From: "Ann Blough" <annblough@shaw.ca>
To: <rberg@nabcon.org>
Cc: <kpaj.phillips@shaw.ca>; <kevin.phillips@encana.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 9:23 PM
Subject: A Further Concern re SCCC Elders


Dear Sir,
Months ago you received a request from me to look seriously into the treatment of the Pendergasts by the leadership of SCCC. I did not receive a response.

Please take more care to act on their behalf this time. The harm that is being inflicted upon them by fellow Christians is beyond comprehension. The North -American Baptist Conference you head has a responsibility to safe-guard the reputation of the Lord Jesus. Once leaders of a church under your authority start to destroy the reputations, willfully slander members under their care, deliberately start to intimidate other members who start to question their actions, you have a responsibility to launch an immediate inquiry. Churches who directly violate the biblical guidelines that Jesus taught should not be left in the conference you represent.

The other evening I went as a witness with a member of SCCC to hear her try to receive answers to questions she attempted to raise at a SCCC general meeting in June 2004. Her repeated requests for answers had not been answered in the meantime.


Before I share my observations let me give my background. I came to know Jesus as my personal saviour when I was 14. I am presently a member of Richmond Hill Baptist Church in Calgary. Through the years it was was my privilege to serve on numerous boards and to represent thousands of people as a school trustee, alderman, police commissioner ,etc. In the church I have served in many roles often as chairman. This is given to you not to brag but to let you know I have a good understanding of parliamentary
procedure, constitutions, biblical teachings and how to deal with conflict resolution.

The member and I met two elders, Jim Prichard and Diane Young. We were disappointed that only two elders turned up when it had been promised that there would be four including Pastor Cumberlin. We met in a neutral place - a local A&W. We were pleasantly greeted at first but as the member began to share her questions and concerns she was told by Jim Prichard only he would answer questions and Diane Young would only take notes. This was of concern since Jim Prichard was not an elder when the Pendergasts were first removed from membership and publicly humiliated. The member was told to share what was on her heart and not to read from her notes, and to not to talk or ask about anything else that happened after June 23rd 2004. The manner in which she was given these instructions was belittling.

She made an attempt to explain how she felt about the removal of the Pendergasts and used the word excommunication. WELL, we were informed that we did know not what that word means and that we should go and look it up. (We did later and it means exactly what we thought it meant.) After a couple more rebukes the two elders terminated our meeting and walked away in anger.

This is just one more example of unloving and unacceptable action of a church board that has run off track.

Please act soon on this matter.

Sincerely,

Ann Blough