AME Exposed – Ward Settles Molestation Suit
March 9th, 2010
Mo’Kelly told you so, including the amount ONE WHOLE YEAR IN ADVANCE!
Related: The Sinister AME/Bryant Connection
Full story HERE
*Irvine, California, Trial Attorney Gregory Brown secures the largest settlement in firm history in a sexual molestation case against the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in Los Angeles, CA.
While some justice has been served in the courts, the victim(s) will have to deal with the fallout for the rest of their lives. It is truly unfortunate that such predators can survive for such long periods of time Mr. Brown has stated that “After 2 years of denial and cover up, the Ward AME Church, greater AME Church, Inc. and Bishop John R. Bryant, have decided to settle the largest of sexual molestation claims that were pending against the church.” AME is the largest all black church in the world, with over 2,500 congregations.
“The victim (“John Doe”) can now finally move on from unbelievable anxiety, anger, embarrassment and backlash faced as a result of the Church’s head pastor, Sylvester Laudermill (deceased), multiple molestations and later attempts to cover up,” says Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown believes “the trial would have been a media circus and could have dealt a crushing blow to the organization, already suffering severely from other financial scandals and a crippling economy.”
According to Mr. Brown, the settlements with Bishop John R. Bryant and the AME Church, Inc. are confidential, subject to a $100,000 liquidated damages clause for revealing the settlement amount. Just before the trial, the least culpable defendant, Ward AME paid $300,000. “Of course, this was after their attorneys lead the slanderous charge against the victim, turned down a prior $100,000 settlement offer and ran up at least $400,000 in attorney’s fees!” says Mr. Brown
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Related: The Sinister AME/Bryant Connection
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Ward AME, the Fifth Episcopal District, and the AME Church are presently a sucking wound seeking a tournquet and the application of some strategic pressure. No body can continue to hemmorage credibility, accountability and survive through the ensuing dirth of monetary triage.
The platitude of AME Bishops and clergy living "high on the hog" takes into account the assumption that the "hog" did not die from necrosis and gangrene prior to their dinner preparations. The AME church is dying from the greed, maladministration, poor stewardship and outright ineptitude of those professing leadership.
Our children are chagrined, intolerent and embarrassed by what they see and the examples we have given them. They are the heirs of this flawed and broken farce.
They also are the pioneers of the information age. The "dirty little secrets" we believe we can perpetrate on the uninformed, they have scoped, Googled, Twittered, tweeted, posted, and IM'ed to their friends.
They will one day walk away from the games we play, a little more skeptical and a little more cynical. They will walk away wondering where they can worship the true Jesus (who will not be mocked, hustled or clowned).
"And if thy right eye (Bishop/clergy)offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body (AMEC)should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand (Officers/laiety)offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body (AMEC) should be cast into hell."
WHAT IS THE REMEDY?
After visiting the Presiding Elder's Southern California Conference on December 5, 2009, I felt spirited because of his firm mandates requiring us to follow the Discipline and Robert's Rules of Order. This caused me, and I'm sure others, to expect a transparent presentation of budgets and the handling of finances.
At Ward a committee had formed in the early part of 2009 out of a real concern for the financial condition of the church. While listening to Presiding Elder Copeland it became apparent that he and the Bishop held the same concerns. Actually we had obtained a good 75 signatures of Ward members requesting that an audit be done for the two preceding years. (The Discipline calls for an annual audit). A meeting was held last May in which the committiee posed several written question, in advance, for the Stewards and Trustees to answer and the Pastor attended as well. Unfortunately some answers were not provided and others seemed questionable. Nevertheless with the new impetus from the superiors in the church structure, hopes were high. I say all of this as merely a backdrop in order to present the following discussion.
We now have a regular schedule of Church Conferences and Official Board meetings. This is on the plus side of things. We have received a proposed budget and a budget report for four months now. At the first budget presentation we were told by the Commission on Finance that materials for the last year were being gathered up and delivered to a C.P.A. for the audit. I noted that the proposed budget did not have any item respecting an audit. At this last Official Board we were told that they (Commision on Finance) had to skuffle to get $1500.00 together for the C.P.A. as (I guess) a retaining fee for the audit. Again the expense for a C. P. A. did not show anywhere on the Income and Expense Statement.
We were shown a list of items at the very first Official Board needing financing. One of these items was $3000.00 for the C.P.A. Eperience teaches me that an audit will cost more than $3000,00. So perhaps it was meant as a retaining fee. But now we surmise that the C.P.A. has only been paid $1500.00. But that is now questionable. On the evening that the Finance Commission presented the need for $3000.00 they were asked the identity of the C.P.A. Well, the speaker could not remember the name of the C.P.A. Since that time I have asked four Stewards for the name of the C.P.A. and none of them know.
It is matters like this that bother me. In the past we couldn't find out how much the monthly note was on the half-million dollar loan nor the interest rate. Of course it turned out to be a loan that was not authorized by the Church Conference. The Church Conference had voted to borrow $500,00.00 over a 30 year period at the prevailing home loan rate at approximately 6%. The loan actually ia an interstr only loan at 5% per year with the principal due in 5 years.
It should be made clear that the parsonage was remodeled with about $220,000.00 (we are told) of that loan. This is a plus. Nevertheless, the pastor has decided not to live in this home of over a million dollar value. So the trustees without approval of the Church Conference leased the premises for $4200.00 a month. Prior to this conference year the church had paid a monthly housing allowance to the pastor of $3500.00. The new budget adds $700.00 per month to the housing allowance. It's curious but that then totals $4200.00 per month which is exactly the rent received from leasing the parsonage. So the church is receiving no money from the parsonage lease to pay against the note of $500,00.00.
Assuming for the moment that the worst is true (i.e., no audit in process, action taken on the real property without proper approval, mishandling of funds, etc.)what is the remedy?
So it is the past along with actions that seem very similar to the past, that has caused me to become more inquiring about the church finances. I suggest it is best for all church members to be cognizant of the churches financial affairs. Still I wonder, what is the remedy?
Call me what you will, I still remain CONCERNED. Robert L. Allen
Brother Allen,
Many Ward members share your concerns about the financial and spiritual matters of the church.
Why can't we all meet and hash this out. Invite the members to come with their questions and concerns. Assure them that no subject will be off limits and everyone will have an opportunity to be heard.
Stewards, Trustees and Officers should come prepared to answer any and all questions. Their presence should be mandatory. The Lord is waiting patiently for us to do the right thing. Name calling and back biting is not HIS way. Each member should search their heart and ask themselves "WHAT WOULD JESUS DO"?