pastoral performance,
for being identified with the Encontrão Movement. The
dozen of negative references to the proposal of pastoral work
of the Encontrão Movement, constants of Files of legal
documents confirm it. This is our sad statement.
4. We needed to speak so that workers and ministers take conscience
of what in the future - remaining the current state of things
- they could be in similar situation at their ministry, in
case that they do not please a minority group of members that,
however, is endorsed by the ecclesiastical authorities of
the IECLB. Perhaps it has been difficult or constrained to
hear or what was said. However, much more hard it has been
to coexist and to try the hardness and the mercilessness of
this Disciplinary Process, in which in we feel being triturated
for practically two years. We ask: where it is justice so
proclaimed in and by the IECLB? We needed to share our pain
and our inconformity. We ask for that these considerations
are annexed to the act of this Assembly.
Taquari
(RS), 23 of September of 2006.
Gastão
Schneider
President of the Lajeado Parish
Charles Jorge Schwingel
President of the Lajeado Congregation
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