Lutheran (ELCA) Ping!
Posted on 11/21/2008 2:45:52 PM PST by lightman
(Harrisburg, PA)…Barry R. Herr, former treasurer of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was sentenced today to serve 30 months in federal prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $799,998 in restitution.
Herr, 62, of Lancaster, was arrested on March 13, 2008, and charged with thirty-six (36) counts of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (electronic transfer of funds) and one (1) count of Theft by Deception in the amount of $1,004,732. Each charge is a felony of the third degree.
The charges stem from months of investigation by the synod, the Lower Paxton Township Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service into the misappropriation of endowment funds for which the former treasurer was responsible.
Herr’s sentence carries with it an order of full restitution of missing funds to the synod and to the synod’s insurance carrier. To date, Herr has returned to the synod about $300,000 of the $1 million in stolen funds.
Speaking on his own behalf in front to Judge William Caldwell, Herr said he has a “deep sense of humility to those I have betrayed.”
“I’ve stolen money from the very people who trusted me,” he told the court. “I have a hard time living with myself.”
Four other individuals spoke on Herr’s behalf, including his psychotherapist who cited what she believed to be contributing factors to Herr’s actions—emotional disconnect in his early childhood, post traumatic stress disorder following the loss of his mother at the age of 18, and a genetic link to his father who had a gambling addiction.
The Rev. B. Penrose Hoover, bishop of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, spoke at the sentencing on the synod’s behalf.
“The actions that Mr. Herr chose to take in stealing more than $1.1 million from the Lower Susquehanna Synod have caused great harm to the life and fabric of ministry in this church,” said Hoover.
“The monetary loss in and of itself has deprived people in need both materially and spiritually and has hampered ministry within the synod. The staff time and concern that have been expended to deal with the consequences of his actions, as well as the additional expenses incurred have deflected attention and focus from the ongoing work of the church.”
“His actions and his betrayal of trust have undermined the sense of trust and mutual commitment that is so essential to the life and ministry of the church. While the synod continues to expect that Mr. Herr will make restitution of the stolen funds, it will require an ongoing process of healing and transparency to restore the trust that has been undermined or lost.”
Hoover also spoke of the synod’s continued prayers for Herr and his family.
“We are all deeply saddened by the events that have transpired and continue to hold Mr. Herr, his family, and those who were affected by his actions, in our prayers, even as we pray for the healing and ongoing ministry of the church of Jesus Christ in the Lower Susquehanna Synod.”
The Lower Susquehanna Synod is one of 65 geographical sub-divisions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It has 260 congregations, over 450 professional church leaders, and covers Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, Lebanon, Lancaster, Fulton, Franklin, and York counties. The operating budget of the synod for 2008 is $4,361 million.
During his 30-plus years as Treasurer he never faced opposition when standing for re-election, and there were no term limits. Moreover, he was the person designated to write the charging documents for the Auditors; and he never authorized them to examine endowment funds. I wonder why?
Mr. Herr is 62.
. That is either one hell of a case of PTSD, one hell of a misdiagnosis, or one hell of a rationalization.
I was married to a MO-SYN Lutheran pastor for 8 years. I have PTMD2LCMSP ... Post Traumatic Marriage Disorder to LCMS Pastor.
This is misdiagnosis and incompetence on the part of the "psychotherapist." I would bet a reasonable sum it is a she, and totally sucked in by some transparently bogus tale of woe. The "genetic link" implying relevance of a gambling addiction is also specious. The story makes clear that this was a premeditated series of exploitive acts by what is more likely a sociopathic personality.
During his 30-plus years as Treasurer he never faced opposition when standing for re-election . . .I have never seen anybody face opposition if they were willing to run for Church Treasurer (or Secretary).
The Lower Susquehanna Synod is ammending its Constitution to require that there be at least two nominees for the office of Treasurer and that the Treasurer serve no more than three consecutive terms.
There was also comparable 30-year financial scandal in the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) of which I am now a member, reaching the highest levels of the church. And there was also a three-year coverup of the details of the scandal. (Both the former treasurer of your ELCA synod and the former chancellor of the OCA were stealing from God, which your “bishop” neglected to point out!)
Fortunately, a report finally came out with the details of what happened—it was real shocker! (Criminal prosecutions are still pending.)
At last week’s All-American Council (the national OCA meeting), the delegates put the betrayal and hurt of the scandal behind them, and elected a great new Metropolitan. So both the OCA and American Orthodoxy should emerge stronger than ever. Thanks be to God!!!!
“(Both the former treasurer of your ELCA synod and the former chancellor of the OCA were stealing from God, which your “bishop” neglected to point out!)”
She Who Must Be Obeyed (my wife) makes the prosphora for the Divine Liturgies during the month of October. She makes four per liturgy, knowing that I will take the least perfect for the boys and I to eat (its the best bread ever!). She says that her husband and sons steal from God...though clearly on a much smaller scale than the ECLA or OCA crooks!
No doubt the same can be said of the fine lady who phoned a couple hours ago to say that she was providing some “home brew” for Sunday’s liturgy.
All I can say is, “I’ll drink to that”—and to all who have embraced eucharistic generosity and hospitality.
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