Time for Action is Now
Richard’s first victim coming forward should have been the time for action!
And yet, no one from the church or district leadership called the police. His own father conducted the “investigation.” And Richard had continued access to children during and after the faulty investigation. Yes, he was allowed to be with young children and reoffended shortly after. (This is very tangibly another life that was scarred that may not have been if Don Manning had taken appropriate action)Richard’s arrest and conviction in the 90’s should have been a time for action!
Now the accusations are proven true; It’s not rumor, it’s not false accusation. A judge, lawyers, police officers, social workers, PROFESSIONALS have worked on the case, Richard has even pled guilty. At this point the district should have realized that they have a problem, apologies to give, policies to change, education is needed. Something has to change, this can’t happen again, but…. What happened? Nothing that I can see. That was the time for action. This is when Manning should have said how wrong he was, that Richard had fooled him, and that he wouldn’t let this happen again. Instead, he let Richard be made a Board Member and let us pastor him for 5 years without telling us how dangerous he was.The report of abuse by OSID PCG minister Charles Fenwick or formal charges against him would have been a time to act.
His victims' later lawsuit in 2005 about the failure of the churches and district to provide protection would have all 3 been great times to act. (You can read more about the criminal charges and church lawsuit here: https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Teenager+sues+churches%2C+ex-pastor-a0123261604)That was the time to do their research, change their policies and act for the good of the vulnerable in their congregations. That was the time to act.
It has been more than 18 months since Richard’s second arrest. That should have been a catapult into action.
After Danny’s conviction and release should have been a time to act. A man who wakes a sleeping child and rapes her in his daughter’s bed should not have been permitted anywhere near our children! His wife who concealed it should not have been trusted to supervise our children. At least Gary and Diane Saner knew this, who else knew and didn’t act?
Our report of Danny’s harassment should have been the time for the OSID PCG Board to act!
Once the board knew that Saner withheld Danny’s dangerous background and that because of that he was able to go on to harass multiple females in our church, including one minor, THAT was the time to act.The Board could have asked Eli and I to step into the hallway, read Danny’s police report, reviewed our report of his recent predatory behavior, and voted to have Danny permanently banned from OSID PCG events, churches, and premises. Remember both children and adults have reported abuse or harassment from Danny.
Remember board members checked on their children but did not act to keep Danny from others. In March of 2021, Bishop Gary Saner told me that Danny Walton was not barred from any PCG churches nor youth events, that it would be a decision for the incoming district youth director. The Bishop would not ban a convicted sexual offender from attending youth events in the district. Still hasn't.
These were all times to act. But I've seen no action yet. I've yet to see their "taking it seriously".
Here’s a look at possible first steps, the actions Pastor Eli and I were able to enact with our faithful Leadership Team, between Oct. 2020 and Jan. 2021. In 3 sleepless months, while giving pastoral care to our congregation and survivors coming forward, we created and approved this Family Safety Policy for Chapel of Praise PCG and the Family Safety Policy, Procedure, and Culture document you can view on the fourth tab above.
This is just a first step. This is the policy we shared with the OSID District Board. We gave them each a copy and encouraged them to share it with other churches and adapt it to create a district policy. OSID Pastors and children’s leaders, have you received a copy as a sample or template for your church use?
Was this critical issue discussed
and a district bylaw process initiated
at the 2021 District Convention as the Board had promised us?
Action must be taken, something has to change.
WHY
This isn’t the church. This isn’t ok.
I want to bring this to light, not to hurt the church, but to declare that this isn’t The Church. This is not ok.
This is not what the body of Christ is supposed to look like-
silencing the hurting and vulnerable and harboring predators.
This isn’t the way of Jesus.
We have to say that this is not ok. We have to think of those who came to the church to know God and to be part of a community of faith, to see Jesus lived out among his people. Instead they were endangered, abused, scarred, gas lighted, neglected, accused, ignored, gossiped about and left within the grasp of sexual predators.
When I look at the reactions of the church, read in the police report Manning’s failure to stop Richard, when I called and heard Saner’s refusal to ban Danny Walton, when the National Office refuses even to look into it, when I look at that, I see people who sacrificed the vulnerable to not rock their boat.
One pastor said that there was a “spirit of oppression” at his church related to this abuse, that it was almost gone and was now returned.
No, there were sexual abusers at your church and there are survivors in your midst who need help. There are real people who need to hear the church say, “This is not Ok!” They need a church that doesn’t silence victims and harbor predators. You are dealing with people who were violated by flesh and blood men, and the families of flesh and blood survivors, and disillusioned people who thought church was safe.
It is hard and uncomfortable to discuss these things, to prepare your church to be protected from deceitful predators. But trust me, it’s even harder to discuss it after something tragic like this has happened. Investigating this was awful, full of sleepless nights and sleepless months. And I’m not even a victim of the predator, I’m just a victim of the cover-up. It is difficult to wade through this. To revoke even someone this vile from your church is hard. It requires conflict and sacrifice. But you do it!
Because you don’t sacrifice members of your church, district, or denomination to keep up appearances.
You don’t feed your people to sexual predators so you can keep moving like business as usual.
When I look at the actions of these men and women who were once my mentors and leaders, I grieve. That’s not what Jesus would do. Jesus stood for the vulnerable, the outcast, the weak, the least of these. Even at the expense of the credibility of his ministry. Even if that’s not what a lawyer would advise.
Jesus did not sacrifice others, He sacrificed Himself.
So for those within the church who have experienced or witnessed this, know what you have seen in this, what you hear revealed here, this isn’t Jesus. This isn’t his Church, the hands and feet of Jesus on earth. Jesus blessed the children, cared for and supported women, cared for the vulnerable. Know that any darkness or disregard for people shown here reflects their heart and not the heart of God.
I wanted to make this website to reveal these ugly truths because so many already know this and thought it was ok. Far too many church members thought that the church could look like this. NO, this wasn’t ok, it’s not ok, and it’s not a reflection of our good God.
We have to do better.
We have to declare that anything fallen or broken,
wrong or dark in this
was the failure of people and not a reflection of God.
They cannot attempt to go about God’s business when they reflect his heart so poorly in this matter!
Because everyone deserves to be safe at church!
WHY
For the credentialed ministers and church representatives who vote on bylaw measures each year at convention, who vote these men into leadership, you need to know.
This is what is true of your bylaws, this is what is true of your leadership. If they won’t change it, YOU CAN! They’ve proven for the last year that they are either unwilling or unable to. If they don’t know what to do, a godly, trusted, experienced 3rd party can help. Last year, we recommended G.R.A.C.E., a Godly Response to Abuse in Church Environments, at https://www.netgrace.org/. Another agency that does this important work is https://www.zeroabuseproject.org/. I plead with you, please do not continue to wait on the leadership that has had since the early 1990’s to acknowledge this danger and create safety protocol districtwide to protect our children and families. Whether you are a credentialed minister, leader, official church member, or simple church attender YOU can ask for better. Call, write, tell them that this is not OK.
The Oregon Southern-Idaho Pentecostal Church of God website, http://pcg-osid.org/ lists their contact information on the first page.
Last year members of Southern Baptist Convention concerned about sexual abuse cover-ups in their denomination stood up and demanded an investigation. They demanded change. These were believers who refused to let leadership continue to fail them on this critical issue. Some survivors and advocates had been asking for change for years. In May and June of 2022, we have seen the fruit of their labors. (https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/may/southern-baptist-abuse-investigation-sbc-ec-legal-survivors.html) Recently a third party investigator revealed their findings, including the leadership’s failure to protect and suggestions for change. SBC leadership and counsel are now reviewing the suggestions for a safer SBC. Know that this problem is not unique to big organizations. The cover-ups are not unique to the catholic church. Smaller denominations are experiencing the same dangerous incompetence and apathy. However, we have seen that there is still hope when the suits fail us, when the elected officials act for the good of the organization instead of the well-being of the people they serve. We have seen that people who care and will speak up can make a real difference. That’s why you must know, not so that you will be outraged, but so you will be informed and motivated.
I no longer have a vote in the Pentecostal Church of God. I’ll not endanger my children to remain in an organization in order to ‘bring change from the inside.’ My repeated pleas to local, district, regional, and national leadership have been ignored, both while I was a licensed minister and after I resigned my credentials. But if you find anything redeemable about the Pentecostal Church of God, demand they change this. No ministry is so worthwhile that it excuses letting children continue to be sexually assaulted. Pentecostal Church of God leaders need a reminder of this.
WHY
For the survivors. We hear you. Eli and I care deeply and we are not going to ignore what happened to you. We will let your voice in reporting be heard and make a difference for others.
Survivors, I'm so sorry that you were not heard before. You are heard now. I pray that you have found a safe place to heal.
OSID, PCG, please don't add to their number because you refuse to learn what their stories could have told you decades ago!