Reformation Lutheran Church pastor sends fellow minister to jail
Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue, info@operationrescue.org
WICHITA, Kansas, July 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- Ordained minister Henry "Bud" Shaver was arrested with another man after reading from Isaiah 1 during a church service at Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, where late-term abortionist George R. Tiller is a member.
During the communion service Rev. Shaver stood at a microphone and read a portion of Isaiah's warning to believers from a scrap of paper. Members of the church tried unsuccessfully to shut off the microphone and grab the Scripture from his hand. Men then forcibly carried Rev. Shaver from the church.
Pastor Thomas Halstrom gave Rev. Shaver's associate, Joey Cox the communion bread saying, "Receive the body of Christ." Cox gave the bread back to Halstrom saying that this was not the body of Christ but it represented the bodies of babies killed by abortionist George Tiller.
Cox was removed from the church by four men who repeatedly tried to cover his mouth with their hands even though Cox was not resisting and was trying to voluntarily leave the building.
Rev. Shaver and Cox left the church area and were later stopped at a gas station where they were surrounded by police and arrested at the personal request of Halstrom, whose church is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches In America (ELCA) synod.
The two Christians spent seven hours in jail (See Ticket) on the charge of "rude and indecent behavior in a place of worship."
"It's a sad thing when a church considers the reading of God's Word 'rude and indecent behavior,' while embracing abortionist George Tiller, someone who violates that word every day by shedding the innocent blood of babies created in the image of the God they profess to serve. By doing so, they dishonor the name of Christ," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "Rev. Shaver's bold proclamation is to be applauded."
Rev. Shaver is available for interview at 929-600-9017.
Click here for video interview with Cox.
About Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation. Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America. Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.
