The 71-page filing said Stovall and Kerri Weems and their businesses have defaulted on payments. Wells without water clouds without rain, they are the foam of the ocean washed up upon the shores ! Celebration Church, a 12,000-member megachurch near Jacksonville, Florida, has released findings from an internal investigation into its founder, Pastor Stovall Weems, local media has reported. The findings could be presented to the church trustees as early as next month, he said. The church was affiliated with the ARC as recently as last year. The churchs investigation has uncovered ample documentation to support the positions in its motion to dismiss, and Celebration remains confident that the truth will ultimately prevail. Lee Wedekind, attorney for Celebration Church, Celebration Church released a statement to News4JAX on Wednesday for our initial reporting on this case: Celebration Church has grown and thrived since Pastor Tim Timberlake became the churchs spiritual leaderin September2021. We are being retaliated against and have been denied a proper investigation according to long-held church by-laws. After the initial lawsuit drew public attention, the church released a report that claimed Weems had been committing fraud, [and] unjustly enriching himself at the expense of the church., The new complaint says the report was bogus and that Weems and his wife are trying now to clear their names and expose how the seditionists now in control [of] Celebration Church maliciously and unjustifiably ruined Plaintiffs ability to work in their chosen profession.. Scandals have lately surrounded ARC-affiliated churches and even the ARC itself, arguably North America's biggest church planting organization. Celebration's headquarters, called. A civil court hearing on the case between the Weemses and Celebration Church is scheduled for May 31. Great! 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. Sometime early this year, AWKNG TV shut down. You're invited to join us at Future Conference 2021 from August 4th-6th in Jacksonville, Florida! The churchs executive pastor, Wayland Wiseman, said in written remarks Tuesday that Celebration has thrived under Timberlake and the church doesnt plan to comment while its investigation continues. [2] The first services in the new "Celebration Arena" was held November 11, 2012.[3]. No One Knows. They created a cult like following of the pastor, who absolutely designed the organization to operate in that manner. The church included emails between Stovall Weems and trustees that it said backed up its version of events. The leadership as a whole sucks and the unsaved world lives better. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. The Asbury Revival Is Over. The Weemses are accused of spiritually abusing church staff members, Wedekind said. Now they've finally tied the knot, Soccer's Orlando Pride ditches players' white shorts over period concerns, Rooftop bar and music venue planned for Bay Street, NASA made history by knocking an asteroid off course. That suggests a long term pattern, so why is that part only coming out in light of the financial issues? The founders of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in the Jacksonville area, are in a legal dispute with the church that involves allegations of financial misconduct and fraud. Ameris Bank issued a $6.3 million mortgage to Full Source for the property, which records show is a 78,432-square-foot building on almost 2 acres. 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. During that same four-month period, the median sales price for a Jacksonville-area single-family home rose 17 percent, to $330,000, according to the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. To donate, click here. $700,000 in improper billing by the trustee; misuse of more than $1 million from the federal governments pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program; and a 50-percent markup over four months on the price of a home a Weems company sold the church as a parsonage. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The founder and former pastor of Celebration Church is firing back against accusations of fraud and misconduct. If you find a group you have signed up for does not feel like the best fit, we encourage you to communicate that with your group leader. The founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church are suing the Jacksonville megachurch's hand-picked trustees to avoid being ousted over claims of financial irregularities. The dispute involves allegations of financial misconduct and fraud. Sherman, I went there for about a 2 years because I wanted to see what my grandchildren were being taught. According to a recent investigation carried out by the Nelson Mullins law firm, Weems. The Regency Park church will be a closer option for them. Fisher Koppenhafer Architecture and Interior Design is the architect. Siebeling is a senior pastor at The Life Church, an ARC-affiliated Tennessee megachurch, and Volk runs his own nonprofit Together For Israel. 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. My recommendation to them may be to produce something publicly, Wedekind said, whether the full findings or a summary of some sort. 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. 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. 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. 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. Regency Park is anchored by Ollies Furniture Outlet, American Signature Furniture, Bealls Outlet and, in development, Surplus Warehouse. We believe that true life change happens in the context of community. Where did the PPP money go? Celebration Church Jacksonville Scandal. Celebration Church on the Southside of Jacksonville. 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. We believe that true life change happens in the context of community. The motion outlines four areas of concern: READ: Celebration Churchs motion to dismiss. Stovall and Kerri Weems are in a legal dispute with the church they founded in 1998. Scandals have lately surrounded ARC-affiliated churches and even the ARC itself, arguably North Americas biggest church planting organization. Nichols says cases like these usually are resolved before they end up going to trial. Email:[emailprotected] 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. Rizzo is the executive director of ARC and missions pastor at Church of the Highlands, another scandal-plagued ARC church. 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. Kim Roberts May 3, 2022. Founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, have filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction that would force the megachurch to recognize Weems as their chief executive officer and settle dueling claims of financial fraud involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. $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. The Jacksonville-based church will lease almost 40,000 square feet of space adjacent to and behind Books-A-Million, according to a site plan by landlord Brixmor Property Group Inc., based in New York. I left because the Word was replaced with Michael Heiser teachings. Pastors Stovall and Kerri never intended to receive any money from this investment. The I-TEAM talked with a local attorney about what the newest court filing could mean for the Weemses and their businesses. The Churchs 2020 audited financials certifies that the Church utilized the PPP funds in accordance with their legally allowed purposes. Celebration Church hired a law firm to conduct an internal investigation, and it released the findings in late April. Cormier said by email Tuesday that the claims against him are baseless. Wedekinds motion to dismiss said that, in December, the trustees had learned of worrisome financial transactions including the churchs purchase of a parsonage from a company that Weems controlled. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they come onto church property. 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. None of the questionable transactions were approved by the trustees, Wedekind wrote, although the Weemses lawsuit said the parsonage was approved by the churchs compensation committee, which included trustees. Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, and is confident in Gods plan for the church and that ultimately the truth will prevail. He says that if Weemses dont pay back what they owe, their personal or business assets could be seized. Cormier also rented the church another house, but billed the church $137,871 for renovations, the suit said. News4JAX reached out to a spokesperson for the Weemses who said they would not comment on these allegations. In 2021, Stovall Weems transitioned out of the Senior Pastor role and into a Founding Pastor role. 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. Celebration Church responded to Weemses lawsuit by asking the court to dismiss it, partly on religious liberty grounds. 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. The restricted usage of these funds is documented with the Churchs Human Resources department. Sara Brady, spokesperson for Stovall and Kerri Weems. Every organization shall exercise the appropriate management and controls necessary to provide reasonable assurance that all of the organizations operations are carried out and resources are used in a responsible manner and in conformity with applicable laws and regulations, such conformity taking into account biblical mandates, it states. $400,000) was used for the updating, repairs, and ordinary housing-related expenses such as furniture and landscaping. They appear to be nothing but a footnote written in sand and long forgotten. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Included as an exhibit to the trustees motion to dismiss, a Jan. 4 email apparently sent from Weems to trustee Kevin Cormier and copied to other church leaders speaks of behavior related to fraudulent billing, criminal usury and possible embezzlement. SEU JACKSONVILLE. This isnt Apple, Coca-Cola, General Motors, etc.! COURT DOCUMENT: Read the complaint filed by First Citizens Bank. Renee Beninate is a Florida native and award-winning reporter who joined the News4Jax team in June 2021. He was installed to succeed Stovall Weems months before the legal battle was made public. 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. Stovall Weems was seeking restoration of his salary and backpay. Celebration Church is a global, multi-site church located in Jacksonville, Florida. Details havent been released about financial arrangements mentioned in the suit, but portions of court filings mention them ominously. Give me my job and salary back, even if you hate me? This can be a good thing but it takes away their accountability. No PPP funds went to Honey Lake Farms, LLC. Connection and life change may take time and can be found in open, honest conversations. What I have witnessed is more pastors are using their authority to control the narrative. Apostolic oversight of the senior pastor is entrusted to church overseers, the suit arguesnot the trustees. Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response, Transfers of church funds to new businesses the Weemses were going to manage, The churchs purchase of a parsonage for over $430,000 more than Stovall Weemss company had paid four months earlier when it bought the property, An advance of seven months salary to Stovall Weems and nine months salary to Kerri Weems even though neither one carried out the duties those salaries were for. It said Honey Lake Farms LLC is different than the nonprofit Honey Lake Farms, Inc. and never had a bank account. 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. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. Copyright 2023 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved, Lopez-Contera proposes Airport Industrial Park East, V Steak restaurant concept in Ponte Vedra Beach is on hold, Sugar Factory opening delayed again, citing permitting, Historic 323 E. Bay St. approved for $3.3 million renovation, Jacksonville City Council: A bigger Mayo campus, money for affordable housing and health care, honoring Jacobs Jewelers, Rooker sells Williams-Sonoma warehouse for $20.7 million to investor, Advocates, developer use Union Terminal to push statewide historic tax credit bills, After emerging from bankruptcy and the pandemic, Acosta rebrands itself as Acosta Group, Celebration Church build-out at $2.5 million for Arlington campus, Celebration Church building-out in Regency Park, Hobby Lobby leaving Regency Park for Parkway Shops location, Celebration Church adding $2.5 million Westside campus. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A spokesperson for the founding pastors of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in the Jacksonville area, says the couple did not misuse government Paycheck. Celebration Church Jacksonville ScandalMegachurch Pastor Stovall Weems Said Jesus Came to Him . The filingincluded broad denials of wrongdoing by the Weemses, who launched the church in 1998. The infamous denial of the mega church pastor continues, We reject the utterly baseless and false allegations made against us, Complete lack of leadership accountability once again. 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! Absolutely! 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. 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. Like many ARC churches, Celebration Churchs bylaws require overseers, who must be ordained pastors at other churches. Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, the statement said. 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. While the investigation consists mostly of reviewing documents, Wedekind estimates a dozen to 15 people have been interviewed as well. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. It is a member of the Association of Related Churches. 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. They feel most alive when they are pouring back into others, and they seek to glorify God through their lives and . Celebration Church is a global, multi-site church located in Jacksonville, Florida. Its always been about the money, down to the precise timing of the services to get as many people in and out. To find the best group for you, simply click the advanced search tab under the group search bar and complete the filtered search. Our desire was forthis internal conflictto remainaprivate matter, and we are saddened for the pain this situation has caused for so many, the statement said. Pastor Stovall invested approximately $100,000 in Turncoin, an SEC approved investment, for the purpose of creating a retirement fund for long-time Celebration Church employees. But we also look forward to serving the entire community who may not be familiar with Celebration yet, King said. Copyright 2023 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. 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. The trustees didnt have the authority to discipline Weems, according to the Weemses lawsuit. Create an account or sign in to your My Celebration Account to sign up! Honestly? 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