Church Fined for Removal of Windows

GLOVERSVILLE, NY - The Church of God of Prophesy, which owns the Bleecker Square Church, was given a conditional discharge and one year to pay $60,000 in fines after stained-glass windows and steeple clocks were removed in February from the 142-year-old church without the Historic Preservation Review Board's consent.

City Court Judge Vincent DeSantis ordered the church to replace the windows and maintain the building by removing graffiti and mowing the grounds, as well as prepare it for reuse and market it to a viable buyer.

The $60,000 is broken up into five $12,000 fines - one for each of the four facades of the building and one for the steeple, where the clocks were removed.

The order was close to the $14,000 maximum penalty for each fine.

The church faced fines that could range from $25 to $50 per day per violation since February, when Building Inspector D. Robert Robbins cited five violations

He said if the church fulfills the maintenance requirements, it may petition the court to have the fine reduced or eliminated, though that does not guarantee the court would grant that request.

DeSantis called the church, once the meeting place of the First Methodist Church a "major architectural feature" downtown and "forms a significant part of the architectural heritage of downtown."

He said he was "sympathetic to the church," but that he must act "in the city's best interest, and in the community's best interest."

The conditional discharge requires the church to comply with the directives of the Historic Preservation Review Board, which accepted a plan for replacement of the windows at its Dec. 1 meeting, aggressively maintain the structure and grounds and take positive steps to market the building to a purchaser in a position to maintain it.

If the windows are not replaced within a year, the church could face more violations.

"It's in the community's best interest that this building be maintained and adaptively revised to have that building be an active part of the synergy of downtown," DeSantis said.

The one-year conditional discharge means that the city is not able to enforce fines until Dec. 15, 2012.

Gloversville City Attorney Anthony Casale said he was "very satisfied" with DeSantis's sentencing, although he was disappointed the matter dragged on for nearly a year through multiple court adjournments.

During the sentencing hearing, he outlined the timeline of the matter, which had been going on since January when Robert Castiglione told him of word the church was planning on removing the windows.

At that point, Casale sent a letter to the church bishop in Albany, warning the church not to remove the windows without the Historic Board's approval.

Robert Meringolo, an antiques and art expert and dealer from Westerlo hired by the church to handle the project, said a miscommunication with his project partner, Joe Bailey, the owner of From Europe to You, resulted in the window and clock removal without approval, after an application had been submitted to the board.

Meringolo noted many of the church's historic windows were broken before they were removed, and the building had been the target of vandals.

Justin Gray of the Albany firm of Maynard, O'Connor, Smith & Catalinotto, represented the church in court and said not all of the windows had been sold. Casale said about $20,000 worth of material was sold from the church.

Gray also argued the bishop did not give approval to remove the windows and that the action was done by a third party; however Casale noted the church already pleaded guilty to the charges.

The Church of God of Prophecy Northeast Region, based in Albany, has owned the Bleecker Square Church since 2000, when it was purchased for $60,000, according to tax map data.

The structure's tax-exempt status was removed in 2009 because it no longer is used as a congregational meeting place, and the church has paid its taxes.

[By AMANDA WHISTLE, The Leader Herald]

Merry Christmas

“So [the shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in the manger.” (Luke 2:16)

Synergy Ministries Board of Directors Meeting

CEO Don Brock announced the upcoming Synergy Minustries Board of Directors Meeting, December 1-3, 2011, in Las Vegas, NV. The meeting will include Strategic Planning and Vision Casting

Pastoral Counselors Beware

A jury has awarded $1.4 million to a Minnesota woman who accused her Methodist pastor of sexually abusing her.  The woman accused 67-year-old Donald Dean Budd of pursuing an inappropriate relationship at a time when she was emotionally vulnerable.

The Hennepin County jury concluded this week that Budd must pay $1 million in punitive damages. Of another $410,000 in compensatory damages, Budd must pay $246,000 and the rest is to be paid by the Minnesota Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

A call to Budd’s home Saturday rang unanswered, and a message left with his attorney wasn’t immediately returned. The woman’s attorney, Robert Hajek, said the jury’s verdict was “very responsible and reasonable.”

Budd was a pastor at McKinley United Methodist Church in Winona. Prior to that, he served in Methodist churches in Harmony, Minn., and Eau Claire, Wis. He is no longer a pastor.

The woman filed a civil lawsuit in 2009, alleging that she sought counseling from Budd while he was a pastor at McKinley between 2003 and 2005. A sexual relationship developed, leading to Budd’s eventual conviction on a pair of felony sexual-abuse charges.

The woman said she reported the relationship to the conference in 2006. She accused officials of dropping the investigation and calling the woman uncooperative and not credible, court documents said.

Her civil lawsuit claimed that the conference should have done a better job of investigating Budd’s sexual misconduct, according to a Winona Daily News report.

Victoria Rebeck, a spokeswoman for the conference, disputed the charge. She said the conference and its bishop acted immediately when notified about the allegations by placing Budd on restriction and removing his credentials.

[Superior Telegram | Superior, Wisconsin]

When accusations happen these days, a full investigation must be done immediately and completely.  And there can be no cover up.  Information is too instantaneous and widespread these days.  The truth will get out.  (If not the truth, then at least rumors… which again will doom you if you’ve not done the full investigation).

There should be no cover-up in the body of Christ.  And if there was in this case, it was found out.

[from MMI Weblog by Todd Rhoades]

Compensation for Senior Pastors

What is the average pay for a senior pastor these days?

Well, of course, it depends… on your experience, the size of your church, and what sex you are.

According to the 2012-2013 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff (which surveyed about 4,600 churches and 8,000 church positions), the average senior pastor overall makes…

$82,938

That’s up from last year’s average salary of $80,745.

[from MMI Weblog by Todd Rhoades]

A Warning to Young Pastors

Leadership Development

Bible Illiteracy

White House spokesman, Jay Carney, recently made this statement in a press briefing:

"Well, I believe the phrase from the Bible is, 'The Lord helps those who help themselves.'  And I think the point the President is making is that we should — we have it within our capacity to do the things to help the American people."

The only problem is, this is not a quote from the Bible.  It may be a good concept.  It may even be support by Scripture.  But it is NOT a quote from the Bible.

Has America become Bible illiterate?

The Lifecycle of Pastors

Almost twenty years ago, I began to note that the tenure of a pastor often follows a predictable pattern. Now, almost two decades later, I still see many of the same patterns, though I have refined the categories and time spans a bit.

I fully understand that these categories are not definitive, and there will certainly be exceptions to the rule. Nevertheless, I offer this lifecycle as a guide that I hope will prove useful to both pastors and congregations alike.

Honeymoon: Years 0 to 1

The new pastor is perceived to be the answer to all the needs and the problems of the church. He is often viewed as a hero because he is not his predecessor. Though some of his faults begin to show during this period, he is often given a pass. Expectations are high that he will be molded into the image that each congregant would like to have.

Crisis: Years 1 to 3

It is now apparent that the pastor is fully human. He has not lived up to the precise expectations of many of the members. This phase includes a number of conflicts and struggles. Indeed it is the most common time that pastors choose to leave the church or they are force terminated. This single epoch of a pastoral tenure contributes more to short tenures than any other time.

Realignment: Years 3 to 5

The number of crises begins to abate, though they do not disappear altogether. It is at this time that more and more new members come under the tenure of the new pastor. Some of the dissidents have left the church or the community. There is a realignment of loyalty and expectations of the pastor. Thus he is able to lead more effectively, and began to see some more productive years as pastor of the church.

Growth: Years 5 to 10

Not all pastors have productive and joyous ministries in this period, but many do. It is not unusual for the congregation to begin to appreciate the pastor more and to follow his leadership with greater enthusiasm. Many of the battles have already been fought; and many of the conflicts have been resolved. The pastor and the entire congregation are ready to move forward in more productive ministry for the glory of God.

Mystery: Years 10 and Beyond

There are relatively few pastors and congregations that continue their relationships beyond a period of one decade. Thus any perspective I have of long-term pastorates is inconclusive and limited. I am confident, however, that if we see more and more pastors entering their tenth year of ministry and beyond, we will see more productive and fruitful ministries in local churches across the nation.

The Quest Continues

The topic of pastoral tenure fascinates me. I see significant correlation between ministry effectiveness and longer pastoral tenure, though there are certainly exceptions to the rule. I do hope that we will do a more comprehensive and objective study of this important issue in the future.

What is your perspective of pastoral tenure?

[from The Christian Post RSS Feed]

He Has Sent Redemption

Pro-'gay' play at school not well received (OneNewsNow.com)

Pro-'gay' play at school not well received (OneNewsNow.com)

Leadership - According to Steve Jobs

• Follow your gut.
• Never fear failure.
• Competition makes you better.
• Don't settle.
• The only way to do great work is to love what you do.
• Ask yourself every day, "If today were the last day of my life, would I do what I am about to do today?"

COG Ministerial Care Director Receives Top Award

In a recent meeting of the American Association of Christian Counselors, Bill Leonard Ph.D., counseling director for the Church of God Office of Ministerial Care, received the top “Servant Leadership Award” as a Board Certified Christian Counselor.

The AACC, which currently has in excess of 50,000 members, selected Dr. Leonard to receive the highest award in Christian counseling. Three other recipients were given comparable awards for Professional Counseling, Pastoral Counseling and Biblical Counseling.

AACC Executive Director Ken Nichols stated, “It is my privilege to present to you the 2011 Board of Christian Professional and Pastoral Counselors “Servant Leadership Award” winners. These credential holders exemplify the high standard of the Board of Christian Professional and Pastoral Counselors through Godly character, counseling skills and a commitment to serve the Lord by caring for others.”

“Of special note is the fact that Dr. Leonard is the first Pentecostal counselor to receive this top award!” said Dr. Donnie W. Smith, executive administrator for the Division of Care for the Church of God.

Dr. Leonard serves as the Director of Ministerial Care for the Church of God International Offices. He cares for pastors and their families through counseling, training, restoration of fallen ministers and preventive care.

Dr. Leonard teaches pastoral clinics, conducts marriage enrichment seminars and special training workshops for pastors. He has served as a pastoral counselor for more than 25 years and a full-time professional counselor for 11 years.

Dr. Leonard received a B.A. in Christian Education from Lee College in Cleveland, TN and an M.A. and doctorate degree from International Seminary in Plymouth, FL. He is an AACC member and is certified as a Crisis & Trauma Responder. He and his wife, Luann, live in Cleveland, TN, and have three children and three grandchildren.

General Overseer Dr. Raymond Culpepper said, “When an organization like American Association of Christian Counselors with 50,000 members, honors one of its members with a special award and recognition, it is honoring a person’s life, character, and Christian commitment. I am personally proud of Dr. Bill Leonard, and the Church of God is thankful that we have a man of such exceptional qualities leading our Ministerial Care.”

Pastor Rob Bell Resigns

Fans and congregants of Pastor Rob Bell and Mars Hill Bible Church caused the ministry's website to crash Thursday night, as news of the Love Wins author's resignation started to spread.

Mars Hill explained on its official Facebook page: "Hey guys, sorry the website has crashed from all the traffic. We are working to get it back up. In the meantime, here is the info that is on our news page..."  The post went on to show the same statement listed on the Grandville, Mich., church's website.

The statement, released by the Mars Hill Bible Church staff, on Bell's departure reads:

"Feeling the call from God to pursue a growing number of strategic opportunities, our founding pastor Rob Bell, has decided to leave Mars Hill in order to devote his full energy to sharing the message of God's love with a broader audience."

Members of Mars Hill and other curious observers have been logging onto the church's Facebook page to react to the announcement of Bell leaving the church he founded 12 years ago.

Josh Gould declared the news as "brutal" and added: "But rob has such a unique perspective that has helped me grow tremendously."

Monica Clink responded, "Very sad to see Rob go, but excited for him and his new opportunities."

Connie Park stated, "It will be different without him!! Will have too see what happens next!!!"

Craig McDade responded, "In college, I started my walk with God. I have Rob Bell and Mars Hill to thank for that. Good luck Rob!"

Aran Walter commented, "Rob, may you be filled with the grace and peace of God in the next chapter of you and your family's life."

Said Hayden Jessie: "Very sad to hear. He speaks for so many of us that hear his message and are excited to be Christians again. I wish him well and I hope what he has started at Mars Hill continues."

Jeff Sytsma added, "End of an era. The start of a new one."

These are just a few of many comments left on Mars Hill Church’s Facebook page.

It was not clear how long the Mars Hill website was down.

The church stated that Bell would explain his departure and new call in greater detail during Mars Hill Bible Church's upcoming Sunday service on Sept. 25.

[By Herbert Pinnock | Christian Post Contributor]

Unanswered Questions Remain Concerning Pastor Zachery Tims

A representative with the New York Chief Medical Examiner's office revealed Friday that the much-anticipated toxicology results for Florida minister Zachery Tims would not be available until sometime next week.

In a call with The Christian Post, Ellen Borakove, director of Public Affairs at the New York Chief Medical Examiner's office, said results for the toxicology tests were "very close" and that more information would be available by Tuesday or Wednesday.

Tims, senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Church (NDCC) in Apopka, Fla., was found dead in his room at the W. Hotel in Times Square on Aug. 12.

The minister, who was in town for a speaking engagement, was found on the floor of his hotel room. Investigators revealed that a glassine envelope of white powder was found in Tims' right pants pocket.

Investigators were reportedly considering the possibility that Tims might have died from a drug overdose.

The charismatic preacher battled drug addiction before becoming a Christian, a subject which he focuses on his memoir It's Never Too Late.

Tims, a Balitmore, Md., native, shared in a TBN broadcast on July 12: "At the age of 14, I shot a man and tried to kill him. I was locked up till I was 16. I was a drug addict till I was 19."

But Tims professed that God turned his life around.

"I'm a living witness [that] it is never too late," he stressed on TBN's "Praise the Lord" program, which he frequently hosted.

NDCC is currently in the process of searching for a new leader, as Tims did not leave behind instructions regarding a successor.

Church administrators have not commented on the suspicious substance found on Tims, but Bishop T.D. Jakes, who delivered the minister's eulogy during his Aug. 21 funeral, insinuated that Tims struggled with personal problems.

In the eulogy, The Potter's House minister compared Tims to Jacob from the Bible, whom God renamed Israel.

"I thought I was the only one who knew how unhappy Zach was, how broken he was, how afraid he was if anybody was to see any flaw in him," Jakes said. "He tried hard to heal himself, to fix himself … I don't know what happened in that room in New York, but I can only hope that as Zach was dying, Dr. Tims stood up."

[By Nicola Menzie | Christian Post Reporter]