I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH -- I CAN TRULY DO ALL THINGS -- INCLUDING CONTINUING SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF JESUS AND GOD OUR ALMIGHTY HEAVENLY FATHER IN THE WORLD AND STANDING UP FOR THE GOSPEL TRUTH IN THE WORLD AND SPEAKING THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR GOVERNMENT, OUR CHURCHES, OUR UNIVERSITIES AND OUR CULTURE -- AND I KNOW THAT LORD JESUS iS RIGHT THERE BY MY SIDE AND WILL NEVER LEAVE MY SIDE. I WILL CONTINUE TO MINISTER, TEACH, WRITE AND ADVOCATE, AND IF MY CHURCH WILL NOT SUPPORT IT -- LIKE THEY WOULD NOT SUPPORT ME TODAY WHEN I CAME TO THEM ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE TODAY -- THEN I NEED A NEW CHURCH (www.lutheranchurchofgrace.org) AND EVEN A NEW CITY THAT RESPECTS AND RESPONDS TO AND ASSISTS STRONG WOMEN OF FAITH. FRANKLY, I DON'T CARE HOW BIG LUTHERAN CHURCH OF HOPE IS IN DES MOINES, IOWA, IF IT CANNOT RESPECT STRONG WOMEN OF FAITH AND ASSIST THEM WHEN THEY NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, THEN IT IS NOT OPERATING ON BEHALF OF CHRIST AND HAS NO TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT JESUS IS ALL ABOUT AND IS NOT HONORING LORD JESUS WHEN IT DOES NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF ITS CONGREGATION AND ESPECIALLY ITS FEMALE MEMBERS. THIS CHURCH (LUTHERAN CHURCH OF HOPE) HAS GROWN TOO BIG AND TOO INDIFFERENT TO CARE ABOUT ITS MEMBERS AND IT USES WOMEN MEMBERS IN MENIAL SERVICE POSITIONS INSTEAD OF CALLING UPON THEIR TRUE TALENTS AND GIFTS. AND I WILL NOT BE SILENT ON THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF AMERICA JUST PUBLISHED A REPORT THIS WEEK ON WOMEN, SEXISM AND JUSTICE IN THE CHURCH AND LUTHERAN CHURCH OF HOPE HAS A LONG, LONG WAYS TO GO IN HONORING AND RESPECTING LUTHERAN WOMEN SUCH AS MYSELF. THEY HAVE SAID SOME OF THE MOST PATRONIZING, CARELESS, DISRESPECTFUL THINGS TO ME IN THE PAST YEAR, AND THEY DESERVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE THAT IS NOT HOW A CHURCH -- ESPECIALLY A LUTHERAN CHURCH -- SHOULD BE TREATING ITS MEMBERS. IN JESUS' HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, ALMIGHTY, COMPASSIONATE, CARING AND LOVING NAME. LOVE ALWAYS, DIANE K. OLSON
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