American pastor of Our Hope Lutheran Church resigns after allegations of inappropriate behaviour at church's school 

The inappropriate behaviour expressed by Michael Terkula is either criminal or sexual

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Our Hope Lutheran Church in Huntertown has voted to accept the resignation of the congregation’s pastor.

The voting members approved Pastor Michael Terkula’s request to resign Thursday night. 21Investigates started looking into this months ago after parents reached out to us saying two teachers had resigned.

Our Hope’s decision to accept Pastor Terkula’s resignation follows a tense meeting where hundreds of people demanded answers after allegations surfaced about the pastor’s behavior at the church’s school.

The President of the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Rev. Stuckwisch, told church members his investigative team found “things of concern” and “inappropriate actions” that made some people feel “uncomfortable.”

He stresses he found “no indication of any sexual or criminal conduct toward any child.”

At a meeting Thursday, Our Hope accepted the pastor’s request for a “release from his call.” The district president tells us the pastor will have “no more connection to that congregation.” We reached out to Pastor Terkula for comment, but have not heard back.

Rev. Stuckwisch says it is his “hope and prayer that, at some point in the future, Pastor Terkula will be able to serve at another congregation.”

Leaders with Our Hope sent the following letter to parishioners:

“After a period of much prayer and consultation, Pastor Terkula has been led to see that the ministry at Our Hope will best continue with a different undershepherd, and for that reason he is requesting a peaceful release from his Call, effective immediately. Pastor Terkula has made this request out of care and concern for the entire parish including the school community. It will be taken up for consideration and official action at the special Voters’ Meeting this Thursday, the 21st of December, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The Indiana District President will be present and available to answer questions and address concerns at the Voters’ Meeting. For the time being, the District President affirms and clarifies that his thorough investigation has found no indication of any sexual or criminal conduct toward any child at Our Hope. We give thanks to our gracious God for His past, present, and continued mercies upon us in Christ Jesus. Thank you.”

- The letter reads.