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| Basic URL for St. Peter in Freedom Glende's first solo parish is insolvent, and the big building project in Freedom is in trouble. |
One source told me that WELS SP Mark Schroeder threatened Northern Wisconsin District President Doug Engelbrecht with Ichabod exposure if he did not do anything about Pastor Ski, aka James Skorzewski.
A few days ago, Ski was still welcoming people to The CORE websty. Ever since the evening service of St. Peter in Freedom started, the CORE websty has featured a juvenile movie of Ski ordering people to attend his plagiarized service. One movie featured him mocking sermons with duct tape over his mouth. That was true to the theme of Fox Valley, belittling the Word of God.
When the Ski/Glende scandal began to break, Ski disappeared off the websty and the files were all mixed around - briefly. Then he came back, even though he resigned from the WELS ministry!
Here is the lowdown on that episode. Engelbrecht told Schroeder one story and St. Peter/CORE another. Schroeder actually visited the errant congregation just before the Emmaus head-fake conference of all three SynCons. Deputy Doug assured St. Peter/CORE that Ski would be back by the end of summer, but resigning from the ministry is supposed to mean no call and no CRM status until perhaps, maybe, sort of later - probably not at all.
So Ski resigned from the ministry and came back to The CORE's websty.
No one has told St. Peter/CORE the truth about the allegations. Never. And the Fox Valley pastors are all behind the current Glende/Ski/Engelbrect cover-up.
Remember - this is the WELS - or as they say it in Milwaukee - Dis is duh WELZ.
Ski, Glende, and Engelbrecht excommunicated Rick Techlin (secretly) for questioning the plagiarism at St. Peter and The CORE. Engelbrecht gave an essay, which I published, where he defended plagiarism, since "everyone does it."
The Latest News
A married couple made repeated efforts to have something done about Ski's behavior. Remember Schroeder's mantra - "Write a letter"? They did all that, and they met with the proper people, including Deputy Doug. They contacted a lawyer and Church Mutual Insurance, too.
Who is liable in this situation, especially since WELS has lost at least one case like this (Scott Zerbe for having an affair with a minor girl when he was a vicar under Fred Adrian)?
- WELS is liable. So is Mark Schroeder - failure to supervise.
- The Northern Wisconsin District and Deputy Doug are liable.
- St. Peter in Freedom is liable.
- The pastors involved are liable, especially since the staff knew and approved.
- Ski is liable.
The financial penalties are severe. Adrian's Zerbe case cost $400,000 to the girl, and that did not include legal costs. WELS probably settles a lot of matters out of court. In the Zerbe case they lied to the judge, which does not make the legal system happy. I helped the girl's lawyer win the case by telling the truth about WELS behavior and cover-ups. The judge ordered the abusive sect to fess up - that is considered pretty severe, the lawyer told me. According to WELS, I was born forgiven and saved, but I do not think they have forgiven me for the Zerbe case.
Needless to say, this couple got nowhere. They told Deputy Doug they would send out a letter if he did nothing. He did nothing, so they did - to each of the 187 pastors in the Northern Wisconsin District.
No pastor in the district can now say, "I know nothing about it." Lillo has been saying that for months. I imagine he got a packet too.
Schroeder cannot say he knows nothing about it, because he has known about it all along.
The Allegations
One is from 2010 - Ski decided to show a female employee the infamous Brett Favre photos. Most Packer fans heard about them, but most of us did not try to find them. This alone would march any man out of employment - don't stop at your desk - we will hand your stuff to your in a cardboard box.
Multiple beer lunches - Ski. There seemed to be a constant supply of beer at The CORE and constant drinking on the job. No wonder they bought a bar for The CORE's third location - with WELS offering money - and Ski promised to keep the beer/wine license "for weddings." Um-hmm.
Obscene, derogatory language used about an overweight woman - Ski again. I had to look up the term in the Urban Dictionary. I am not hip.
Playing a song for a prospect - the title and lyrics were obscene. Ski.
Using a real assault weapon, an AK 47, as a sermon illustration. Ski.
Note, readers - that Ski gave sex education lessons (copied from Groeschel) at The CORE and also at their precious WELS high school. A man who should have been fired three years ago is the one chosen to be a teacher and example for the high school students.
WELS Response
This abusive sect has responded by punishing the couple in every way possible. While giving devoted support to Ski and Glende, the district and synod have ostracized and abused the innocent couple. If someone tried the WELS response at a Coca Cola bottling plant or Ford dealership, there would be so many millions of dollars of penalties added up in a civil suit that they would beg for a settlement.
I saw and experienced this in Columbus, Ohio, where Tim Glende had a very bad education in promoting an unrepentant adulterer as a Church Growth expert. Glende saw how useful it was to slime anyone who dared to question the infallible WELS - even though he grew up in a non-WELS church.
