Posted on 10/11/2005 7:46:21 AM PDT by linkinpunk
Pastor Calls Deputies To Remove Protesting Singers From Church
POSTED: 7:10 am EDT October 11, 2005
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- A church pastor called deputies to remove 16 congregants who refused to stop singing as he tried to begin his sermon, according to a sheriff's report.
Pastor David Noel reported a disturbance at the Bethanie Seventh-day Adventist Church to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office when the group would not allow the Saturday morning service to continue.
One congregant who received a warning said the group was protesting Noel's leadership and alleged misuse of insurance money for damage to the church caused by Hurricane Charley.
"We received $364,000, but he told us we only got $264,000 because he wanted to give $100,000 to another church in Fort Myers," Monique Robert said Monday. "But this money is for Bethanie. We want all the money for our church."
Another congregant, Edourd A. Pierrelus, alleged that Noel struck his chest and twisted his left earlobe during an Oct. 1 meeting to elect new church board members.
"Many things are wrong in the church," Pierrelus told deputies Saturday. "We don't want him to be the pastor."
Noel declined to comment to reporters Monday.
"I don't have much to tell you, just that we are preaching the word here," he said.
Milton Sterling, ministerial director for the Southeastern Conference governing the region's Adventist congregations, said church officials were investigating the incidents.
Robert said she and the other 15 congregants who received warnings will attend a different church service this Saturday.
I think this is really Tom Daschle and he just changed his name.
"What Would Ellen G. White Do?"
These guys should calm down and talk about it over a burger and a couple of beers.
Good one!
Maybe a little chat over wine and cheese, with some mince pie.
Sad.
If this guy misappropriated $100,000 without the permission of his Board or members, he should be defrocked and tossed out on his ear. If this happened at a business meeting (and it appears to have been so, to elect board members) the members had every right -- even an obligation -- to speak up.
Try reading the story again. This occured during a worship service (clue: " group would not allow the Saturday morning service to continue.
The business meeting was a week earlier (clue: during an Oct. 1 meeting to elect new church board members.)
Finally, there are not enough facts given to determine whether or not the proper approvals were given for the donation to the sister church.
So True. We've just been through a few ourselves. It just makes you shake your head sometimes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.