He said Celebration Church has a large number of congregants in the Arlington area who now drive to the main location on RG Skinner Parkway. A hearing scheduled for Tuesday was canceled but new attorneys for the couple filed an amended complaint that said a scurrilous narrative and false and defamatory statements were circulated to discredit and humiliate them. I watched the pastor move away from dependence on Christ, to emphasizing the muzzuzah, and hand signs. I look forward to a solution that honors God above all else. For this reason, ECFA places much emphasis on strong, effective governance. To find the best group for you, simply click the advanced search tab under the group search bar and complete the filtered search. If you need help with WJXTs or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801. Absolutely! What is Celebration Church? Anyway, just wanted to encourage you that what you did for the Lord there is lasting. Sherman, I went there for about a 2 years because I wanted to see what my grandchildren were being taught. The couples suit says the church was billed $18,000 per month as rent for a home Cormier owned that was being renovated and wasnt habitable. [1] and is led by Senior Pastors Tim and Jen Timberlake. Our team has spent months praying for and developing a Youth Conference that's goal is to change the lives of middle and high school students, as well as equipping youth pastors, leaders, and teams to walk in all that God has called them to be. Global Senior Pastor Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, say in their lawsuit that Weems was wrongly suspended from his post in January after a trustee falsely claimed that Pastor Stovall was improperly manipulating and misdirecting the churchs finances., In reality, the suit argues, Weems had confronted the trustee after discovering fraud on the church and the trustee reacted by feeding the other trustees and senior church members lies and misinformation.. Sarah Palin in a libel suit against the New York Times. Too many are yes men and by the time they see something, they realize it shouldve been nipped a while back. According to a recent investigation carried out by the Nelson Mullins law firm, Weems personally benefited from unauthorized financial transactions and managed the church poorly. Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, the statement said. Weems has filed suit against the church claiming he was illegally removed from leadership, but Timberlake has assured the church that he will continue to lead with integrity, godly character, love, honor, and excellence.. The trustees didnt have the authority to discipline Weems, according to the Weemses lawsuit. Another one in the never ending line of evangelical power and money seekers that has (and will) left hurt, traumatized, abused people in the wake. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. This isnt Apple, Coca-Cola, General Motors, etc.! Join us for Wednesday night services at all Jacksonville locations with hang-time from 6:30-7:00PM and service beginning at 7:00PM. King said the church will feature a 1,000-seat sanctuary, a preschool and childrens wing for kindergarten through fifth grade, a large youth space and classrooms. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and coaching high school extemporaneous speaking and debate. They targeted young, impressionable, new believers who didnt have the spiritual maturity to see the leaders for what they truly are. We have many groups that meet virtually as well as hybrid groups that meet in-person and virtually. We have nothing to hide. To donate, Volk runs his own nonprofit Together For Israel, Former Pastor Accused of Rape Resigns from Churchome After TRR Investigation; Church Official Makes False Claims, Embattled Next Level Church Closes as More Demand Investigation & Audit, Judah Smiths Celebrity Megachurch Hires Man Accused of Rape Over Alleged Victims Objections, Why Businessman Peter Chung Matters for the Future of The Kings College. Headquartered off Baymeadows Road near Interstate 295, Celebration has grown exponentially to include locations in Amelia Island, Orlando, South Florida, North Carolina and Washington, D.C., plus. We believe true life change happens in the context of community and we welcome everyone to experience this together, no matter what church you call your home! Celebration Church is preparing to open an Arlington campus at the Regency Park Shopping Center in the former Hobby Lobby space. Meanwhile, the substantive allegations made in our Complaint about financial improprieties perpetrated by current Board members have gone unanswered. Pastors Stovall and Kerri never intended to receive any money from this investment. The church released a 22-page investigative report on. Celebration Church hired a law firm to conduct an internal investigation, and it released the findings in late April. A hearing in the case is set for May 20, court records show. Timberlake spoke at a service in March, assuring the congregation that the church is OK. No criminal charges have been filed in this case. The Weemses lawsuit says Cormier, the president of a company that installs underground fueling systems, pledged to donate $1 million worth of in-kind services to Honey Lake Farms, where companies that Cormier controls were contracted for construction and land-management work beginning in 2018, before he was a trustee. Look up! But a lawyer representing the trustees says the dispute is none of the courts business, and that having a judge decide a fight about church leadership would violate protections in the U.S. Constitutions First and 14th Amendments. Its a shame because at the start, they had the right concept, but absolute power and money corrupt absolutely. The church paid just under $1.3 million for the home on Black Hammock Island in June 2021, about 50 percent more than Weems company paid for the home in February 2021, according to property records. They feel most alive when they are pouring back into others, and they seek to glorify God through their lives and . He says that if Weemses dont pay back what they owe, their personal or business assets could be seized. Four months later, in June 2021, property records show Celebration Church purchased the home from Weems Group, LLC for $1,286,900. Celebration Church responded to Weemses lawsuit by asking the court to dismiss it, partly on religious liberty grounds. Peters words are so true! After that, it will be up to the trustees to decide whetheror how muchof the findings to make public. 77.245.154.222 Perfectly said. $645,281 owed by Honey Lake Farms Inc. and guarantor Stovall Weems (loan and credit card accounts, plus interest, late charges and attorneys fees), $50,867 owed by Weems Group LLC (credit card No. Pastors Tim and Jen have a heart for God's people and equipping them with the tools to transform their lives from the inside out. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. My recommendation to them may be to produce something publicly, Wedekind said, whether the full findings or a summary of some sort. She said Weems invested $100,000 in the digital security platform TurnCoin to create a retirement fund for longtime church employees and that the investment is worth $1.5 million now, but that none of that was done with PPP money. The injunction said one of the churchs trustees was improperly billing the church for construction-type services at its Honey Lake Farms property in Madison County. Celebration Church is no longer listed as a member of ARC, either. . The Roys Report reached out to ARC, asking when the Weemses and Celebration Church were removed and why, but did not immediately hear back. Familiar minds think alike. Full Source is an e-commerce company that sells office, safety, industrial, janitorial and maintenance supplies as well as discount apparel. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. The church said the trustees requested an investigation into the founding pastors when they discovered the Weemses engaged in a series of questionable financial transactions without board knowledge or authorization in early 2021. Their own personal accounts and their own personal monies and any assets that they own personally could become an issue and could be something the bank could go after, he said. No more needs to be said for a House of Hell reserved for. It is so few because people want a relevant pastor and church. It's big, with about 12,000 members who attend nondenominational services at around 10 far-flung locations or join in online. This is serious 2nd degree and 3rd degrees [sic] criminal felony behavior, added the email, which said the message was notice to Cormier of me dismissing you immediately from the trustees. Thanks Mark, I feel bad for all the other people who got hurt by the church leaders. ), Sky 4 photo of Stovall and Kerri Weems' home, Any and all meeting minutes, agenda, and board resolutions, and any drafts thereof, of Board of Trustees meetings held between January 1, 2017 through present, Any and all documents relating to Pastor Stovall and Kerris compensation packages from 2017 through the present, including but not limited to written agreements and records of payment from the Church to them, Any and all documents relating to the churchs 2021 purchase of the parsonage from an entity controlled by Pastor Stovall as alleged on page 9 of the Motion To Dismiss. Neither allegation is true. Celebration Church said in its motion to dismiss that the board of trustees did not have knowledge of or give authorization to the purchase of property that was designated as church parsonage for the Weemses. Their initial lawsuit in March forced into the public what was intended to be an internal investigation by the Board of Trustees. ", Celebration Church (Courtesy of the Florida Times-Union), Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, a statement from the church said. List of the largest Protestant churches in the USA, "Association of Related Churches - Find an ARC Church", "Church Breaks Ground on Future Home - Jacksonville News Story - WJXT Jacksonville", https://www.ecfa.org/MemberProfile.aspx?ID=45133, Celebration Church Online, an internet extension of Celebration Church, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Celebration_Church&oldid=1115781155, This page was last edited on 13 October 2022, at 05:08. Improper use of more than $1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program loan monies. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they enter church property. One part of the investigation concerns financial transactions made between January and June 2021, when there were no board meetings conducted, Wedekind said. Copyright 2023 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. An attorney for the church released the following statement: Celebration did not bring this lawsuit and does not intend to litigate it through the media. I left because the Word was replaced with Michael Heiser teachings. Celebration Church and its former senior pastor, Stovall Weems, have been plagued by scandals in recent months. This transaction was performed with full transparency and in line with the amount approved by the Churchs compensation committee. Sara Brady, spokesperson for Stovall and Kerri Weems, The News4JAX I-TEAM reached back out to Celebration Church to see if it had a response to the Weemses spokespersons statement on Thursday. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. An investigation is underway. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. To sign up for a group, please follow these instructions: 3. Stovall Weems was suspended from Celebration Church in January, according to the Weemses suit against the church. Groups that do have childcare options will have that listed in their groups description. From hangouts to bible studies, large format to small groups, meeting out at a coffee shop or in somebody's home we have a place for every person that walks through the doors of Celebration Church to connect in community and build lasting relationships with others. Weems resigned from the megachurch in April, but a lawsuit he and his wife, Kerri, filed in Februaryis still active. A spokeswoman for Weems said the pastor wouldnt have any comment and that the court filing speaks for itself., said a scurrilous narrative and false and defamatory statements, represented former Alaska Gov. Recurring negative changes in unrestricted net assets; Inability to meet and pay financial obligations as they become due; Liquid assets insufficient to cover donor restrictions on net assets and unearned income plus provide sufficient funds to meet operational obligations; Total liabilities in excess of total assets; Financial statement disclosures that describe organizational financial challenges; Failure to meet financial health standards imposed by regulatory or other accreditation bodies; A determination by a regulatory or other accreditation body of a violation of law or standards regarding the use of the organizations funds; An audit, review, or compilation report that indicates uncertainty about the organizations ability to continue to operate as a going concern. The investigation is largely focused on two different aspects of the Weems leadership, said Lee D. Wedekind III, a partner in the law firm Nelson Mullins. But Wedekind estimated more than 50 people worked at Celebrations multiple Jacksonville locations. For the First Phase, the $15 million building project features a 3,000 seat capacity in an arena-style sanctuary, with broadcasting and audio visual capabilities. Celebration Church is a member of the Association of Related Churches and aims to lead people to experience a God-First life. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Currently, that investment is worth more than $1.5 million. Spokesperson for Stovall and Kerri Weems says funds were used for legally allowed purposes, Multiple large transfers to new for-profit entities that the Weemses intended to manage going forward, Churchs purchase of a parsonage (in which Stovall and Kerri Weems were to live rent-free) for $1,286,863.30 that a company solely owned by Stovall Weems had bought four months earlier for $855,000, Advancement of nine months salary to Kerri Weems and seven months salary to Stovall Weems in violation of Florida statute and the churchs own internal policies, despite neither Stovall nor Kerri Weems performing the duties of the offices that purportedly justified those salaries, Improper use of over $1,000,000 in PPP loan proceeds to fund the Weems-managed entity Honey Lake Farms, LLC and to purchase TurnCoin, an illiquid, speculative digital currency, (Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. To make a donation,click here. The church claims the Weemses used PPP monies to fund a business they managed and to buy cryptocurrency. We know that some of this money was used to buy property, potentially as an investment and or something for the church, and you can expect the bank to try to foreclose on that property, he said. We believe that true life change happens in the context of community. Celebration Churchcontinues to stand by the validity and authenticity of the board investigation, he said. In written answers to Times-Union questions, Weems's spokeswoman said Tuesday that the home needed updates when it was bought in February and that those had been "contemplated all along by all parties involved." Hobby Lobby moved to Parkway Shops in River City Marketplace in 2015 and also opened a store at The Strand at Town Center. The motion outlines four areas of concern: A spokesperson for the Weemses told the News4JAX I-TEAM that no PPP funds went to Honey Lake Farms LLC. The Weemses are accused of spiritually abusing church staff members, Wedekind said. This standard is designed to help organizations obtain and maintain a governing body that enhances an environment of accountability, maximizing excellence in carrying out the Lords work and minimizing susceptibility to structural breakdown., ECFA Standard Four relates to a ministrys use of resources and compliance with laws. No One Knows. The Churchs 2020 audited financials certifies that the Church utilized the PPP funds in accordance with their legally allowed purposes. Shameless , Thankless, money grabbers, arrogant, self willed , Covetous, proud, indulgent , deceptive, eyes full of adultery (spiritual)and empowered by doctrines of devils blind degenerate souls! The injunction said that trustee began feeding other trustees and senior church members lies and convinced them that Stovall Weems committed misconduct, leading to his suspension. According to a recent investigation carried out by the Nelson Mullins law firm, Weems. We remain focused on advancing the kingdom of God.. In the suit, they allege trustees suspended Stovall Weems in retaliation for reporting financial misconduct by a church trustee and the churchs former CFO. A spokeswoman for Weems said the church has about 300 employees. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Celebration Church, a megachurch in Jacksonville, Florida, has had its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) terminated for violating two of its standards. They created a cult like following of the pastor, who absolutely designed the organization to operate in that manner. You're invited to join us at Future Conference 2021 from August 4th-6th in Jacksonville, Florida! All of them ! In addition to $100,000 invested in TurnCoin for Celebration, the report said investments were made on behalf of two church spinoff organizations, Honey Lake Farms and AWKNG, as well as. Then the trustees suspended him. The Jacksonville-based church will lease almost 40,000 square feet of space adjacent to and behind Books-A . Examples listed on the ECFA website of conduct regarding use of resources that may violate Standard Four include: Tim Timberlake was chosen to succeed Weems as the senior pastor of Celebration Church earlier this year. Sara Brady gave the following response on behalf of the Weemses: The Motion to Dismiss alleges that more than $1 million in PPP money went to fund Honey Lake Farms, LLC and to purchase Turncoin. The spokesperson also said PPP funds were not utilized in the TurnCoin investment. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. At stake is control of the churchthe essence of a religious controversy into which this court is prohibited from intervening, attorney Lee Wedekind III wrote last week when he asked Aho to dismiss the case. They also said the crypto investment was for a retirement fund for church employees, and wasnt made with PPP funds. The restricted usage of these funds is documented with the Churchs Human Resources department. Sara Brady, spokesperson for Stovall and Kerri Weems. Childcare options vary per group. I have first hand knowledge of the spiritual abuse within this organization. Interested in becoming a group leader? Details havent been released about financial arrangements mentioned in the suit, but portions of court filings mention them ominously. 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