Familiar minds think alike. 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., Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), God is Queer, Duke Divinity Students Proclaim. Too many are yes men and by the time they see something, they realize it shouldve been nipped a while back. Celebrations board of trusteesrecently suspended Pastor Stovall Weems pending aninvestigationinto certain decisions made by him in early 2021 that were not in the best interest of the church and were not approved by the board. The News4JAX I-TEAM looked into what Celebration Church received in PPP money, which was distributed to help businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Hobby Lobby moved to Parkway Shops in River City Marketplace in 2015 and also opened a store at The Strand at Town Center. Asked for comment on the new filing, Wedekind said Tuesday he was looking into how that should be handled. SEU JACKSONVILLE. Global Senior . Groups that do have childcare options will have that listed in their groups description. Therefore, the Church purchased the home from The Weems Group at the $1.3 million price. What is Celebration Church? Honestly? To sign up for a group, please follow these instructions: 3. 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. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Celebration Church of Jacksonville released a report on Sunday about the investigation into the questionable financial practices of former pastor and founder Stovall. He also said the Timberlakes had effectively been functioning as lead pastors for about a year by the time the transition became official. Since . The Churchs 2020 audited financials certifies that the Church utilized the PPP funds in accordance with their legally allowed purposes. 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. Thanks Mark, I feel bad for all the other people who got hurt by the church leaders. Sherman, I went there for about a 2 years because I wanted to see what my grandchildren were being taught. They targeted young, impressionable, new believers who didnt have the spiritual maturity to see the leaders for what they truly are. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they come onto church property. That was nearly completed when the lawsuit was filed, the statement said. We remain focused on advancing the kingdom of God. --Wayland Wiseman, Executive Pastor, Celebration Church. She has home schooled her three children and is happily married to her husband of 25 years. 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. My recommendation to them may be to produce something publicly, Wedekind said, whether the full findings or a summary of some sort. Performance & security by Cloudflare. So simply put, we sold our building to Full Source, will expand at the Arena, and will move our current functions happening at Deerwood Park there, he said. From hangouts to bible studies, meeting out at a coffee shop or in someones 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. . 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. Missing with ARC (among others) are the requisite qualifications laid out in 1 Tim. But we also look forward to serving the entire community who may not be familiar with Celebration yet, King said. Celebration Church responded to Weemses lawsuit by asking the court to dismiss it, partly on religious liberty grounds. ECFA Standard Four relates to a ministrys use of resources and compliance with laws. We have always wanted to have a Celebration Church campus in the Regency/Arlington area of Jacksonville but havent found the perfect location until now, King said by email. The 2021 PPP funds were completely used up by the Churchs payroll. Celebration Youth is our Middle and High School ministry for students. I think this is wrong. Celebration Church Jacksonville ScandalMegachurch Pastor Stovall Weems Said Jesus Came to Him . Attorney Gene Nichols, whose not affiliated with the case, reviewed the document. The Jacksonville-based church will lease almost 40,000 square feet of space adjacent to and behind Books-A . The I-TEAM talked with a local attorney about what the newest court filing could mean for the Weemses and their businesses. Celebration Churchcontinues to stand by the validity and authenticity of the board investigation, he said. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. ", Celebration Church (Courtesy of the Florida Times-Union), Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, a statement from the church said. I pray under Timberlake, maybe they can return to preaching the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that true life change happens in the context of community. Pastor Stovall and his wife, Kerri Weems, founded the Jacksonville church in 1998. Other pastors dont spend much time looking after other pastors; it is the board and leadership that witnesses this every week. Stovall and Kerri Weems are in a legal dispute. The founding pastor of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in Jacksonville, announced Monday hes resigned from his positions amid a legal battle with the churchs trustees. Improper use of more than $1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program loan monies. The complaint was time-stamped Saturday morning but only added to the Duval County online court docket after Tuesdays hearing was canceled. But according to a court filing by Celebration Church, the Weemses are spiritually and financially abusive predators who acted like they owned the church and could do with it what they wanted.. The church was affiliated with the ARC as recently as last year. Celebration Church on the Southside of Jacksonville. There are certain allegations regarding what I can best characterize as spiritual abuse.. Fisher Koppenhafer Architecture and Interior Design is the architect. After that, it will be up to the trustees to decide whetheror how muchof the findings to make public. Sarah Einselen is an award-winning writer and editor based in Texas. He even spoke about his experience in a recording of his church's Sunday service, which is posted on YouTube. This isnt Apple, Coca-Cola, General Motors, etc.! When a ministry encounters failureor even worse, scandalits difficulties can almost always be traced to a breakdown in governance, ECFA says in explaining Standard Two. According to a recent investigation carried out by the Nelson Mullins law firm, Weems. The church received $2,153,702 in federal stimulus monies which were later forgiven, data collected by ProPublica shows. 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. In 2018, Celebration Church's total revenue for the year was valued at a reported $13,639,193 by the ECFA,[4] and their total assets were valued at a reported $44,213,694. 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. He was suspended by the governing board earlier this year. Rizzo is the executive director of ARC and missions pastor at Church of the Highlands, another scandal-plagued ARC church. It is so few because people want a relevant pastor and church. And people wonder why the nones continue to grow while those affiliated with evangelicalism and Christianity decline. Timberlake said in his sermon that the church is praying for a . Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! The allegations of spiritual abuse are kind of a head scratcher because that doesnt just happen when you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar. Throughout each day we have pastors and a prayer team on stand-by if you should need to stop in to have someone pray with you. Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they enter church property. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. Celebration Church members have a right to know what is happening in their church and we have a right to be treated fairly.. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The disputes effect on church operations has been limited because the lead pastor role switched last year to Senior Pastor Tim Timberlake, who conducts services and is the face of the church for many. The Central Church Offices are open Monday-Thursday from 9am-5pm. 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! 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. The dispute involves allegations of financial misconduct and fraud. The suit and a response from a church attorney trade dueling claims of improprieties, including: Weems and his wife are asking Circuit Judge Marianne Aho for a court order that, among other things, would restore Weems to his lead role at the church the couple founded in 1998; restart his salary with back pay since January; and discard changes to church bylaws the trustees approved then that created a route to suspend him. Currently, that investment is worth more than $1.5 million. We remain focused on advancing the kingdom of God., Spirit flight makes emergency landing in Jacksonville after fire in overhead bin, No charges filed in death of postal worker mauled by dogs in Putnam County, Local Weather: The heat holds as windy becomes the weather word Friday, Weather is 95% favorable for a liftoff tonight, but teams are keeping an eye on weather along Dragons ascent corridor, WWII Veteran celebrates his 100th birthday in Corpus Christi, 'Memories become treasures' | Family, friends pay tribute to Tristyn Bailey at 'Celebration of Life', Loved ones remember DMX at homegoing celebration. Look up! No criminal charges have been filed in this case. Stovall and Kerri Weems released a statement to News4JAX on Wednesday: We could never have imagined that the church we started and nurtured for nearly 25 years would be seized by individuals whom we believe are prioritizing their individual interests in power and money ahead of their duties to Celebration Church and its mission. Its motion to dismiss states the Constitution doesnt give a secular court the authority to tell a church how to run its affairs. 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. What sickens me is these churches got tax payor money and dont pay a dime of taxes. The founders of Jacksonville's Celebration Church are suing the church, its trustees and a lawyer for defamation as fallout spreads from a legal fight sparked by Stovall Weems' suspension. King said Full Source owns the building next door. Sometime early this year, AWKNG TV shut down. The spokeswoman said the Weemses never intended to get any money for themselves from that retirement fund. 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. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Celebration Church responded saying this is the latest chapter in a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power by Stovall and Kerri Weems against Celebration. Celebrations motion also alleges the couple improperly used over $1,000,000 in PPP loan proceeds to fund an entity they managed and to purchase TurnCoin, a digital security. Sarah Palin, Bank sues Celebration Church founders for $716,000 in business debts, credit card bills, Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems quits, vows to 'continue our ministry elsewhere', Celebration Church, founder Stovall Weems embroiled in legal dispute, committing fraud, [and] unjustly enriching himself at the expense of the church., Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Search by Location or Filter by Keyword. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The former pastors of Celebration Church owe more than $716,000, according to a lawsuit filed by First Citizens Bank. Celebration Church filed a motion to dismiss and accused Stovall Weems of financial misconduct, fraud and spiritual abuse. Was performed with full transparency and in line with the amount approved the. Run its affairs evangelicalism and Christianity decline instructions: 3 will have that listed in groups! Therefore, the statement said when the lawsuit was filed, the church was affiliated with the,... 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