On Thursday 2 November 2023, a meeting was convened in Fermoy, Co Cork, Ireland at the request of certain of the friends to discuss issues relating to child sexual abuse (CSA) and sexual abuse (SA) within our fellowship in Ireland (both the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI), referred to in this document as Ireland). Two of the Irish brother workers (John Conley and Craig Fulton) together with 24 of the friends were in attendance. Some of those present were victims or family members of victims.
These notes are a summary of the main concerns raised and some of the rationale / discussion in relation to each concern, that were presented to the workers during such meeting. These notes also include suggested solutions / requested outcomes to address the concerns raised in the meeting. These notes are not an exhaustive summary of all matters discussed at the meeting which ran for some 3 hours.
Introduction
The meeting began with an introduction from the meeting organiser.
Following this, Craig Fulton gave opening remarks during which he (among other things):
- thanked everyone for coming;
- acknowledged that they (the workers) have received a lot of help and feel a great need of further help (and that is what is desired at the CSA / SA meeting);
- shared a personal anecdote regarding a family member who is a CSA victim (which he said helps him to understand the deep hurt experienced by both victims and families of victims);
- stated that he wishes to make it clear that we want to do all that we can to protect our children so they don’t go through the same experience;
- acknowledged things haven’t always been gotten right in the past and apologised for that and any hurt that has been caused as a result;
- noted that good progress and development has been made in recent times and this CSA / SA meeting will also contribute to the development of our policies;
- acknowledged that they (the workers) feel they must communicate more with friends and want to make all aware of what they can do and how they can help;
- stated that at the beginning of the upcoming special meetings, a document regarding child safety will be read out; and
- stated that there is a workers’ staff meeting in January 2024 to help staff understand what they can do to help and give them appropriate advice.
Following further opening remarks from the meeting organiser and another attendee, the Designated Liaison Person appointed in ROI gave a summary of procedure and practice in relation to CSA / SA in Ireland. This summary included, without limitation, an overview of the following (which are not covered in detail in this summary):
- the basis of the policy / practice (legislation and related guidance documents);
- reporting requirements and some information about reports / disclosures received – for example, that most disclosures aren’t first hand (i.e. they are made by someone other than the alleged victim); and most are in relation to retrospective abuse;
- consideration of precautionary measures and safeguards; and
- sanctions – the Designated Liaison Person’s role is safeguarding children but any sanctions imposed may also be a response to justice or fellowship issues. It was noted that the issue of sanctions is highly complex. If changes are made in response to CSA / SA allegations, they could be because of child safeguarding issues (within the Designated Liaison Person’s remit), justice issues and / or fellowship issues (and that the overseer and other leaders may factor in other considerations that relate to fellowship before steps are taken / changes are made).
WINGS Note: The pdf document below has details of concerns raised and ensuing discussion.
The following outcomes were documented:
Note: The purpose of the CSA / SA meeting was to make the workers aware of / educate them regarding friends’ concerns about CSA / SA issues and the rationale for those concerns. The requested outcomes / next steps as set out below were either raised by friends expressly in the meeting, or (where they were not expressly raised in the meeting), have been included in these notes as suggested paths forward based on the concern and discussion on the relevant point in the CSA / SA meeting.
A. Child Safeguarding Statement / Policy and Procedures document (the Child Protection Policy)
The fellowship is required to have the above document pursuant to relevant regulations and guidelines in ROI and NI. It was most recently reviewed in January 2021 and is due for review in December 2023.
1. That the Child Protection Policy be updated to reflect the role of bishops and other men and women within the church who can assist with managing the CSA / SA crisis.
2. That additional Designated Liaison Persons or similar people to whom victims can approach (including women) be appointed or identified (and communicated to the friends and directly with children of friends in line with requested outcomes (16) and (17) below).
3. That (outside of the Child Protection Policy) consideration be given to an ongoing role that bishops and their wives, and other men and women within the fellowship who are willing to help, might have going forward in relation to handling the CSA / SA issues within our fellowship in Ireland.
4. That sister workers be more involved in handling the CSA / SA issues within our fellowship in Ireland (not just attending the mandatory training).
5. That the Child Protection Policy be made directly available to all people within the fellowship within Ireland in hard copy in January 2024. Suggested route to achieve this is to give bishops sufficient copies for members of their Sunday morning meeting and to request that all bishops hand same out after the Sunday morning meeting.
6. That consideration be given to the comments contained in the annotation provided when undertaking the upcoming review of the Child Protection Policy.
B. Culture Change / Need for a Response
7. That the fact there are serious CSA / SA issues within our fellowship be openly acknowledged.
8. That ‘top-down’, responsive and immediate action be led by the workers (with help and involvement from the friends) in relation the CSA / SA issues, so that the existing culture of acceptance in relation to CSA / SA issues becomes a thing of the past and history (of CSA / SA issues occurring but not being properly dealt with) does not repeat itself. It is suggested that continuing to engage with the friends and implementing the other suggested outcomes in these notes would be a good starting point.
C. Zero Tolerance
9. That consistent decisions be made in accordance with a clear set of rules going forward in relation to the attendance of alleged perpetrators at all meetings. In particular, please see requested outcomes (11) and (12) below.
10. That the Child Protection Policy (specifically the part that is to be publicly available) be updated to reflect the set of rules implemented in relation to requested outcome (9) above to provide accountability going forward.
11. That alleged abusers be prohibited from attending any meetings.
12. That all members of the fellowship be made aware of the internal policy in relation to alleged perpetrators’ attendance at meetings (in line with requested outcome (16) below) and in particular if the decision made is to allow perpetrators to attend certain meetings (although it is strongly hoped that will not be the case), that members are made aware of an alleged perpetrator’s attendance at meetings.
13. That no alleged abuser be permitted to have a place in the gospel work.
D. Education and Training
14. That the bishops and their wives attend a workers’ staff meeting in January 2024 at which (the meeting was told) training in relation to CSA / SA issues will be provided to workers (as a follow-on from training that has already been provided to workers).
15. That the request for open communication (in line with requested outcome (16) below) also factor in the need for the friends (and, directly, their children) to be made aware of who they can approach for help / support as needed.
E. Communication
16. That there be ongoing and open communication with all members of the fellowship in relation to CSA / SA issues and the approach taken to remedy them as well as who can be approached for help. Again, the role of bishops in handing out written information to churches should be considered.
17. That going forward bishops (and their wives) be kept directly informed regarding alleged perpetrators and decisions made in relation to CSA / SA issues.
F. Victim Statements
18. That going forward, any victim who approaches a worker, Designated Liaison Person, Designated Officer, Deputy Designated Liaison Person or Deputy Designated Officer (or anyone else appointed within the fellowship) with a statement regarding CSA / SA is believed by the person to whom the statement is made, and that that person takes all required action in relation to that statement.
Closing remarks
- Many attendees thanked the workers for their attendance and shared words of encouragement to address these issues.
- Many attendees stated that they wished to help with these issues and the spirit of wanting to help was acknowledged by the workers.
- The workers noted that there is a long journey ahead and they want to be sure that what the workers start now is something that workers in the future, if time goes on, can reflect on and say that what was started is something of value.
- An attendee made the remark that this is something we can unite on and grow stronger from.
- The meeting organiser thanked everyone for their attendance.
Discover more from WINGS for Truth
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
WINGS for Truth 
Please send this to America. Maybe we’d get some meaningful help. Thank You.
“….a meeting was convened in Fermoy, Co Cork, Ireland at the request of certain of the friends to discuss issues relating to child sexual abuse (CSA) and sexual abuse (SA) within our fellowship in Ireland (both the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI), referred to in this document as Ireland)”. This “fellowship”, it’s so comforting to know that “CSA / SA issues ( child sexual assault/ abuse / sexual abuse issues) are a world wide issues and not just an American issue. Everyone together can feel a commonality together. A oneness. Being brought together through child sexual abuse, and sex abuse. What is the conclusion, the fellowship is full of saying, ” yes ” to the devil.
Just a couple of problems here, (at least)….
“That the fact there are serious CSA / SA issues within our fellowship be openly acknowledged”.
— In an insular (ignorant of, or uninterested in) cultures that are isolated, secrecy is paramount to keep the idealized perception going forward, rather than reality. Nothing bad is going to be, ” openly acknowledged “. Look at Dean Bruer and his fiasco. That was covered up for nine months after he died. Nothing is going to be openly acknowledged unless that hand is forced. Openly acknowledged? No.
“That ‘top-down’, responsive and immediate action be led by the workers (with help and involvement from the friends) in relation the CSA / SA issues, so that the existing culture of acceptance in relation to CSA / SA issues becomes a thing of the past”.
–The “top” does not want the “down”, or bottom/ generally members, to know anything more than necessary. What is necessary to know is: meetings times and dates, Sunday meetings, Wednesday night meetings, gospel meetings, union meetings, special meetings, and convention meetings, meetings, and meetings attendance.
What is not necessary for the “down” is: workers meetings, inner circle meetings, and most certainly, meetings how to keep knowledge about child sexual abuse, sexual abuse from getting out to the general membership in their meetings — and any talk other than talking about the “four kinds of soils”. In all the meetings, just talk about the four types of soils over and over, and forget about the sexual abuses. That is the top/ down approach.
On reading this comprehensive account of the meeting, one would expect to find a section entitled ‘Worker Commitments’, however it would appear that the commitments made by the two workers present were few and far between.
This is an account of the concerns raised by the group of friends present, and the rationale behind these concerns. These are then followed by a requested outcome/suggested solutions, presumably put forward by this same group of concerned friends. There does not appear to be any commitment to act on any of these suggestions.
On the section titled Zero Tolerance, there are some points listed as Workers’ Response. These are:
§ Alleged perpetrators are put out of fellowship meetings.
Really? Since when did that come into effect?
§ However, the workers expressed concerns at barring alleged perpetrators from all
meetings (gospel meetings were the main example mentioned) for two reasons: (1)
we cannot close the door on true repentance (as Jesus opened that door); and (2)
Jesus preached to sinners (and was criticised for that).
What is the benefit in having an unrepentant child molester hear the gospel? What about the victims? Can a victim be reasonably expected to sit in the same meeting as their abuser? Or any known abuser, for that matter?
§ They also expressed that, no matter what they decide on this issue, the workers would upset a lot of people. There will be loads of people upset if we [the workers] cast alleged perpetrators out of all meetings.
Who is going to be upset? The abuser? The abuser’s supporters and enablers?? Again, what about the victims ?
§ The workers agreed to consider whether alleged perpetrators should be banned from attending gospel meetings.
Agreed to consider this? Are we talking about Child Protection, or Abuse Enabling here?
The two commitments that obviously were agreed on prior to the meeting, were:
a) A statement regarding CSA/SA will be read at special meeting time and the policy document will be made available to those who submit their email address.
Can this in any way be described as open and transparent communication? Can anyone reasonably expect a troubled 10year old to forgo their sandwiches and join the queue to hand over their email address to a worker?
The reason given for this method of distributing the information is that ‘not all bishops could be trusted to do so’
Why not? Could this be a major red flag problem??
b) There will be specifc CSA worker training untaken in January.
Who is going to deliver this training? The training that has previously been undertaken has been very ineffective. Workers, generally speaking still do not have any understanding of the seriousness of CSA, nor its criminal nature. Very little empathy is shown to victims, or those who seek to support them. So, please don’t continue with the same approach and expect a different result. Invite the professionals to present at the training. Invite those involved with Child Protection and invited those trained in trauma related mental health.
Ask for help!
There obviously are some bishops and their wives (and I presume others too) who want to be involved in this taining and education. Please facilitate them.
So, I feel that for this to have been a productive meeting, we all need to put our shoulder to the wheel now.
Child Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse is wrong. The danger of sitting on the fence, or ‘being merciful’, or ‘not being judgemental’, could well leave us standing on the side of evil.
Support our young folk, support our young families, support our suffering and silent victims. Take a stand for truth now, while we have time and opportunity.
“A statement regarding CSA/SA will be read at special meeting time”
I didn’t hear any statement at the meetings I attended
@Jennifer
No, there was a change of mind on that. Instead a letter was distributed to each of the bishops and given out on the Sunday morning following the special meetings. Did you get that letter?
A copy of the actual policy has to be requested from a worker, or one of the designated people.
I have heard no mention of the subject since then, so I expect that the plan is ‘business as usual’ and the cycle will continue.
On reading this comprehensive account of the meeting, one would expect to find a section entitled ‘Worker Commitments’, however it would appear that the commitments made by the two workers present were few and far between.
This is an account of the concerns raised by the group of friends present, and the rationale behind these concerns. These are then followed by a requested outcome/suggested solutions, presumably put forward by this same group of concerned friends. There does not appear to be any commitment to act on any of these suggestions.
On the section titled Zero Tolerance, there are some points listed as Workers’ Response. These are:
§ Alleged perpetrators are put out of fellowship meetings.
Really? Since when did that come into effect?
§ However, the workers expressed concerns at barring alleged perpetrators from all
meetings (gospel meetings were the main example mentioned) for two reasons: (1)
we cannot close the door on true repentance (as Jesus opened that door); and (2)
Jesus preached to sinners (and was criticised for that).
What is the benefit in having an unrepentant child molester hear the gospel? What about the victims? Can a victim be reasonably expected to sit in the same meeting as their abuser? Or any known abuser, for that matter?
§ They also expressed that, no matter what they decide on this issue, the workers would upset a lot of people. There will be loads of people upset if we [the workers] cast alleged perpetrators out of all meetings.
Who is going to be upset? The abuser? The abuser’s supporters and enablers?? Again, what about the victims ?
§ The workers agreed to consider whether alleged perpetrators should be banned from attending gospel meetings.
Agreed to consider this? Are we talking about Child Protection, or Abuse Enabling here?
The two commitments that obviously were agreed on prior to the meeting, were:
a) A statement regarding CSA/SA will be read at special meeting time and the policy document will be made available to those who submit their email address.
Can this in any way be described as open and transparent communication? Can anyone reasonably expect a troubled 10year old to forgo their sandwiches and join the queue to hand over their email address to a worker?
The reason given for this method of distributing the information is that ‘not all bishops could be trusted to do so’
Why not? Could this be a major red flag problem??
b) There will be specifc CSA worker training untaken in January.
Who is going to deliver this training? The training that has previously been undertaken has been very ineffective. Workers, generally speaking still do not have any understanding of the seriousness of CSA, nor its criminal nature. Very little empathy is shown to victims, or those who seek to support them. So, please don’t continue with the same approach and expect a different result. Invite the professionals to present at the training. Invite those involved with Child Protection and invite those trained in trauma related mental health.
Ask for help!
There obviously are some bishops and their wives (and I presume others too) who want to be involved in this taining and education. Please facilitate them.
So, if this is to have been a productive meeting, then let us all be productive.
CSA and SA are both evil and criminally wrong. Take a stand for truth. Sitting on the fence, ‘showing mercy’ and ‘not being judgemental’ are going to leave us all standing on the wrong side when the day of reckoning comes.
Jennifer says,
“A statement regarding CSA/SA will be read at special meeting time”
I didn’t hear any statement at the meetings I attended”.
–
It was noted earlier,
“That ‘top-down’, responsive and immediate action be led by the workers (with help and involvement from the friends) in relation the CSA / SA issues, so that the existing culture of acceptance in relation to CSA / SA issues becomes a thing of the past”.
–The “top” does not want the “down”, or bottom/ generally members, to know anything more than necessary. What is necessary to know is: meetings times and dates, Sunday meetings, Wednesday night meetings, gospel meetings, union meetings, special meetings, and convention meetings, meetings, and meetings attendance.
What is not necessary for the “down” is: workers meetings, inner circle meetings, and most certainly, meetings how to keep knowledge about child sexual abuse, sexual abuse from getting out to the general membership in their meetings — and any talk other than talking about the “four kinds of soils”. In all the meetings, just talk about the four types of soils over and over, and forget about the sexual abuses. That is the top/ down approach”.
This is a start, but let’s fix the REAL problem: having a second level of ‘overseers’.
I say “second” because, the only time the scripture references “overseers” is in reference to the ELDERS. Not the ministry. Matt 18 makes it pretty clear what Jesus thought about the disciples wanting ‘place’ in HIS ministry. When any human is in a place of power, abuse will start because they too are human. The ministry is supposed to be those allowing God to use them by following the message Jesus gave. As messengers. As Jesus sent them in, for example in Matt 10.
Let’s get healthy, by getting back to actually following Jesus!
Do we seriously expect an Irish worker to stand on the platform and utter the words Child Sexual Abuse?
Gortaloughan will never have heard the like!
I expect it will be referenced along the lines of, ‘Certain matters have come to our attention’, or ‘ Certain things have crept in amongst us’, otherwise, we’ll have to call for the smelling salts!
Wake up! The wolves are ravaging the lambs (no pun intended!)
It IS sad, isn’t it. I have family in Ireland, and one of my cousins came over a few years back and we had some great conversations. It’s just too bad that people are so stuck under the workers treadmill, instead of enjoying their God given freedom to follow Jesus. I do still feel that if the congregation would all rise up in righteousness, it can be fixed. God is well able. Don’t lose hope! Our sheperd, Jesus, can take care of the wolves. When desperate in prayer, it moves the heart of God…and I’m speaking from experience. I begged God to stop a worker that was SO wrong (William Lewis) and he died of a heart attack just a few hours later in the state of Texas (I was in North Carolina). God IS well able!! Pray!!
We in Ireland can talk until literally the cows come home. To be honest, talking to Craig is like talking to a Santa Claus who doesn’t deliver the gifts.
You think he is listening and he is being kind and empathetic. The Zero tolerance stance has been reiterated time and time again.
Perpetrators were removed for a while from all meetings, including missions, then bam out of the blue a decision was made to bring one back. The voice of the perpetrator and supporters/ family were more important than the poor little lambs.
It will be fairly hard for Craig to do another U turn and stop the perpetrators from attending all meetings, including missions. However, will we be proved wrong and can Craig deliver the goods this time?
Time that the top down leadership was bottom up. Victims and their families should rightfully have the loudest voice in this for change. All other voices such as perpetrators and their families voices should be drowned out if change is to occur once and for all.
Is there any reason why the updated child protection policy can’t be left at the door of the special meeting place, so people can pick up a copy? Also missions halls. Bishops can also be a route.
Time for transparency, time for power to be shared, time for a culture change, time for those tables to be literally overturned. Jesus never was shy at doing the right thing. We shouldn’t be either.
Agreed. One of the fastest ways to get these dense heads to stop this nonsense (he’s not being led by the Spirit or his choices would be different) is to not allow him or anyone standing with him to stay in your homes.
We in Ireland can talk until literally the cows come home. To be honest, talking to Craig is like talking to a Santa Claus who doesn’t deliver the gifts.
You think he is listening and he is being kind and empathetic. The Zero tolerance stance has been reiterated time and time again.
Perpetrators were removed for a while from all meetings, including missions, then bam out of the blue a decision was made to bring one back. The voice of the perpetrator and supporters/ family were more important than the poor little lambs.
It will be fairly hard for Craig to do another U turn and stop the perpetrators from attending all meetings, including missions. However, will we be proved wrong and can Craig deliver the goods this time?
Time that the top down leadership was bottom up. Victims and their families should rightfully have the loudest voice in this for change. All other voices such as perpetrators and their families voices should be drowned out if change is to occur once and for all.
Is there any reason why the updated child protection policy can’t be left at the door of the special meeting place, so people can pick up a copy? Also missions halls. Bishops can also be a route.
Time for transparency, time for power to be shared, time for a culture change, time for those tables to be literally overturned. Jesus never was shy at doing the right thing. We shouldn’t be either.
Want to post a quick update here. This meeting was not ‘productive’ as the title suggests. The commitment by Craig that an announcement would be made before each special meeting was not honoured. No announcements were made at any of the meetings. When Craig was queried about this, he said that a number of people were not happy with any announcement about CSA being made so Craig decided to give in to this and to continue with his cover up and protection for perpetrators within the meetings. The result of Craig not honouring his proposal and commitment to at least speak about CSA means that the fellowship in Ireland can now be considered a ‘safe haven’ for perpetrators to practice their evil craft, as we are now one of the most tolerant organisations in Ireland with regard to CSA. Something to think about, especially for all parents attending mtgs. Please be extra vigilant, as predators are moving freely among us, free to groom and destroy victims, knowing that their actions are unlikely to be challenged or exposed.
Speaking lists for UK special meetings showed Craig was scheduled to attend and speak in several locations there over the past few weeks, too. Perhaps someone who was present could confirm whether any announcements or mention was made at those meetings?
No, nothing was announced in the UK either. This however is not at all surprising, as the English overseer’s policy is that CSA is not to be mentioned, as there is no CSA problem in the fellowship in England!!!!
@CSA ‘safe haven’ alert – then, if the overseer won’t turn them in, it’s the responsiblity of the congregation to do so! Please, I beg of you, before another child’s life is destroyed, pick up the phone!
@hennoffour – If only it were that simple! Law Enforcement are fully aware of what Craig is and is not doing. However while cases are currently under investigation by Law enforcement and Child Protection (one CSA case is under active investigation for 2 and a half years now) there is nothing that Law enforcement can do to force Craig to prevent these alleged perpetrators from attending gospel or fellowship meetings. Morally Craig is responsible for allowing these perps access to families and children to continue the grooming process, knowing the risks, but from a legal point of view nothing can be done. All meetings, both Gospel and Fellowship, are by invitation, so either the fellowship meeting Bishop (elder) or Worker holding Gospel mtg can refuse entry to the meeting, but why will someone do this when Craig refuses to do it himself. Craig currently has two known perpetrators (under investigation by the authorities) attending his own Gospel mtg and refuses to prevent them attending, in spite of protests by friends, including some elders.
If you can help me to see a way to prevent this, I am open to all suggestions.
In the meantime all we can do is continue to highlight this as much as possible and also follow Luke 18 v 7 and 8.
I have contacted authorities in Ireland, it will be interesting to see what information they offer. We are on completely different time zones, so I’m sure I won’t hear anything back today.
Stop the madness! There has been so much extremely foolish, irrational, or reckless behavior. “…the fellowship in Ireland can now be considered a ‘safe haven’ for perpetrators to practice their evil craft, as we are now one of the most tolerant organisations in Ireland with regard to CSA”. The fellowship is so polluted. And, becoming further and further from the other end of the spectrum that it was once purported to be. Now for the true false front religion to be known for what it is.
Ok, it’s perhaps time to take stock here and see how we have got so far into this mess.
Unfortunately, we will have to accept some of responsibility for this ourselves.
For many years we have contributed to this by failing to seek accountability. We have accepted questionable decisions, we have turned a blind eye to uncomfortable abusive behaviour, we have feared being labelled as a ‘bad spirit’, so we didn’t call out or question the things that we should have. We have accepted that there might be ‘more to the story’ when perpetrators are being obviously shielded and victims discredited. We have ‘not taken sides’ when we should have firmly opposed what we know to be wrong. We have passed by on the other side, rather than face and deal with the wounds of the wounded. We have mourned those who in the past would have sat down with the senior workers and thrashed out the weightier matters, yet we didn’t step up to take their place. To be fair though, some of those were men who sought advice and listened.
Craig, at the beginning of this meeting stated that, at the beginning of the upcoming special meetings, a document regarding child safety will be read out. This was his own stated fact. Now the first weekend is over and it hasn’t been done. So, what do we do now? Stand by and let it pass, or seek accountability?
What about the worker training to be held next week? Do we let that slide by as the non event that it will be, or do we ask questions as to its structure, content and objectives?
Do we accept the old excuse of ‘Craig has a lot on his plate’, ‘He’s doing his best’, or do we just accept the plain truth that Craig can no longer be trusted to keep his word?
To announce the fact that we have a safety statement and policy for the protection of children, is not actually a big deal. No one is going to be frightened or upset by it, not even the perpetrators. A child or a victim might just be helped by it. So why did Craig not do what he stated?
To have a Child Protection Statement is a legal requirement. To make it public is also a legal requirement. I suspect that it will be Designated Liaison Person who will be left holding the can with this one.
If you live in Ireland, it’s YOUR responsibility to hold his feet to the fire. Why no one has cared enough to stop him after all this time, is mind boggling! Turn Craig IN to your law-enforcement!! You’re clearly an adult, so can report. Please, I beg of you, do the right thing and call him in!!
Henoffour, we appreciate your zeal and your enthusiasm, but trust me it’s not as simple as that. General disinterest and non engagement are not actually crimes. Failure to make public a child safety policy is not high on the list of priorities for our police force either.
However, that said, be reassured that that known cases are being reported to the proper authorities. The problem is that many people are still not aware that CSA (and SA) is an issue and that there are proper channels to deal with it.
The legal issues are (mostly) being dealt with. We trust that God is seeing and will deal with the moral issues.