Honey Lake Farms, LLC (which is different than the non-profit Honey Lake Farms, Inc.) is a for profit entity that was formed on the advice of the Churchs attorneys at Holland and Knight. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Neither the PPP funds nor the Turncoin investment also had anything to do with Pastor Stovalls salary advance. 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. Stovall and Kerri Weems are in a legal dispute. Even then, $5 million is still not enough to adequately maintain the campus, he said. ), 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. Instead of working for free, the suit says, Cormier billed the church about $700,000 early last year through a string of invoices with vague descriptions of the work performed and included requests for significant payments for work performed on Kevin Cormiers personal property.. Sarah Palin in a libel suit against the New York Times. The Church is based in Jacksonville, Florida with other regional and international locations. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. According to a recent investigation carried out by the Nelson Mullins law firm, Weems. After that, it will be up to the trustees to decide whetheror how muchof the findings to make public. We highly encourage you to use the advanced search tab under the group search bar to help you find the best group for you. They also said the crypto investment was for a retirement fund for church employees, and wasnt made with PPP funds. A civil court hearing on the case between the Weemses and Celebration Church is scheduled for May 31. 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. [2] The first services in the new "Celebration Arena" was held November 11, 2012.[3]. In 2021, Stovall Weems transitioned out of the Senior Pastor role and into a Founding Pastor role. 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. . It was a blessing when visiting pastors came because at least the Word preached at church that week. Click here and search groups under your location! Honestly? Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. He was installed to succeed Stovall Weems months before the legal battle was made public. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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. For this reason, ECFA places much emphasis on strong, effective governance. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Renee Beninate is a Florida native and award-winning reporter who joined the News4Jax team in June 2021. Former Celebration Church employee Jimmy Papia worked at the church from 2008-2015, according to his affidavit. SEU JACKSONVILLE. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and coaching high school extemporaneous speaking and debate. 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. 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. 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 71-page filing repeated elements of the original complaint, saying Weemshad discovered misconduct by a trustee who spread lies about the pastor to convince other trustees to support his ouster. But Wedekind estimated more than 50 people worked at Celebrations multiple Jacksonville locations. Then the trustees suspended him. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church are suing the Jacksonville megachurchs hand-picked trustees to avoid being ousted over claims of financial irregularities. Our investigation is ongoing and will not be impeded. Neither allegation is true. 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. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they enter church property. The restricted usage of these funds is documented with the Churchs Human Resources department. Sara Brady, spokesperson for Stovall and Kerri Weems. The Weemses sued Celebration Church the month after the church launched its investigation. So you can expect the bank to try to recoup collateral that may have been put up. 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. This article has been corrected to accurately describe the churchs relationship with ARC. The News4JAX I-TEAM looked into what Celebration Church received in PPP money, which was distributed to help businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. Administration of the Churchs PPP funds was controlled by the Churchs CFOs. The former pastors of Celebration Church owe more than $716,000, according to a lawsuit filed by First Citizens Bank. Improper use of more than $1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program loan monies. Childcare options vary per group. 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. The filing lists the Weemses, Honey Lake Farms Inc., Weems Group LLC and Northstream Management LLC as defendants. 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. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 1), $984 owed by Weems Group LLC (credit card No. If you need help with WJXTs or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801. 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. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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. Besides defamation, the new complaint accuses everyone being sued of invasion of privacyand publicly disclosing private facts. The couple want to allow for a full and thorough investigation of any and all wrongdoing involving the churchs board of trustees, present and former officers, employees, and other parties and organizations that contributed to the dispute, said a suit filed last month by the Weemses attorney, Christopher J. Greene. This can be a good thing but it takes away their accountability. Look up! Stovall and Kerri Weems say they are whistleblowers and victims of retaliation by the church they foundedCelebration Church, a multi-site megachurch in Florida formerly part of the Association of Related Churches (ARC). Celebration Church Jacksonville Scandal. No contractor is listed. We have many groups that meet virtually as well as hybrid groups that meet in-person and virtually. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? . Fisher Koppenhafer Architecture and Interior Design is the architect. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The other part of the churchs investigation concerns the spiritual leadership of the Weemses, Wedekind said. The Roys Report has not been able to get any comments on the record about why AWKNG TV folded. 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. Celebration Church, one of the biggest churches in the Jacksonville area, on Monday released findings from an internal investigation into its founding pastor, Stovall Weems. Celebration Church sold the Deerwood Park Boulevard property Dec. 11 to Full Source LLC for $7 million. Celebration Church responded to Weemses lawsuit by asking the court to dismiss it, partly on religious liberty grounds. 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. That suggests a long term pattern, so why is that part only coming out in light of the financial issues? 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. Nichols says cases like these usually are resolved before they end up going to trial. Asked for comment on the new filing, Wedekind said Tuesday he was looking into how that should be handled. 2), $18,989 owed by Northstream Management Group LLC (credit card), 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 Paycheck Protection Program, spokesperson for the Weemses told the News4JAX I-TEAM, assuring the congregation that the church is OK. Pastor Stovall and his wife, Kerri Weems, founded the Jacksonville church in 1998. 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. Other pastors dont spend much time looking after other pastors; it is the board and leadership that witnesses this every week. 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. Hey Rob. In February, after Stovall Weems was suspended, the Weemses filed suit against Celebration Church, alleging the church retaliated against them for reporting financial misconduct. 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. They appear to be nothing but a footnote written in sand and long forgotten. It is a member of the Association of Related Churches. 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. Celebration Youth is our Middle and High School ministry for students. A civil court hearing is scheduled for May 20. 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. $400,000) was used for the updating, repairs, and ordinary housing-related expenses such as furniture and landscaping. The Weemses filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against Celebration Church. The church argued that the couples suit presents the latest chapter in a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power by Stovall and Kerri Weems against Celebration.. The motion outlines four areas of concern: READ: Celebration Churchs motion to dismiss. "I have and will continue to cooperate with the churchs investigation which has included the collection of documentation" about the claim, Cormier said. In August 2011, a ceremony was held for its new location, a 7,000 square foot facility on 30 acres near 9A and Baymeadows Road. The founders of Jacksonvilles Celebration Church are suing the church, its trustees and a lawyer for defamation as fallout spreads from a legal fight sparked by Stovall Weemssuspension from his leadership post. The Weemses, who have been ARC leaders for more than a decade, are no longer listed as ARC Lead Team members. Two former overseers, Dino Rizzo and John Siebeling, resigned in September 2021, and the church argues that a third, Scott Volk, wasnt qualified. The report said one witness detailed, often through tears, instances when Stovall Weems personally belittled and humiliated them for minor mistakes or misunderstanding Stovall Weems inconsistent and confusing directives., Another reported that Stovall Weems instructed an employee to drive to a liquor store late at night and deliver a bottle of bourbon to his house because he did not want to be seen purchasing liquor.. 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. Kim Roberts is a freelance writer who holds a Juris Doctorate from Baylor University. 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. 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. As contemplated all along by all parties involved, the home required various updating and repairs. A generation ago, Ted Koppel of Nightline used these words to describe the PTL scandal: a decidedly unchurchly rhubarb (I had to look it up and learn rhubarb also meant a noisy dispute. According to Lambert, the church spends about $5 million per year (37% of the church budget) to maintain the church's properties. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 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. He said he resigned because cannot be legally connected to any church in which the leadership abandons the clear biblical principles and spiritual qualifications for spiritual covering, spiritual authority, and ecclesiastical governance and oversight.. The spokeswoman said the Weemses never intended to get any money for themselves from that retirement fund. And He will say to them in that day if judgment! What Happens Now? 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. These emails establish . YOUTH. 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.. 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. 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. Celebration Church Jacksonville ScandalMegachurch Pastor Stovall Weems Said Jesus Came to Him . All of them ! 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 Weemses filed a request on March 15 for Celebration Church to produce the following documents within 30 days: READ: Stovall and Kerri Weems request to produce. No One Knows. [1] and is led by Senior Pastors Tim and Jen Timberlake. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they come onto church property. No criminal charges have been filed in this case. First Citizens Bank said, as of May 5, the defendants owed a total of $716,123: The Defendants have failed, neglected and refused to pay the Plaintiff, according to the filing from First-Citizens Bank. Celebration Arena [ edit] Stovall Weems was seeking restoration of his salary and backpay. Now, it's publishing the data, Author Kate Zernike dissects the years-long fight for gender equality at MIT. Cormier said by email Tuesday that the claims against him are baseless. One part of the investigation concerns financial transactions made between January and June 2021, when there were no board meetings conducted, Wedekind said. The church should not have been funding renovations to a home that was owned by Kevin and not by the church, the lawsuit adds. Celebration Churchcontinues to stand by the validity and authenticity of the board investigation, he said. 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