Bennett v. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Bowman, Judge.

Appellant, Michael L. Bennett, was ordained a minister in the predecessor to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (“ELCA”), appellee, in July 1974. In June 1991, appellant accepted a pastoral call by St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Piqua, Ohio, and, pursuant to the call, entered into a written contract of employment without term.

In March 1992, appellant received a telephone call from Kenneth H. Sauer, Bishop of appellee, the Southern Ohio Synod of the ELCA requesting a meeting with him. At that meeting, Sauer informed appellant that two individuals had made…