(Updated 9th January 2006)

After sending the letter of the 22nd August 2003 the Pendergasts went away on holiday. On their return they hoped to meet with all the players in the Alpha/Alpha Marriage Course/Young Married groups together with elders and pastors. Kevin Phillips chose to pass the questions raised back to Pastor Wallace. The Pendergasts found there was a conflict of interests in that. Never the less they met with Pastor Wallace, Pastor Cumberlin , Sue Blackmore (an assistant to the Pendergasts with the Marriage Course.). The meeting did little to help the situation with lots of confusion because only a few of the players were present. Seemed Rev Wallace did everything he could to control the meeting for his purposes and cause division amongst the ministry leaders. Pained the Pendergasts to see a wonderful ministry being destoyed by the need to control everything.

It became obvious during the meeting Barry and Pastor Wallace had some serious issues to discuss. Barry asked Rev Wallace for a meeting. He was told to contact Jim's executive secretary to arrange an appointment - seemed an offhand response. Didn't seem the way that Matthew 18:15 was meant to work! Barry sent the following email to Lyn McNaughton but never received a reply. This would be a patten of response whenever the Pendergasts attempted to use a Matthew 18:15 approach. Their Christian brothers and sisters would say:

• there was no problem so they wouldn't meet (a pastor and his wife) - see example;

• you're not in the right spirit to meet (an elder and spouse);

• we didn't know you well enough (a home group leader);

• it depends of other events taking place (a future elder); Click to see the example

• there's two sides to every story and we haven't got time to listen to yours (Ladies Time Out Executive);

• oh we don't want to get involved (Many!!).

If we cannot abide by Biblical ways to resolve conflict, and it's not roled modeled by leadership its no wonder the conflict escalated.

It is also alleged that Pastor Wallace told a fellow Pastor of North American Baptist Conference that the Pendergasts had sued a previous church. An independent investigation was carried out and this claim was found to be false. The same rumour was circulated amongst congregation members causing great harm to the Pendergast's reputation. A Matthew 18:15 was made in writing to Pastor Wallace to answer these allegations. He refused and passed the matter to Kevin Phillips, the Chairman of the Elders. No response was provided.

From: Barry Pendergast <barrypendergast@shaw.ca>
Date: Fri Sep 5, 2003 9:56:06 AM US/Pacific
To: Lynn McNaughton <lynn@southcalgary.org>
Subject: Meeting Jim Wallace

Lynn
Can you please arrange a meeting between Jim and myself sometime in the week of September 15th. to discuss some personal issues. Preferably not in at the church and where we can have privacy to discuss a number of issues in a reasonably open manner.
Thanks - have a great day! Appreciate all that you do at SCCC.
Barry