22 May 2005 Update2

Please let us know if you are willing to have your names/details shown with incoming messages - at least please give us a location. We are hoping to turn this page into an interactive 'BLOG' - allow all sides to express their views on church leadership issues. Including the plight of church leaders who suffer abuse at the hands of controlling elders and members.

from an unknown location

Hello,

We have also experienced these same type of abuse. We screamed at and
told to leave by one of his Associate Pastors. After the incident our
Pastor refused to even speak with us. We have since moved on to a new
church and have prayed for the Lord to open their spiritual eyes and for
God's will to be done in the situation.

Check out these articles: http://www.gillistriplett.com/healing/articles/tactics.html http://www.restorationministries.org/html/booksCD.html - Pastoring By
Elders.

God Bless,
Tears for the Nation

Look at

Jude 4
2 Timothy 3

God has everything in control.

from an ex elder at SCCC

Dear Barry and Jenny,

Please remove me from your distribution list. I'm not in agreement with
your position and do not wish to be contacted by you or your supporters!

From a ministry leader and spouse of a previous Chairman of the elders at SCCC

Do not at anytime in the future contact me via email.
Thank you

from a minstry leader at SCCC

Bleating lambs of wolves in sheeps clothing??????
I consider this junk mail and/or spam and an invasion of my privacy. Please remove
me from this mailing list immeadiately. I have no desire to receive anything from
you now or in the future.

Take us off your mailing list. We have no interest in participating in your
vendetta.

from a SCCC member

Please remove me from your spam list

Thanks

From an ex SCCC member who left some years back

All I can say, is that I am glad I left.

Read your article

From:  
"LAWRENCE SCHULTZ" <>

Date:  
Tue, April 19, 2005 2:04 pm

To:  
info@bleatinglambs.org

I recognize that my reference to Philippians 1:12-14 isn't representing this exact
situation...however, there are some things we can learn from the passage.
1)Paul's focus on ministry was changed by God.....his response was...not what I had
planned!! BUT no doubt these circumstances could turn out for God's glory in a
greater good than I could ever realize.(loose reading).
2)Paul's attitude to his issues, his ministry, stood in line for "the cause of
Christ". The situation I see, is what and how the "non christians" see Paul's
attitude in a very difficult situation...one that was not his fault!!! Actually a
great witness to the "world", "community".
3)More encouraging for me, is the growth and affirmation of my spiritual growth
based on the reality that one person can experience wrongful acts upon himself, and
yet by his response bring glory to GOd...actually a great lead up to Phil 2:5-10.

I certainly don't have all the facts in this issue..but we have certainly aired our
attitudes to the "world" to see that we really don't handle issues any better than
they do. So, what does christianity really have to offer me that I don't already
have??

Grace and Peace.

(This email was sent to Ron Berg, Executive Director of North Americam Baptist Confernce in Chicago by the Pendergast's daughter Sue from Vancouver. Sue has asked it be included on this page)

Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 2004 10:22 PM
To: Ron Berg
Cc: kpaj.phillips@shaw.ca; bwalther@nab.ca
Subject: Abuse at South Calgary

Dear Ron,

I called you on May 14, 2004 and although we did not speak personally, I did leave
you a voicemail regarding the situation my parents Barry and Jennifer Pendergast
were facing at South Calgary. Ron, I believe that my message was very clear on two
points 1) I was asking your help and 2) the abuse of
my parents must stop immediately.

As of today's date I have not heard from you but most importantly the abuse to my
parents by South Calgary has not ceased. In fact the abuse continues and worsens
day by day. The most recent event of removing their membership (once again) without
due process and scheduling a meeting to discuss
publicly the reasons why in their absence is absolutely unfathomable!

Ron, I understand you have your reasons for not getting involved and that you don't
have the "power" to make a church listen to you, but how can you, as a Christian
standby by and allow this type of abuse to continue to take place? Your lack of
action until recently suggests that you are in fact
condoning this type of abusive behaviour by allowing it to be "swept under the mat".
As you are well aware this situation is not a "one of" but is in fact a pattern of
abuse by the South Calgary pastors and elders toward their fellow mankind.

The impact to my parents and our family as a direct cause of the continuous abuse
by South Calgary is immeasurable. Most critically is the severe health impact over
a long period of time to my mother and father. Not only has this abuse impacted
their health but it has also impacted them
financially. The abuse by South Calgary has also impacted myself, my husband and
our daughter. I can not express how much stress I have endured as a result of
seeing my parents abused. I have also had to catch an emergency flight to Calgary
so that I could provide support to my parents.

Ron, the abusive actions of the South Calgary pastors and elders towards my parents
and other individuals are truly evil and unconscionable. I implore you to initiate
an independent review with the pastors stepping down during the inquiry. South
Calgary needs to stop this history of abuse before
anyone else is harmed.

Sincerely,

Sue Comeau

From:  
"dz school" 

Date:  
Tue, April 26, 2005 11:04 am

To:  
info@bleatinglambs.org

several points- If you include this email on your site, include the entire
message or none at all.

Number one- the business meeting after you had been removed from membership.
Perhaps it was not reported to you by those who would "hear" hatred instead
of mourning but there was much agreement on acknowledging the contibution to
ministry that you made so I dont think that should be an issue on your
website.

Number two- In response to Jim Gradys' interpretation of history and
regarding my experience with Jim Grady as youth leader to my child. I
remember one night when I picked up my daughter from the Grady home where
youth group had been held. She was crying and BEGGED me not to make her
return. She said she was"invisible" there. I asked Jim Grady to intervene
and make my child feel important. He did not. My child fell through the
cracks under his ministry. Also, if my memory serves me Jims own children
did not have much use for church from the beginning--- it had nothing to do
with the other leadership at the church.

Number three- If it were not for the love of Jim and Barton Wallace, Marg
Cumberlin, and the elders My entire family would have fallen through the
cracks. It was their commitment to me and my kids that fed and clothed us
at times when we had been rejected from a ministry situation. They have
been instumental in mentoring my children into leadership and success in
their own lives often at great cost to themselves.I am proud to be a member
of South calgary Community Church.

Number four- In my opinion this website does nothing to advance the cause of
Christ. It seems to me vengefull and vindictive. Find another part of the
Body that will love you as you feel you need to be loved and participate in
it. This current project is wasting your spiritual energy and talent and
Gods time. Move on.

Jean Dzubin

From: Sender Asked to Remain Anonymous

Sent: Thursday 28 Apr, 2005 12:51 PM
To: info@bleatinglambs.org
Subject: Abuse at South Calgary

WHY NOT REQUIRE THAT EVERY SINGLE MINISTERIAL CANDIDATE HAVE COUNSELLING???? That was the deal at many schools of social work when I was at one.

As for my own children, when I became the youth pastor at SCCC they were all young adults - my son was in college and my two daughters both in high school. I was made clear to the staff and elders when I was considering the call to the church that they were all old enough to determine whether they would follow my wife and I or attend a church of their own choosing. Non-the-less the actions of the leadership at SCCC were appalling to all three. I hope Jean takes the time to read this and that she and I can have a meeting of the minds. I would very much welcome the opportunity.

Jim Grady Sr.


-

From: editor - leadingtoday
Date: Thur 12 May 2005
re:Leadership: Why is it Necessary? - Part2

Hi Barry:
 
Thanks you for your email. Yes, "tyranny" is indeed tyranny whether it is in a religious context or a secular context. Either way it must be challenged and exposed. However, I encourage you to take the "high-road". The important thing for a leader to remember in this situation is what is wrong, not who is wrong. Sometimes in the "heat of the moment" there is a tendency to personalize a situation into name-calling and character assassination. Don't allow this to happen, and focus on what is wrong and why it is unacceptable. Remember the example of the Prince of Peace when He walked on the earth. He railed against injustice, but rarely personalized it by mentioning individual names.
 
All the Best,
 
Greg Thomas

Go to Page 2

Message from the Web site - we need your comments - treat this like a blog for the time being - any thought that you can add to the discussion of abuse in the church and how to heal those hurt and those that inflict it. Names will be withheld if requested.TO EMAIL US CLICK HERE