WELS church practices regarding divorce
A friend of mine contacted her WELS pastor regarding her failed marriage due to abandonment. She was looking for comfort and guidance. The pastor told her that he would need to send a letter to all members of the congregation naming the people and telling them of the divorce. This, she was told, was common practice of the WELS, for the purpose of clarifying the church's stance against divorce. Is this the practice of WELS churches to send this letter and put shame on those getting a divorce?
The situation as you have described it would not illustrate accurately the practices of our churches. I would like to think that you and I do not have all the information about this situation.
There is a time when we “tell it to the church” (Matthew 18:17). Those words are in the context of Jesus explaining what his followers are to do when they lovingly confront sin and impenitence in the life of a fellow Christian. That action comes about after individual and small group contacts with the impenitent person result in a continued denial or defense of sin.
But “telling it to the church” is more purposeful than sharing information. Additional people in the church—those in church leadership positions—are informed of the person’s sin and impenitent attitudes. That is done to add more voices to the call for repentance. “Telling it to the church” finally can materialize in a church voters’ assembly meeting, to which the impenitent person is invited to attend to explain his or her actions and attitudes, and at which a vote of excommunication might take place.
If your friend’s spouse has abandoned her, and he is a member of the congregation, the pastor will want to speak to him about his sinful actions with Matthew 18 in mind. At the same time, the pastor will seek to minister to your friend, providing scriptural guidance.
Again, I can only wonder if you and I are missing information about this situation. Speaking to your friend might help clarify matters.