7 January 2006

All the documents/emails/information/meeting notes etc from the case between the Pendergasts and South Calgary Community Church, the elders, pastors, the staff, members, North American Baptist Conference will be shown here.

We want this list to be honest and accurate. If any party feels there is information missing or what is inaccurate or misleading please email the site. Please write to bleatinglambs@shaw.ca

Please click on each line for full details:

More shocking correspondence and claims of abuse by Pastors Wallace and Cumberlin are revealed by another person whose confidentiality in counselling was deliberately broken, who faced unsubstantiated & damaging charges, and was humiliated and shunned by groups in the church. The 'tag team' approach of these two pastors was planned to prey on vulnerable people who had come to them in crisis and need for help. They often left more hurt than when they arrived. All three stories on this web site echo these same very familiar themes. Other accounts yet to be shared do the same. What did the elders do when confronted? They just said "we don't believe you". More worrying is that the local Christian counselling community has been dealing with these hurt and abused people for some years yet appears to be unable to deal with the root cause. One counselling couple involved are also long time members of the church. Is there not one decent person still left at South Calgary Community Church who will have the courage to demand answers in an open and transparent manner? Click to read more.

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NEW - 1st December 2001 - An Altar of Remembrance. Celebrating a major reconciliation service in December 2000, or was it just a smoke screen to cover up past abuses and allow abuse to continue? Certainly many questioned the lack of any genuine repentance by Pastors Wallace and Cumberlin - click here for more details

2001 Front to Pictoral Directory -A message from our Pastors...People imitate what they see modelled day-by-day, thats why we function as a team, not a hierarchy...... .......Click to see more

2002 - The Elder selection process at South Calgary Community Church. Seemed unusual that persons with only 2 years of attending the church could be selected as elders. Click for more details

NEW - January 2003 - Early in 2002 Ed Davies a congregation attendee and a member of the Mustard Seed staff discussed with Pastor Wallace the idea of SCCC particpating in providing meals and preparation once a month at the Seed. While Pastor Wallace initially showed enthusiasm for the idea nothing happended despite reminders from Ed Davies. In August Ed shared his frustration with the Tim Horton's Mens. Elder Jim Prichard was at several sessions and showed enthusiasm for the idea. Barry Pendergast decided to help Ed solicit volunteers and prepared media slides inviting the congregation to help. Very little happened until Sean Campbell, the Executive Director of Samariatn's Purse did a guest sermon while pastor Wallace was on a Christmas break. Sean spoke passionately about our need as Christians to help the poor. Seemed like the Spirit moved that day and at the end of the two services more than 45 people had signed up for the Seed ministry. On his return Pastor Wallace was disturbed by the start of this new minsitry and wrote an email to Barry decribing the way it had evolved as a 'mess'. Pastor Blanton was appologetic he had even allowed Barry to show the slide inviting participation. In September 2003 Pastor Wallace again wrote a barbed email to Barry on issues affecting the Tim Horton's group and again referred to the Seed "mess". Just another of the factors in Barry losing confidence in Jim Wallace's ability to lead. Seemed that if Wallace had not initiated an idea he could not support it. Perhaps sadly it was a growing insecurity that Wallace felt about his failure to get support for his vision for a much larger church in a new complex, and his use of inflated attendance numbers to support the vision.

March 2003 The Lasting Promise Marriage Retreat - over 20 couples found to be in trouble by Dr. Langston Haygood the Retreat Presenter but this followup letter never sent....it would be the start of the frustration about how little the pastors and elders cared about marriage well being at South Calgary. Read more

31st May 2003 - Barry & Jennifer received an award for the couple to have started the most innovative ministries at South Calgary. Click to see details

June 2003 -Our Appreciation To Jennifer Pendergast -This was the appreciation given to Jennifer for her 8 1/2 years dedication running the Pre-School Kingdom Kids Minsitry. Jennifer poured her love into many children's lives. In three month she and her husband would be robbed of serving in any ministry because they dared to raise legitimate questions about unethical actions by a paster and pastor's wife. See the appreciation

Previously many had affirmed their passionate & committed involvement. Click to see details

June 2003 - At the Annual General Meeting bylaw changes are brought forward. What was not known at the time was that all the bylaws introduced since 1992 were not in effect as required under the Religious Societies Act - they had not been approved by Registrar General. The Elders did a rushed approval in November 2003 but it is possible the procedure used did not cover all the decisions made over the previous eleven years. In any case the bylaws seem to have very little impact on the decisions made by elders and pastors. Although the bylaws make the members the highest decision approval authority under Christ, the Elders and Pastors make all the decisions with little consultation. Combined with members who are largely apathetic or "do not want to take sides" one is left with a environment where abusive leaders are free to act with no accountability. The is no way that any member can raise a legitimate complaint against an elder or pastor for unethical conduct. The Elders just block any complaint. Interestingly the church flourished under a 'bare bones' normal company set of bylaws for almost 18 years under the Berg family before the rules started coming in Click to read more

13th. August 2003 - Jennifer is being welcomed back as part of the Time Out Committee ready to start leading the caring of the pre school children and preparing to lead another parenting course. Within weeks her life is in shatters caused by the cruel and unfair actions of her fellow committee members as she is stripped of her duties and humiliated in front of the attending women. Just because she and her husband Barry raised legitimate questions of unethical actions on the part of the senior pastor and his ministry leader wife. Click to read more

22nd. August 2003 - The email that started the conflict. Click to see details

22nd. August 2003 - Response from Dan Taubensee on communication problems on the Alpha and Alpha Marriage Course Ministries. Click to see details

3rd. August 2003 - This was the first meeting the Pendergasts were requested to attend after their return from holiday and after having sent their email of the 22nd August 2003 outlining their concerns on the Marriage Ministry. To their disappointment not all the 'players' had been invited and the result was even more confusion. This had not prevented pastors having separate discussions with the other players. A staff members comments about poor communication would continue. Click here to read more

5th September 2003 - Barry Pendergast asks Pastor Wallace to meet to discuss their relationship following a very troubling meeting to deal with the issues raised in the 22nd August 2003 letter. Pastor Wallace never did respond. Click here to see details

14th September 2003 - Meeting between Pastors Wallace, Cumberlin, Chairman of the Elders Kevin Phillips and Barry & Jennifer Pendergast. One of the most troubling meetings the Pendergasts have ever attended in their years of volunteering. Nevertheless a form of forgiveness process was used and should have put all differences to rest. Unfortunately this was not the case. Later they would find this was a typical meeting with anyone who dared to raise legitimate questions at South Calgary. They would just be forced into submission. Click here to read details

15th September 2003 - The single piece of evidence quoted by Kevin Phillips, Chairman of the Elders in September 2004 as the reason the elders excommunicated the Pendergasts. The email was sent following a dreadful meeting on 14th September with Rev Wallace, Rev Cumberlin, Kevin Phillips and the Pendergasts. The email to Denise gives a good idea of how challenging the meeting was for Barry & Jennifer. In all their extensive time as volunteers they have never been threatened before as they were that night- very sad that it happened in a church. Full notes posted above. Click here to see details

15th September 2003 --Just four days later Kevin Phillips, Chairman of the Elders with Pastors Wallace and Cumberlin would help in an attack of the Pendergasts on 18th September 2003. This letter shows how naive Barry & Jennifer were in feeling they could trust Kevin. It would take a year to realise just how devious Kevin Phillips had been. Click to read more

19th September 2003 -An order to attend a judgement & discipline hearing made without allowing a defense and based on unsubstatiated and false claims by Pastor Wallace, Pastor Cumberlin and Chairman of the Elders, Kevin Phillips. Click to see document

20th September 2003 -a respected and trusted member of the community, who also left the church under difficult circumstances advised Barry & Jennifer not meet with the elders alone, This advice was repeated by many others - ex elders, ex. staff members, ex ministry leaders and other ex members who had witnessed what Rev Jim Wallace and the Elders would do if allowed to operate with no witness present. Click here to read more

21st_September 2003- Again the Pendergasts try to pleasantly deal with the attack on them. They reasonably ask for the details of what they have done wrong but are unable to get the details. As mentioned many times it would take a year to find the problem was a single email sent to an Elder - Denise Chaulk - a friend to Barry & Jennifer. Click to read full email.

22nd_September 2003- A letter from the Elders ordering the Pendergasts to appear before them to hear a discipline decision made in their absence listing what appear to be false charges. Click to see details

24th September 2003 - The Pendergasts were in a deep trauma and consulting a Christian psychologist when this demand letter was received. On the advice of the psychologist and others who had been abused in closed meetings with pastors and elders. Click to see the Pendergasts reply.

Friday 26 September 2003 -Barry went as he had for the last 5 years to Tim Hortons at Avineda at 6:30am for a Men's Fellowship group he led. It was the morning after the elders had stripped Barry & Jennifer of Ministry service for ever. To his surprise Pastor Jim Wallace, Darren Jeffreys and Charles Biers (new mens group head) walked in. Read more click here.

2nd October 2003 Barry met with Ron Berg the Executive Director of North American Baptist Conference in Chicago. Barry outlined the problems he and Jennifer were encountering at South Calgary and that it was alleged was part of a much wider question of systemic. long term abuse by pastoral staff and elders. Ron seemed sympathetic and agreed a third party was a reasonable solution to get the communication going. He contacted Pastor Wallace and Kevin Phillips to insist a third party be used yet Kevin would later deny he was contacted. There is concern that Ron Berg as Area Minister for Alberta Baptist Association (in the years leading to his move to Chicago) was aware that abuse was taking place but refused to take any definative action.

5th October 2003 Barry Pendergast was attending a conference at the Billy Graham Centre COVE in North Carolina. He was there as part of a Samaritan's Purse Team researching design ideas for the new Calgary headquarters he was helping design. He personally spoke with Diane Young - the comptroller for Samaritan's Purse and an Elder at South Calgary Community Church. Barry advised Diane that Jennifer and he had received counseling due to the stress of the situation with South Calgary and that they wanted to meet with the Elders with a third party present to assist communication. He also said he and Jennifer were aware of others that had been abused at South Calgary. Diane said she was uncomfortable discussing the matter. Whether she reported anything back to the other Elders regarding the willingness to meet or the allegation of abuse is unknown. In any case Barry felt there was a conflict of interest in Diane being a senior member of a client organization he had a contract with yet she could decide on his spiritual well-being. Attempts to discuss this isssue with senior staff members of Samaraitan's Purse were refused and Barry sadly resigned his position as lead architect for the headquarters.

19th October - November 16th 2003 - Sermon Series: Honest Words -When the Pendergasts look back at this sermon series they can't help feeling this was directed at them. Ironic to think of the dishonesty exhibited by pastors, elders and minsitry leaders as this series was delivered. Read more.

17th October 2003 - Email exchange between The Pendergasts and Pastor Kent Blanton and his wife Elaine. The request to meet about the worsening relations was met by a refusal to meet. Seems nobody cares about Matthew 18:15 even though it's required in the church bylaws. Click to see details

21st Ocober 2003 - Record of a phone conversation between Barry Pendergast and Elder Denise Chalk and subsequent emails. Again the Pendergasts insistent they had been abused unfairly and that they would not meet without a mediator to ensure fair play. Prior to September 2003 Denise had been a trusted friend of the Pendergasts. Click here to see details

27th Ocober 2003 - Dear Elders, In your letter of September 22, 2003, you announced that the Elders decided to strip Jennifer and I of our ministry obligations without even speaking with us. As you could well expect, given that we have spent almost nine years working lovingly and diligently to make SCCC a better place for people to worship and serve God, this pronouncement caused us grave spiritual and emotional loss.As a result, we asked the Elders for time. Click to read more.

One of the saddest parts Watching people we regarded as friends move to one side, then away, persuaded to join in the shunning and isolation. They might write what seemed caring notes but never once called to see for themselves what had happened. They believed the misinformation well choreographed by the pastors, elders and ministry leaders. Read more

2nd November 2003 - A notice read to two congregations by Elder Chairman Kevin Phillips and by Elders Cracknell and Edwards to the Pendergast's home-group. Quite who invited who to the Pendergasts home group is unknown - whether the Elders or the coordinator Heather Kecan? Heather Kecan refused to divulge. A particularly insidious & cruel thing to do to cut off all support. The harm done to the Pendergasts reputation could never be recovered. Some said they thought Barry & Jennifer had committed something worse than murder.Click here to see details

1st December 2003 - email from Rev Ron Berg - Executive Director, North American Baptist Conference. Only days later the mediator would find the elders at fault in their treatment of the Pendergasts, based on information already supplied to Rev. Berg. Click here to see details

10th December 2003 - The Duties of Directors. A document provided by the mediatior that formed the basis of his decision to find fault with the Elders decision to excommunicate the Pendergasts unfairly. Click here to see details

2004 Jim Grady outlines serious concerns to Rev Ron Berg at NABC over a lack of counseling confidentiality by Rev Wallace and Rev Cumberlin. Concerns included Counseling sessions with Jim Wallace and Marg Cumberlin that seem more like an interrogation.
• The gathering of information in order to achieve a position of power.
• Breaches of confidentiality.
• Threats and intimidation.
• Unrealistic demands.
• Questioning that is leading and serves a hidden agenda.
• Planting false ideas and information to create confusion. Attempts to get an internal investigation were frustrated by obstruction.Click here to see full text

16th February 2004 - A letter of complaint about Jim Grady that would not surface until the meeting between the Elders and Jim Grady in November 2004. The Elders did not supply a copy but attempted to discredit him with it so that they did not have to answer his earlier claims of widespread abuse. The signed copy was supplied by the complainant, Ken Runion shortly afterwards. Click here to see details

12th March 2004 - The Pendergasts and the Elders make an agreement to reconcile after months of stressful negotiations. Would appear everything is set for a real reconciliation but.....Click here to see details

31st-March 2004 - The attempts by pastors to destroy reputations by innuendo and false witness are unacceptable and must be challenged. Elders, your answer is still awaited. Read more

NEW -13th-May 2004 - With the cruel pressure being applied by the elders, the stalking, the negotiations being held with the moderator and Jennifer's frail condition the Pendergasts forget that this was the anniversary of their son Simon's death. In the mid afternoon they rushed to Edenbrook Memorial Gardens to Simon's grave. In the added stress Jennifer collapsed over the grave and Barry had to rush her to the Foothills Hospital with a suspected heart attack.

NEW - June 2004 - Congregational meeting. Barry raised a number of questions that went unanswered - especially the resignation of Pastor Weibe that had happended two months prior but was not reported to the congregation. Barry simply asked why but was labled a gossip monger. It took more than an hour for Pastor Wallace to painfully admit this was true. In view of the terrible record of Wallace and youth ministry leaders this this was an important issue. More to be added on this especially the use of inflated attendence numbers.

NEW - Mid Summer 2004 - a painting commissioned by the church staff to thank the elders for the 'difficult' times they were having in mid 2004 with the Pendergast situation. When the painting was unveiled by Pastor Wallace some of the congregation felt the painting was oppressively evil ...... click to read more

31st July 2004 - Because of Jennifer's fragile health condition it was agreed with the mediator/moderator and Elder Craig Edwards that the reason the Elders wanted to meet the Pendergasts be put in writing so that they would be less stressed and could be prepare ahead of time. It took six weeks for this letter of rejection to arrive. Click to see full details.

26 September 2004 - A member of the church writes to the elders urging them to reconciliation. They wrote "We felt that Barry had in a gentle and gracious way attempted to address the church regarding the events of the past year and wanted to convey a willingness to meet and dialogue in ord er to find reconciliation with the elders of the church". It was another lost opportiunity to get back to a real reconciliation. At the time one member notedthat he had heard a member of the pastorial staff suggest Pastor Wallace would never give up attempts to get the Pendergast out. It was pointless to resist him. Click here to read the email

September 2004 - some notes from the mediation process - more to be added shorly. Click to see details

28th September 2004 - Notes prepared by Barry of the moderated meeting between the Pendergasts and elders. This meeting would expose how little evidence the elders had to originally make a judgment to discipline the Pendergasts. Why would it take a year for the Elders to admit this? Barry & Jennifer would painfully come to the conclusion, however far fetched it might seem, that the Elders and pastors had conspired in the beginning to rid the church of the Pendergasts. Firstly because they criticized the senior pastors wife for unethical action, secondly they were hearing from others also unfairly abused in secrecy and lastly because they refused to submit to Pastor Wallace's threats. Click here to see meeting notes.

30 September 2004 - Attempts to get to the bottom of hostility by Ladies Time Executive met by further frustation - at last somebody bluntly explains why - what motives lie beneath the terrible punishment visited on Barry & Jennifer by virtually a whole church....Click here to see details

12th October 2004 - Having failed to justify their first excommunication at the meeting with the mediator September 2004 the elders now make multiple unsubstantiated new claims against the Pendergasts. The Pendergasts now ask all those who made complaints to the elders now make contact with them to explain personally their concerns, and the circumstances under which the complaints were made. Nobody bothers to respond. Let it be clear the Pendergasts regard these charges as frivolous and merely a means to justify the prior elders, pastors and ministry leaders hostility over the previous year. The tone of this letter, as all letters and communication from the Elders previously is threatening. Click here to see details

19th October 2004 - The Pendergasts hand delivered a letter to each elder pleading for a return to core Christian values to solve the conflict - days later the Elders excommunicated the Pendergasts a second time without cause or fair process - click here to see details

19th October 2004 - The Pendergast have their final meeting with the elders without the moderator Rolly Lang. Barrys shares his notes from the Final meeting with the Elders before they excommunicate the Pendergasts a second time. Elder Reg Cracknel types extensive notes directly into his computer but never shares them with the Pendergast. Click here to see details

NEW -25th October 2004 - The Pendergast are excommunicated for the second time. The elders fail to provide just cause. Basically the Pendergasts are an irritation they cannot tolerate any more. See excommunication letter Click here to see details

NEW -31st October 2004 - The elders address the two congregations and provide a notice outlining the excommunication of the Pendergasts and that a meeting will be held 7th December 2004. They do this knowing the Pendergast will be out of the country and they refuse the Pendergasts representation to provide a defense against the trumped up charges. Incredibly Rev Bob Walthers representing the North American Baptist Conference is invited to attend. Click to see notice

4th November 2004 - A Request for action sent to Rev Berg by Ann Blough. Previous request unanswered - Click to see details

9th November 2004 Barry writes to Elder Craig Edwards as plans proceed for a members meeting to discuss the Pendergast behind their backs. As Bob Walthers from NABC later remarked how could the Pendergasts attend the meeting? They were no longer members! Click here to see details

10th November 2004 - Last minute plea to Bishop Henry to intervene. Bishop Henry was approached because of his close friendship with Rev Wallace. Click here to see email

NEW - 17th November 2004 - The elders, Pastor Wallace and Rev Bob Walthers address the congregational on issues affecting the Pendergasts and explain why they have excommunicated the Pendergasts. The Pendergast have no opportunity to address the false charges attributed to them. Unbelievably not one question is raised to challenge this clear breakdown in natural justice.

22nd February 2005 _ An appeal to reconsider the excommunication and be open to an independent enquiry. The refusal to this request led to the development of this web site and the peaceful demonstration outside South calgary in early April. Click here to see letter

7 March 2005 - The Elders turn down offer from the Pendergasts to reconsider the excommunication. Click to see the Elders letter

14 April 2005 - All avenues of communication exhaused Barry, Jennifer & Maureeen Walls decide to demonstrate outside the church and launch the www.bleatinglambs.org website. The elders threaten legal action to stop further demonstrations. Click here to see photos and Elder's most recent threatening letter

A number of requests are made to Rev Bob Walthers, the Alberta representative of North America Baptist Conference to meet with the Pendergast to explain his decision to support the unfair and cruel action taken by the elders against the Pendergasts. It is assumed in the meatime he an dthe Conference fully endorsed this action. As of the 26th November 2005 Rev Walthers has ignored all requests to meet.

The Pendergasts have also written to Gordon Dirks President of the Calgary Evangelical Ministerial Association requesting an investigation into the situation. To date no response has been provided.

Many more documents to follow as time allows