tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33104763569666679062024-03-18T12:57:56.041-07:00Watchkeep To observe the course of mentally; keep up on or informed about; To record transactions, accounts, or events in; as, to keep books, a journal, etc.Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.comBlogger239125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-32007141296336841692021-07-22T14:05:00.020-07:002021-07-22T14:30:42.357-07:00Child sex abuse survivors come forward about Gracepoint Church pastor Danny Pitts <p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Survivors of child sexual abuse are coming forward about pastor Danny Pitts at <a href="http://box5192.temp.domains/~gracepr6/" target="_blank">Gracepoint Church</a> in Decatur, Alabama. I believe some have made reports to local police. Some have posted publicly and have been hearing from others who also were abused by Danny Pitts. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It’s common for abuse survivors to feel that they were the only one abused by an offender. They feel so alone and are hesitant to speak out. When they do, as in this case, they frequently learn that they are not the only ones. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hope these survivors feel supported as they find their voices to speak out. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The light of truth and knowledge is the best tool we have to protect kids from predators.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="650" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fthetaylorbendit%2Fposts%2F10223141270631503&show_text=true&width=500" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="500"></iframe> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXluDy2J0byLTPrvbZpO_1FrxPs_2GMrPlz1mX2Ml_F2wPsUWvK8UaUsOhZKadL9fImWUEJ68uxb1Ske91YqHfUvDDNYhjwSIL0DdnNnZZxtiz8C-RFoTknNJ4hvUMtElzgYJBV7sEUU/s2048/9E4B2D96-0CE9-41D3-86EB-BDBD6BC5E34F.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1668" data-original-width="2048" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXluDy2J0byLTPrvbZpO_1FrxPs_2GMrPlz1mX2Ml_F2wPsUWvK8UaUsOhZKadL9fImWUEJ68uxb1Ske91YqHfUvDDNYhjwSIL0DdnNnZZxtiz8C-RFoTknNJ4hvUMtElzgYJBV7sEUU/w640-h522/9E4B2D96-0CE9-41D3-86EB-BDBD6BC5E34F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xYmJHAJHh_P90hjQA8l3QpCjii-wPfYbJKkqwyDWim1MJIgSe9Ti0jixWRUQ3fiHELhbq5xfn4S-QCJrq-e_aGM5Oa15OpF0xQbCCv3X_pl2hnMFjbZ3vS2ksNg9lxdhobVsRbEkKTc/s1273/746225BC-00A9-45DB-ADA5-2768946C9FBE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1273" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1xYmJHAJHh_P90hjQA8l3QpCjii-wPfYbJKkqwyDWim1MJIgSe9Ti0jixWRUQ3fiHELhbq5xfn4S-QCJrq-e_aGM5Oa15OpF0xQbCCv3X_pl2hnMFjbZ3vS2ksNg9lxdhobVsRbEkKTc/w400-h368/746225BC-00A9-45DB-ADA5-2768946C9FBE.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7sbLrpDsGgztibj88fzTQa3tyfi1QO_6J6hDbuzPZFY4qaEQ93fA_8ZDU6E_-1dB5cmUXsxXzi6L-RsRFx3-uI5siVqXl_gmoHACimVfH1ZnpRWcRnXa852brIjGyLwayXnHRdtYQxk/s1041/gracepoint.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1041" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7sbLrpDsGgztibj88fzTQa3tyfi1QO_6J6hDbuzPZFY4qaEQ93fA_8ZDU6E_-1dB5cmUXsxXzi6L-RsRFx3-uI5siVqXl_gmoHACimVfH1ZnpRWcRnXa852brIjGyLwayXnHRdtYQxk/w400-h263/gracepoint.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VNBNHtDheb4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-32778201511638277802021-06-22T15:51:00.004-07:002021-06-25T08:22:20.434-07:00Registered sex offender preaching at a Dallas SBC church <p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was brought to my attention today that a registered sex offender has been preaching at a Dallas Southern Baptist church, <a href="http://adatshalom-dallas.org/" target="_blank">Adat Shalom Messianic Church</a>. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I called the church to confirm that this registered sex offender, Chad Hutchins, is the same person listed on their website as preaching/teaching from time to time. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_paB1OZTC0MFDPwUE53lW0ZEawN2XVYkyIYdJehckzbyRDxQz7aErHSLMmQyi59IHu_bGvwE727C-Cv5Tj9AlSHc3Od_Lp73A8gzzbIxqcDyrG7flVlRNCngTIV-i27UaSIyu8ztCpYM/s1985/2C353A07-C82E-4FBA-B4CC-48131E5E0E98.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1191" data-original-width="1985" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_paB1OZTC0MFDPwUE53lW0ZEawN2XVYkyIYdJehckzbyRDxQz7aErHSLMmQyi59IHu_bGvwE727C-Cv5Tj9AlSHc3Od_Lp73A8gzzbIxqcDyrG7flVlRNCngTIV-i27UaSIyu8ztCpYM/w640-h384/2C353A07-C82E-4FBA-B4CC-48131E5E0E98.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I confirmed through a Texas DPS registry search that Chad Hutchins is on the list. He was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/txn/PressRel08/hutchins_PSC_sen_pr.html" target="_blank">sentenced</a> in a federal case in 2008 for possession of child sexual abuse images. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9Zl-m_JjEjjeIzLAMDg-ZCW9_LyMD2MVS4rLj4_kZBrx4HOBX1b1908Yo3Wh87Psep5nfrcU3wKQUIEBdXBcArj-e5m5Y1N1b7Ed-QfQg7qsyIYtlLNboNZmUEPiIkwXEATQzjnQY-Y/s1858/9522369C-BB3D-4F2F-BA4F-40E637898B2A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1858" data-original-width="1854" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9Zl-m_JjEjjeIzLAMDg-ZCW9_LyMD2MVS4rLj4_kZBrx4HOBX1b1908Yo3Wh87Psep5nfrcU3wKQUIEBdXBcArj-e5m5Y1N1b7Ed-QfQg7qsyIYtlLNboNZmUEPiIkwXEATQzjnQY-Y/w638-h640/9522369C-BB3D-4F2F-BA4F-40E637898B2A.jpeg" width="638" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6oH9MUg9lZ69gzqgwkqjiqLQ1-CzpRxG3amd84XLpPFQ2ilapB_Y0rdvfjmYBbH6KQ9ahjr1r-KTukzTBVE-Kb67S0dMRL_BWbCs7EOLx-s2nIYVoonD9fh8yeP1-ezUo8PlMEkrj74/s2048/93CB3C2B-079E-4056-B4CC-B90A0CD1BC77.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="2048" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6oH9MUg9lZ69gzqgwkqjiqLQ1-CzpRxG3amd84XLpPFQ2ilapB_Y0rdvfjmYBbH6KQ9ahjr1r-KTukzTBVE-Kb67S0dMRL_BWbCs7EOLx-s2nIYVoonD9fh8yeP1-ezUo8PlMEkrj74/w640-h434/93CB3C2B-079E-4056-B4CC-B90A0CD1BC77.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I called the church, lead pastor Robin Rose answered. At the time I was not recording the call. I told him I was calling to confirm that my information was correct about Chad Hutchins and that this was the same person listed in the sermon notes portion of the church website. The phone call lasted about 25 minutes. After a few minutes in, I began recording the call as Pastor Rose had a lot to say, and I wanted to document this discussion. The phone call recording is embedded at the end of this post.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Robin Rose confirmed that his church is a Southern Baptist church, and that Chad Hutchins is a registered sex offender who preaches/teaches from “time to time.” He stated that the SBC has been made aware, and that the guy “who is in charge of ethics” for the SBC has been made aware as well. I asked the name of this guy but Rose did not know the name at the time. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I think it’s important for people to be made aware and choose to do with that information what they will as to their attendance at church or other organizational events that elevate sex offenders to positions of trust. </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The light of truth and knowledge is our greatest tool to protect kids and vulnerable adults. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1325" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9_aLhGakEBQRP5GHKlN6OlXeaVrhhyphenhyphen4BNQKMhyphenhyphenkIyZVdLz-TsDCIXHUEk4GtAWCQE-GJrbI0HMlcKHVRatUkDob3VkoXprS_XNSyOXUkZaG4-0TnCUKTZnZXXF0E6ak_Liv2qhTWqIw/w414-h640/4694DAD6-3CD4-47A6-894D-7B70BF9EBFDE.jpeg" width="414" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1073915233&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/watchkeep" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="watchkeep">watchkeep</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/watchkeep/conversation-with-southern-baptist-pastor-robin-rose" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Conversation With Southern Baptist Pastor Robin Rose">Conversation With Southern Baptist Pastor Robin Rose</a></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In addition to preaching periodically, I’ve discovered that registered sex offender Chad Hutchins is also on stage playing guitar and singing with the worship team. Video is from 6/18/21: <a href="https://t.co/74q6ICJto1">https://t.co/74q6ICJto1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sbc21?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sbc21</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thisisthesbc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thisisthesbc</a> <a href="https://t.co/zjzPIaHnEE">pic.twitter.com/zjzPIaHnEE</a></p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1407800682065899525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> </div></div></div></div> Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-55364259070412452962021-05-11T17:25:00.006-07:002021-05-12T22:00:01.365-07:00Waco PD detective blames Baylor sexual assault victim and refuses investigation <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hyBAs9IiPbpDTI2vp22ovKnTSo9jaBGJVskn8LUBewG7KAvXC6aoR5O5yPCnrp4zZGs9oPwPoaQ1hcLa9wpDchKabSZUKLvHFIW6iC6hDe8HadSVGuIM4kr8HL3VO9AaahhMlNuxz8o/s1754/Screen+Shot+2021-05-11+at+7.17.16+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1754" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hyBAs9IiPbpDTI2vp22ovKnTSo9jaBGJVskn8LUBewG7KAvXC6aoR5O5yPCnrp4zZGs9oPwPoaQ1hcLa9wpDchKabSZUKLvHFIW6iC6hDe8HadSVGuIM4kr8HL3VO9AaahhMlNuxz8o/w640-h286/Screen+Shot+2021-05-11+at+7.17.16+PM.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the fall of 2020, a sexual assault allegedly occurred off campus involving two <a href="https://www.baylor.edu/" target="_blank">Baylor University</a> students in Waco, Texas. The victim, Jane Doe, recalls being incapacitated at the time of the assault and did not come to a realization of what occurred until some time later. She then made a report in January 2021, first to the <a href="https://www.baylor.edu/dps/index.php?id=970812" target="_blank">Baylor police department </a>who immediately contacted <a href="https://twitter.com/WacoPolice" target="_blank">Waco police </a>to come in to take the report, because the assault occurred off campus. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On February 5, 2021, Jane Doe received a call from detective Michael Alston with the <a href="https://www.waco-texas.com/police/#gsc.tab=0" target="_blank">Waco</a> police department. He informed her that he was closing her case having done no investigation. He never contacted the alleged perpetrator. He explained that he was closing the case because he personally did not believe that an assault occurred. In the first call, Detective Alston asked the victim why she waited so long to make a report. When the victim called the detective back to request clarification and a report in writing as to why her case was being closed, Alston, as heard on a recording (embedded below), proceeded to tell the victim “what happened” as he views it. He questions why she didn’t say “No” out loud even though the victim reports that she had been drinking and was incapacitated and could not give consent. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Silence does not equal consent.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K_wjbOVTwzk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.change.org/p/waco-police-department-removal-of-waco-police-department-detective-michael-alston?recruiter=91719812&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_abi&utm_term=share_petition&recruited_by_id=857bb1f0-d4a7-11e3-92f9-ed45fa9549bb" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sign the petition: </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(54, 49, 53); color: #363135; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;">Removal of Waco Police Department Detective Michael Alston</span></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="314" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjoellopezkxxv%2Fvideos%2F135698668603600%2F&show_text=false&width=560" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="560"></iframe> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you've had a similar experience when reporting sexual assault to Waco police, Baylor police or other police/university departments, and would like to reach out, my email is below. Your identity will remain anonymous. You may also leave a comment on this post with your experience.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amy Smith </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">watchkeepamy@gmail.com </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-20703162702527649172021-05-07T12:46:00.008-07:002021-05-10T14:21:04.207-07:00Davey Blackburn’s social media connections with the suspects charged in connection to the murder of Amanda Blackburn <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVp4T-8AbNKatU3erDTFHp85qbzoiG-KaN96jnPCHW3pLfXyyIZbUkGjcjCBu-k_L6tJSDUV390HTqMrnSzjnpUNHSzyTWXc_BZoyPYPiGsdsvGqzJARMoP-9rPGO7gdEkER-Ynjnprjo/s924/D8F131FC-A464-45E7-B465-8A3B6B7F1054.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="924" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVp4T-8AbNKatU3erDTFHp85qbzoiG-KaN96jnPCHW3pLfXyyIZbUkGjcjCBu-k_L6tJSDUV390HTqMrnSzjnpUNHSzyTWXc_BZoyPYPiGsdsvGqzJARMoP-9rPGO7gdEkER-Ynjnprjo/w640-h598/D8F131FC-A464-45E7-B465-8A3B6B7F1054.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amanda Blackburn’s <a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2016/04/marketing-murder-perry-noble-and-davey.html" target="_blank">murder</a> in November 2015 has been repeatedly described by her husband <a href="https://www.daveyblackburn.com/" target="_blank">Davey Blackburn</a>, as well as throughout media coverage, as a random home invasion. Three men have been charged in connection to her murder. Two of the three, Jalen Watson and Diano Gordon have received plea deals on lesser charges of burglary. Last month, Watson was sentenced to 29 years in prison. Gordon has a hearing set for June, as well as Larry Taylor. </span></p><div class="subscriber-preview" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><h1 class="gnt_ar_hl" elementtiming="ar-headline" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: 38px; margin: 6px 0px 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2021/04/22/amanda-blackburn-shooting-man-sentenced-29-years-slaying/7336111002/" target="_blank">Amanda Blackburn shooting</a></span></h1><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><i style="font-family: verdana;">One of three men charged in the 2015 fatal shooting of Amanda Blackburn has been sentenced to 29 years in prison for his part in the killing, according to court records.</i></p></div><div class="subscriber-preview" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Jalen E. Watson, who in 2017 pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and two counts of burglary in the killing of the Indianapolis pastor’s wife, was sentenced last month to serve 29 years for the robbery charge and 20 combined years for the burglary charges, the records show. The sentences will be served concurrently.</i></span></p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Amanda Blackburn was the daughter of Phil Byars, pastor of First Baptist Church in Elkhart. Her husband, Davey Blackburn, was pastor of Resonate Church in Indianapolis at the time of the shooting.</i></span></p></div><div class="tncms-region hidden-print" id="tncms-region-article_instory_top" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Watson’s guilty plea was part of a deal in which seven other charges, including murder and auto theft, were dismissed. Two other men, Larry Taylor Jr. and Diano Gordon, were also charged in connection to the killing.</i></span></p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The plea agreement requires Watson to cooperate with the state in the prosecutions of both Taylor and Gordon, according to the man’s sentencing order. It says the court may “consider reducing defendant sentence” after he has completed his cooperation and if he has a “clean conduct report.”</i></span></p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Blackburn was shot and killed Nov. 10, 2015, in her home in the 2800 block of Sunnyfield Court on the northwest side of Indianapolis. She was 12 weeks pregnant with her and her husband’s second child at the time.</i></span></p></div><div class="tncms-region hidden-print" id="tncms-region-article_instory_middle" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Police said her slaying was tied to a neighborhood burglary. Investigators said the suspects saw Davey Blackburn, the woman’s husband, leave his house and seized the opportunity to also burglarize the Blackburn home.</i></span></p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>A neighbor reported hearing shots about 35 minutes after Davey Blackburn left, and Amanda Blackburn died two days later.</i></span></p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Indianapolis police later learned that Blackburn’s death was part of a violent, eight-day crime spree, court documents say.</i></span></p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The Blackburns had moved to Indianapolis a couple of years earlier and founded a new place of worship they called the Resonate Church. The family had lived for four years in South Carolina, where Davey Blackburn was an assistant pastor at NewSpring Church.</i></span></p></div><div class="subscriber-only" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>A change of plea hearing in Gordon’s case is scheduled for June, court records show. Taylor has a hearing set for the same month.</i></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Just three days after Amanda was shot, someone at Newspring Church affiliated with Perry Noble, <span style="caret-color: rgb(68, 68, 68);">Davey's</span> former </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">employer, registered the domain Nothing is Wasted for Davey and his then church, Resonate Church. He live tweeted the hashtag Nothing is Wasted during Amanda's funeral. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQv5ZXOgEhHqAO2nJtcH5uG5KZCjzwZFq93McXeyKP-yrnCLnxCdUkg_KZvXzpimIEnMM3nEy-UH96slSnZAlfW5n2h6t6JmgLWl9y-zz0pxjP9cEs4dg8gtTdflXdOltUXt2UrMNsTBA/s1200/NIW.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1200" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQv5ZXOgEhHqAO2nJtcH5uG5KZCjzwZFq93McXeyKP-yrnCLnxCdUkg_KZvXzpimIEnMM3nEy-UH96slSnZAlfW5n2h6t6JmgLWl9y-zz0pxjP9cEs4dg8gtTdflXdOltUXt2UrMNsTBA/w640-h552/NIW.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyq9v5UKi7rwFGdvULJvcykilxkLy_u2H_dC02Cm92ul8kbLZHLcQHjp54Jkzph-UNhdW3v6Joha3DHUcwWFnZ89QTy6PdKMEXi6-LovgvUQEKJrEzfnua6D8igaLrQrltzGYhzV4GebY/s1124/Screen+Shot+2021-05-07+at+2.01.50+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="1124" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyq9v5UKi7rwFGdvULJvcykilxkLy_u2H_dC02Cm92ul8kbLZHLcQHjp54Jkzph-UNhdW3v6Joha3DHUcwWFnZ89QTy6PdKMEXi6-LovgvUQEKJrEzfnua6D8igaLrQrltzGYhzV4GebY/w640-h200/Screen+Shot+2021-05-07+at+2.01.50+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><br /></p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(132, 132, 132);">On February 1, 2016, less than 3 months after the murder of his wife, </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(132, 132, 132);">Davey Blackburn <a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-serendipitous-murder.html" target="_blank">formed</a> the business titled </span><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/338240517/NIW-Serendipity-LLC#from_embed" target="_blank">NIW Serendipity LLC</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(132, 132, 132);"> in Indianapolis. NIW stands for <a href="https://www.nothingiswasted.com/our-story" target="_blank">Nothing is Wasted</a>, Davey's go-to mission statement, now a personal coaching business, since the immediate days after Amanda's murder. </span></span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px 0px 24px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(132, 132, 132);"><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.7729220222793488" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" scrolling="no" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/338240517/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-3XteO59WHemOYn0FAynX" tabindex="0" title="NIW Serendipity LLC" width="100%"></iframe></span></span></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(132, 132, 132);"><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/338240517/NIW-Serendipity-LLC#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View NIW Serendipity LLC on Scribd">NIW Serendipity LLC</a> by <a href="https://www.scribd.com/user/136771647/watchkeep#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View watchkeep's profile on Scribd">watchkeep</a></span></span></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Upon news of the three suspects' arrest a few weeks after Amanda's murder, word began circulating that the suspects had <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2015/11/23/amanda-blackburn-case-murder-suspects-have-gang-ties/76286244/" target="_blank">gang ties</a>. The Indy Star reported that the gang was originally called the "Fam gang." </span></p><p></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: start; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Back in 2009, they called themselves the FAM Gang.</i></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: start; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>It was a gang comprising at least a dozen teens living on the city's North and Northwest sides. Police noted at the time that one of the ways to enter the gang – the initials stood for Forever After Money, but it also referred to FAMily Untouchable — was to rob someone.</i></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: start; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Two of its members back then? A then-14-year-old kid named <a class="gnt_ar_b_a" data-t-l=":b|e|inline click|${u}" href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2015/11/23/amanda-blackburn-court-documents-charges-larry-taylor-and-jalen-watson/76282316/" style="text-underline-offset: 2px;">Jalen “Lil Watt” Watson and a teenager named Diano “D-Loc” Gordon</a>, who was 17 years old and had the words "FAM GANG" tattooed on his forearms.</i></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: start; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>...</i></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Could the robbery spree that culminated in Blackburn's murder also be a gang crime, perhaps even an initiation?</span></i></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">When asked Monday, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Sgt. Kendale Adams emphatically said no.</span></i></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Gangs are fluid," Adams said. "There was no known gang activity connected to this particular crime." </span></i></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is not known whether Taylor had any ties to the "FAM Gang," though court records show that Watson and Gordon were members as recently as 2011.</span></i></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Another </span><a href="https://fox59.com/news/impd-makes-arrests-in-amanda-blackburn-case/" target="_blank"><span>news story</span></a><span> <span style="caret-color: rgb(48, 48, 48);">reported</span> that authorities </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>said the men arrested in connection to Amanda Blackburn's murder referred to themselves as “The Kilt Gang.” I recall <span style="caret-color: rgb(48, 48, 48);">reading</span> discussions in late November 2015 about Davey's social media connections to members of this gang. Davey deleted these Facebook connections shortly after these connections were exposed. </span></span></p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p" style="background-color: white; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin: 14px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>I received the following information that was sent to law enforcement showing the mutual friends that Davey Blackburn had in common with one of the suspects, Diano ("D-Loc") Gordon. The mutual friends were Treezy </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jones, Hootie Hoot and Kyle Horton-Dunnigan. Some of the mutual friends can be traced back to July 2013.</span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtj8o97quoW3jLzuFqwlCt2Mmlx5MYaz5y45V0mMc-Ti9bLropMwOHRlvE_j861heJtjqBU4-EkPUKW65BTqrf38l341bN1_dbRHH1CLCgJjQiWWxDOxFNO9BxEi_cia8C1v-zAe1MY44/s924/89F0AB88-4620-479D-A0B9-8A80FD05BB9D.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="924" height="598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtj8o97quoW3jLzuFqwlCt2Mmlx5MYaz5y45V0mMc-Ti9bLropMwOHRlvE_j861heJtjqBU4-EkPUKW65BTqrf38l341bN1_dbRHH1CLCgJjQiWWxDOxFNO9BxEi_cia8C1v-zAe1MY44/w640-h598/89F0AB88-4620-479D-A0B9-8A80FD05BB9D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">A group of concerned citizens put together a dossier about Amanda Blackburn’s murder that has been sent to a suspect’s (Larry Taylor) attorney.<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white;"> They received information that Davey only took out the very large life insurance policy on Amanda two months before the murder. The policy needed two months before it vested, so did Davey wait the minimum amount of time, 8 weeks, before killing Amanda or hiring people to kill her? Davey and Amanda were probably aware that Amanda was pregnant when he took out the life insurance policy, as she was 12 weeks when murdered. The group also received information that Amanda had confessed to a church women's group that Davey was physically and verbally abusing her. Some connections were found between Davey and Kristi, his new wife, before Amanda was murdered. They both went to the same LA Fitness on Shore Drive at the same time. Kristi's individual account was later moved into Davey's family account. They kept their LA Fitness accounts several years after the murder. (This info was verified when someone in the dossier group called LA Fitness. Kristi used </span><a href="mailto:kristi.blackburn@gmail.com" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">kristi.blackburn@gmail.com</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white;"> for her account). </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/amandablackburncase/posts/1219015388516672" data-show-text="true" data-width="500"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/amandablackburncase/posts/1219015388516672" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><p>How was a young mother murdered in her home at 7 am on a weekday morning? She lived in a cul-de-sac with a boxer dog. ...</p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/amandablackburncase/">The Amanda Blackburn Case</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/amandablackburncase/posts/1219015388516672">Sunday, April 18, 2021</a></blockquote><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-5oKhQ5nJsY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </p></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">By Davey's brother's own personal accounting, Amanda took quite a personal beating and shooting for a "random" home invasion.</span></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Hey, look, just to give you a heads up, she took quite a beating. Don’t be startled when you see her.”<br />Jono Blackburn, Davey’s brother <a href="https://t.co/noLFTmwalZ">https://t.co/noLFTmwalZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amandablackburn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#amandablackburn</a> <a href="https://t.co/ibFQgStI23">pic.twitter.com/ibFQgStI23</a></p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1245758583259697158?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <br /><div><br /></div><br />Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-62294474690169378742021-04-26T08:16:00.001-07:002021-04-26T08:22:10.250-07:00Erosion of Trust: Todd Wagner resigns as lead pastor of Watermark Community Church <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0QnvUsDp3TXxhxYwhrsz9qSjvquVELo_nbP0Xyjukc7flaxvJNXBjFeAJwjSQginadLKNNhZs6gFkv9DRDmMopBqU83sohAwNzVPE96-iySpa8lsAG4fkZLbSTnrbso_Na3iDALMWmg/s2048/Screen+Shot+2021-04-26+at+9.44.46+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1093" data-original-width="2048" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf0QnvUsDp3TXxhxYwhrsz9qSjvquVELo_nbP0Xyjukc7flaxvJNXBjFeAJwjSQginadLKNNhZs6gFkv9DRDmMopBqU83sohAwNzVPE96-iySpa8lsAG4fkZLbSTnrbso_Na3iDALMWmg/w640-h342/Screen+Shot+2021-04-26+at+9.44.46+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yesterday, Watermark Community Church, a Dallas mega church, announced that founder and senior pastor Todd Wagner had <a href="https://www.watermark.org/update" target="_blank">resigned</a>. In a video posted to the website along with the leadership update, Todd is joined on stage by several other elders and staff members. One of those, David Leventhal, announced that he had resigned last month due to "an erosion of trust in Todd Wagner's ability to lead in the role of Senior Pastor and Elder." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That's quite a line that was no doubt scripted, but that it made it into the official announcement says that something serious has been going on with Todd Wagner at Watermark Church. Last fall Todd <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/dallas-megachurch-pastor-steps-away-from-pulpit-due-to-sin-of-pride.html" target="_blank">announced</a> that he was temporarily stepping back from his role as senior pastor due to the sin of pride. Leonardo Blair at The <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/dallas-megachurch-pastor-steps-away-from-pulpit-due-to-sin-of-pride.html" target="_blank">Christian Post</a> covered this story at the time.</span></p><blockquote><p style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>“For the first time in 20 years, I’m stepping back from what I usually do so I can do the hard work of hard work. So don’t be looking for some scandal. Don’t even think this is scandalous. What is scandalous is when a Christian plays with, overlooks or welcomes sin, respectable or not,” Wagner told his megachurch, which averages about 11,000 weekly worshipers across four campuses. </i></span></p><p style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>“I thank God I have friends to help me. Pride kills. And I would call what I’ve heard my friends describing and telling me, pride. That’s the sin. And it’s really interesting because you know I don’t think of myself or I fool myself into thinking I’m not a prideful person because I never look in the mirror and clap,” he explained. </i></span></p><p style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.875rem;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Wagner explained that he and his elders have been in talks about his sin since June and they have walked through a period of repentance and he was now asking church members for their forgiveness.</i></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">After a short time of Todd Wagner back in the pulpit as senior pastor</span>, <span style="font-family: verdana;">we now learn that there has been a significant rift at Watermark, if another elder and staff pastor resigned due to an "erosion of trust" in Todd and his ability to lead. I've known for years that Watermark Church has a history of abusive tactics. Anna Keith who blogs at </span><a href="http://noedenelsewhere.com/category/watermark-church/" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">No Eden Elsewhere</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">, has covered this aspect of Watermark in depth.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Does this "erosion of trust" brought about by Todd's behavior involve someone else? A church member? Has Todd abused his position of trust as a pastor? These are important questions for church members to ask. It's important for others to ask as well, because typically pastors will move on to lead others in some capacity. Todd founded Watermark and was the lead pastor for over 20 years. </span></p><section class="section-block-text default inherit-skin" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 49, 47); color: #28312f; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; min-width: 0px; padding: 60px 15px;"><div class="row justify-content-center" style="-webkit-box-pack: center !important; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: center; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; min-width: 0px;"><div class="col-content-narrow" style="-webkit-box-flex: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; flex: 0 0 66.66667175292969%; max-width: 66.66667175292969%; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 960px;"><div class="row" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; min-width: 0px;"><div class="col-12" style="-webkit-box-flex: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; flex: 0 0 100%; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 960px;"><div class="formatted-content" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Sunday, April 25 we shared three significant transitions to our leadership team with our church body. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">David Leventhal resigned his position as Elder and staff member on March 26. His resignation was due to an erosion of trust in Todd Wagner’s ability to lead in the role of Senior Pastor and Elder. David arrived at this decision in concert with his wife, their family, and their community group. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Separately, in the following weeks, Todd, alongside his wife, Alex, reached the conclusion that the time had come for him to step down as Senior Pastor and Elder. Todd and Alex had been seeking the Lord for over a year to discern what their next step of faithfulness would be, and through conversations with family, friends, fellow Elders and their community, God gave them clarity that now was the time for a transition. Todd submitted his resignation to the Elder team on April 17, and it was accepted on that day. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We believe both men are seeking to be faithful to the Lord and honor one another in this process. At the same time, we land at a different place than David and Todd regarding why we have arrived here. After hundreds of hours of conversations over several months, every member of the Elder team, Elder Emeritus team, and the various community groups involved all affirm these decisions. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Despite a challenging season, David and Todd are at peace with one another and will serve together on the Elder Emeritus team. We are currently processing how each person can best serve the mission in the days ahead. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Church, these last few days have been long and sad as we mourn the loss of serving alongside David and Todd as we once had. Both men have served our God and our church faithfully. However, amidst our grief we have seen clearly that God is sovereignly and providentially at work in the details of these transitions. Tangible evidence of God’s leading is the unity, alignment, and peace He has provided all those involved.</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As further evidence that God has gone before us, we had been considering adding Blake Holmes to the Elder team for weeks. Before Todd resigned, we joyfully extended that invitation to Blake, and he is currently in the Elder candidate process. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please review the video of this announcement and the FAQs below if you desire further clarity. Above all, we ask you to continue to pray for the Elder team and our church as we navigate this next season. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our mission remains the same – to love God and love others (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Matt 22.37-39" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2022.37-39" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(188, 90, 0); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc5a00; font-weight: 600; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Matthew 22:37-39</a>). Jesus is the head of our church, and we exist for His glory alone (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Col 1.18" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Col%201.18" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(188, 90, 0); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc5a00; font-weight: 600; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Colossians 1:18</a>). For over 20 years, this has been God’s church, and Todd has been one of the loudest voices to teach us that the church should never be built around any one besides Jesus Christ (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="1 Cor 3.4" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Cor%203.4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(188, 90, 0); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc5a00; font-weight: 600; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">1 Corinthians 3:4</a>). We are confident we have the staff team and lay leadership in place to lead us through this next season as we continue our mission to call all people to be fully devoted followers of Christ. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For the last two decades, we have experienced a continual sense of awe at what God is doing through His people at Watermark. Every week, people are being set free from the burden of their sin, finding refuge from the storms of life, healing broken relationships, deepening their understanding of God’s Word, sacrificially giving in a way that glorifies God, and using their gifts to humbly serve others (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Acts 2.42-43" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Acts%202.42-43" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-bottom-color: rgb(188, 90, 0); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #bc5a00; font-weight: 600; min-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Acts 2:42-43</a>). We are expectant of all God will continue to do in and through this body. </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Humbly, </span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kyle Thompson and Mickey Friedrich<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;" /><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;">Elders of Watermark Community Church</em></span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;"><br /></em></span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;"></em></span></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;">Watermark Community Church, Dallas mega church, announces that church founder and lead pastor Todd Wagner has resigned. <a href="https://twitter.com/WatermarkChurch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WatermarkChurch</a> <a href="https://t.co/gSNGOtEIc8">https://t.co/gSNGOtEIc8</a></em></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1386524491933618177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2021</a></em></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;"> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></em></span><p></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></em></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></em></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></em></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: freight-text-pro, montserrat, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px;"><br /></em></p></div></div></div></div></div></section><section class="section-video default inherit-skin" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 49, 47); color: #28312f; font-family: freight-text-pro, montserrat, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 16px; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; min-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 60px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px;"><div class="row justify-content-center" style="-webkit-box-pack: center !important; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: center; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; min-width: 0px;"><div class="col-content-container" style="-webkit-box-flex: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; flex: 0 0 83.33332824707031%; max-width: 83.33332824707031%; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 1199.984375px;"><div class="row" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; min-width: 0px;"><div class="col-12" style="-webkit-box-flex: 0; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; flex: 0 0 100%; max-width: 100%; min-width: 0px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; position: relative; width: 1199.984375px;"><div class="section-video-content" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 5px; min-width: 0px;"><div class="section-video-content__video embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 1159.984375px;"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://media.watermark.org/embeds/8261/video?theme=watermark" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-width: 0px; bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: 652.484375px; left: 0px; min-width: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: 1159.984375px;" webkitallowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div></div></div></div></div></section><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-60384138433676523352021-01-22T15:22:00.016-08:002021-01-22T15:33:45.710-08:00SBC Credentials Committee is a total sham. They are NOT a safe resource for ANY survivor - Jules Woodson <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQuPmUkGc0jNtvE8NojvG5Ey5kvoShpoeVW1n5Ynvlc2Ire5ZL4tbers35atn9dYl_ZzKcpTOJ7P-9Ufhgp6Ok2ker-u0NKsSTmPEEa-yqEcbc531699CFtCIed_pw3OdC5KIz-L5p2M/s400/jules.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQuPmUkGc0jNtvE8NojvG5Ey5kvoShpoeVW1n5Ynvlc2Ire5ZL4tbers35atn9dYl_ZzKcpTOJ7P-9Ufhgp6Ok2ker-u0NKsSTmPEEa-yqEcbc531699CFtCIed_pw3OdC5KIz-L5p2M/w400-h400/jules.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jules Woodson from Twitter</span></div><br /><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><span style="color: #353744; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am so livid at the SBC Credentials Committee right now I could scream!!! A Thread: Yesterday, a fellow advocate and friend, <a href="https://twitter.com/writer_dee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@writer_dee</a>, spoke with Mike Lawson and Stacey Bramlett via a Zoom meeting on my behalf.</span></p><span style="color: #353744; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">— Jules Woodson (@juleswoodson11) <a href="https://twitter.com/juleswoodson11/status/1352655257222881281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Time after time, the Southern Baptist Convention shows itself to be completely inept, corrupt and dangerous. Caring Well was a sham. As Jules Woodson's tweet thread explains, the <a href="https://www.sbc.net/about/what-we-do/sbc-governance/credentials-committee/" target="_blank">SBC Credentials Committee</a> is a sham. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jules sent an email to lead pastor Steve Bradley at <a href="https://gostonebridge.com/" target="_blank">Stonebridge Church</a> in Texas on May 15, 2019. Steve Bradley was the pastor to whom Jules reported being <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/09/opinion/jules-woodson-andy-savage-assault.html" target="_blank">sexually abused</a> by her then youth pastor Andy Savage when she was in high school. Steve did not report this abuse to law enforcement. Andy was allowed to move on to Tennessee where he founded <a href="https://highpointonline.com/" target="_blank">Highpoint Church</a> with Chris Conlee. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Andy Savage resigned from Highpoint and has recently started a new church in Collierville, Tennesee, <a href="https://www.gracevalleymemphis.org/" target="_blank">Grace Valley Church</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Chris Conlee resigned from Highpoint Church and has also recently started a new church in Collierville, Tennessee, <a href="https://www.gracevalleymemphis.org/" target="_blank">One City Church</a>. (It's getting crowded in Collierville, isn't it?) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jules' letter to Steve Bradley:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>15th May 2019</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Steve Bradley</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Senior Pastor, StoneBridge Church</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>One StoneBridge Drive
</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>The Woodlands, TX
77382</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Dear Steve,</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Although it has been over 20 years since we last communicated, I have really held out hope that at some point you would have made it a priority to reach out to me. That has not happened, and so I am writing you in an effort to try and bring closure. Despite the fact you’ve had many opportunities to do so, especially since January when I went public with my story, you have made no attempts to personally apologize and right the many wrongs that have caused me so much pain. Your continued silence and lack of integrity in addressing this situation is beyond heartbreaking, not only to me but to my family as well.
</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Over the past 11 months you have made only two public statements...One was to Channel 2 News in Houston and the other was posted to your website but has since been removed. Both of these statements were retraumatizing as they minimized what happened, were misleading about facts, denied a cover-up, and denied an effort to silence me. You continue to decline to take full responsibility, as well as be held accountable, for the many failures made by you and the church. From these statements it is clear that you either don’t understand the devastating effects clergy sexual abuse has on victims, as well as how the mishandling of such abuse compounds the existing trauma, or you just don’t care...Both of which are extremely dangerous and ignorant positions to take as senior pastor of a church.</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Your lack of compassion towards me as I have tried to seek closure and healing for the physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse I suffered as a member of your congregation has been reprehensible. This was my church and you, Larry, and Andy were my pastors and spiritual leaders...I trusted you all. You have no idea the despair, isolation, and self devastation I’ve experienced because I was thrown under the bus, not just for Andy’s sake, but for your sake, and the reputation of the church. Though I, and others, have continued to plea for justice and accountability regarding the ways my abuse was so wrongly handled, it has been to no avail. Therefore, I am reaching out personally with the hope of gaining some understanding and healing for the many ways in which you have failed me. Below is a list of questions I have struggled with for so long and I would very much appreciate you taking the time to respond.
</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></p><ol style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why did you not immediately call the police when you learned of
my abuse?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Were you/are you aware that in the state of Texas, clergy are mandated
reporters of child sexual abuse?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why did you not immediately pull Andy from his position on staff
when I first reported my abuse?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why did you allow Andy to resign instead of firing him?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why were you not transparent and honest with the congregation that
Andy had sexually abused a minor in the youth group?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why did you, nor anyone on staff, ever reach out to me after I reported
the abuse to offer support, help, or to ask me what I wanted and needed?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why did you allow and/or think it was appropriate to throw Andy a
going away party at the church?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why did you not inform anyone at Germantown Baptist Church about
my abuse when Andy was hired on staff there?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why did you think it was appropriate, and even go so far as to call
a meeting with my Mom and Stepdad asking for their blessing, to bring Andy back on staff at the church?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why, when my Mother and Stepdad adamantly said NO at that meeting,
did you not realize that the initial situation remained unresolved?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why have you and the church not offered to conduct and submit to
a third party investigation as Austin Stone did with Larry and Highpoint did with Andy?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li><li dir="ltr" style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span><p dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Why do you feel you are above reproach and qualified to pastor a
congregation when you have repeatedly failed to handle my abuse in a lawful and ethical manner?</b></i></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>
</b></i></span></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Though you have refused to respond to other people’s attempts to dialogue with you regarding the ways you have mishandled my abuse, my prayer is that by reaching out to you personally, you will finally choose to handle things differently. I have been deeply wounded by your words and actions from 20 years ago and continuing to this day. I sincerely request that you respond to my inquiries not only with honesty but with empathy as well.
</b></i></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Respectfully,</b></i></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: verdana; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Jules Woodson</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jules made a report to the SBC credentials committee about Stonebridge Church and Steve Bradley. She received an email confirmation on January 28, 2020 from then committee chair Stacy Bramlett. </span></p><div id="divRplyFwdMsg" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><strong>From:</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>credentials <<a href="mailto:credentials@sbc.net">credentials@sbc.net</a>><br /><strong>Sent:</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Tuesday, January 28, 2020, 8:34 AM<br /><strong>To:</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jules Woodson<br /><strong>Subject:</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Submission Received</i></span></div><div id="divRplyFwdMsg" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="WordSection1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><p class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Southern Baptist Convention<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></span></b></p><p class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>CREDENTIALS<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>COMMITTEE</i></span></p><p class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>STACY<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>BRAMLETT, CHAIR</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>Dear Ms.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="SpellE">Woodsen</span>,</b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b> </b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>Thank you for having the courage to report your concern that<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="SpellE">StoneBridge</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Church in The Woodlands, Texas, has mishandled the care for an abuse survivor.<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We grieve whenever we hear an allegation such as this regarding a Southern Baptist church. We understand how difficult making this report may be for you. Each member of our committee has committed personally to pray for you.</span></b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b> </b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>First and foremost, if you know of or have reason to suspect unreported or ongoing criminal behavior of any type, including sexual abuse or other crimes, we urge you to contact law enforcement immediately. Neither the Southern Baptist Convention nor our committee has investigative authority or power; this is properly the role of law enforcement. If calling law enforcement feels intimidating to you, we encourage you to ask a trusted friend to assist you in making this call. If you would like to receive a phone call from an individual trained to assist victims of sexual or other forms of abuse, please respond to this email.</b></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>For clarity, the role of the Credentials Committee is to determine if a church is in friendly cooperation with the Convention as described in the Southern Baptist Convention Constitution, “Article III. Composition.” We recognize that is a small part to play in your healing journey and pursuit of justice.</b></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">We want this letter to assure you that we have received your concern. We know waiting and uncertainty can be difficult on matters this weighty. We will consider your communication as soon as possible and will get back with you about the status of your report. If you need more information regarding the role of the Credentials Committee please visit our webpage at</span><a href="http://www.sbc.net/credentials"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">www.sbc.net/credentials</span></a><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">. <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>In the meantime, be assured of our prayers. </span></b></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b> </b></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>Sincerely,</b></i></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The SBC Credentials Committee</b></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Jules received a letter about the status of her submission from the SBC Credentials Committee chair Mike Lawson on November 16, 2020. He stated that Stonebridge Church was in good standing with the SBC, and they determined that Stonebridge would be removed from inquiry.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><div id="divRplyFwdMsg" style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>From:</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>credentials <<a href="mailto:credentials@sbc.net">credentials@sbc.net</a>><br /><strong>Sent:</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Monday, November 16, 2020, 7:19 AM<br /><strong>To: [redacted]</strong><br /><strong>Subject:</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Status of Submission<br /></span></i></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></p><div class="WordSection1" style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Southern Baptist Convention</span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">MIKE LAWSON, CHAIR</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>November 16, 2020</b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Dear Ms. Woodson,</b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Credentials Committee desires to reach out to you personally and inform you of our decision regarding Stonebridge Church. As we have not been able to connect via phone or Zoom, please receive this letter in the spirit from which it was drafted: to sincerely thank you and inform you. Thank you for your patience as we have worked and prayed our way through this process.</b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>First, we wish to thank you. Thank you for being willing to share your story<u><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></u>and for drawing attention to the need for churches to make an intentional effort to prevent abuse and to care well for victims of sexual abuse. Thank you for the effort it took to provide us with all the information regarding your abuse. It helped provide an understanding of what you experienced and continue to face as a result. We want you to know that we read and grieved over the information available to us including: your blog, articles, and your interview with the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>New York Times<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that we watched in its entirety. We prayed for you and all the victims, and, more recently, for you and your mother as you care for her in these difficult days. Thank you, for your boldness and courage in coming forward with your story. We believe that you and others like you are making a difference in how churches respond to reports of sexual abuse and helping them create intentional policies and practices that will help prevent such things in the future.</b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Your story has been a particular force in transformative change at Stonebridge Church. In recent years, they have taken significant and extensive steps to improve policies, practices, and procedures to better serve their people. These steps are set up to offer increased protections and improved responses to reports.</b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Our committee has considered the information available to us regarding<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="SpellE">StoneBridge</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Church’s relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention. Our committee’s assignment as outlined in SBC Bylaw 8<sup>[1]</sup>, is to consider the current relationship between a church and the Convention. Neither our committee nor the Southern Baptist Convention has any authority over another Baptist body as stated in Article IV<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>[2]</sup>of the SBC Constitution.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">This committee’s role is to determine if a church is in friendly cooperation with the Convention and make a recommendation to the Executive Committee when we determine a church is not currently in friendly cooperation with the Convention as described in Article III<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><sup>[3]</sup><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>of the SBC Constitution.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>At this time, we do not have any information that causes us to conclude that the church does not have a faith and practice which closely identifies with the Convention’s adopted statement of faith, and we have determined that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="SpellE">SonteBridge</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Church be removed from inquiry.</b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>While the nine of us on this committee have a very limited and specific task, we care about you and other survivors. We requested and have been granted access to trauma informed counselors. If you think they might be of any help to you as you continue your healing journey, we will gladly connect you to them. We know that receiving this information may be difficult, and we are sorry for any pain it may cause.</b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Sincerely,</b></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The SBC Credentials Committee</b></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i></i></b></span></p><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yesterday, Dee Ann Miller, an abuse survivor advocate, had a lengthy Zoom conversation with the past and present chairpersons of the SBC Credentials Committee, Stacy Bramlett and Mike Lawson. She was very discouraged about it and tweeted her response. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After a lengthy and very enlightening conversation today with both the past and present chairpersons of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBC</a> Credentials Committee via Zoom, I am saddened, shocked, and challenged by what I learned that will be especially interesting to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> participants ....</span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">— Dee Ann Miller (@writer_dee) <a href="https://twitter.com/writer_dee/status/1352495267354988546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></span></blockquote><p><br /></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The most urgent matter for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBC</a> Credential Committee, I told the chairpersons on Zoom today, was to find out how communication had broken down with her after she filed her concern in May, 2019, not getting another personal word from anyone on the CC for 18 months! ....</p>— Dee Ann Miller (@writer_dee) <a href="https://twitter.com/writer_dee/status/1352507055857405952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">i</span></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This thread traces how the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBC</a> Credentials Committee’s process and its very existence is structured as window dressing with nothing of substance in the store. Disappointing and yet another trauma checkpoint for survivors to ensure.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbuseofFaith?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbuseofFaith</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbuseofPower?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbuseofPower</a> <a href="https://t.co/30gShMw02W">https://t.co/30gShMw02W</a></span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">— Holly Hope (@Holly4Hope) <a href="https://twitter.com/Holly4Hope/status/1352706559437115393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2021</a></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Credentials Committee lied in<span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"> their decision letter when they stated they had tried to reach Jules by phone and email, but she did not respond. Jules has no record of ever being contacted. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">I believe that the SBC from the top down is corrupt and inept in matters of sexual abuse, which makes their churches dangerous. My friend and fellow blogger Dee Parsons at The Wartburg Watch</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2020/11/18/steve-bradley-stonebridge-church-who-didnt-report-jules-woodsons-abuse-and-refuses-to-speak-with-her-was-commended-by-the-credentialing-committee-for-exemplifying-sbc-faith-and-practices/" target="_blank">writes</a>:</span></span></p><p><b><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bottom Line: Children are not safe in the SBC and the Credentialing Committee proved it. </span></i><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The SBC thinks it is just fine for a pastor not to report sex abuse as well as to ignore letters from a victim asking to speak to her former head pastor. This sums up, for me, the Baptist faith and practices. Because of this, I do not recommend that anyone bring their children to an SBC church. They love guys who avoid police reports at all costs. They love the pastor who refuses to speak to a victim. They care for the rich and powerful. The little student who gets molested is just the cost of doing business.</span></i></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></b></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></p></blockquote> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /></span><p></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span><p></p></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 24pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></p>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-42604321238267682102020-10-19T12:20:00.006-07:002020-10-19T12:24:26.296-07:00Breaking: Uncle who found body and car of Marilane Carter dead of apparent suicide in Kansas after search warrant served at his house<span style="font-family: verdana;">I was contacted Saturday night by someone asking if I had heard that Adam Carter's uncle <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lawrence.balderson" target="_blank">Larry Bradley</a> had killed himself. That was the first I had heard about it. I was also told that police had shown up at Larry Bradley's house last week in Overland Park, Kansas with a search warrant. Sometime after that, Larry allegedly left and went somewhere and killed himself, possibly at a nearby park. </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Larry Bradley is Kansas Baptist pastor Adam Carter's uncle who found Marilane Carter's body and car on August 18, 2020 in a remote field in a shipping container in West Memphis, Arkansas. Larry is married to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ellen.c.bradley.1" target="_blank">Ellen</a>, Adam's dad Craig's sister. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I posted to Facebook and Twitter looking to confirm news of Larry's death.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">First, I received a reply from Jason Wilson on Facebook who reportedly is Larry Bradley's co-worker at <a href="https://www.bnsf.com/" target="_blank">BNSF Railway</a>. </span></div><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Q3Iy0JE1jBUNBsAo3h8bJj8rYbjTtAQbHm0De4FrXPvqkRSYqPwbD8Od3IDm7P9ezFP3oe5VTl7UnyoKDH3NMwoHE8c6QwTKSvA0xTS4dgGZkuGiFcm5N8BK1Ti6LsC4r9ZLzo5oBgc/s1045/Larry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1045" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Q3Iy0JE1jBUNBsAo3h8bJj8rYbjTtAQbHm0De4FrXPvqkRSYqPwbD8Od3IDm7P9ezFP3oe5VTl7UnyoKDH3NMwoHE8c6QwTKSvA0xTS4dgGZkuGiFcm5N8BK1Ti6LsC4r9ZLzo5oBgc/w507-h640/Larry.jpg" width="507" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then, a close friend of Adam confirmed Larry's death and the search warrant.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2BP5joR1ho2bE8mAPnUdedVpsduFvYyNQ0QhB8O6ZYRPKHtXWZ7VLSyw3b0fhzjlfGe7f-Ia-bThSArzzvI2mBDlliFKvSNR0CKyZqrDbVN2xYMBOkPhfU-PsLXvihAI9m010z_iZSw/s1086/Larry2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="827" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2BP5joR1ho2bE8mAPnUdedVpsduFvYyNQ0QhB8O6ZYRPKHtXWZ7VLSyw3b0fhzjlfGe7f-Ia-bThSArzzvI2mBDlliFKvSNR0CKyZqrDbVN2xYMBOkPhfU-PsLXvihAI9m010z_iZSw/w488-h640/Larry2.jpg" width="488" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I received private information in the Marilane Carter case while she was still missing that led to the belief that she was already dead & family knew. A few days after she was found, someone who cares about her & the truth reached out to me for help. I reported to several law enforcement agencies. The information I received suggests foul play and needs an investigation. A few weeks ago I heard that an investigation has been opened. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If anyone has something to share, email me or message me. Thank you.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;">watchkeepamy@gmail.com</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Police show up with a search warrant in Kansas last week. Man leaves and apparently kills himself, possibly at a nearby park. Same man that 2 months ago found <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/marilanecarter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#marilanecarter</a>’s body and car in a shipping container in a remote field in Arkansas. No local news coverage.</p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1318235020113416192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2020</a></blockquote><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It should be noted that Adam Carter's mom, Terrie Carter, also was employed by BNSF and it looks like in her job she may have been able to access where containers were located. <a href="https://t.co/fjaf0iYMe5">pic.twitter.com/fjaf0iYMe5</a></p>— Todd Wilhelm (@ThouArtTheMan) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThouArtTheMan/status/1317906724322357248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">One of the emails listed for Adam's mom, Terrie, is a work email from BNSF. <a href="https://t.co/dZijoe1ckF">pic.twitter.com/dZijoe1ckF</a></p>— Todd Wilhelm (@ThouArtTheMan) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThouArtTheMan/status/1317956525139271681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span></div><div dir="auto"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0Hfg5o3j-F6aGCDXardk85IWD3D-JoqmelGevtpKmou382O9nQCKQwJ6JHEQOkZ1BUMyhy6S8DWiadrfvI6XZolJAcKbVt3PM2ZzcMDIq9Q0ym6vv0YrdBOXPb6DDXLykjZrbDsV1Sc/s1186/Screen+Shot+2020-10-19+at+2.22.14+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="1186" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW0Hfg5o3j-F6aGCDXardk85IWD3D-JoqmelGevtpKmou382O9nQCKQwJ6JHEQOkZ1BUMyhy6S8DWiadrfvI6XZolJAcKbVt3PM2ZzcMDIq9Q0ym6vv0YrdBOXPb6DDXLykjZrbDsV1Sc/w640-h116/Screen+Shot+2020-10-19+at+2.22.14+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div>
Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-83325835854385921052020-09-08T18:08:00.008-07:002020-09-17T14:51:03.397-07:00Arkanas State Crime Lab Chief Medical Examiner responds to questions about the death of Marilane Carter <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4EcDew1hsqcPwl1lMjqh_SyqgAR1AQqhvtE4u5E5z9-I_R7-7ntcSSiVwf7wBW2aWyXeHPntxttdtrKiMyTBeBN1M8IrRAcNE_rPdF2EIQvg2c4_jiKC-5WyiyuooNgR0Zfp92Mt0Cw/s1262/Screen+Shot+2020-09-07+at+1.41.46+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="742" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4EcDew1hsqcPwl1lMjqh_SyqgAR1AQqhvtE4u5E5z9-I_R7-7ntcSSiVwf7wBW2aWyXeHPntxttdtrKiMyTBeBN1M8IrRAcNE_rPdF2EIQvg2c4_jiKC-5WyiyuooNgR0Zfp92Mt0Cw/w575-h976/Screen+Shot+2020-09-07+at+1.41.46+PM.png" width="575" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have received email communication with the Chief Medical Examiner at the Arkansas State Crime Lab where Marilane Carter's body was taken after she was found deceased in her car that was backed into a shipping container in a field on private property in Crittenden County, Arkansas. Marilane was reportedly found by her husband Adam Carter's uncle on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. This uncle apparently who found her is Larry Bradley. The property where she was found had been previously searched by law enforcement and others, including family members. According to the Crittenden County Sheriff Chief Todd Grooms, the containers had been seen before but not searched as the doors appeared closed and assumed to be locked. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Marilane had been reported missing on August 3 at about 3- 4 am by her husband Adam who apparently went in person to the Overland Park, Kansas police department. She allegedly left home on the evening of August 1 at 8:15pm. Family members have stated that she was traveling to Birmingham, Alabama to visit her sister who was due to have a baby, as well as to seek treatment for "sleep issues" while she was there. Missing person flyers posted by family members on August 5 mentioned that Marilane had been wanting to seek mental health help.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Charles Kokes was contacted by email on Saturday, September 5, 2020 with several questions about Marilane Carter's case:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>I have four questions.</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>1 Is the above case still open with your office?</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>2 Has there been an explicit ruling of suicide or not?</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>3 Are there URL links from your office available regarding the above case that provide information? (I could not identify any)</b></i></span></p><p><i><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">4 What do I need to do to submit a F</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">OIA request for all available rulings, reports, and records for the above case? </span></b></i></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">His response on Tuesday, September 8, 2020:</span></p><p><i><b><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -0.25in;">1)</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -0.25in;"> The cause and manner of death have been determined, but I am not at liberty to publicly release that information. The autopsy report has not been completed .</span></b></i></p><p><i><b><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -0.25in;">2)</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -0.25in;">The manner of death has been determined. Again, I cannot publicly release that information.</span></b></i></p><p><i><b><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -0.25in;">3)</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -0.25in;">The information that is developed from a postmortem exam performed at the Arkansas St. Crime Lab is considered privileged and confidential. We can only release case information when it is authorized by the district attorney, or by a court order.</span> </b></i></p><p><i><b><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -0.25in;">4)</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: -0.25in;">The information developed from a postmortem exam performed at the Arkansas St. Crime Lab is exempt from FOIA.</span></b></i></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>I realize these are not the type of response you were hoping to get, but the rules regarding our release of information are set by statute.</b></i></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Charles Kokes, M.D.</i></span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-caps: small-caps; letter-spacing: 0.8pt;"><i>Chief Medical Examiner</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-caps: small-caps; letter-spacing: 0.8pt;"><i><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="1.293791574279379" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" scrolling="no" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/475348351/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-HvgTvgalcXamrX9FdsvI" title="Marilane Carter case" width="100%"></iframe></i></span></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-variant-caps: small-caps; letter-spacing: 0.8pt;"><i><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/475348351/Marilane-Carter-case#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Marilane Carter case on Scribd">Marilane Carter case</a> by <a href="https://www.scribd.com/user/136771647/watchkeep#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View watchkeep's profile on Scribd">watchkeep</a></i></span></p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Local news in Memphis <a href="https://wreg.com/news/woman-found-in-storage-container-postively-identified-as-marilane-carter/" target="_blank">reported</a> on August 21, 2020 that "<span style="background-color: white;">The Arkansas State Medical Examiners Office in Little Rock ruled her death as a suicide and the cause of death as asphyxiation from carbon monoxide, according to the Crittenden County Sheriff’s office on Friday." </span></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">My previous posts on Marilane Carter:</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2020/08/where-is-marilane-carter.html" target="_blank">Where is Marilane Carter?</a></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2020/09/message-from-close-college-friend-of.html" target="_blank">Message from a close college friend of Marilane Carter</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br /><p></p></div>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-71900765174188878482020-09-07T11:28:00.026-07:002020-09-08T18:03:31.537-07:00Message from a close college friend of Marilane Carter<div class="separator"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiRi9xdOjLbAq1-s7opfwQHVaQV1A8h6E7_c_5KVOMKSaw96LnnOhDktJ3A493vOlglhjY6YPi-NCj-1yWkJDpZznCgVq042tgPuuT4HgURpwnJ5bykRh80qoX5SDpAlWAJL251IzyvQ/s1262/Screen+Shot+2020-09-07+at+1.41.46+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="742" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiRi9xdOjLbAq1-s7opfwQHVaQV1A8h6E7_c_5KVOMKSaw96LnnOhDktJ3A493vOlglhjY6YPi-NCj-1yWkJDpZznCgVq042tgPuuT4HgURpwnJ5bykRh80qoX5SDpAlWAJL251IzyvQ/w575-h976/Screen+Shot+2020-09-07+at+1.41.46+PM.png" width="575" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have received permission to share this message as a post here.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hi - I wanted to message you privately because I don't share much on here. </span></span><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I'm a close college friend of Marilane's. We hadn't seen each other or really had a chance to speak since just after her wedding, but had kept in touch casually on facebook. When she went missing, I was floored. This was not the girl I knew. The words that I would use to best describe her when we were close were faithful, stable, strong, and gentle. Not at all the person portrayed over the last few weeks. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I know people can change over time, but I find it extremely hard to believe that she would have changed that much unless something traumatic happened to her - and I met her right after Tim died, which was incredibly difficult and she was still gentle and stable! None of this makes sense to me. IF she did this to herself, then it was because something/someone triggered it. She truly loved others - she worked at a Mental Health Services organization so she knew about mental health. She was a chaplain. She had seen awful things, but had faith. I do not/cannot believe that IF she was so unstable or tired or mentally ill that she kept getting lost that she would have </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1) found those shipping containers down that winding gravel road; 2) opened the doors; 3) backed her car in without banging into the sides - she would have had to gun it up over that lip of the container; 4) closed the door behind her. Doesn't add up. She was the most genuine, gentle person I've ever met. She deserves so much better than to be remembered as "committing suicide" in a shipping container in an overgrown field in West Memphis. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, the news article I read stated that the police had searched the area and had seen the shipping containers and assumed they were locked - 1) horrible police work and 2) implies that those doors were firmly closed yet when her uncle found her the doors were partially open??? How does that make sense? </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I also owe you an apology. When I read through the FindMarilane posts when she first went missing, I was shocked and thought you were trying to stir things up, but I think you have good points and I wish someone was there to fight for her - to demand more investigation. Marilane deserves it. I don't know what else there is to do about it, but sure makes me sick to think that they're going to just leave it at this. If you know of ways to help, please let me know. Thank you for also caring about my friend.</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">From Marilane's Youtube channel: posted May 5, 2020</span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dx2sbR6nKtk" width="560"></iframe></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixRsuHzBMx-qX7WvDxjBXoCHghjtMYwGBNfB4JP5crUmABeB6nUJkPnSWwMJAmoMfbbiWXxCgw-GEkOIATemDMOIX4ddu_QCIrzySIwajmiWPVAI1Gf4DE-LE-0Kt9KIGz3C9JYWHv0w/s866/Screen+Shot+2020-09-08+at+7.59.46+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="716" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixRsuHzBMx-qX7WvDxjBXoCHghjtMYwGBNfB4JP5crUmABeB6nUJkPnSWwMJAmoMfbbiWXxCgw-GEkOIATemDMOIX4ddu_QCIrzySIwajmiWPVAI1Gf4DE-LE-0Kt9KIGz3C9JYWHv0w/w810-h976/Screen+Shot+2020-09-08+at+7.59.46+PM.png" width="810" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZkxk1iPnVn8y5ivzueXwC5UvoFA85R89nEpKUHvw5-7e8XzhBkpQeZxOuya4xFRT4CFk4E1GHW6SCRJc6M6ci0iAaLYeFtTHd_zj5yZghpIwbHcadecPdiytvjEfqjylyCKePhueTSM/s1158/Screen+Shot+2020-09-08+at+7.49.42+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="718" height="1525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZkxk1iPnVn8y5ivzueXwC5UvoFA85R89nEpKUHvw5-7e8XzhBkpQeZxOuya4xFRT4CFk4E1GHW6SCRJc6M6ci0iAaLYeFtTHd_zj5yZghpIwbHcadecPdiytvjEfqjylyCKePhueTSM/w948-h1525/Screen+Shot+2020-09-08+at+7.49.42+PM.png" width="948" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbl2PAw34kJA-qHPDgacT_Oodg7mdHPwPiFKt8ZirBP8FZLx0vC0OX1nR-m_KHBu22rtiFOQ-NYwjeRLwVJbDtAvwxKDsDh009mgVssMDs03DIS8K4NbCKU7jL1kTYIpoW0GfkIR3V9o/s982/Screen+Shot+2020-09-08+at+7.52.13+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="680" height="1220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjbl2PAw34kJA-qHPDgacT_Oodg7mdHPwPiFKt8ZirBP8FZLx0vC0OX1nR-m_KHBu22rtiFOQ-NYwjeRLwVJbDtAvwxKDsDh009mgVssMDs03DIS8K4NbCKU7jL1kTYIpoW0GfkIR3V9o/w850-h1220/Screen+Shot+2020-09-08+at+7.52.13+PM.png" width="850" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-9830585569871381102020-08-11T21:59:00.131-07:002020-08-25T18:43:22.919-07:00Where is Marilane Carter?<p style="text-align: left;"><span div="" id="fb-root" style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p>
<script async="" crossorigin="anonymous" defer="" nonce="gYCvyDFc" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v8.0"></script><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P5DJX1tYsKw" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/kansas-mother-missing-trip-visit-family-alabama/story?id=72261509" target="_blank">Marilane Carter,</a> a 36-year-old woman from the Kansas City area, has been missing over a week now. Reports state that she was last seen leaving her home about 8:15 pm on August 1. She has not been heard from since Sunday, August 2. The first missing persons report was filed on Wednesday, August 5 and stated that she was traveling to Birmingham to visit family and had made concerning statements to her family. Her mother has stated in news coverage that Marilane had planned to travel to Birmingham, Alabama to be there for the birth of her sister's baby and to get help for sleep issues. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She is married to <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamCarter86" target="_blank">Adam Carter</a>, a Southern Baptist pastor at <a href="https://leawoodbaptist.com/" target="_blank">Leawood Baptist Church</a> in Leawood, Kansas. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her husband's brother, Paul Carter, stated in a Facebook post on Wednesday, August 5, that Marilane had been desiring to receive psychiatric help. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXyR6DnmsN6ihhFOeHpZqYOQU01uu33iPHbpBL1_Tr7cqfYOXaDXYdU9HgFYHSSMm_GfVpfXGnQT593DtAMiP6IbUvlKnxpRidtsrI_UpUf1hwFPvfI65vE1-G5jROareuRK_I0LyxSc/s1574/Screen+Shot+2020-08-11+at+9.35.53+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="944" height="1250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXyR6DnmsN6ihhFOeHpZqYOQU01uu33iPHbpBL1_Tr7cqfYOXaDXYdU9HgFYHSSMm_GfVpfXGnQT593DtAMiP6IbUvlKnxpRidtsrI_UpUf1hwFPvfI65vE1-G5jROareuRK_I0LyxSc/w750-h1250/Screen+Shot+2020-08-11+at+9.35.53+PM.png" width="750" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/OverlandParkPoliceDepartment/posts/1703780753109151" data-show-text="true" data-width=""><blockquote cite="https://developers.facebook.com/OverlandParkPoliceDepartment/posts/1703780753109151" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><img class="ji94ytn4 d2edcug0 r9f5tntg" src="https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/117712075_1703780736442486_2499469573954635540_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=4ZitT_MPXqsAX8WtJ94&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=2805fb332a6d521f3816fae3bbfe95af&oe=5F5AAFE5" /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are still trying to locate Mrs. Carter. It is believed she may not be in the Kansas City area. However if you have any information, please contact our agency.</span></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OverlandParkPoliceDepartment/">Overland Park Police Department</a> on <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/OverlandParkPoliceDepartment/posts/1703780753109151">Tuesday, August 11, 2020</a></span></blockquote></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Marilane was last seen on video checking in to a Quality Inn in West Plains, Missouri about 3:40 am on Sunday, August 2. She was also seen on video checking out at about 6 am. Her phone's last ping location was at 8:02 pm the same evening, August 2 near the Mississippi River bridge in West Memphis, Arkansas near a walking trail. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.ksnt.com/news/kansas/multi-state-search-for-missing-overland-park-mom-continues-as-family-fears-for-her-safety/?fbclid=IwAR2Bu2y3Vbt-Fl7BJ84lwtSc2LW2no9QyAgmrF7f5iE8BTBxFSBfoaSTc6U" target="_blank">Multi-state search for missing Overland Park mom</a></span></p><blockquote><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>All of the departments across three states, along with the FBI, are working together to find her.</i></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>“She could be lost. I don’t know if she’s familiar with Mississippi or she’s been there before,” Lacy said. “Where she is going, her ultimate destination, and where she is is contradicting so that causes a concern.”</i></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Carter’s husband drove down to the Memphis area to help with the search.</i></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Since Sunday her phone stopped pinging, and there is no activity on her cards. The family hopes someone will help them find Marilane and make sure she’s safe.</i></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>“It would mean making the family whole again. It would mean getting a mom back to her three kids and a wife back to her husband, and for her getting the counseling that she’s seeking and so desperately so,” McLaughlin said.</i></span></p></blockquote><h1 class="spaced spaced-xs spaced-top spaced-bottom" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40); line-height: 1.1; margin: 5px 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></h1><h1 class="spaced spaced-xs spaced-top spaced-bottom" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40); line-height: 1.1; margin: 5px 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.wlbt.com/2020/08/11/family-kansas-woman-last-heard-memphis-area-wants-search-mississippi-river/?fbclid=IwAR0nmKWEkwRqCtRXbtL19pivlx3xaG6MTv0kBWvPA74wkFDB_nPxDIogPUI" target="_blank">Family of Kansas woman last heard from in Memphis area wants search of Mississippi River</a></span></span></h1><blockquote><p><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span style="caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40);">The family of a missing Kansas woman has spent days searching the Memphis area hoping to find her or clues that would lead to here whereabouts.</span></span></i></p><div class="card collection-item" data-type="text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40);"><div class="card-content card-article" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 0px;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.47; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now they’re making a plea for the search to move to the Mississippi River.</span></i></p></div></div><div class="card collection-item" data-type="text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40);"><div class="card-content card-article" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 0px;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.47; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Marilane Carter’s husband, Adam, and her parents have been in Memphis since last week searching for the missing mother of three.</span></i></p></div></div><div class="card collection-item" data-type="text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40);"><div class="card-content card-article" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 0px;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.47; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">She left her home in Kansas Tuesday night heading to Birmingham where her parents live. She hoped to get help for anxiety and an inability to sleep at a hospital there where she once worked and felt comfortable talking with counselors.</span></i></p></div></div><div class="card collection-item" data-type="text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40);"><div class="card-content card-article" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 0px;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.47; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.wmcactionnews5.com/2020/08/07/search-continues-missing-kansas-mother-new-video-emerges/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(99, 99, 99), rgb(99, 99, 99)); background-position: 0px 1.15em; background-size: 100% 1px; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0.05em 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -0.05em 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe;">Security video shows Marilane checking into a Quality Inn in Missouri</span></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"> </span>several hours after she left homeCredit card statements show she got gas in West Memphis, then her phone went dead somewhere on the I-55 bridge while she was talking with her mother, who said Marilane mentioned being lost.</span></span></i></p></div></div><div class="card collection-item" data-type="text" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40);"><div class="card-content card-article" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; padding: 10px 0px;"><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.47; margin: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><a href="https://www.wmcactionnews5.com/2020/08/06/search-missing-kansas-mother-focuses-mid-south/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-image: linear-gradient(rgb(99, 99, 99), rgb(99, 99, 99)); background-position: 0px 1.15em; background-size: 100% 1px; box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0.05em 0px, rgb(255, 255, 255) -0.05em 0px;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2b00fe;">Her family searched the area below the bridge last week</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">,</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"> but with</span></span> </span>no real leads they’re left wondering if something awful happened to her.</span></i></p></div></div></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(40, 40, 40);"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>“We need volunteers to help us search right around the I-55 bridge at Memphis,” said Adam Carter. “We need people with boats and very good sonar and experience navigating the Mississippi River.”</i></span></blockquote><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a story posted on August 6 at the <a href="https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/kansas-pastors-wife-goes-missing-on-drive-to-alabama/?fbclid=IwAR0C43xMS_zMjUx9t2HjsuCE1XXKku2c71eRk1MJaUhiw-W9qKDbTlJPiwk" target="_blank">Baptist Press</a>, Leawood Baptist Church associate pastor Jason Franklin spoke about the disappearance of Marilane. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wzmNiAEaSI0o4BwwCQLvhegVrmKWKD3G8YK7AAO2NQMcey3AtLIGx_zjUs1xIeT__Xa07TkQXZJb4PtInc8WA8Jf_iSaZS_lsPfcWr-OT33JbRWhXjXMZjqwwXerTvgBBf-0oi0UHgM/s841/bp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="828" height="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wzmNiAEaSI0o4BwwCQLvhegVrmKWKD3G8YK7AAO2NQMcey3AtLIGx_zjUs1xIeT__Xa07TkQXZJb4PtInc8WA8Jf_iSaZS_lsPfcWr-OT33JbRWhXjXMZjqwwXerTvgBBf-0oi0UHgM/w788-h800/bp.jpg" width="788" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Franklin's comments startled me because he contradicted statements by Adam and other family members about Marilane making concerning statements and being confused on her drive. I tweeted my concern and Franklin replied to me.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFGL7lHpnoKjJVnLE8e9UBWUXwEaocS0RUHfElDJjUcedD1U5bC3sOZJtu7ocGXu5sw1zmKZTmDgH3WDrlroCQXeKd1z6M_ilcN2Zl9O47EnR6mqWgDFCa81Ekgu0jVWgvPmYBBykkWk/s895/franklin.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="827" height="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxFGL7lHpnoKjJVnLE8e9UBWUXwEaocS0RUHfElDJjUcedD1U5bC3sOZJtu7ocGXu5sw1zmKZTmDgH3WDrlroCQXeKd1z6M_ilcN2Zl9O47EnR6mqWgDFCa81Ekgu0jVWgvPmYBBykkWk/w739-h800/franklin.jpg" width="739" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brady McLaughlin, Marilane's brother-in-law, has been doing interviews and speaking on the family's behalf. Brady's Facebook page mentions that he is a law enforcement officer in Alabama and works at <a href="https://triosafety.com/?fbclid=IwAR1Ezb3tCuOui-tbPUxi_yI4kUC-k1UzaI_cOGOBEZ4XhZT1u3CbYtiBjRw" target="_blank">Trio Safety CPR AED</a>, is the CEO of <a href="https://stopheartattack.com/?fbclid=IwAR1fgJvuwSusC9p-9ubgqBnvVJw77wn-Z1HQ6hnCvb0GNeBvLEQI-5OvH5k" target="_blank">Stop Heart Attack</a>, and is also a radio host at <a href="https://www.yoursecurityguys.com/?fbclid=IwAR1A2YvlAtJtHtOvqoha9z19nbeJJqKSzHG0m6i4F67Qsh1FV6bOYsntMvk" target="_blank">Your Security Guys</a>, a live, on-air radio show in Birmingham, Alabama. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTbBMGTFqgXwtwebkYSxy-s3mmAOmzIWPyOHRXQvKlBYx_oUgYWq-Vuzrqxvcn4GzEAOlvCYbqZjnOF-dS6veWqDKd8tK24Sd1caMdlQ7bJ46W-Xvb21l8-ert_ToUSa8yH8J4u_gLl4/s824/Screen+Shot+2020-08-11+at+11.06.42+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="824" data-original-width="588" height="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTbBMGTFqgXwtwebkYSxy-s3mmAOmzIWPyOHRXQvKlBYx_oUgYWq-Vuzrqxvcn4GzEAOlvCYbqZjnOF-dS6veWqDKd8tK24Sd1caMdlQ7bJ46W-Xvb21l8-ert_ToUSa8yH8J4u_gLl4/w571-h800/Screen+Shot+2020-08-11+at+11.06.42+PM.png" width="571" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brady MacLaughlin did some work recently at the new FBI facility in Huntsville, Alabama. I posted a screenshot of this on Facebook and Brady commented several times wanting me to speak to him on the phone. He also sent me private messages.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A few days ago, Brady responded to someone on Facebook saying that Adam Carter, Marilane's husband, "is not a suspect in her disappearance at all." Is Brady involved professionally in this investigation? I don't see how this would be appropriate. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><img class="ji94ytn4 d2edcug0 r9f5tntg" height="1200" src="https://scontent-dfw5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/117613724_2997361793724307_6133973088344006283_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=DT3ekELX7pwAX-xqfcB&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-1.xx&oh=9729909a299121d44032ff0ff26568b2&oe=5F58AC65" width="675" /></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53VyIoBoYuQBBd_DzOMSW3S2tCWMWyjFbTIBok7aFo8bOmEpmmmkfG7VAPC9W78kOvs1BdEXB24IL1eDV35ZUiva1YYMAxylK62ACmTT6dDgh6nS6G8NVgx1KrJpfMJTW5znhbS6Dxwg/s1760/Screen+Shot+2020-08-11+at+11.21.26+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1760" data-original-width="926" height="1250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg53VyIoBoYuQBBd_DzOMSW3S2tCWMWyjFbTIBok7aFo8bOmEpmmmkfG7VAPC9W78kOvs1BdEXB24IL1eDV35ZUiva1YYMAxylK62ACmTT6dDgh6nS6G8NVgx1KrJpfMJTW5znhbS6Dxwg/w658-h1250/Screen+Shot+2020-08-11+at+11.21.26+PM.png" width="658" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ8z2fg4qoJklTR2q5TCRNfZ8AgNxf5iLkSCcrWk8zm4kba8lKI_V-5Aytgyw0Vy67tBN1lXTbpVWasjtaxcScQl-8Sv4RT3hzPIK-hznuSelV4R0JOT0JT9g4biVvvvfKRns5yj0ul0/s1362/Screen+Shot+2020-08-11+at+11.22.31+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="1362" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ8z2fg4qoJklTR2q5TCRNfZ8AgNxf5iLkSCcrWk8zm4kba8lKI_V-5Aytgyw0Vy67tBN1lXTbpVWasjtaxcScQl-8Sv4RT3hzPIK-hznuSelV4R0JOT0JT9g4biVvvvfKRns5yj0ul0/w1000-h448/Screen+Shot+2020-08-11+at+11.22.31+PM.png" width="1000" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <img alt="Image may contain: 1 person, text that says '11:25 7:56 Facebook 4Gal 54% Replies Mario Regina husband been cleared yet? 22h Reply Like Brady McLaughlin Author Mario Regina he is not a suspect in her disappearance at all. 18h Like Reply Mario Regina Brady McLaughlin good! 16h Like Reply'" class="opwvks06 hop1g133 linmgsc8 t63ysoy8 bixrwtb6" height="623" src="https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/117620852_2992493620877791_42667499730833350_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=S3WxgCdA9M0AX9AEfrK&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=8615a461dce659dc26c1653cb3d32593&oe=5F5A204B" width="623" /></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;">I reached out to the Overland Park Police department today. I was told that the lead investigator is Detective B. Larsen who can be reached at 913-344-8768.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/findmarilane/" target="_blank">Find Marilane</a> page I believe is moderated by </span>family, perhaps Paul Carter, Adam's brother. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This case has grabbed the attention of many who are concerned for the safety of Marilane. There are many questions. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Why has there been no coordinated search by law enforcement?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Why has there been no press conference by law enforcement and family?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Why has there been no reward fund established and announced to help find Marilane?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Did Marilane <a href="https://container.parishesonline.com/bulletins/02/0467/20200621B.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2cjiw3SlHJKCcPXfzTeqgrigfc4iQ5DL5_CRxhwnZonWw-RVQTHrcaphI" target="_blank">convert</a> to Catholicism this summer?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What happened between the time she left the hotel, 6 am and the last phone ping near Memphis at 8 pm? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What happened in those 14 hours? That is a trip that would normally take about 3 hours.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Did she <a href="https://www.facebook.com/amysmithwatchkeep/posts/2995251550601998" target="_blank">travel</a> out of her way to Hazen, Arkansas? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Where is her car?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Where is Marilane?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Adam Carter stated today, in response to a friend wanting to start a reward fund, that they have a third-party attorney working to set up an account. What will this money be used for? Will a reward be announced?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image may contain: 3 people, phone, text that says '1:24PM Heidi Prokop Smith Marilane Carter Missing Mom findno: Heidi Prokop Smith Author have disabled donations as husband they going donations different manner. donations given before disabling. This emotionally straining for me, won't responding to comments speculation just whatever you're willing and comfortable with help bringh home. MISSING Marilane Carter rganised.by Whoisthis? party attorney Write comment. ensure ccountabil mvinine trwade P'" class="opwvks06 hop1g133 linmgsc8 t63ysoy8 bixrwtb6" height="779" src="https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/117364800_2997078593752627_4783462884249369928_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=l5OlvsLz_LsAX_UMigP&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=d635a2944d9da74eda18b2e45c0e5253&oe=5F5765E8" width="779" /></p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div>Marilane was previously engaged to <a href="https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/timothy-r-creager-obituary?pid=3147028" target="_blank">Timothy Creager</a> who was killed in Iraq on July 1, 2004. He is from Millington, Tennessee, about 17 miles northeast of Memphis. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGnNASbXReULo8WSbOOUMpMgFPvEudyiO36EbeaXeTYZlAsMKTIc-Wh7As6DGFp_gRLztDTlohQKO8Cw_yLV_m6dnYK6c_E_XWtkJWYct1b2pYoPgP9_xaH-gx5n4cRp4JXKTchqAVtM/s1828/Screen+Shot+2020-08-14+at+9.07.22+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1790" data-original-width="1828" height="784" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGnNASbXReULo8WSbOOUMpMgFPvEudyiO36EbeaXeTYZlAsMKTIc-Wh7As6DGFp_gRLztDTlohQKO8Cw_yLV_m6dnYK6c_E_XWtkJWYct1b2pYoPgP9_xaH-gx5n4cRp4JXKTchqAVtM/w800-h784/Screen+Shot+2020-08-14+at+9.07.22+AM.png" width="800" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3hhNSwABfrs" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P5DJX1tYsKw?start=346" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="scripps_iframe_embed" style="position: relative;"><div style="display: block; height: auto; padding-bottom: 56.25%; width: 100%;"></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" border="0" frameborder="0" height="100%" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://assets.scrippsdigital.com/cms/videoIframe.html?&host=www.kshb.com&title=Husband%20of%20missing%20OP%20woman%20encouraged%20by%20recent%20tips&m3u8=https://content.uplynk.com/fd827b51d85649a8b4ec449f30bd9d54.m3u8&purl=/news/local-news/husband-of-missing-overland-park-woman-encouraged-by-recent-tips&story=0&ex=1&s=kshb" style="height: 100%; left: 0; position: absolute; top: 0; width: 100%;" webkitallowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div class="scripps_iframe_embed" style="position: relative;"><br /></div><div class="scripps_iframe_embed" style="position: relative; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">UPDATE:</span></div><div class="scripps_iframe_embed" style="position: relative; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div class="scripps_iframe_embed" style="position: relative; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">Marilane Carter's body and her car were found backed into a shipping container in a field on private property in Crittenden County near West Memphis, Arkansas over 2 weeks after she went missing. Detectives said her uncle made the discovery after searching the field alone, and he noticed that the doors to the container she was found in were open. <span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">An earlier search, investigators confirm at one point, brought them face-to-face with the shipping container where Carter's vehicle was eventually found. The location where she was found is just a few miles from the gas station where she was seen on video at about 5 pm on Sunday, August 2. Her phone last pinged in that area 3 hours later at about 8 pm. </span></span></span></div><div class="scripps_iframe_embed" style="position: relative; text-align: left;"><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJwKKh7SRecurHmo7Flo2eOLSwFJFMeji9ZSi68ZH2X3b9ITC3saFxuXiPOU7ySSW_j13ShOnyKSGcDO1TAmoSK82ji7JRrhAtYe75rr7M4EKGFq-y9yiuHIS5S1UjgVwj5zH4MbFGFI/s794/sheriff.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="794" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJwKKh7SRecurHmo7Flo2eOLSwFJFMeji9ZSi68ZH2X3b9ITC3saFxuXiPOU7ySSW_j13ShOnyKSGcDO1TAmoSK82ji7JRrhAtYe75rr7M4EKGFq-y9yiuHIS5S1UjgVwj5zH4MbFGFI/w800-h398/sheriff.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://abcstlouis.com/news/nation-world/vehicle-of-missing-mother-body-found-inside-shipping-container-in-arkansas?fbclid=IwAR0ttYnTW7Ub8UdyCny_22l8M-XlP8VjoxjfMuDiXjQhDTuUwuSJyhTJ_yk" target="_blank">ABC St. Louis</a></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/state/kansas/article245064435.html?fbclid=IwAR0x11u29G5gGUG1gGBhUIV57pOw1QiUhhDUn5PRXic0a2eLyVmSqrgoZYI" target="_blank">The Kansas City Star</a></div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Her death has been <a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2020/08/21/marilane-carter-missing-kansas-mom-found-dead-memphis-area/3408817001/" target="_blank">ruled</a> a suicide.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto"></div></div></div></div></span><p></p>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-86276147625544411182020-08-05T13:11:00.023-07:002020-08-05T13:23:04.687-07:00Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. apologizes for "good fun" yacht photo, promises to "try to be a good boy" <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsbr7yJueR6LWY7QpfgaPMVjugfUDtooVs8e27TcjUBx1rvmLB6r0KU9cB6P70NTW_6ARhEQJvW4Z6CPXZlYKSYQP7lNlG1c0f3djfzW6n0mJY8l5aZb2naalUqix3qxZ4I0Lb0VVA8A/s960/falwell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="608" height="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsbr7yJueR6LWY7QpfgaPMVjugfUDtooVs8e27TcjUBx1rvmLB6r0KU9cB6P70NTW_6ARhEQJvW4Z6CPXZlYKSYQP7lNlG1c0f3djfzW6n0mJY8l5aZb2naalUqix3qxZ4I0Lb0VVA8A/w633-h1000/falwell.jpg" width="633" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/870749338&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: interstate, "lucida grande", "lucida sans unicode", "lucida sans", garuda, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/watchkeep" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="watchkeep">watchkeep</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/watchkeep/jerry-falwell-jr-just-in-good-fun" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Jerry Falwell Jr. “just in good fun”">Jerry Falwell Jr. “just in good fun”</a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The image appears to be from a party on a yacht. <a href="https://t.co/LPwCbRj2CI">https://t.co/LPwCbRj2CI</a></p>— HuffPost (@HuffPost) <a href="https://twitter.com/HuffPost/status/1290583928173146112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It’s a “trailer park” themed party from Jerry Falwell Jr. How many “trailer parks” aka “mobile homes parks” in Lynchburg, Virginia, home to Liberty University, you ask? 13 <a href="https://t.co/WFFKPK96fi">https://t.co/WFFKPK96fi</a> <a href="https://t.co/XjurussM0v">https://t.co/XjurussM0v</a></p>— Matthew Boedy (@MatthewBoedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthewBoedy/status/1290373873964322819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's fascinating how "accountability" within the Evangelical community is inverse to one's power: be a mere student at Liberty, and live under constant supervision. Be the leader, have *none*.</p>— The Inglourious Gent (@thesnarkygent) <a href="https://twitter.com/thesnarkygent/status/1291078285367992320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote><div> </div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jerry Falwell Jr. responds to viral Instagram post, says photo of him with his pants zipper down and arm around his wife's assistant "was just in good fun" <a href="https://t.co/rfECR3e3Oz">https://t.co/rfECR3e3Oz</a> h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@watchkeep</a> cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/mstratford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mstratford</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/chrislhayes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chrislhayes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TylerHuckabee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TylerHuckabee</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MeghanMcCain?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MeghanMcCain</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RobDownenChron?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RobDownenChron</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/secupp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@secupp</a></p>— Christian Nightmares (@ChristnNitemare) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristnNitemare/status/1291074180453105664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Not so proud Liberty grad here. I've heard him speak way more than I'd like to think about. He's not a great public speaker but he sounded really off there</p>— UntemperedTelevision (@UntemperedTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/UntemperedTV/status/1291076014894993408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jerry Jr. has demonstrated time and again that he lacks the moral compass that a man truly dedicated to Christ would possess. He is prideful, arrogant, materialistic, and unrepentant whenever he makes an error. The way he treats and speaks of Liberty’s faculty is repugnant.</p>— Stephanie Thompson (唐悦华) 📚🐶😷 (@HistoryGypsy) <a href="https://twitter.com/HistoryGypsy/status/1291073839242383363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">what?! what he said and did in both that photo and video were not in my view and many others view, in good fun. It was far from it.</p>— Jessica Ebersole (@Jessicaebersole) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jessicaebersole/status/1291067567898071042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Perhaps he could explain that to the <a href="https://twitter.com/LibertyU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LibertyU</a> students who have been fined and punished for much less.</p>— Gaye_Xmus (@CalmHealthySexy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CalmHealthySexy/status/1291078877884841984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">RE: Falwell’s Response to the Photos and Video from the Yacht.<br /><br />This is a non-answer meant to appease and deflect through good ‘ol boy rhetoric. It is more than worthy of condemnation. <a href="https://t.co/HaYqYXGJQl">https://t.co/HaYqYXGJQl</a></p>— Alexandra M. Green (@Alex_andra_MG) <a href="https://twitter.com/Alex_andra_MG/status/1291092483271729159?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Re: Jerry Falwell yacht photo. <br /><br />The impulse is to laugh in disgust/horror at the photo.<br /><br />But it should actively anger you on behalf of the students who have faced significant consequences on campus for the *same* actions.</p>— Alexandra M. Green (@Alex_andra_MG) <a href="https://twitter.com/Alex_andra_MG/status/1290338994081935361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">And every LU student who is accused of an infraction should use that same excuse - “it was all in good fun”</p>— susanlwilson (@slwilson85) <a href="https://twitter.com/slwilson85/status/1291079640770056192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A 5 year old who throws a tantrum has to promise to be a good boy. A 50 something university president who dyes his beard (badly) and shows off his underwear while posing with a young female is a foul, lecherous cretin who should be fired. "All in good fun", my asthma.</p>— 𝕁𝕖𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕗𝕖𝕣 𝕄𝕒𝕛𝕠𝕣🇨🇦 (@JJumping) <a href="https://twitter.com/JJumping/status/1291079287420878853?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><font face="verdana">In the interview with <a href="https://wlni.com/news/jerry-falwell-jr-responds-to-viral-instagram-post" target="_blank">WLNI radio</a>, Jerry Falwell Jr. slurs his words and seems really off. He sounds drunk. He said he apologized to everybody for posting the yacht party photo with his pants unzipped and promised his kids that from here on out he would "try to be a good boy." </font></div><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana">How does he still have a job at <a href="https://www.liberty.edu/" target="_blank">Liberty University</a>?</font></div><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">To me, the recent photos reek of underlying sexual addiction problems. Seen it too often from well-known faith leaders...I recognize it. Usually angry & controlling abusers all have a similar M.O. for abusing their power w/ various types of abuse.</p>— Carolyn Deevers (@carolyn_deevers) <a href="https://twitter.com/carolyn_deevers/status/1291104905516797953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana">This is the deleted video of Falwell's yacht party cosplaying a tv show "<a href="http://www.trailerparkboys.com/" target="_blank">Trailer Park Boys</a>."</font></div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="640" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/444300274" width="640"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/444300274">Jerry Falwell Jr. Deleted Trailer Park Boys Yacht Video</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user54189593">PulpitPen</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tune in to The Courage 365 Show Aug 6th 7pm EST<br /><br />Streaming live to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube<br /><br />Topic: Faith Leaders + Double Standards (focus Jerry Falwall Jr.'s recent inappropriate pic)<br /><br />Guest: Amy Smith of <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@watchkeep</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DoubleStandard?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DoubleStandard</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JerryFalwellJr?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JerryFalwellJr</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LibertyUniversity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LibertyUniversity</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TitleIX?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TitleIX</a> <a href="https://t.co/93J7vur2yd">pic.twitter.com/93J7vur2yd</a></p>— Courage 365 (@Courage365) <a href="https://twitter.com/Courage365/status/1291027558037954562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-41424695766222405232020-07-23T13:30:00.011-07:002020-07-23T14:38:31.526-07:00Fellowship Church Allaso Ranch camp opener video: Just Breathe. Then Exhale. On the kid next to you. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloIYSc9wvBIUKLbnFmINb4n4yf3dwz_5CjtX5bzFx_HSDjOV8VkO0iMz0C5N000xKcd8ymS0RBeCwP2MBZTheDDXD6eQ3Te4oUJCaetlYTsUGkxL0tS_Q1jkzKNFSgFB_8wvGFSPyl5w/s2048/Screen+Shot+2020-07-23+at+4.22.08+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="2048" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhloIYSc9wvBIUKLbnFmINb4n4yf3dwz_5CjtX5bzFx_HSDjOV8VkO0iMz0C5N000xKcd8ymS0RBeCwP2MBZTheDDXD6eQ3Te4oUJCaetlYTsUGkxL0tS_Q1jkzKNFSgFB_8wvGFSPyl5w/w625-h341/Screen+Shot+2020-07-23+at+4.22.08+PM.png" width="625" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='600' height='400' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz49iTqGLoyqmw7X7DL-L7W1DJgjfiGYQWNzAG2rmM4A63kgjrnIoQzW2h072KhHlonQOcsW-qspAGRkLviWQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font face="verdana" size="5">The Mix Camp 2020 Allaso Ranch Opener </font></div><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #b2b2b2;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fellowship Church <a href="https://twitter.com/fc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fc</a> led by pastor Ed Young <a href="https://twitter.com/EdYoung?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EdYoung</a> promoted their July 2020 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllasoRanch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllasoRanch</a> youth camp event during the pandemic -- LIKE THIS.<br /><br />Just shocked. <a href="https://t.co/J5SXdiZJ4S">pic.twitter.com/J5SXdiZJ4S</a></p>— Studio MarkAllen Ⓜ️ (@studiomarkallen) <a href="https://twitter.com/studiomarkallen/status/1286383949820964864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><p></p></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fellowship Church in Grapevine is ignoring the coronavirus outbreak among attendees at the Christian camp, parents and church members say.<br />Those who speak out about the lack of COVID-19 precautions are labeled as "fearful," one woman said.<a href="https://t.co/KVto45NBj4">https://t.co/KVto45NBj4</a></p>— Kaley Johnson (@KaleyAJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/KaleyAJohnson/status/1286386213696475136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Campers test positive for COVID-19 after attending evangelical youth camp in Texas- story contains a link to my blog post <a href="https://twitter.com/RNS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RNS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/fc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EdYoung?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edyoung</a> <a href="https://t.co/abgmThLX3k">https://t.co/abgmThLX3k</a></p>— Amy miss informed Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1286376449277140992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pandemic Mosh Pit at Fellowship Church Allaso Ranch, July 2020<a href="https://twitter.com/fc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EdYoung?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EdYoung</a><br /><br /> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllasoRanch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllasoRanch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ProfitsForJesus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ProfitsForJesus</a> <a href="https://t.co/yMxgBZ9Of0">pic.twitter.com/yMxgBZ9Of0</a></p>— Studio MarkAllen Ⓜ️ (@studiomarkallen) <a href="https://twitter.com/studiomarkallen/status/1286395987058216963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-7906548001532770912020-07-20T16:28:00.108-07:002020-07-23T13:13:11.080-07:00Does Ed Young's Fellowship Church in Texas have a Covid-19 outbreak after youth camp with hundreds of kids?<div><span style="font-family: verdana;">After my post yesterday about the </span><a href="https://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2020/07/keystone-church-camp-covid-outbreak.html" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Covid outbreak at Keystone Church</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I saw reports on social media of a possible outbreak at a Dallas area megachurch, Fellowship Church, from their youth camp as well. </span></div><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><a href="https://fellowshipchurch.com/" target="_blank">Fellowship Church</a> is led by senior pastor <a href="https://fellowshipchurch.com/ed-young/" target="_blank">Ed Young</a> with multiple campuses in <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);">Dallas/Fort Worth (TX), Miami (FL), Northport (FL), and Norman (OK). </span><a href="https://allasoranch.com/camp/" style="caret-color: rgb(17, 17, 17);" target="_blank">Allaso Ranch</a> is a private ranch in Hawkins, Texas, about 93 miles east of Dallas, owned by the church where they host summer camps and retreats. Allaso Ranch is open this summer according to church social media posts on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fellowshipchurch/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/fc/status/1283865295724126208?s=20" target="_blank">Twitter.</a> </span></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><span style="background-color: white;">Photos show hundreds of kids gathered in large groups with no social distancing and no masks. </span></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><span style="background-color: white;"><font color="#111111"><br /></font></span></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77FaublZxABlAOPpeO06oG_op-oq-kc0lQtlyP7cmkG6GXBWb5-gpcsLC8xj7pD5wWaibPFTMG52GPl6kMgOs8wvj8orhLJhRztY2ZaVStshwGwg574J7j_UbZOHEGyxoOBDJLSQQ-kA/s1126/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.18.26+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="996" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77FaublZxABlAOPpeO06oG_op-oq-kc0lQtlyP7cmkG6GXBWb5-gpcsLC8xj7pD5wWaibPFTMG52GPl6kMgOs8wvj8orhLJhRztY2ZaVStshwGwg574J7j_UbZOHEGyxoOBDJLSQQ-kA/w693-h781/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.18.26+PM.png" width="693" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOFkK2ZejSqH-Kq2G4WjVOzA383HPHjsFkW72DJ1SMGeKPoK75m2QKp5Jg3djAJGq_eww5e9dfEnZ6M5PUTZCoebRoL_9cCmwa6AHDURlXfhIlwTGC6PGfKFJa-kcqqXyv3s19N6p4Xw/s1854/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.25.12+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Allaso Ranch youth camp- Fellowship Church" border="0" data-original-height="1854" data-original-width="1490" height="955" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOFkK2ZejSqH-Kq2G4WjVOzA383HPHjsFkW72DJ1SMGeKPoK75m2QKp5Jg3djAJGq_eww5e9dfEnZ6M5PUTZCoebRoL_9cCmwa6AHDURlXfhIlwTGC6PGfKFJa-kcqqXyv3s19N6p4Xw/w764-h955/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.25.12+PM.png" width="764" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Allaso Ranch youth camp- Fellowship Church</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BXjWEVisyYOU1RDUEicoK6O6GHTyQlATevaI2foOpBSnRwaK4MInQW-G0COdW_bphEZLaYOgOKMBcvAAI6mE1lj4rj6-hFSJxTqbEQx1hkNbkGvNuWNGqTLOtHRNuyYNwXua-HokTcg/s1168/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.35.19+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1042" data-original-width="1168" height="869" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BXjWEVisyYOU1RDUEicoK6O6GHTyQlATevaI2foOpBSnRwaK4MInQW-G0COdW_bphEZLaYOgOKMBcvAAI6mE1lj4rj6-hFSJxTqbEQx1hkNbkGvNuWNGqTLOtHRNuyYNwXua-HokTcg/w976-h869/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.35.19+PM.png" width="976" /></a></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Robert McInnis <a href="https://twitter.com/Rob_McInnis/status/1284940727424884736?s=20" target="_blank">tweeted</a> concern about the camp and stated that his son was supposed to attend, but they decided against it after the church could not give him their plan for social distancing. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigWVE0Xh6WIiiLsFxjoaB6BZdoMRArHt3JCyNQd5eE_l2ne0DBOfy7jfi3KYW9rzdjXFJOH5NkoYrcjjLoMQec_7MxKgE-hESCd0SLUk2KKnp2M9Kv5Sk5l81FmtLPMynpY1kHHzHegc/s1160/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.38.59+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="1160" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigWVE0Xh6WIiiLsFxjoaB6BZdoMRArHt3JCyNQd5eE_l2ne0DBOfy7jfi3KYW9rzdjXFJOH5NkoYrcjjLoMQec_7MxKgE-hESCd0SLUk2KKnp2M9Kv5Sk5l81FmtLPMynpY1kHHzHegc/w781-h149/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.38.59+PM.png" width="781" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></font></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpobA5f54qdQspix4peMPDoc9By81JiArUBhmMHYqf_4oIi9QhuWN7JRsBB7IHj-tD_pDQpjoLasy6Ft0Lhy9FXECp48sQEffa-RyDieBxmnDVu3HY6ox_nA8c31ickh5RV3tLOT3nUgs/s1150/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.37.01+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="1150" height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpobA5f54qdQspix4peMPDoc9By81JiArUBhmMHYqf_4oIi9QhuWN7JRsBB7IHj-tD_pDQpjoLasy6Ft0Lhy9FXECp48sQEffa-RyDieBxmnDVu3HY6ox_nA8c31ickh5RV3tLOT3nUgs/w781-h373/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+5.37.01+PM.png" width="781" /></a></div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">I checked out the recent <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/254788973/allaso-ranch/" target="_blank">Allaso Ranch</a></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/254788973/allaso-ranch/" target="_blank"> location tag posts</a> on Instagram, and there are no precautions taken whatsoever: large gatherings, no masks, videos of singing- mosh pit style. The photo below was posted by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/philipj.fc/" target="_blank">Philip Jessamine</a> who is on staff at Fellowship Church according to his Instagram bio.</span></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-74DZlgU07FD9q94YDwn6VTDgG8aozWy-fg-zGGnLf1Fhb7mQr0ozFbiSN6yeZmWxWfzxFTIiaoJ9HG-9rbAXjhR61JQ5RGZAMwEFMnO-6TD1hy1Yv48z-hRzCm2qUx3IOpSVZxjbBfs/s1866/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+10.28.49+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1866" data-original-width="1246" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-74DZlgU07FD9q94YDwn6VTDgG8aozWy-fg-zGGnLf1Fhb7mQr0ozFbiSN6yeZmWxWfzxFTIiaoJ9HG-9rbAXjhR61JQ5RGZAMwEFMnO-6TD1hy1Yv48z-hRzCm2qUx3IOpSVZxjbBfs/w655-h976/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+10.28.49+PM.png" width="655" /></a></div><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/themixfc/?igshid=zm8yqdj54stl" target="_blank">The Mix FC on Instagram</a></span></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;">I received these emails today:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #111111; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9YhFh6_VyO2TxcqibG63_LwuD8jO5kXmg5EdR7cAZf5yMN1iqcu58KPhU6hWe0cl7pYHxBLIhQND-mIzuAETLRSIg8_26hKK98h8HBczf0r78W5m5UZb7hPp-oHCiHT0fRtGI1eHhQ4/s1224/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+6.23.57+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="1224" height="95" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9YhFh6_VyO2TxcqibG63_LwuD8jO5kXmg5EdR7cAZf5yMN1iqcu58KPhU6hWe0cl7pYHxBLIhQND-mIzuAETLRSIg8_26hKK98h8HBczf0r78W5m5UZb7hPp-oHCiHT0fRtGI1eHhQ4/w1220-h95/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+6.23.57+PM.png" width="1220" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #111111; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXIHo3h0iAmkbvLVv3wU05-vzJyOQeI_4OWeUXXZMYOkvqnLYUazslusXnVzUklq-8R4gLPah_v6Vc9Qt_wFI8Nr5BtDYX_gMrnG5_yTBcYG5ebE-NWK6ZtvpS-4kcevSamn5hVyvk54/s1272/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+6.35.52+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="1272" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsXIHo3h0iAmkbvLVv3wU05-vzJyOQeI_4OWeUXXZMYOkvqnLYUazslusXnVzUklq-8R4gLPah_v6Vc9Qt_wFI8Nr5BtDYX_gMrnG5_yTBcYG5ebE-NWK6ZtvpS-4kcevSamn5hVyvk54/w1220-h614/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+6.35.52+PM.png" width="1220" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #111111; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;">I sent a message via the Fellowship Church website inquiring about this, but I have not heard back. I mentioned that I was writing this post and asked if they would like to make a statement. </div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;">Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered bars to remain closed and restaurants at reduced capacity while Texas has surging cases of Covid-19, but churches and camps appear to be able to stay open and operate without restrictions or precautions. </div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;">Pastor Ed Young has a new <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fear-Virus-Vaccinating-Yourself-Greatest/dp/1949784436" target="_blank">book</a> out this summer. How timely of you, Ed.</div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #111111; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlpqbECJEqKtZDmgiKVhYQCBMGe3ExNyfo6__slIkk5zMpCkmpKpF61i9SczZaXmtaO5oGS3IPXaR0SJnGR9Z_K0aHhBmV1wDmbB6GkJxizlQcgW0UsNN8nRQr-W-M-i3p39Fdr-mqSU/s2038/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+6.04.11+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1802" data-original-width="2038" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPlpqbECJEqKtZDmgiKVhYQCBMGe3ExNyfo6__slIkk5zMpCkmpKpF61i9SczZaXmtaO5oGS3IPXaR0SJnGR9Z_K0aHhBmV1wDmbB6GkJxizlQcgW0UsNN8nRQr-W-M-i3p39Fdr-mqSU/w625-h554/Screen+Shot+2020-07-20+at+6.04.11+PM.png" width="625" /></a></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“To everybody in town that I see posting on FB about how this isn't real and that it’s a political scheme, I'm like, ‘Oh, my God, come intubate these patients,’” Kelsey Dowell said from the back porch of her home. “‘Come see what we see. It's real.’” <a href="https://t.co/PY8iY1eH9I">https://t.co/PY8iY1eH9I</a></p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1284894367690272769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;">If anyone has any further information, I can be reached at watchkeepamy@gmail.com</div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"> </p></blockquote><div style="font-family: verdana;">*UPDATE* July 22</div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;">I received an email last night from a Fellowship Church member who is concerned and disappointed in the church's handling of a Covid-19 outbreak stemming from their youth camp and church events.</div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsV690-f3TdxdpyfDul0t0iho4N6RLkLvRIDQYG7LQL4i66J1NkL22J46w2fyLmLXIqEMyWC2DnnQa8M51rYlFbbByzOTLPLPKL4MZwQtjKIPGqFtdUixlFXPw9mCPGsuSRLMC08PNDe0/s1260/Screen+Shot+2020-07-22+at+10.33.38+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1260" height="804" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsV690-f3TdxdpyfDul0t0iho4N6RLkLvRIDQYG7LQL4i66J1NkL22J46w2fyLmLXIqEMyWC2DnnQa8M51rYlFbbByzOTLPLPKL4MZwQtjKIPGqFtdUixlFXPw9mCPGsuSRLMC08PNDe0/w1220-h804/Screen+Shot+2020-07-22+at+10.33.38+AM.png" width="1220" /></a></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYZa8wdKKftro2p3SX8vWrg5RMoAOyt7JwVlMwLrRUoznABylnDj9NlTnXCDw5GclRVdFcKn7fkzJYlQGSXkzGyax1V-D0BlDdyKwp-fFQ1wVrauDx_fjpb5YCyR6dA7UbkyHWsG4l08/s1470/Screen+Shot+2020-07-22+at+10.51.22+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1470" data-original-width="1114" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYZa8wdKKftro2p3SX8vWrg5RMoAOyt7JwVlMwLrRUoznABylnDj9NlTnXCDw5GclRVdFcKn7fkzJYlQGSXkzGyax1V-D0BlDdyKwp-fFQ1wVrauDx_fjpb5YCyR6dA7UbkyHWsG4l08/w743-h976/Screen+Shot+2020-07-22+at+10.51.22+AM.png" width="743" /></a></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"></p></blockquote><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;">I was also alerted to a public Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fellowshipchurch/posts/10159163933179162" target="_blank">post</a> by a parent of a camp volunteer and attendee at Fellowship Church's <a href="https://allasoranch.com/" target="_blank">Allaso Ranch</a>.</div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKk-yiusjr96RY3tDkK3xWR1SrEBmAjaJhxYdb8LeGfLpX53dC6uskfI31sRhnZBh6bcz0Wd5WTJIPF3zUjHpSVPCBXVemxXqOExcLqzItcf-4gzvB23QuzUm0RDoLFR_taNXULPI-i4/s1330/Screen+Shot+2020-07-22+at+10.48.19+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="1330" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKk-yiusjr96RY3tDkK3xWR1SrEBmAjaJhxYdb8LeGfLpX53dC6uskfI31sRhnZBh6bcz0Wd5WTJIPF3zUjHpSVPCBXVemxXqOExcLqzItcf-4gzvB23QuzUm0RDoLFR_taNXULPI-i4/w976-h243/Screen+Shot+2020-07-22+at+10.48.19+AM.png" width="976" /></a></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;">And another:</div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FzkqscQ1lXJZQZnx9qkg70gJcsxqkki87xGdrnpHUNHaofOowptIG9rj-zq0YrVYZm5BYn6xaAD9ZnAEJcDlMhhuikmaNm0_7rCslcluzF9XORfUGbCTeqw8oljeHK120D-ECDWeZ9g/s926/Screen+Shot+2020-07-22+at+12.06.16+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="926" height="774" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FzkqscQ1lXJZQZnx9qkg70gJcsxqkki87xGdrnpHUNHaofOowptIG9rj-zq0YrVYZm5BYn6xaAD9ZnAEJcDlMhhuikmaNm0_7rCslcluzF9XORfUGbCTeqw8oljeHK120D-ECDWeZ9g/w781-h774/Screen+Shot+2020-07-22+at+12.06.16+PM.png" width="781" /></a></div><div><font color="#1a1a1a" face=""><span style="caret-color: rgb(26, 26, 26);"><div><blockquote style="caret-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: black;" type="cite"><div><div dir="auto"><br /></div></div></blockquote></div></span></font></div><div><font color="#1a1a1a" face=""><span style="caret-color: rgb(26, 26, 26);"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" style="font-size: 40px; font-weight: bold;"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fellowship Church Spreads Gospel and COVID-19 at Allaso Ranch <a href="https://t.co/LmGd4txTa7">https://t.co/LmGd4txTa7</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/wthrockmorton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wthrockmorton</a></p>— Warren Throckmorton (@wthrockmorton) <a href="https://twitter.com/wthrockmorton/status/1285969829770428417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2020</a></blockquote><div><div style="font-size: 40px; font-weight: bold;"> </div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" style="font-size: 40px; font-weight: bold;"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">COVID-19 outbreak at Fellowship Church: One mom said through talking to other parents and campers, she’s heard at least 80 children tested positive for the virus. <a href="https://twitter.com/fc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EdYoung?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edyoung</a></p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1286121723008561152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2020</a></blockquote><div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/schuyler.ivey/posts/10223045238823325" data-show-text="true" data-width=""><div> </div><blockquote cite="https://developers.facebook.com/schuyler.ivey/posts/10223045238823325" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN3fx8NX2BRSB33vzd7H2Ry032slAO_Qr7ojpM4C7ixrUe7aZwMBBI8LFOFBjOlErxDQDTRlF3zYCGSdna24qNRCt1n0Ht72wnpzLcLveQSaK3Jkdgmvptd-RX-L1wIu8CzJOXTXDEZI/s1330/Screen+Shot+2020-07-23+at+12.48.41+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1086" data-original-width="1330" height="798" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN3fx8NX2BRSB33vzd7H2Ry032slAO_Qr7ojpM4C7ixrUe7aZwMBBI8LFOFBjOlErxDQDTRlF3zYCGSdna24qNRCt1n0Ht72wnpzLcLveQSaK3Jkdgmvptd-RX-L1wIu8CzJOXTXDEZI/w976-h798/Screen+Shot+2020-07-23+at+12.48.41+AM.png" width="976" /></a></div></blockquote></div></div><font face="verdana"><div><b><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black;"><br /></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black;">UPDATE:</div></b></div></font></div></span></font></div></span></div><div><font face="verdana"><span style="background-color: white;"><font color="#111111"><br /></font></span></font></div><font face="verdana">
Late tonight, July 22, I received an email from a woman (JG) who stated that she was a counselor at one of the recent Fellowship Church youth camps at Allaso Ranch. I know her name, but have chosen to use her initials only, to protect the identity of the camper she discussed. She accused me of having a "mission to slander" her church regarding the recent Covid outbreak that is now being reported by local media. It seems that she thinks I wrote the Fort Worth Star Telegram story? Odd. The <a href="https://www.star-telegram.com/news/coronavirus/article244417462.html" target="_blank">Star Telegram</a> stated that one mom reported hearing about 80 positive cases of Coronavirus. </font><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana">The email is posted below. I have redacted the name of the camper whom JG identifies. It is very inappropriate that a camp counselor would name and divulge any information about one of the kids in her care like this. What is going on at Fellowship Church? This is not a safe church. </font><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana"> <i>Hello,
I am going to start off by saying I do not want to be exposed at all by saying anything to you. </i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i><br /></i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i> One thing I do know that you are miss informed about the camp is I saw you said there were no hand sanitizer stations, that is false that was something they had everywhere. Places like the pool wouldn’t even let you enter if you did not use it upon entering. Also your number if 80, I do believe is an Exaggeration and a number made up by high school students. I have talked to staff and the number was in the 20’s. Now, I know that’s like putting a bandaid on a huge gash. But I do think it is important to not be spreading false information. It could be higher, I’m not saying it isn’t just that the 80’s number came from high schoolers who don’t know any actual numbers. </i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i><br /></i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i> Another thing is, I am pretty sure someone you mentioned in your article was [camper] mom. I was her councilor for week one of high school (only there for 3 days.) I was also [camper] only councilor. Because of the virus I made sure to keep my distance from campers all week, I had them wash hands constantly, and made sure they couldn’t do things like sit on each others bunks. On things like the large gatherings, I opted out of those but my campers were in them. I also made a point to not touch anybody in my cabin and things like that, but I broke that rule once and it was with [camper] That was when I was comforting her when she came to me and told me things about her life that have hurt her.</i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i><br /></i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i> Immediately after camp I took a test that came back 6 days later as negative. But waiting that long stressed me out so I also went to a place the next Wednesday that I got the results back 15 min later which was also negative. I got an antibody test that is also negative as well.
To be clear, it is known I was the only councilor of [camper] so, even though I know you won’t report on the people who are negative (there have also been a lot of people negative from camp as well), but please keep in mind it won’t be hard for them to figure out who I am and I don’t want to be brought into this.
I know of about 20 people after week one who tested negative, it was week 2 when I believe the virus came. </i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i><br /></i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i> This was things I thought I should share as you have made it you mission to slander any church. Though I agree camp could have been cancelled and I was stressed about the virus while being there, it was still a blessing to be able to connect with my cabin where I had my girls tell me some of the most horrible things about their lives, things they’ve done and things that have happened to them, and I was able to tell them that it’s okay and comfort and support them. That’s why Fellowship had camp. </i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i><br /></i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i> So yeah that’s all I got.</i></font></div></div><div><font face="verdana"><i><br /></i></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><i><br /></i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font face="verdana"><i><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fellowship Church <a href="https://twitter.com/fc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fc</a> led by pastor Ed Young <a href="https://twitter.com/EdYoung?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EdYoung</a> promoted their July 2020 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllasoRanch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllasoRanch</a> youth camp event during the pandemic -- LIKE THIS.<br><br>Just shocked. <a href="https://t.co/J5SXdiZJ4S">pic.twitter.com/J5SXdiZJ4S</a></p>— Studio MarkAllen Ⓜ️ (@studiomarkallen) <a href="https://twitter.com/studiomarkallen/status/1286383949820964864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></i></font></div>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-62324885989235480832020-07-19T16:02:00.071-07:002020-07-22T20:21:29.207-07:00Covid-19 Outbreak at Keystone Church Camp in Texas<div><h4 style="text-align: left;"><font face="verdana" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="text-align: left;">Reports began </span><a href="https://imgur.com/a/WKxp8Un?fbclid=IwAR2b_cEu3ngCecUo44HdaNLwtR3J6yCxvJU8wwHVgVnCVnKNb-NBYoN4RR4" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">circulating</a><span style="text-align: left;"> on social media this weekend regarding an outbreak of Covid cases from Keystone Church's youth camp, which was apparently held out of town at <a href="https://www.baptiststandard.com/news/texas/latham-springs-temporarily-closes-after-covid-19-exposure/" target="_blank">Latham Springs Camp and Retreat Center</a> in Aquila, Texas July 6-10. </span><a href="https://keystonechurch.com/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Keystone Church</a><span style="text-align: left;"> is located in Keller, Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. </span><a href="https://keystonechurch.com/who-we-are/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Brandon Thomas</a><span style="text-align: left;"> is the founding and senior pastor. One post shared by Sarah Zamora on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/sarah.zamora/posts/10157963318211785" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">Facebook</a><span style="text-align: left;"> included photos of the kids at camp in groups and singing at a very large gathering without masks. Some photos do show kids wearing masks at times. </span></font></h4></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRIG1Hk0EccosySLbgyLvJxabtwKLJ6xLMhCEcNVORI2G2xELk01ImzkRe_XHumDtZ1Kw1a1QE_sAXC8SRbL-5GlRrdzHcB2fOkIt5eLMglmz5I1lNtfSdZXtKfypng5xkgnNoI09l_8/s1924/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+7.02.06+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1924" data-original-width="1892" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRIG1Hk0EccosySLbgyLvJxabtwKLJ6xLMhCEcNVORI2G2xELk01ImzkRe_XHumDtZ1Kw1a1QE_sAXC8SRbL-5GlRrdzHcB2fOkIt5eLMglmz5I1lNtfSdZXtKfypng5xkgnNoI09l_8/s320/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+7.02.06+PM.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><font face="verdana"><br /></font><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/sarah.zamora/posts/10157963318211785" data-show-text="true" data-width=""><blockquote cite="https://developers.facebook.com/sarah.zamora/posts/10157963318211785" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9AEZ_dIezj24tBTEXIf2vcwk8CY0qj2dqUGzVEpwTyYWEEXKGl8JEKUyUzIZEvcyrNaST_VNiyymEG2eff31EYO2rdkx8lgDsqn4AUu_pY2O5HwNENwHsKz_uaEWsHJK8MPvaVnBKqo/s1240/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.10.51+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="940" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9AEZ_dIezj24tBTEXIf2vcwk8CY0qj2dqUGzVEpwTyYWEEXKGl8JEKUyUzIZEvcyrNaST_VNiyymEG2eff31EYO2rdkx8lgDsqn4AUu_pY2O5HwNENwHsKz_uaEWsHJK8MPvaVnBKqo/w594-h781/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.10.51+PM.png" width="594" /></a></div></blockquote><div><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=keystonechurch&set=a.10158861897389258" target="_blank">Keystone Church camp album on Facebook</a> - *this album is no longer available. It was removed shortly after I published this blog post. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1KbtNERa0sJbfgYJ33WXzJs7GhVPgWHIwjHuz7Gjo2ws22x4Km2nHAZuZUoZd5I4-1IjQW0fkuONUfQ2AxYWWlKcD6RJSqkkY-QKTzC3Nkitrif-urXy0IBHLHWjm28ge2MX-Zw9GSM/s1564/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.51.43+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1564" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1KbtNERa0sJbfgYJ33WXzJs7GhVPgWHIwjHuz7Gjo2ws22x4Km2nHAZuZUoZd5I4-1IjQW0fkuONUfQ2AxYWWlKcD6RJSqkkY-QKTzC3Nkitrif-urXy0IBHLHWjm28ge2MX-Zw9GSM/w500-h243/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.51.43+PM.png" width="500" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwlIQB-FWdZCMVlo1SCYY2C9tIjyu7cptnlFn6Z_VsVQQdUtmqI_LZJFyOwx_W2jIWoeXoqI2QglQKVSZZ1uJ_zgiXaQd3A3SpRmuw3dXQRKXC57zNN5uwJnDV2mfud-72o4AAM76tUg/s2048/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.49.32+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="2048" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwlIQB-FWdZCMVlo1SCYY2C9tIjyu7cptnlFn6Z_VsVQQdUtmqI_LZJFyOwx_W2jIWoeXoqI2QglQKVSZZ1uJ_zgiXaQd3A3SpRmuw3dXQRKXC57zNN5uwJnDV2mfud-72o4AAM76tUg/w625-h395/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.49.32+PM.png" width="625" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVB0SbLoHmnSlNo_w0iYGEmQ-h69fO-PNt5GF1BIY33QTlLDQb7nAikfurpQcioGye_tiSyYcUruoGyZR4vw4pdV62eZ10FRbPS28mf3YdLX2AwLr6EUfE6fcO70Tf0kV4meWZeSxhTo/s1124/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.23.18+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="976" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPVB0SbLoHmnSlNo_w0iYGEmQ-h69fO-PNt5GF1BIY33QTlLDQb7nAikfurpQcioGye_tiSyYcUruoGyZR4vw4pdV62eZ10FRbPS28mf3YdLX2AwLr6EUfE6fcO70Tf0kV4meWZeSxhTo/w680-h781/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.23.18+PM.png" width="680" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRQ_GKJBpVQfiVyJJ30r3SpsIlx8ZQi8YLJpxfStflyGbljDJQsTgZd5J_BQeexSZvQtxTENsjJomyCEQJAfzrxeqYDB14Iyu4GXEy8wbazzpYXK7AYy5rZBWJjeRbnUCvVHDK3LTsWU/s1210/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.23.45+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="962" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRQ_GKJBpVQfiVyJJ30r3SpsIlx8ZQi8YLJpxfStflyGbljDJQsTgZd5J_BQeexSZvQtxTENsjJomyCEQJAfzrxeqYDB14Iyu4GXEy8wbazzpYXK7AYy5rZBWJjeRbnUCvVHDK3LTsWU/w623-h781/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.23.45+PM.png" width="623" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-dWXOkX3g5IWmDBOOV8I3KvOk3493c4Co94mR6I0h6PEOc0GN3LkCEeNcQ925-80F56IxNn5mqt7x9gtk_vCvFmoWZP_GtHzvxcdLQj1x0xDEFoQmWsY8BKGY7KnPFxoeOlTxKY_PMU/s1194/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.23.58+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1194" data-original-width="968" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-dWXOkX3g5IWmDBOOV8I3KvOk3493c4Co94mR6I0h6PEOc0GN3LkCEeNcQ925-80F56IxNn5mqt7x9gtk_vCvFmoWZP_GtHzvxcdLQj1x0xDEFoQmWsY8BKGY7KnPFxoeOlTxKY_PMU/w633-h781/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.23.58+PM.png" width="633" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY__fn44xaWKGYVngbV3KUpFRQ27AV9NlOBMFz-V4jL7Xs_OArhr7bGHWNIhgWV38WScpXR7vyRn4GQG5kSbOlPWkvIVzwqdr0N7uBI7lnXL4mdbE06Nw36w1ZJ0vW3_osYT6EfntjRtw/s1124/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.23.05+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1124" data-original-width="974" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY__fn44xaWKGYVngbV3KUpFRQ27AV9NlOBMFz-V4jL7Xs_OArhr7bGHWNIhgWV38WScpXR7vyRn4GQG5kSbOlPWkvIVzwqdr0N7uBI7lnXL4mdbE06Nw36w1ZJ0vW3_osYT6EfntjRtw/w676-h781/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+6.23.05+PM.png" width="676" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" data-id="a/WKxp8Un" lang="en"><a href="//imgur.com/a/WKxp8Un">Keystone Screencaps</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>I shared some of these posts earlier today and received a message with a screenshot (posted below) of a post from a parent of a camper who attended Keystone's camp, along with the email sent by the church. </div><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js"></script></div><div><img height="1541" src="https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-0/p480x480/107738734_287797602282342_8723347764656248543_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_sid=b96e70&_nc_ohc=wAsG9WjOpU4AX_Cz-ox&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&_nc_tp=6&oh=8d838958122660342d6325b43164d337&oe=5F3B2A7B" style="-webkit-user-select: none; cursor: zoom-in; display: block; margin: auto;" width="711" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Rob Patterson, a pastor at Keystone Church, is on the <a href="https://www.cityofkeller.com/services/economic-development/keller-beyond-the-mask" target="_blank">City of Keller's Covid-19 Task Force</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq3x1S2x9eU8WsRPB9nfHkOnmA_YJN1ge9s7HnEWyacjrIOJW_jotjFzqTC8C9UOFYZMxIw-ZKiRJpYkJSYWtnJZ_uXQAQy4-3mOZX0uwVjo1H7GtUkq57sauv6DRNUdc7YH4qii5JCc/s848/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+5.39.20+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="848" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbq3x1S2x9eU8WsRPB9nfHkOnmA_YJN1ge9s7HnEWyacjrIOJW_jotjFzqTC8C9UOFYZMxIw-ZKiRJpYkJSYWtnJZ_uXQAQy4-3mOZX0uwVjo1H7GtUkq57sauv6DRNUdc7YH4qii5JCc/w625-h389/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+5.39.20+PM.png" width="625" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">We’ll be reaching out to the church and TCPHD this week to get a handle on facts.</p>— City of Keller, TX (@cityofkeller) <a href="https://twitter.com/cityofkeller/status/1284973343859519488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I replied to a tweet by <a href="https://twitter.com/keystonechurch" target="_blank">Keystone Church</a> and asked if they would like to make a statement about this outbreak. They blocked me shortly after. </div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’d like to write a blog post about the Covid outbreak at your church camp. Do you have a statement?</p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1284938262214320128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">And just like that, <a href="https://twitter.com/keystonechurch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@keystonechurch</a> blocked me. I asked them for a statement about the Covid outbreak at their camp for a blog post I’m writing. <a href="https://t.co/y2bGmqsuR4">pic.twitter.com/y2bGmqsuR4</a></p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1284949845850152960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">@dangoodwinonfox <a href="https://twitter.com/AshleyOnFox4?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashleyonfox4</a><br />This deserves a story. Keller is in big trouble. 200 kids went to a camp for 5 days and they are testing positive for covid-19 now. <a href="https://twitter.com/keystonechurch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@keystonechurch</a> isn’t addressing it nor taking accountability. The public deserves to know. <a href="https://t.co/ihOM4PLuUG">https://t.co/ihOM4PLuUG</a></p>— Christine Gostomski (@CGostomski) <a href="https://twitter.com/CGostomski/status/1284696061462941702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It seems Keystone Christian Church in Keller is having themselves a little Camp COVID outbreak.<br /><br />July 6th -10th. Hundreds of participating teens. The sick kids were sent home. The rest stayed and continued to share their love of Jesus. <br /><br />And COVID. <a href="https://t.co/Roz2YckWfp">pic.twitter.com/Roz2YckWfp</a></p>— Laura Haines (@Haines4Laura) <a href="https://twitter.com/Haines4Laura/status/1284709959884775424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div>If anyone has any further information, I can be reached at watchkeepamy@gmail.com. </div><div><br /></div><div>UPDATE:</div><div>Keystone Church posted a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/keystonechurch/posts/10158898945634258" target="_blank">statement</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnkQ7uyxXugqWrJLXEAwMWi3rXA0oALhQKuXg1Ey4ntr6cRxpGUDTpIY-IGtw2xzLT4qXtnYDiEgpHhkdiK7BGcLuasJt9_OeZsW5ViARRTV9q7Ty3DM-PF5k_DHkHpAq2pwyNrmZz-Q/s1560/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+7.06.05+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1560" data-original-width="972" height="976" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnkQ7uyxXugqWrJLXEAwMWi3rXA0oALhQKuXg1Ey4ntr6cRxpGUDTpIY-IGtw2xzLT4qXtnYDiEgpHhkdiK7BGcLuasJt9_OeZsW5ViARRTV9q7Ty3DM-PF5k_DHkHpAq2pwyNrmZz-Q/w608-h976/Screen+Shot+2020-07-19+at+7.06.05+PM.png" width="608" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Risking his daughter’s life at camp and he’d do it again he says <a href="https://twitter.com/keystonechurch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@keystonechurch</a> <a href="https://t.co/dKSym7VeHK">pic.twitter.com/dKSym7VeHK</a></p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1285304177032417280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a></blockquote><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">From the mom who spoke out in the <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCDFW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCDFW</a> story. <a href="https://twitter.com/keystonechurch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@keystonechurch</a> this doesn’t seem like the Christian response. Is this how kids react after “rededicating their lives to Christ?” <a href="https://t.co/S9Qv8sj00O">pic.twitter.com/S9Qv8sj00O</a></p>— Meredith (@MereMay87) <a href="https://twitter.com/MereMay87/status/1285237444611313664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“To everybody in town that I see posting on FB about how this isn't real and that it’s a political scheme, I'm like, ‘Oh, my God, come intubate these patients,’” Kelsey Dowell said from the back porch of her home. “‘Come see what we see. It's real.’” <a href="https://t.co/PY8iY1eH9I">https://t.co/PY8iY1eH9I</a></p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1284894367690272769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><font face="verdana">*Update* July 21</font></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><div>The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cityofkellergovernment/posts/10158693595848383" target="_blank">City of Keller</a> stated today that they cannot comment on the Covid19 outbreak from Keystone Church youth camp, because the church has retained legal counsel.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rTb5caSsWZR4flPPbG7wazY7EFh3k7aNP_WzOI1sRi64iaBNfkkJZG34mwf0fs6bVGWBf_cynE8jfY5GfFOLZXrzbTEfH0V5UEG8O0YKDxFtLCraq44Cfj9tjziKEW45gk5B75RfsM0/s960/keystone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="443" height="1220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rTb5caSsWZR4flPPbG7wazY7EFh3k7aNP_WzOI1sRi64iaBNfkkJZG34mwf0fs6bVGWBf_cynE8jfY5GfFOLZXrzbTEfH0V5UEG8O0YKDxFtLCraq44Cfj9tjziKEW45gk5B75RfsM0/w564-h1220/keystone.jpg" width="564" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Moms in the DFW area are contacting me & thanking me for covering this issue. New: concerns over large public school-related events still being organized and promoted (<a href="https://twitter.com/KellerISD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KellerISD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/cityofkeller?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cityofkeller</a>). This is for the <a href="https://twitter.com/KellerHighBand?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KellerHighBand</a> fundraiser <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyCreekRanchGC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SkyCreekRanchGC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TexasCOVID?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TexasCOVID</a> <a href="https://t.co/MH8Mn7tKum">pic.twitter.com/MH8Mn7tKum</a></p>— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1286027063980417030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2020</a></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/amysmithwatchkeep/posts/2941006112693209?comment_id=2941038539356633" target="_blank">Wearing a mask and social distancing are not acts of fear but of love.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6PRM_9izaEkRjn5aOyr9qDT3wHBmtsdy9B5XauKHWtmUndQQcYzkIVejw9p9O1CL6mKSNi0lRo4VPo0GeiEIU0XQMIwFXDpBz8hOduMTD0e7agw78SrhWC51_4hBybLdEsvcel__nWw/s828/FB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="828" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6PRM_9izaEkRjn5aOyr9qDT3wHBmtsdy9B5XauKHWtmUndQQcYzkIVejw9p9O1CL6mKSNi0lRo4VPo0GeiEIU0XQMIwFXDpBz8hOduMTD0e7agw78SrhWC51_4hBybLdEsvcel__nWw/w781-h538/FB.jpg" width="781" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><h1 class="entry-title" style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(91, 105, 118); color: #5b6976; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"><font size="3"><a href="https://www.baptiststandard.com/news/texas/latham-springs-temporarily-closes-after-covid-19-exposure/" target="_blank">Latham Springs temporarily closes after COVID-19 exposure</a> </font></h1><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="entry-content" style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(91, 105, 118); color: #5b6976; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">Latham Springs Camp and Retreat Center at Aquilla has closed for two weeks and its staff is under “house quarantine” after the camp learned about confirmed cases of COVID-19 among members of a church group from Keller.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">Keystone Church, a nondenominational congregation in Keller, rented the retreat center for a July 6-10 camp that involved about 450 students, sponsors and staff.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">“On the first day of camp, after the group had been here a few hours, we received a call from a parent of one of the students that a family member had tested positive” for COVID-19, a statement issued by Latham Springs read.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">“We immediately isolated the student and then sent her home. Two days later, we were notified that she had tested positive for COVID-19. The church immediately isolated her age group, and then anyone that had close contact with her was sent home. The rest of that group was isolated (after parents were notified) for the remainder of the camp and then sent home with parents.”</p></blockquote><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"></p></div><blockquote><br /></blockquote></div></div></div></div> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div></div></font></div></div>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-87905163908692710562020-07-08T14:46:00.154-07:002020-07-20T14:52:53.678-07:00Outcry Discussion: Why hasn't DA Shawn Dick charged Johnathan McCarty in the Greg Kelley child sex assault case?<p><span style="line-height: 1;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;">"How do you feel about Jonathan McCarty being free?"</font></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZKsN7VVhiyfVuphfeXWQeWV-z79-PEuIA926V4cZXSoq15K10vpKH3gKwPI3ZoEU-Ipns9QNuT-mrFRkOi3F2KAbs5HtFBiWlE6RV8SzCXfB-1HwWC__gwyfrjUiPDmjIW6z-hWR6s8/s1494/Screen+Shot+2020-07-10+at+9.11.52+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="1370" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZKsN7VVhiyfVuphfeXWQeWV-z79-PEuIA926V4cZXSoq15K10vpKH3gKwPI3ZoEU-Ipns9QNuT-mrFRkOi3F2KAbs5HtFBiWlE6RV8SzCXfB-1HwWC__gwyfrjUiPDmjIW6z-hWR6s8/w458-h500/Screen+Shot+2020-07-10+at+9.11.52+AM.png" width="458" /></a></div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font><p></p><p><span style="line-height: 1;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /> </font></span><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">I posted a comment on the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OutcryGK2/posts/100577655067967" style="line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Outcry Documentary and Greg Kelley Case Discussion Facebook page</a><span style="line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I asked, why hasn't Shawn Dick charged Johnathan McCarty in this case? Or anyone else? Others commented that they wanted me to find out why.</span></font></p><p style="text-align: center;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><span style="line-height: 1; white-space: pre-wrap;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="589" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOutcryGK2%2Fposts%2F100577655067967&show_text=true&width=552&height=589&appId" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="552"></iframe></span></font></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxyRS4xYLPz1iXVBEfWKCvo_PwS4ful6aPVzb6YhH36NrmegZhjavbhNn8X745z6JaQO_KopkZjJEbIP5gKp7zHnxmHGpa3EeJ3WZvrECbXwsDobg8A1JgAlbtmeXpKccWbHBojWAnDQ/s1431/IMG_9754.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1431" data-original-width="824" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxyRS4xYLPz1iXVBEfWKCvo_PwS4ful6aPVzb6YhH36NrmegZhjavbhNn8X745z6JaQO_KopkZjJEbIP5gKp7zHnxmHGpa3EeJ3WZvrECbXwsDobg8A1JgAlbtmeXpKccWbHBojWAnDQ/w360-h625/IMG_9754.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKJPEFFWqamKu8RnyNDK8c3xSwT9t1Ln7ZHkqzpde8ci6kxvlcxzTt4mRmgS5C9K-5Ede3q_5Wm7VgGdNcvV9nlpObSIGW89SlGcvtkiWJ0GEyhkDJKAYVtezT4IZaBkyXPxBd3nCX4o/s852/GK.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="480" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKJPEFFWqamKu8RnyNDK8c3xSwT9t1Ln7ZHkqzpde8ci6kxvlcxzTt4mRmgS5C9K-5Ede3q_5Wm7VgGdNcvV9nlpObSIGW89SlGcvtkiWJ0GEyhkDJKAYVtezT4IZaBkyXPxBd3nCX4o/w351-h625/GK.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU993_75qc1Suu_TzEatFxl7GVZqHfl9JW_TNDszNmZu2jBeDB9onz2980kSGp93HXpfiKyqvf7MX4PLYhIINinvNGqZedhyzjnLH0tp0-XdL_i-yTj_kCbFUVEDSbKWb35QTLFTDJdNc/s852/gk2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="480" height="781" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU993_75qc1Suu_TzEatFxl7GVZqHfl9JW_TNDszNmZu2jBeDB9onz2980kSGp93HXpfiKyqvf7MX4PLYhIINinvNGqZedhyzjnLH0tp0-XdL_i-yTj_kCbFUVEDSbKWb35QTLFTDJdNc/w439-h781/gk2.jpg" width="439" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKzZrQ20TLMKS_hY7Xc304ijrSUYQPLk1wcE5bhPhvuCarPahLfYKoaSQGNdQsZ0KwBvIFBmAlvVE4GwrJh0UnfZxjL0xxfN-mK3Ct4QGLIFmdh1LsT7KOApyLE2Tl5FwR2M-ANN9ehM/s1710/Screen+Shot+2020-07-10+at+9.11.20+AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="1710" height="525" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKzZrQ20TLMKS_hY7Xc304ijrSUYQPLk1wcE5bhPhvuCarPahLfYKoaSQGNdQsZ0KwBvIFBmAlvVE4GwrJh0UnfZxjL0xxfN-mK3Ct4QGLIFmdh1LsT7KOApyLE2Tl5FwR2M-ANN9ehM/w625-h525/Screen+Shot+2020-07-10+at+9.11.20+AM.png" width="625" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana; letter-spacing: -1.2px; line-height: 1;"><a href="https://www.fox7austin.com/news/second-suspect-in-kelley-case-will-not-likely-be-charged" style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 1;" target="_blank">Second suspect in Kelley case will not likely be charged</a></span></p><p><font face="verdana"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1; white-space: normal;"><i style="line-height: 1;"></i></span></font></p><blockquote><font face="verdana"><i style="line-height: 1;">When I have three suspects in a case, absent Jonathan McCarty confessing or some extraordinary evidence that we don't have right now, I don't see it possible for us to try Jonathan McCarty for this offense. </i></font></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: "open sans", "helvetica neue", helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1; white-space: normal;"><i style="line-height: 1;"></i></span></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><i style="line-height: 1;">DA Shawn Dick says he doesn't believe at this time the court could rule beyond a reasonable doubt on any of the suspects.</i></p><i style="line-height: 1;">— KVUE News (@KVUE) <a href="https://twitter.com/KVUE/status/900112823598108676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2017</a></i></blockquote><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">DA Shawn Dick: There are three very viable suspects in the child sex assault case.</p>— KVUE News (@KVUE) <a href="https://twitter.com/KVUE/status/900112529720045569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2017</a></blockquote><div> </div></div><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: verdana; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 1;"><a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/with-greg-kelley-conviction-overturned-da-wont-bring-new-charges-in-sex-assault-case" style="line-height: 1;" target="_blank">With Greg Kelley conviction overturned, DA won't bring new charges in sex assault case</a></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; line-height: 1; margin: 26px 0px;"><i style="line-height: 1;"></i></p><blockquote><i style="line-height: 1;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;">Despite overturning Kelley’s conviction, investigators do not have enough evidence, or a prime suspect to bring new charges forward.</font></i></blockquote><p></p><p><font color="#121212" face="verdana"></font></p><blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; line-height: 1; margin: 26px 0px;"><i style="line-height: 1;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;">“Despite a lot of tips, despite a lot of information, we were left with the Texas Ranger testifying there were three possible suspects in this case he had identified, and so with that, we don’t really have a case against any particular suspect,” said Dick.</font></i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; line-height: 1; margin: 26px 0px;"><i style="line-height: 1;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;">Dick said it would be hard to even charge McCarty, who's currently facing four years in prison on unrelated charges.</font></i></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><a href="https://www.wilco.org/Elected-Officials/Attorneys/District-Attorney" style="line-height: 1;" target="_blank">Shawn Dick</a>, Republican, took office as the District Attorney in Williamson County, Texas in 2017. Greg Kelley-Fight for GK leaders and supporters helped to get him elected. Fight for GK leader <a href="https://twitter.com/brydon_jake" style="line-height: 1;" target="_blank">Jake Brydon</a> is on the far right in the photo below.</font></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWlsvSjKFKtc_34DuqzReefVAUm6rSOZMx23-khGXrzKPJJBLwzR1S_okE10DeKtbmyR8fwljvIqARDxHYAjtUltvr5DJxeTFBdcvpJYDKlleMVlyDgHPP64iRrAFn5HLQ9p5IIBOwEw/s1024/Image-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="603" data-original-width="1024" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWlsvSjKFKtc_34DuqzReefVAUm6rSOZMx23-khGXrzKPJJBLwzR1S_okE10DeKtbmyR8fwljvIqARDxHYAjtUltvr5DJxeTFBdcvpJYDKlleMVlyDgHPP64iRrAFn5HLQ9p5IIBOwEw/w625-h368/Image-1.png" width="625" /></a></div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><font face="verdana"><font style="line-height: 1;">Shawn Dick announced in May 2017 that he was reopening the investigation into the Greg Kelley child sexual assault case. In October 2017, <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 1;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: 1;">Shawn Dick said that Jonathan McCarty, although suspicious, would not likely be charged with child sex assault. He has said that there are "three very viable suspects." Greg Kelley is one of those viable suspects.</span></span></font></font></p><div style="line-height: 1; text-align: left;"><div><font face="verdana"><a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/documents-greg-kelley-wouldnt-cooperate-with-investigation-into-johnathan-mccarty" target="_blank">Documents: Greg Kelley wouldn't cooperate with investigation into Johnathan McCarty</a></font></div><blockquote><div><p style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); margin: 26px 0px;"><i><font face="verdana"><a class="themeColorForLinks" href="http://cbsaustin.com/news/local/greg-kelley-lawyers-statements-remain-sealed" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Greg Kelley</a> refused to cooperate with his defense team's investigation into the theory that Johnathan McCarty sexually assaulted a child, according to new court documents.</font></i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); margin: 26px 0px;"><i><font face="verdana">McCarty, a childhood friend of Kelley's, has been named a person of interest in the case.</font></i></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); margin: 26px 0px;"><i><font face="verdana">The court documents say Kelley's attorney planned to offer into evidence an affidavit that would shed light on the "factual plausibility of the blame-the-other-guy defense." But the documents go on to say Kelley "would not cooperate with any questions about Johnathan, and investigation of Johnathon and defended Johnathan against any theories presented."</font></i></p></div></blockquote><div><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); font-family: verdana; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGRiHjv8c1RYXy34MQiHFsI3FtvVERxodOKWtYM9Xt5glSnurDTu-KPB4-NgItfuw_oGfPMkFHtRN0094oHtniArN89tjPDuDtsKQp-Ev_Plmy3SeHrsxT8K0DtTUtwREbI6PcxYJeFs/s1868/Screen+Shot+2020-07-09+at+12.24.34+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1868" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGRiHjv8c1RYXy34MQiHFsI3FtvVERxodOKWtYM9Xt5glSnurDTu-KPB4-NgItfuw_oGfPMkFHtRN0094oHtniArN89tjPDuDtsKQp-Ev_Plmy3SeHrsxT8K0DtTUtwREbI6PcxYJeFs/w625-h570/Screen+Shot+2020-07-09+at+12.24.34+PM.png" width="625" /></a></div></div><p style="text-align: left;"><font face="verdana"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><font style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); line-height: 1.15;">Defense attorney James McDermott (Greg Kelley </span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); line-height: 1.15;">team) email </span></font></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><font style="line-height: 1.15;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); line-height: 1.15;">(posted in the photo above) to Greg's new defense attorney Keith Hampton states that Greg would not cooperate with an investigation into Jonathan McCarty as a suspect in this cas</span></font><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); line-height: 1.15;">e.</span></span></font></p><p style="text-align: left;"><font face="verdana"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">I don't understand why Jake Brydon,</span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> Greg Kelley, Jesse Mahan and supporters aren't directing their energy at challenging District Attorney Shawn Dick on his decision not to charge Johnathan McCarty whom they insist is the real perpetrator in this child sexual assault case. With all this evidence that they claim exists that McCarty is the one who committed child sexual </span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">assault, I would think that they would be more concerned about why DA Shawn Dick has not charged him. Why hasn't Jake Brydon started a petition for the DA to continue the investigation into McCarty and not give up until justice is served? </span></font></p><p style="text-align: left;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2014/10/fight-for-gk-they-said.html" target="_blank">Fight for GK: they said</a></span></font></p><h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 8px; max-width: calc(100% - 48px);"></h3><div><font face="verdana"><a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2019/11/greg-kelley-emails-to-me-if-you-chose.html" target="_blank">Greg Kelley's emails to me</a></font></div><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="722" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGregKelleyCriminalCaseDiscussion%2Fposts%2F823905018105877&show_text=true&width=552&height=722&appId" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="552"></iframe> </span></font></p><p style="text-align: left;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); color: #14171a; display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"></span></font></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/357077678/McCarty-SW-for-GK-s-ICloud-8-17-17#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View McCarty - SW for GK's ICloud (8.17.17) on Scribd">McCarty - SW for GK's I...</a> by <a href="https://www.scribd.com/user/136771647/watchkeep#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View watchkeep's profile on Scribd">watchkeep</a> on Scribd -Texas Rangers investigation </font></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.7729220222793488" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" scrolling="no" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/357077678/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-1S8QTy5hi5aaQwyZ09dq" title="McCarty - SW for GK's ICloud (8.17.17)" width="100%"></iframe></font><p></p><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/357077977/McCarty-SW-for-GK-s-Friend-Finder-8-17-17#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View McCarty - SW for GK's Friend Finder (8.17.17) on Scribd">McCarty - SW for GK's F...</a> by <a href="https://www.scribd.com/user/136771647/watchkeep#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View watchkeep's profile on Scribd">watchkeep</a> on Scribd</p><iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.7729220222793488" data-auto-height="true" frameborder="0" height="600" scrolling="no" src="https://www.scribd.com/embeds/357077977/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-7KhB2V8ZsZeUIulf0BrX" title="McCarty - SW for GK's Friend Finder (8.17.17)" width="100%"></iframe> </font></div><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/357080166/Affidavit-of-James-McDermott#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Affidavit of James McDermott on Scribd">Affidavit of James McDermott</a> by <a href="https://www.scribd.com/user/136771647/watchkeep#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View watchkeep's profile on Scribd">watchkeep</a> on Scribd</p><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font></div><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/357076904/Filed-Copy-Cummings-Objection-to-Jointly-Stipulated-Findings-of-Fact#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Filed Copy Cummings' Objection to Jointly Stipulated Findings of Fact on Scribd">Filed Copy Cummings' Ob...</a> by <a href="https://www.scribd.com/user/136771647/watchkeep#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View watchkeep's profile on Scribd">watchkeep</a> on Scribd</p><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font></div><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/369316847/Amicus-Brief-of-P-Cummings#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Amicus Brief of P. Cummings on Scribd">Amicus Brief of P. Cummings</a> by <a href="https://www.scribd.com/user/389614887/christy-almond#from_embed" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View christy almond's profile on Scribd">christy almond</a> on Scribd</p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"The child used the name Greg, and he's never wavered from that."—Shawn Dick<br />"I was the only one who would interact with them…" —<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GregKelley?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GregKelley</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ymi2fHgKy0">pic.twitter.com/Ymi2fHgKy0</a></p>— FakeFight Foundation: Believe The Kids' #Outcry (@FakeFightForGK) <a href="https://twitter.com/FakeFightForGK/status/900124941718343680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> </font></div><div><font face="verdana"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shawn Dick says he wants to make a point that McCarty's porn didn't have to do with child porn. They were adult. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gregkelley?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gregkelley</a></p>— Andrea Ball (@andreeball) <a href="https://twitter.com/andreeball/status/893222423033675776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Right. The nude child pics on comp were few in number. DA says they're inapprop but he doesn't consider them child porn.</p>— MelanieTorre (@melanietorre) <a href="https://twitter.com/melanietorre/status/893242095145816065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div><div><font face="verdana"><br /></font></div> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ekmDkbPINc" width="560"></iframe><br /></font><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><p></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">My message to the kids: The hype from this film (not really a true documentary) WILL die down. You know the truth. You own it. You are brave. You are better than them. I believe you. Go forth & be a strong survivor. Their lies will never diminish your truth and worth. </span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-4qtqp9 r-ip8ujx r-sjv1od r-zw8f10 r-bnwqim r-h9hxbl" dir="auto" style="border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(20, 23, 26); display: inline-block; font-stretch: inherit; height: 1em; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0.075em; padding: 0px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 1.2em; word-wrap: break-word;"></span></p><h1 class="cm cn bo co b cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df" id="3aed" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #292929; font-weight: 400; line-height: 48px; margin: 0.78em 0px -0.27em;"><font size="3"><a href="https://medium.com/@fakefightforgk/how-outcry-attacks-child-rape-victims-outcry-a48c1d870832" target="_blank">How “Outcry” Attacks Child Rape Victims’ Outcry</a></font></h1><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p><p style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px;"><br /></p><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font></div> </font></div><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font></div><div><font face="verdana" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></font></div>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-28257170686340134032020-04-30T11:44:00.000-07:002020-04-30T11:59:25.065-07:00Another victim of former Southern Baptist music minister Eddie Struble comes forward <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, I received an email about Eddie Struble, whom I have <a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/search?q=Eddie+struble" target="_blank">written</a> about several times, regarding ongoing allegations of child sexual abuse. I have removed some of the contents to protect anonymity at the victim's request.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">I'm not sure if you'd be interested in more information, or if it'd even matter this far from the information you last posted about this man. But, after reading some of the stuff that you have written about him I felt I should contact you as well. Eddie Struble is a disgusting, and horrible man. I was actually just talking about him with a friend last night recounting all the awful things he did in my youth and it spurred me to Google him again. It had been </i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><i>quite</i></span></span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"> some time since I had last but I am glad to know people are not going to let this man go around continuing to abuse, stalk, and molest our children.</i></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>I haven't brought myself to read through everything on your page but from the bit I did, it sounds like all the accusations started when he moved to Texas, and that that's when his monsters came out. But, I can tell you from first hand experience that those monsters were there long before Texas. I attended Idlewild Baptist Church...</i></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had no idea what he was doing was wrong and didn't even think about it again until many years later. That man should be sitting in a jail cell and it astounds me that he has gotten away with these things for so long. </i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Eddie is using his full name "Edward" Struble on his website, <a href="https://ardenwoodstudios.com/" target="_blank">Ardenwood Studios</a>, and on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/edward.struble" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFTsMZ-SVN1l1A6wzsuuwFLTcQnFYwQZ7TtOYxeqOZ-CeImEb6AD99xX33rbG9Zxa7JBgCw9iEnIDP5WuyHmeGCMHJeOnQ6tc-nrw9dIpYHVms9u7f2lYAY09VFt_TTIq2ychsk25-DE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2020-04-30+at+12.58.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1600" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFTsMZ-SVN1l1A6wzsuuwFLTcQnFYwQZ7TtOYxeqOZ-CeImEb6AD99xX33rbG9Zxa7JBgCw9iEnIDP5WuyHmeGCMHJeOnQ6tc-nrw9dIpYHVms9u7f2lYAY09VFt_TTIq2ychsk25-DE/s640/Screen+Shot+2020-04-30+at+12.58.43+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Missing from his <a href="https://ardenwoodstudios.com/about-me" target="_blank">bio and resume</a> are all of the churches that he worked at as a music minister:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.idlewild.org/" target="_blank">Idlewild Baptist Church</a>- Florida</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.second.org/" target="_blank">Second Baptist Church</a>- Houston, TX</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://unitedcity.church/" target="_blank">Humble Area First Baptist Church</a>- Humble, TX</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Eddie is from Memphis, Tennessee. His home church is <a href="https://www.bellevue.org/" target="_blank">Bellevue Baptist Church</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.veoh.com/watch/v21267681pBptBGME" target="_blank">Eddie sings Midnight Cry at Bellevue Baptist Church</a></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Edward "Eddie" Struble lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area now, and as far as I know attends church at <a href="https://www.ccbcfamily.org/" target="_blank">Christ Chapel Church</a> in Fort Worth, Texas. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://twitter.com/Catheri94692384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Catheri94692384</a> Eddie Struble does not have a paid or volunteer position at Christ Chapel.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Christ Chapel (@ChristChapel_FW) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristChapel_FW/status/1005209885657698307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2018</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-10427403031367027882019-11-18T10:41:00.003-08:002020-07-07T21:32:25.208-07:00Greg Kelley emails to me: If you chose to ignore me. You will highly regret it. I’m not playing around anymore. You are absolutely disgusting...<div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CBS Austin: Greg Kelley calls for firing of Cedar Park PD chief</td></tr>
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<a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/greg-kelley-says-he-wants-justice-after-his-conviction-is-overturned" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">CBS|Austin: Greg Kelley says he wants justice after his conviction is overturned.</a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>“I was given my freedom and I'm happy with it,” said Greg Kelley.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>On Thursday, Kelley is celebrating his freedom while the Cedar Park City Council is looking at possible ramifications. The council is holding a special public meeting on Monday to discuss the case and policies and procedures at the Cedar Park Police Department. That comes after the state's highest criminal court overturned Kelley's conviction, a criminal case that was investigated by Cedar Park police.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>“I want justice,” said Kelley.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>And the former Leander High School football star says he doesn't just want it for himself. “I want this kid to feel like he's been delivered justice,” said Kelley.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>In 2014, Kelley was found guilty of the aggravated sexual assault of a 4-year-old boy at a Leander in-home daycare. On Wednesday, that conviction was overturned by the state's highest criminal court. Kelley is now a free man, that doesn't mean the 24-year-old is ready to move on. “We want to make sure we get down to the bottom of this,” said Kelley.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>But Kelley's attorney, <a class="themeColorForLinks" href="https://www.keithshamptonlaw.com/" style="color: rgb(27, 137, 255) !important; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank" title="https://www.keithshamptonlaw.com/">Keith Hampton</a>, says charging another suspect in the case could be problematic. “You might think it's an easy case to prosecute, but it's not straightforward,” said Hampton.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The Court of Criminal Appeals court cited new evidence and a "deficient police investigation," as reasons Kelley's conviction was overturned. Some of that evidence were images of Kelley and Johnathan McCarty when they were in high school. At the time, they looked very similar. McCarty's mother ran the daycare where the 4-year-old was allegedly molested.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Hampton thinks there's enough evidence to make Jonathan McCarty a prime suspect but says that doesn't mean he'll ever be charged. <b>“This particular child said Greg. And he's never said anything but Greg and he said it under oath. It's testimony, so how does a prosecutor overcome that,” said Hampton.</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>In addition to getting justice for the victim, Kelley also wants Cedar Park police to be held accountable for what he considers a botched investigation. “I'm very disappointed about how they run their organization. I don't believe they run it with integrity,” said Kelley.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>On Monday, the Cedar Park City Council is holding a public meeting to discuss the overturned conviction and the ramifications it could have. Kelley could file a civil suit but that could mean he can't collect a payout from the state of $80,000 a year for each of the three years he wrongfully spent in prison.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>“I think that he has to choose one or the other,” said Hampton. “I can guarantee you a quarter of a million dollars right now or do you want to roll the legal dice and see if you can prevail in a civil suit.”</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Kelley won't have to make that decision until after a final court hearing is held later this month.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/greg-kelley-calls-for-firing-of-cedar-park-pd-chief" target="_blank">Greg Kelley calls for firing of Cedar Park PD chief</a></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I first learned about this case from news reports during Greg Kelley's trial and conviction in 2014. Along with fellow blogger and friend, <a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2014/07/25/a-joint-open-letter-to-the-super-hero-victim-of-greg-kelley/" target="_blank">Dee Parsons at The Wartburg Watch</a>, I posted <a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-joint-open-letter-to-super-hero.html" target="_blank">an open letter</a> of support on my blog to the child sexual abuse victim that testified in the criminal case against Greg Kelley. After his conviction, Kelley voluntarily accepted a sentencing plea deal for 25 years in prison and waived his right to appeal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On August 12, 2014, after Greg Kelley's conviction, I <a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2014/08/cedar-park-police-chief-on-greg-kelley.html" target="_blank">posted</a> Cedar Park Police Chief Sean Mannix's internal department staff email regarding the Greg Kelley case with the chief's permission. This email is a matter of public record. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In another blog post <a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2014/07/one-with-courage.html" target="_blank">One with Courage</a>, I wrote:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>I received a phone call yesterday afternoon from Pastor Bob Brydon of Generations Church who is helping lead the effort to "fight for GK," the man convicted of super aggravated sexual assault of a 4 year-old boy, in prison for 25 years after accepting a sentencing deal waiving his right to appeal. Bob immediately let me know how offended he was at our statement, saying he considered it "slander." I asked what was slanderous about it, but he did not answer. He just began a rant about how the "real perp" is still out there on the streets</i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #757575;">.</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.snapnetwork.org/tx_church_to_hold_rally_for_admitted_molester?recruiter_id=33428" target="_blank">Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests: TX Church to Hold Rally for Admitted Molester</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2014/10/fight-for-gk-they-said.html" target="_blank">Fight for GK: they said</a></span></div>
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On Saturday, November 16, 2019 I received three emails in a thread from Greg Kelley. After the first one, I did not respond. He sent the second email about an hour and a half later. I did not respond. He sent the third email later that night. I have not responded.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDHF1qDh5YDFdiyTUKvgdMzPsQhJfwFcNJRFKz-a9J_xcAiJpcbrkDOvgIChWeRoPiv8lCpZu1A_LjlKhWiwG_yVaU83LaH06I0ny8wCQwSvi5nBdnNW-wmEubNO9GAW3slJ-NgepdFg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-11-18+at+10.26.58+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="246" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPDHF1qDh5YDFdiyTUKvgdMzPsQhJfwFcNJRFKz-a9J_xcAiJpcbrkDOvgIChWeRoPiv8lCpZu1A_LjlKhWiwG_yVaU83LaH06I0ny8wCQwSvi5nBdnNW-wmEubNO9GAW3slJ-NgepdFg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-11-18+at+10.26.58+AM.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 12px; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Email 1:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Hello Amy, you might remember me... Greg Kelley. The same guy you said all of those nasty things about when I was being falsely accused and wrongfully convicted?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Well... I’m sure you’ve already heard but I’m exonerated now, all 9 judges of the CCA have declared me innocent.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">I just wanted to send you this message because while you were tag teaming with the chief of police of CPPD to slander my name, my family and everyone who loves and fought for me, I was on the sideline taking note of all of it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Fighting for my innocence is over, now it’s ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO DID THIS TO ME.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">The chief and cedar park is in HOT WATER right now. Don’t believe me? Google it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">I wanted to send you a friendly reminder that I have not forgotten how you were part of the problem and I really don’t like bullies.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">*that little stunt you pulled about me living at jakes... that’s all documented.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Good luck Amy.</span></b></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Let me know if you are interested in resolving this outside of court, my terms are pretty simple.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;" /><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;">Let me remind you the false allegation you filed against me at Jakes house IS A CRIME and quite frankly I’m looking for one good reason not to file a law suit on you. That’s right, with the help of the Texas rangers and private investigators you are exposed on so many levels. Hope you have a good lawyer because I have several.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><b>Do the right thing Amy</b>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>If you chose to ignore me. You will highly regret it. I’m not playing around anymore. You are absolutely disgusting and quite frankly I believe a judge will see it the same way.</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-converted-space">Greg Kelley stated that with the help of the <a href="https://www.dps.texas.gov/texasrangers/" target="_blank">Texas Rangers</a> and private investigators, I am "exposed on so many levels." I emailed the Texas Rangers headquarters in Austin, Texas yesterday. I received a reply today saying that I could </span></span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">contact the Ranger Austin Northwest Field Office at 512-464-3732 and request to speak to a local Ranger. I called that number this morning and spoke with Brenda who answered. I explained why I was calling, and that Greg Kelley stated in an email that I had been investigated by the Texas Rangers. She took my contact information, and said she would give it to the Ranger assigned to the Greg Kelley case. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.statesman.com/news/20170818/greg-kelley-case-texas-ranger-affidavit-contradicts-kelley-statements" target="_blank">Austin American Statesman: Texas Ranger affidavit contradicts Kelley statements</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #232323;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>In the weeks before a 4-year-old boy accused Greg Kelley of molesting him in 2013, the former Leander football player was obsessed with pornography, spent hours alone with children attending the in-home daycare where he lived, and took a selfie of himself with the victim, according to a search warrant filed in Williamson County District Court on Thursday morning.</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Even after Kelley was charged with sexually abusing the child and was awaiting trial, he engaged in high-risk sexual behavior by meeting with other people through a website that connects those looking for sexual activity, the document states. And the affidavit goes further, stating that Kelley viewed pornography with more frequency, for longer time periods, and with increasingly deviant content around the time of the alleged abuse — a pattern described as similar to that of a sex offender who is “about to offend.” </i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Meanwhile, during an ongoing investigation into the case, Kelley was “evasive and or dishonest during his interviews” with law enforcement and “was found to be making statements that were direct contradictions to information he had already provided,” the search warrant states.</i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/affidavit-greg-kelley-should-not-be-ruled-out-as-child-sex-assault-suspect" target="_blank">Texas Ranger calls Kelley 'dishonest and evasive' in new court documents</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>At the end of the hearing, Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick called the case an "utter collapse" of the criminal justice system. Dick said he believed there were mistakes made in the Kelley case by police, the prosecution and the jury.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>However, in the search warrant filed Thursday Mitchell said he found Greg Kelley to be “evasive” and “dishonest” during interviews.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Mitchell explained, Kelley denied ever being alone with the children at the home where the sexual assault occurred. However, while reviewing Kelley's cell phone, Mitchell discovered text messages in which Kelley spoke of being alone for hours with multiple children in the house. Mitchell said he also found a text message in which Kelley spoke of a "selfie" photo he appeared in with the child victim.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>The search warrant said Kelley suddenly developed a habit of viewing porn. Mitchell elaborated that the pornographic website visitation was not that of a typical teenager but something that he would call “an addiction.” Mitchell wrote in the court documents the porn viewing was “substantial evidence” because it marked the beginning of a change in Kelley's normal habits and sexual interests around the time the victim was sexually assaulted.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>In the newly filed documents, Mitchell said deleted text messages revealed Kelley using an adult website to meet strangers in secrecy for sexual contact. Mitchell said he was interested in knowing if Kelley confessed past crimes to the people he found on the website.</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) <a href="https://twitter.com/tplohetski/status/898632950887141376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2017</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/documents-greg-kelley-wouldnt-cooperate-with-investigation-into-johnathan-mccarty" target="_blank">Documents: Greg Kelley wouldn't cooperate with investigation into Johnathan McCarty</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/search-warrants-reveal-greg-kelley-used-hookup-site-had-selfie-with-victim/269-465140279" target="_blank">WFAA:</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>A warrant filed on Aug.17 examined iCloud accounts associated with Kelley between Dec. 20, 2012 and Dec. 1, 2014.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Investigators recovered deleted text message conversations in which Kelley spoke about being alone for hours with multiple children in the daycare. He also discussed a selfie he had taken with the central victim in the sexual assault case. Kelley had previously told investigators he was never alone with any children in the daycare and had little knowledge of the victim.</i></span></div>
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Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-2819040628061351792019-11-10T11:58:00.001-08:002019-11-11T08:33:22.826-08:00Berean Baptist Church shows lead pastor Wes Feltner's video message to the church as he blames victims and their advocates for his suffering <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the weekend services at </span><a href="https://www.bereanbaptist.com/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Berean Baptist Church</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> in Minnesota, lead pastor Wes Feltner addressed the church in a pre-recorded video message (embedded below). He announced that he removed his name from consideration to be the new pastor at </span><a href="https://fbct.org/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">First Baptist Church Clarksville</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, Tennessee. He also stated that he is taking a leave of absence while Berean investigates allegations of his pastoral abuse. He mentioned the victims by name, </span><a href="http://www.broughttothelight.org/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Megan and JoAnna</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. I pulled out a few of his statements:</span><br />
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">They organized to destroy my career and reputation.</span></b></i></blockquote>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My family and I are facing serious and withering attacks.</span></b></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b>There's a reason God has placed a call on my life to preach the gospel.</b></i><i><b> </b></i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Feltner ends his message with an appeal to the message of "amazing grace."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Megan and JoAnna have <a href="http://www.broughttothelight.org/" target="_blank">stated</a> that this isn't the first notice that Berean has been given of Feltner's abusive behavior.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">Around 2014:</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Berean Baptist Church, Burnsville, MN: Former Youth under Wes Feltner at First Southern Baptist Church spoke with the Executive Pastor at the time—it is unknown if any investigation was performed.</span></b></i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Listen below to Wes Feltner's pre-recorded video message shown in the November 9-10 worship services at <a href="https://twitter.com/BereanMN" target="_blank">Berean Baptist Church</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap;">Seventeen years ago, two teens approached a Southern Baptist church in Indiana with allegations that their youth pastor had used his position of authority to sexually abuse them. Now they're speaking up. </span></span><a href="https://t.co/NmgKIov5OX" style="color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue", sans-serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap;">https://t.co/NmgKIov5OX</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— HuffPost Women (@HuffPostWomen) <a href="https://twitter.com/HuffPostWomen/status/1193228637471985664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">🙌 Thankful for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PowerfulMessage?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PowerfulMessage</a> in the sermon and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Apology?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Apology</a> this morning. God is working, seek Him first. Praying with <a href="https://twitter.com/FBCT_Voice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBCT_Voice</a> and for them. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChurchToo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ChurchToo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/wartwatch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wartwatch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@watchkeep</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SNAPNetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SNAPNetwork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/russ_meek?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@russ_meek</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SBCForSuchATime?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SBCForSuchATime</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SusanCodone?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SusanCodone</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristaBrown777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChristaBrown777</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Truthinlight84?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Truthinlight84</a> <a href="https://t.co/PpClfyrnK4">pic.twitter.com/PpClfyrnK4</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Meg Frey (@mrsdafrey83) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrsdafrey83/status/1193566361211068416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Parent Leader Shares Her Account of 2002 Abuse By Wes Feltner- “I have maintained my silence for 17 years. Today, I choose to speak out and join Megan and JoAnna to help put an end to pastoral abuse. Godspeed, ladies!” <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sbctoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sbctoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/caringwell?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#caringwell</a> <a href="https://t.co/jKiz2kTnFC">https://t.co/jKiz2kTnFC</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1193894691416223745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-6550299381960752502019-11-05T08:47:00.000-08:002019-11-08T05:05:07.738-08:00The systemic epidemic of sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention: Wes Feltner and passing the trash <span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">17 years ago, a Southern Baptist church told two just graduated 18 year old girls to be quiet about abuse they experienced from their youth pastor.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Today, another SBC Pastor Search Chairman from <a href="https://t.co/ziYSAom4ff">https://t.co/ziYSAom4ff</a> called the women "adversaries."<a href="https://t.co/k7Zab1nW6r">https://t.co/k7Zab1nW6r</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Joe Donahue (@PastorJDonahue) <a href="https://twitter.com/PastorJDonahue/status/1191154610221633536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.wesfeltner.org/home/about/" target="_blank">Wes Feltner</a> is a Southern Baptist pastor currently at <a href="https://www.bereanbaptist.com/staff/" target="_blank">Berean Baptist Church </a>in Minnesota where he has been since 2014. He is lead pastor of Preaching and Vision. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I became aware of alleged sexual abuse by Wes Feltner yesterday upon reading the stories of two women who have come forward to tell their stories. Their abuse took place while Feltner was their youth pastor at <a href="http://www.fsbcevansville.com/" target="_blank">First Southern Baptist Church</a> in Evansville, Indiana. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.broughttothelight.org/megans-story/" target="_blank">Megan's story</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.broughttothelight.org/joannas-story/" target="_blank">JoAnna's story</a> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">I — the victim of sexual abuse by my youth pastor, alongside another youth at the same time — apparently am the adversary of the church.... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/metoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#metoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AllSurvivorsDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AllSurvivorsDay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeBetter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeBetter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RottenFruit?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RottenFruit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/wartwatch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wartwatch</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Meg Frey (@mrsdafrey83) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrsdafrey83/status/1191157320962719745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">4/4 So much wrong with Paul Batson's message to the church <a href="https://twitter.com/FBCT_Voice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBCT_Voice</a> this morning. This kind of justification is why abusive pastors remain behind the pulpit. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/metoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#metoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/allsurvivorsday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#allsurvivorsday</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pastoralabuse?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pastoralabuse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBCtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBCtoo</a> <a href="https://t.co/1nIkae51nv">pic.twitter.com/1nIkae51nv</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Meg Frey (@mrsdafrey83) <a href="https://twitter.com/mrsdafrey83/status/1191074368627073029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">This was my story. I trusted and believed my spiritual abuser.<a href="https://t.co/AAO1BlbBk1">https://t.co/AAO1BlbBk1</a> <a href="https://t.co/mf7ZO9WV8W">https://t.co/mf7ZO9WV8W</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Jo Anna (@Truthinlight84) <a href="https://twitter.com/Truthinlight84/status/1190940007445532673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.broughttothelight.org/" target="_blank">Brought to the Light</a></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c6668;">Brought To The Light</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #5c6668;"> was created by two abuse survivors for victims and survivors, as well as a support tool for their friends and family navigating the aftermath of abuse. After 17 years of guilt, anxiety, shame and blaming themselves, these two brave women have stepped up to share their stories with the intent to </span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c6668; font-weight: 700;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">‘bring darkness to the light’</em></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #5c6668;"> and spread awareness of the abuse that sometimes happens inside the walls of churches, homes and workplaces, how to recognize it, find a voice and begin healing…</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">From Megan and JoAnna on why they are coming forward now...</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It’s been 17 years, why now? Simply put—God’s timing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here are the events that unfolded in early October 2019 that reopened wounds and unleashed undealt with emotions from the seemingly distant past.</span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">First Baptist Church of Clarksville, Tennessee was in search of a new lead pastor. When a local resident heard the name of their lead candidate, Wes Feltner, she felt compelled to share her knowledge of his past. Her sister was on a joint youth winter retreat in December 2002 with Joe Donahue’s and Wes Feltner’s youth groups. On the trip, two young women confided in her that they were in relationships with their youth pastor.</span></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Wes Feltner’s candidacy was protested to the search committee, and Joe Donahue’s contact information was provided. The Pastor Search Committee chairman then asked Joe Donahue to reach out to the victims to see if they were willing to speak to the Chairman. Via Facebook, Joe reached out to JoAnna and Megan. Megan immediately deleted the friend request because she remembered Joe was Wes’ best friend in 2002. JoAnna responded, reached out to Megan, and both girls agree to talk with the chairman and submitted written statements to be shared with the committee.</span></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Both JoAnna’s and Megan’s statements were provided to the Pastor Search Committee Chairman for First Baptist Church, Clarksville. Joe, concerned that the information was not being fully share with the entire pastor search committee, also shared the written statements with a committee member directly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even with the new information, it seemed as though the chairman was pushing Wes’ approval process forward.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">An email response from the committee chairman seemed to attempt </span><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">shaming the abuse victims into remaining quiet</i></b><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">… At the core, it is important that you control your information. Don’t let anyone, not me and not these others, coax you to share this beyond what you and your husband decide to do. You have more to lose than any of the rest of us. In this search process, which is similar to a corporate hiring process, we scour the Internet for details. You don’t likely want this situation to be what your kids and your future employers find at the top of the search about you, and I fear that Joe’s further publication of it would do just that. In modern day HR, and in society in general, people take sides in stories and there may be as many that point an accusing finger at you, even as inappropriate as that may be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Again, I am sorry that through this search process we brought up this topic into your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Megan and JoAnna <a href="http://www.broughttothelight.org/" target="_blank">state</a> that this is not the first time a church has been notified of abuse by Wes Feltner. </span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">2002:</span> <a href="http://www.fsbcevansville.com/" target="_blank">First Southern Baptist Church, Evansville, IN</a>: After the winter youth retreat, Pastor Don Moore met with the families of the victims—they were told they had “been duped” and that in order to “protect the church” they should not speak about what had happened. Feltner “resigned” but was allowed to move on to another church without any known hinderances from the church.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">2003:</span> <a href="https://www.oakparkbaptist.com/" target="_blank">Oak Park Baptist Church, Jeffersonville, IN</a>: Families and the wife of the Head of Deacons from First Southern Baptist Church in Evansville called to inform the church of the events that took place and that Oak Park should not hire Feltner; the church did not listen and he served there for over four years.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Around 2014:</span> <a href="https://www.bereanbaptist.com/" target="_blank">Berean Baptist Church, Burnsville, MN</a>: Former Youth under Wes Feltner at First Southern Baptist Church spoke with the Executive Pastor at the time—it is unknown if any investigation was performed.</i></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The executive pastor at Feltner's current church, <a href="https://www.bereanbaptist.com/staff/" target="_blank">Berean Baptist</a>, is <a href="https://twitter.com/TonyManning" target="_blank">Tony Manning</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Why is Wes Feltner seeking to leave Berean Baptist Church now? He's a candidate for pastor at a smaller church, <a href="https://fbct.org/" target="_blank">First Baptist Church Clarksville,</a> Tennessee. According to a news story in the <a href="http://www.startribune.com/burnsville-church-among-the-nation-s-fastest-growing/461399403/" target="_blank">Star Tribune</a> in 2017, Berean Baptist was one of the top ten fastest growing churches in the nation. For a pastor that has a history of allegations of sexual abuse and using his position of trust to abuse, this prospective move raises many red flags. Has another victim come forward to his current church in Minnesota? Is Berean Baptist trying to pass the trash to Tennessee? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last Sunday, the chairman of the <a href="https://fbct.org/seek-the-lord-monday" target="_blank">pastor search committee</a>, Paul Batson, at FBC Clarksville spoke about their candidate for pastor, Wes Feltner. Other members of the search committee are </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jason Daugherty, Steve Girsky, Licia Massa, Donna McIntosh, Bob Palmer, and Beverly Parker.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: rgba(26 , 26 , 26 , 0.701960784313725); font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul Batson referred to the two women, Megan and JoAnna, as adversaries, for speaking out about the abuse by Feltner.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #020031; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul Batson is president of <a href="http://tswa.com/" target="_blank">TSW Automation </a>in Nashville, Tennessee. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">According to Wes Feltner's bio on his website, he earned his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a M.Div in Theology, and a Ph.D. in Leadership from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) in Louisville, KY. He states that he is an adjunct professor at <a href="https://www.lbc.edu/" target="_blank">Lancaster Bible College and Seminary and Capital Seminary and Graduate School, in Lancaster, PA</a>; and <a href="https://www.sbts.edu/" target="_blank">The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary</a> in Louisville, KY.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In an online search, Dr. Feltner was listed as a professor in the 2013 <a href="https://issuu.com/sbts/docs/ad-568-2013_doctoral_studies_viewbo/8" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Theological Seminary doctoral studies viewbook</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Feltner was also listed as an adjunct professor in the <a href="https://sbts-wordpress-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/sbts/uploads/sites/3/2010/11/AA-333-2018-Southern-Seminary-Academic-Catalog-2018-2019-digital.pdf" target="_blank">SBTS 2018-19 academic catalog</a>. His <a href="https://repository.sbts.edu/handle/10392/2941" target="_blank">dissertation</a> on </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the relationship between pastoral influence tactics, follower outcome levels, and types of congregational change is </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">posted online at SBTS. The president of SBTS is </span><a href="https://albertmohler.com/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Albert Mohler</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Feltner is listed as a graduate adjunct professor in the 2019-20 graduate catalog at <a href="http://lbc.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2019-2020/Graduate-Catalog/Personnel-Directory/Faculty" target="_blank">Lancaster Bible College.</a> The president of Lancaster Bible College is <a href="https://www.lbc.edu/about/our-president/" target="_blank">Dr. Peter Teague</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap;">In my experience, the reason a pastor leaves a growing church for a small church is that they've been caught, or know they are about to be caught. Some have been on the verge of being arrested for their sex crimes. I'll pray his reign of terror is over!</span></div>
<span style="color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap;">— Carolyn Deevers (@chocolateorelse) <a href="https://twitter.com/chocolateorelse/status/1191584375038775296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Audio: <a href="https://twitter.com/albertmohler?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@albertmohler</a> introduction of <a href="https://twitter.com/CJMahaney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cjmahaney</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/T4Gorg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@T4Gorg</a> 2016: Mohler joked and the crowd laughed <a href="https://t.co/ypRak5mPck">https://t.co/ypRak5mPck</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sbc20?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sbc20</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/caringwell?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#caringwell</a></span></div>
<span style="color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1191507246120873987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Sexual abuse by pastors and spiritual leaders in Southern Baptist and evangelical churches is absolutely a systemic epidemic. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://t.co/JjZUvZPwwW">https://t.co/JjZUvZPwwW</a></span></div>
<span style="color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1191709677400330246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.theleafchronicle.com/story/news/2019/11/06/evansville-indiana-women-speaking-about-alleged-wes-feltner-pastoral-abuse-17-years-later/4176370002/" target="_blank">Why two Indiana women are speaking up about alleged pastoral abuse 17 years later</a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">One line tells you all you need to know that this church is not safe: "Also, please realize that there are conflicting views of events and circumstances." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/caringwell?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#caringwell</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sbctoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sbctoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WesFeltner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wesfeltner</a> <a href="https://t.co/srnAvPhPGb">https://t.co/srnAvPhPGb</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1192149701061173250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Minnesota is<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> a state that <a href="http://www.adultsabusedbyclergy.org/statelaws.html" target="_blank">criminalizes</a> clergy sexual relations with congregants, even adults. Berean Baptist Church </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">needs to make a report to police. It’s not their</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> role to investigate sex abuse crimes. This is a very serious situation unfolding in the SBC. Will Wes Feltner still be preaching while he's under investigation?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It’s important to point out that Berean Baptist Church’s statement about doing an investigation into Wes Feltner seems to pertain to abuse accounts from Meg and JoAnna from Indiana. An important question to ask is, does this also pertain to any new allegations? Are they aware of further allegations? If so, this needs to be reported to law enforcement. Again I ask, is this why Feltner has been planning to leave his church in Minnesota and go to First Baptist Church Clarksville in Tennessee?</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.adultsabusedbyclergy.org/statelaws.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">It's A Crime, Not An Affair</a><br />
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-83671220445001585132019-10-29T11:36:00.000-07:002019-10-30T08:32:09.078-07:00Jules Woodson issues statement in response to Andy Savage starting a new church <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMEk2fbsGTNYiJQjPOuGjxTnHJOzBaX9VL9jlRbgXQaF6qBh2gbhHZ22z7INZATaPTXVkt72ZzOy_r6AzYtCRZcNOnExC8LBziTDmcoWAMyfVfyyMcDOcW-Oz5gVKoe7QX88A2DXFbKw/s1600/dB8YZPum_400x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMEk2fbsGTNYiJQjPOuGjxTnHJOzBaX9VL9jlRbgXQaF6qBh2gbhHZ22z7INZATaPTXVkt72ZzOy_r6AzYtCRZcNOnExC8LBziTDmcoWAMyfVfyyMcDOcW-Oz5gVKoe7QX88A2DXFbKw/s1600/dB8YZPum_400x400.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jules Woodson - Twitter</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Andy Savage sexually assaulted me when I was 17 and he was my ordained youth pastor. He admits to sexually assaulting me. He admits that it was abuse of power. Less than two years after this abuse was exposed, and he resigned from Highpoint Church, he has filed non-profit paperwork to plant a new church “Grace Valley Church.” </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Andy sexually abused me, two other pastors, Larry Cotton and Steve Bradley failed to oversee Andy’s repentance, and failed to teach Andy that he had forever disqualified himself as a pastor, according to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 2 in the Bible. I have listened to Andy Savage’s speech to the potential members of “Grace Valley Church,” which was published online. Andy Savage is using manipulative approaches and what are considered “grooming” tactics to gain interest and support for his church. In his speech, Andy appeals to vulnerable, broken people and broken lives who are in need of the gospel; he asks for people to share their secrets with him and the church; Andy chuckles while saying “I got my hands on the wrong thing” referring to his past sexual abuse of me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">While it is true that we are all sinners, that God’s grace is amazing and available to all of us – including Andy Savage – there is a difference between repentance and restoration to the body of Christ and restoration to being a pastor. A pastor who sexually assaults a minor in their care is who Jesus talks about in Luke 17. Morally, ethically, biblically, Andy Savage is not qualified to be a pastor. Because he has abused people when he was given a position of power, part of his repentance and restoration is to NOT be put into that position of power ever again. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a trusted pastor appeals to people to be vulnerable and to share secrets, that can be a gift to help repentance and grow a person’s faith. These are the things that Andy asked of me when I was a child to groom me for sexual abuse. He is using the same method to start Grace Valley Church. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">Twenty years ago, Larry Cotton and Steve Bradley supported Andy Savage. Andy Savage is not starting Grace Valley Church without the help and support of others. Andy Savage and his supporters are setting a precedent within the church that men who have preyed upon the flock can still belong on the pulpit. This is dangerous, this is wrong a</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">nd</span><span style="color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I believe that Andy’s message of “cheap Grace” leads people astray from the truth of God’s Word.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;">Media coverage of news about the launch of Grace Valley Church:</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #14171a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://baptistnews.com/article/pastors-return-to-ministry-received-as-bad-news-in-abuse-survivor-community/#.XbiBhudKg8Y" target="_blank">Baptist News Global</a></span></span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Regarding this new church, it is very important to me that you help me maintain that this is not about me,” Savage said in the audio of a meeting reportedly held to gauge interest in moving forward with the launch of Grace Valley Church.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Churches very easily become about their pastor, and I’m not going to do that,” Savage said. “I’m refusing to do it. I will not walk down that road. This is not about me. This has to be about what God is going to do in the lives of people who recognize they are in a valley. That’s what this is about, and that can’t be done by me, not by myself. If that vision captures your heart at all, then I would love for you to go on this journey with us.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The blog that broke the story, Watch Keep, started out in 2010 with postings on things like favorite recipes and travel photos. That changed on Oct. 13, 2011, when Amy Smith <a href="https://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2011/10/memories-dont-know-time-shining-light.html" style="background: linear-gradient(to top, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0), rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 1px, rgb(255, 61, 0) 1px, rgb(255, 61, 0) 1.5px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 1.5px) 0px 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ff3d00; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.15s ease 0s;">wrote</a> about her efforts to speak up and warn about her former youth music minister, John Langworthy, at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/pastor-andy-savage-launches-new-church-as-beth-moore-offers-comfort-to-his-sexual-assault-victim.html" target="_blank">Christian Post</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2019/10/28/andy-savage-looks-launch-new-church-after-sexual-assault-allegations/2485740001/" target="_blank">Commercial Appeal</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2019/10/megachurch-pastor-andy-savage-opens-new-church-after-sexually-assaulting-teen/" target="_blank">Patheos</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.fox13memphis.com/amp/top-stories/memphis-pastor-accused-of-sexual-assault-reportedly-starting-a-new-church/1002540961" target="_blank">Fox 13 Memphis</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://thewartburgwatch.com/2019/10/28/andy-savage-who-molested-jules-woodson-is-starting-a-new-church-the-church-doesnt-need-him-churchtoo-metoo/" target="_blank">The Wartburg Watch</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://religionnews.com/2019/10/29/jules-woodson-andy-savages-reported-return-to-pulpit-is-not-ok/" target="_blank">Religion News Service</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.wmcactionnews5.com/2019/10/29/embattled-memphis-pastor-andy-savage-files-state-documents-set-up-new-church/" target="_blank">WMC5 Memphis</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Bob Allen’s story on Andy Savage also includes my history of exposing child sexual abuse by John Langworthy at my former church in TX <a href="https://twitter.com/Prestonwood?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@prestonwood</a> and in Mississippi <a href="https://t.co/IHUSrqlCsY">https://t.co/IHUSrqlCsY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sbc19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sbc19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/caringwell?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#caringwell</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1189223422406078465?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">He doesn’t get it. He likely never will. There is a common strain of sociopathy that draws certain people to seek power within the institutional Christian Church.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Michael Hansen 🏳️🌈 (@MichaelHansen) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelHansen/status/1189189515383980038?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">In the recording he says, “It’s not hard to find out what I’ve done wrong. Just Google my name, it’s out there. It’s not hard to figure it out. And here’s the thing, we all have our story. Mine just got national news coverage.”</span></div>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-84871560101840879602019-10-27T08:44:00.000-07:002019-10-27T08:55:03.105-07:00Andy Savage, confessed sexual abuser, starting a new church in Memphis <span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Devastating news today. My abuser is back in the pulpit. 😭🤬🤮🤯 <a href="https://t.co/anu860KSJz">https://t.co/anu860KSJz</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Jules Woodson (@juleswoodson11) <a href="https://twitter.com/juleswoodson11/status/1188187320488345600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I received a message yesterday from a local source in Memphis, Tennessee, that <a href="https://www.andysavage.com/" target="_blank">Andy Savage</a> is starting a new church, <a href="http://www.gracevalleymemphis.org/" target="_blank">Grace Valley Church</a>. I was sent a <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/2i9n2q3apmybit2/GV102019Message%20Only.mp3?dl=0" target="_blank">link</a> to Andy's message from an interest meeting with prospective new members. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Breaking: Andy Savage, former <a href="https://twitter.com/hpmemphis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hpmemphis</a> pastor who confessed to sexual assault of a teen in his youth group in TX, is starting a new church in Memphis- Grace Valley Church. Message from his “interest meeting” <a href="https://t.co/iaGKFz5PmJ">https://t.co/iaGKFz5PmJ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/juleswoodson11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@juleswoodson11</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/metoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#metoo</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Andy Savage is a former pastor at <a href="https://www.highpointmemphis.com/" target="_blank">Highpoint Church</a> in Memphis who resigned in early 2018 after <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/09/opinion/jules-woodson-andy-savage-assault.html" target="_blank">confessing</a> to sexual assault of a teen girl who was a member of his youth group while he was on staff as a youth minister at a church in Texas. I wrote about Jules Woodson and her story <a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2018/01/silent-no-more-survivor-of-sexual.html" target="_blank">here</a> on my blog along with <a href="https://twitter.com/wartwatch" target="_blank">Dee Parsons</a> at The Wartburg Watch.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">According to a </span><a href="https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/10/26/pastor-andy-savage-who-assaulted-a-teen-girl-is-starting-a-new-church/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Friendly Atheist post on Patheos</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, a website for Grace Valley Church was launched on September 24, 2019. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">According to </span><a class="decorated-link" href="https://whois.net/" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(144, 0, 0, 0.4); box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out 0s;">Whois</a><span style="background-color: white;">, the website was created on September 24. This is been in the works since at least then. Which would mean it took Savage 18 months to go from leaving a church in disgrace after admitting to sexually assaulting a child… to starting a brand new church in the same city. (Not that their experiences were the same, but it took </span><strong style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">Ted Haggard</strong><span style="background-color: white;"> nearly four years to </span><a class="decorated-link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Haggard" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(144, 0, 0, 0.4); box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out 0s;">begin a new church</a><span style="background-color: white;"> after he, too, resigned in disgrace. </span><strong style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">Mark Driscoll</strong><span style="background-color: white;"> also took 18 months between </span><a class="decorated-link" href="https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2014/10/15/mark-driscoll-resigns-from-mars-hill-church/" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(144, 0, 0, 0.4); box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out 0s;">resigning from one church</a><span style="background-color: white;"> and </span><a class="decorated-link" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Driscoll#The_Trinity_Church_in_Scottsdale,_Arizona" style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(144, 0, 0, 0.4); box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out 0s;">starting another</a><span style="background-color: white;">.)</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">The pastor who covered up Andy’s sexual assault of <a href="https://twitter.com/juleswoodson11?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@juleswoodson11</a> is still a Southern Baptist pastor <a href="https://twitter.com/StevePreach?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StevePreach</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/caringwell?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#caringwell</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sbc19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sbc19</a> <a href="https://t.co/hl3U5eB3Yr">https://t.co/hl3U5eB3Yr</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1188199570376986626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">In light of Andy Savage's return to the pulpit, with his vile self-serving sermon on "grace," it's worth another look at this thread by <a href="https://twitter.com/wademullen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wademullen</a> illuminating the tactics of abusers in trying to dominate & control the narrative. Savage embodies these. <a href="https://t.co/LCDFa9FwFz">https://t.co/LCDFa9FwFz</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Christa Brown (@ChristaBrown777) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristaBrown777/status/1188474782271954944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></span>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-26664622225390408622019-10-17T11:30:00.000-07:002019-10-17T11:33:17.450-07:00Another child sex abuse case disclosed at The Village Church Texas <div class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last week, I was notified, along with other advocates, that <a href="https://www.thevillagechurch.net/" target="_blank">The Village Church</a> sent out an email to members at The Village Church Fort Worth campus notifying them of an important meeting taking place on Thursday night October 10. The email stated that the matter involved the student ministry. The language used seemed to me that this was abuse disclosure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the time of the meeting, I dialed into the announced teleconference number. A recorded message stated that the church teleconference was not available but to attend the upcoming church services on Sunday to hear the information. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Blogger Anna Keith wrote about this case in a detailed <a href="http://noedenelsewhere.com/youth-volunteer-at-the-village-church-confesses-to-sexual-abuse-of-minors/" target="_blank">post</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0a0a0a;">On Sunday 10/13/19, according to a member who was present, the parents were informed that a children’s & youth volunteer by the name of Andy Landrum had confessed on Wednesday 10/9/19, to ‘</span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #0a0a0a;">having some inappropriate sexual contact with a child and also having tried to videotape children at his place of employment (a school). According to Mr. Landrum, no incidents occurred at The Village Church. The church immediately contacted CPS & the authorities.</em></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Andy Landrum was a volunteer for the last few years at The Village Church in the student ministry until his confession to staff last week. Anna Keith wrote in her post that Andy volunteered </span><span style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0a0a0a;">particularly on Wednesday nights. He also led a small group of junior high boys (approx ages 12-13), along with TVC staff member</span><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><a data-wplink-url-error="true" href="https://thevillagechurch.net/about/staff/profile/44236/neal-batman?groupRef=fort-worth" style="background-color: transparent; box-shadow: none; box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Neal Batman</span></a><span style="color: #0a0a0a;">,</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0a0a0a;"><i> who is the Student Minister at the Fort Worth Campus. </i>A parent whose son attended a youth retreat at The Village Church in 2016 reached out last week to Anna about a concerning issue that came up at the time. Student Minister Neal Batman and Andy Landrum hosted a group of boys for this retreat at their home where they were living together. Andy spoke openly with the boys at this retreat/sleepover about his struggle with pornography and invited the boys to talk to him if they were experiencing the same struggle. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Andy previously wrote on his <a href="http://charles-a.blogspot.com/2019/06/" target="_blank">blog</a> in 2015 about his addiction to pornography. That post has been deleted since Anna Keith wrote about it a few days ago. Only one post remains up on his blog. All posts prior to June 2019 have been removed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The entire, now deleted blog post, on Andy's porn addiction can be viewed at <a href="http://noedenelsewhere.com/youth-volunteer-at-the-village-church-confesses-to-sexual-abuse-of-minors/" target="_blank">No Eden Elsewhere.</a></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yesterday more information about Andy's confession was </span><a href="https://twitter.com/annakeith/status/1184570678466494471?s=20" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">revealed</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0a0a0a;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The emailed statement was also posted on <a href="https://www.thevillagechurch.net/page/2178" target="_blank">TVC website</a>. Notice that they now state that the confessed sexual abuse *does* involve someone from the church, contradicting their earlier assurances to parents that no one from TVC campuses was involved.</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We want to make you aware of a situation regarding criminal sexual misconduct by a Fort Worth campus volunteer. </span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Andy Landrum, a member of The Village Church Fort Worth and volunteer, has self-disclosed hidden sin that required his disqualification and removal from any volunteer ministry and involvement within The Village Church and any of its campuses.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The week of October 6, Andy had several meetings with elders and pastors of TVC Fort Worth. He revealed that he has attempted and acted on sexual sins and criminal acts of voyeurism at his former place of employment, as well as with one individual who attends The Village Church Fort Worth. </span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Upon Andy’s confession, The Village Church promptly contacted Child Protective Services and the Fort Worth Police Department. His current and former places of employment have been notified, along with the one victim within TVC, who is being ministered to by the staff and pastors from our Fort Worth campus. As a volunteer with the Fort Worth Student Ministry, Andy attended ministry events that involved all TVC campuses, including The Village Church Denton, Northway Church, and Citizens Church. </span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From the beginning, we have been proactively cooperating with law enforcement officials. If anyone has information about specific criminal offenses perpetrated by Andy, we urge you to contact Detective Andrew Owen at 817-392-4361. We will make you aware if any new information comes to light, as it pertains to TVC, via an update on our website. </span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We desire to assist you as you process this information. We know this may be triggering or traumatizing for some individuals. If you need counseling resources, please reach out to our Director of Care, <a href="https://thevillagechurch.net/about/staff/contact/25050"><span class="s1"><b>Summer Vinson Berger</b></span></a>, who can refer you to specific places for care.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Yesterday this email was sent to Northway Church members. Notice in this email it states Andy Landrum says no TVC children involved, which we now know was untrue. <a href="https://t.co/ghtdTOjNWx">pic.twitter.com/ghtdTOjNWx</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Anna Keith (@annakeith) <a href="https://twitter.com/annakeith/status/1184605998146899970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It was reckless in my opinion to have repeated the claim of a confessed child sexual predator in a statement initially emailed to parents that there were no victims from The Village Church. It is also very concerning that only current members have received notification. One former member whose son attended a sleepover retreat with Andy Landrum stated that she did not receive an email.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">There was an email sent out on Wed eve about a meeting for Th eve. A teleconference was cancelled that should have taken place. I didn’t receive an email regarding the meeting& announcement& the man being investigated. my son was in his small gp and slept at his house during camp</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— thechurchlady (@TamaraChurch20) <a href="https://twitter.com/TamaraChurch20/status/1184801780082925574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you have any information about abuse by Andy Landrum or suspicion of abuse by Landrum or others, please make a report to police. The detective handling the Landrum case is <span style="background-color: white; color: #23343b;">Detective Andrew Owen at 817-392-4361 at the Fort Worth Police Department. You may also utilize the <a href="http://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline" target="_blank">National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's cyber tipline</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #23343b;">TVC does not state Landrum's current place of employment or where he was employed at the time of his confessed crime at his work. I found a link that mentions his employment in 2014 at the <a href="https://www.fwisd.org/" target="_blank">Fort Worth Independent School District</a>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Parents need to understand how serious this is. Andy Landrum most likely has many victims and <a href="https://twitter.com/villagechurchtx?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@villagechurchtx</a> staff knew about red flag grooming behavior/warning signs at the very least. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CaringWell?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CaringWell</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBC19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MattChandler74?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MattChandler74</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1183820505083777024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Apparently not serious enough to make a formal public announcement that could reach any and all minors that had contact with him as a volunteer?? Never ever a good idea to keep this type of information within the “church family”.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Boz Tchividjian (@BozT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BozT/status/1183862808099852290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">This should include a truthful public announcement that, 1) reaches as wide an audience as possible, including current and former attendees, and 2) doesn’t create false assurances to current parents that all is “safe” before the full truth is known. And that’s just the start..2/2</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Boz Tchividjian (@BozT) <a href="https://twitter.com/BozT/status/1183902285144965120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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</style>Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-69079049612625629302019-10-15T18:57:00.000-07:002019-10-16T09:55:39.728-07:00Not Caring Well: Pioneer Drive Baptist Church on the arrest of Christian musician Jeff Berry<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="594" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Famysmithwatchkeep%2Fposts%2F2317834781677015&width=500" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" width="500"></iframe></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Christian musician <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jeffberry?epa=SEARCH_BOX" target="_blank">Jeff Berry</a> was <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/christian-musician-arrested-on-child-sex-crime-jailed-on-10-million-bond" target="_blank">arrested</a> yesterday in Tennessee.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212;">A man known as a former church music leader in Texas was arrested on a fugitive from justice charge in Williamson County on Monday. </span>Jeff Berry, 55, is behind bars on a $10 million bond. The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office booked him on a fugitive from justice charge. He’s being held for an indecency with child by contact charge, according to a sheriff’s office spokeswoman.</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212;"><i>Court documents filed by Berry's wife in Williamson County Chancery Court accuse Jeff Berry of moving to various churches as a music leader and "molesting under-age boys over the years."</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">According to the affidavit, Berry's wife filed for divorce and said she spoke with parents from an Abilene church, who suggested that their son was sexually abused by Berry in middle school. She also detailed in court documents that the couple's son gave her the names of four different men who claim they were sexually abused by Berry when they were minors.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212;">Berry also worked for <a href="https://www.worldvision.org/" target="_blank">World Vision</a> in Franklin and has since been placed on administrative leave.</span> </span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://ktxs.com/news/local/ex-abilene-pastor-christian-musician-jeff-berry-arrested-on-child-sex-crime" target="_blank">KTXS reported</a> that <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffreycberry" target="_blank">Berry</a> is best known in Abilene as the worship leader at Grace Bible Study in the late 1990's. Berry is accused of sexually abusing a 14 year-old-boy in 1996 while working at <a href="http://www.pioneerdrive.org/" target="_blank">Pioneer Drive Baptist Church</a> and leading worship at church camps. Pioneer Drive is a Southern Baptist Church in Abilene, Texas. Jeff helped direct Grace Bible Study for 11 years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Earlier today while researching Jeff Berry's connections in Texas, I discovered a <a href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:XoFy5J84exAJ:https://www.baylor.edu/ccms/index.php%3Fid%3D936267+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us" target="_blank">page</a> with his bio as a board member for Baylor University's Center for Christian Music. This page has since been removed. </span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jeff Berry received his MBA from Baylor University, and after teaching Economics and Entrepreneurship in the Business school at Baylor University, founded CrossWind Ministries in 1994. For 11 years, Jeff helped direct Grace Bible Study, a non-denominational bible-study for college students in Abilene. Starting with 50 students in 1994, Grace grew to over 1500 students attending the weekly gathering.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over the years CrossWind developed into a multi-faceted ministry organization comprised of Jeff Berry Band, Curiously Strong Music Publishing, and Reality Weekends, an intensive discipleship weekend for students.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Berry and his band led in thousands of settings across the United States and in England, Germany, Turkey, South Africa and Scotland. For 3 years beginning in 2004, they began leading worship at The Heights Church in Dallas, TX as well as for Dallas Baptist University, while he was serving as an adjunct professor in their Music Business program.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">According to his bio on the Baylor website, Jeff Berry led worship at <a href="http://www.theheights.org/" target="_blank">The Heights Church</a> in Richardson, Texas for 3 years beginning in 2004. The Heights is a Southern Baptist Church. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jeff Berry is very well connected to leaders in evangelical and Southern Baptist circles. In a <a href="https://jeffreycberry.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/journey-to-the-well/" target="_blank">blog post</a>, he mentions his connection to Southern Baptist <a href="https://www.thevillagechurch.net/" target="_blank">megachurch</a> pastor and <a href="https://www.acts29.com/about/" target="_blank">Acts 29 president</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MattChandler74" target="_blank">Matt Chandler</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Worship was always one of the key ingredients along with great teaching over the years from Steve Hardin, Matt Chandler and Luke Norsworthy. I have so many amazing memories over the years of our worship time – of students transparently worshiping before their creator.</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap;">Jeff Berry is very connected in the elite evangelical/Southern Baptist world: <a href="https://twitter.com/christomlin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@christomlin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GreggMatte?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GreggMatte</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/HoustonsFirst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HoustonsFirst</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/rosskingmusic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rosskingmusic</a> <a href="https://t.co/CVGXpg4dVt">https://t.co/CVGXpg4dVt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pastorarrested?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pastorarrested</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/churchtoo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#churchtoo</a> <a href="https://t.co/irysHZiscM">pic.twitter.com/irysHZiscM</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1184134132949045248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/10/14/franklin-based-christian-artist-manager-jeff-berry-arrested-texas-child-sex-crime-case-10-m-bond/3982216002/" target="_blank">The Tennessean</a> gives more information about Jeff Berry's career timeline:</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #333333;">Property records show that Berry moved to Franklin, Tennessee in 2011 from Murphy, Texas. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://ktxs.com/news/local/church-releases-2-statements-after-ex-abilene-pastor-arrested-for-child-sex-crime" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.5px;" target="_blank">Pioneer Drive Baptist issued 2 statements about the arrest of Jeff Berry</a><span style="color: #121212; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: -0.5px;">:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After KTXS broke news of the arrest, the church emailed a letter to the congregation.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In it, Pastor Stan Allcorn called Berry a friend. He asked people not to speculate until we know all the facts and to have compassion for all involve</span></i><span style="font-family: "open sans"; font-size: 18px;">d.</span></div>
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<strong>Email to the congregation</strong></div>
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Dear Church Family,<br />
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On KTXS news last night it was reported that a former employee of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, Jeff Berry, was arrested and jailed in Nashville, Tennessee, on a child sex crime. The alleged offense dates back to the mid-1990s in Abilene. Our employment records reflect that Jeff Berry was employed as a music intern at Pioneer Drive for nine months in 1985-86 and was re-hired for a similar position on September 1, 1995. He continued in this position until May, 1996.<br />
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Jeff Berry is the 55-year-old son of Pioneer Drive members, Russell and Paula Berry. We love this family deeply. Just as our church rejoices with fellow members in good times, we also stand beside them offering prayer and strength in difficult times. This is exactly what we will do for the Berrys. They represent the best of our church and we will remain by their side.<br />
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We also pray for the alleged victims. Our hearts go out to any and all who have ever been abused in this way and to their families as well. May God bring healing and peace to their minds and souls.<br />
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Jeff Berry is my friend. I love him as a Christian brother. We have served in revivals together on two occasions. I am praying earnestly for Jeff today and will continue to do so.<br />
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We do not have all the facts surrounding this situation. We do not know the full story. I would urge against speculation and for compassion toward all involved. I would also remind us that God can bring good and even victory out of the most troubling and tragic circumstances. Please join me in praying for Him to do so now.<br />
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Grace to you,<br />
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Pastor Stan</blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The statement to the media said "Pioneer Drive is committed to the safety of our children and does not take these matters lightly."</span></div>
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<strong>Full Statement to the Media</strong></div>
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A former employee of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, Jeff Berry, was arrested and jailed in Nashville, Tennessee, on a child sex crime. The alleged offense dates back to the mid-1990s in Abilene. Our employment records reflect that Jeff Berry was employed as a music intern at Pioneer Drive for nine months in 1985-86 and was re-hired for a similar position on September 1, 1995. He continued in this position until May, 1996.<br />
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Pioneer Drive is committed to the safety of our children and does not take these matters lightly. Our hearts go out to any and all who have ever been abused in this way and to their families as well. We pray for God to bring healing and peace to their minds and souls.<br />
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We fully intend to cooperate with any local authority and encourage others who have information regarding this circumstance to do so as well.</blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The statement emailed to the church congregation<span style="color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"> illustrates why it takes so long for victims of beloved ministers, especially those with elite connections, so long to come forward if they ever do. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is a textbook church response in how to discourage other victims from coming forward to police thereby enabling an alleged child sexual predator.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #14171a; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;">See the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1252930168225205&set=a.289283061256592&type=3&theater" target="_blank">letter</a> embedded below from Jennifer Newton to Pastor Allcorn at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. Her ex-husband, Jeffrey Forrest, is a former employee at the church. He was </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child in 2015. A new <a href="https://sanangelolive.com/news/crime/2019-05-23/new-warrant-issued-accused-child-predator-run-abilene" target="_blank">warrant</a> for his arrest was issued in May 2019 as he is on the run from police. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #8899a6; font-family: helvetica neue, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; white-space: nowrap;">“Alleged victim” vs “Christian brother” 🤮</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">May peace, comfort and lament be with the survivor and their loved ones. And all who are upended by this abuse.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— TKP (@RevTKP) <a href="https://twitter.com/RevTKP/status/1184195212530335745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">If he was arrested then the victims are real and not alleged.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— shannon writes (@sunny_in_MN) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunny_in_MN/status/1184206833986297859?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">Good lord, when the full story is out Pastor Stan it is going to be more horrific than what you are trying minimize here. Shameful.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Larry Lynam (@scopedbylarry) <a href="https://twitter.com/scopedbylarry/status/1184248679680528384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">“So 2019 is the year of Kintsugi for me. Golden Joinery. The repairing of brokenness for all to see, and hopefully an even more beautiful result than before.” May justice be swift and strong... <a href="https://t.co/QyB8dAJ3Nc">https://t.co/QyB8dAJ3Nc</a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #8899a6; font-family: "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: center; white-space: nowrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1183904120673112065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2019</a></span></blockquote>
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Jeff Berry suspended from part-time adjunct instructor position at Belmont, placed on administrative leave from World Vision in Franklin after his arrest on child sex crime charges. <a href="https://t.co/grkY8gmDFj">https://t.co/grkY8gmDFj</a> <a href="https://t.co/9nQPxYhvxd">pic.twitter.com/9nQPxYhvxd</a></div>
— FoxNashville (@FOXNashville) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXNashville/status/1184235819646771211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-59275062671168600362019-05-08T08:27:00.000-07:002019-05-08T12:20:13.622-07:00Convicted child sex offender Cynthia Denise Stewart is music and worship director at a Southern Baptist church in San Antonio, TX <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In 2012, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/denise.stewart.7374480" target="_blank">Cynthia Denise Stewart</a> was sentenced to six years in prison in Texas for online solicitation of a child. She texted nude photos of herself to a 15-year-old boy and spurred illicit conversations on Facebook. Stewart was a counselor at an elementary school in the <a href="https://www.judsonisd.org/" target="_blank">Judson Independent School District</a> in San Antonio, Texas. Stewart was ordered by state District Judge <a href="https://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=news%2Flocal&inlineLink=1&searchindex=solr&query=%22Juanita+Vasquez-Gardner%22" style="color: #f4811f; outline: 0px;">Juanita Vasquez-Gardner</a> to register as a sex offender.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">*update: since my post went up, Denise has been editing her Facebook profile. I archived it <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20190508155214/https://www.facebook.com/denise.stewart.7374480" target="_blank">here</a> earlier today. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/amp/Ex-Judson-counselor-gets-prison-for-sexting-teen-3454246.php" target="_blank">Ex-Judson counselor gets prison for sexting teen</a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Stewart, who worked at Olympia Elementary in Universal City, has been in custody since November, after parents of the boy approached authorities with printouts of their son's Facebook chats. In the online conversations, Stewart is seen telling him to delete all conversations because she could lose her job, court documents state.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Weeks after she was taken into custody, Judson trustees voted unanimously to fire her.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Under a plea agreement reached last month, Stewart pleaded no contest to online solicitation of a minor, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, in exchange for prosecutors remaining silent on her application for probation.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the defense's request, Vasquez-Gardner added later that she might “possibly” retain jurisdiction of the case, which would leave open the possibility for Stewart's early release from prison — at the judge's discretion — on shock probation in the next six months. Shock probation is a reduction in a sentence given after a person serves several months in prison to “shock” them into behaving lawfully.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Neither the teen nor his parents confronted Stewart during the hearing. But in a letter to the judge, the parents described the defendant as a child predator who used her friendship with the family and background in counseling to groom their son.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Prior to our discovery, Cindy would often ask me about my children, specifically our 15-year-old,” the letter states. “We appreciated her concern, since she often reminded us that she is a counselor and knows how to motivate kids.”</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The decision to approach law enforcement was difficult given the attention they knew the case would receive, the parents said.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“But we knew we couldn't live with her being in the school setting with children in the future,” they wrote.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Denise Stewart, according to her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/denise.stewart.7374480" target="_blank">Facebook profile,</a> currently works at <a href="http://weidnerroadbc.org/index.html" target="_blank">Weidner Road Baptist Church</a> in San Antonio, Texas as the music and worship director. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Weidner-Road-Baptist-Church-111220312244952/" target="_blank">Weidner Road</a> is a member of the <a href="http://www.sbc.net/" target="_blank">Southern Baptist Convention</a>. </span><br />
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Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3310476356966667906.post-70913694191366135662019-02-26T13:34:00.001-08:002019-02-28T07:26:55.642-08:00Former Highpoint Church pastor Chris Conlee allegedly fired for physical assault of female staff member<div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #14171a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to a local, trusted source, </span><a href="https://www.highpointmemphis.com/" style="white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">Highpoint Church</a> <span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">in Memphis fired its founding pastor <a href="https://chrisconlee.net/" target="_blank">Chris Conlee</a> for assaulting a female staff member. Instead of reporting the assault to the police, church leaders paid Conlee and another disgraced, sexually abusive pastor, <a href="https://www.andysavage.com/" target="_blank">Andy Savage</a>, a portion of about $700,000 in severance pay, according to a church financial statement of activities.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #14171a;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If other low level staffers also received a severance package in 2018, what percentage of the total amount was doled out to these staffers and what percentage was doled out to Chris Conlee and Andy Savage?</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The "employee settlement expenses" are listed under Non-operating income (expense). Also listed are "professional consultation and legal fees" of $251,019. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the time of the public release of <a href="http://watchkeep.blogspot.com/2018/01/silent-no-more-survivor-of-sexual.html" target="_blank">Jules Woodson's story</a> of sexual abuse by her then youth pastor, Andy Savage, Highpoint Church was a member of the Southern Baptist Convention. They have since removed their church from the convention. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #14171a; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Did Highpoint Church elders tell the congregation that their financial donations were going to pay off abusive pastors? </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #14171a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“the incident” <a href="https://twitter.com/hpmemphis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hpmemphis</a> <a href="https://t.co/q0HvCUd1dI">pic.twitter.com/q0HvCUd1dI</a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #14171a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1100968426569375744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2019</a></span></span></blockquote>
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— Amy Smith (@watchkeep) <a href="https://twitter.com/watchkeep/status/1100968732254486528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Amy Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09238444710658478191noreply@blogger.com5