Tag: sexual immorality

Woodstock convention – update May 20, 2023

May 20, 2023

From: Bob and Stacy Bainbridge

Bob and I want to draw attention again to the letter that Darryl Doland shared in April and the letter that was shared to the friends in Atlantic Canada yesterday. We asked that the workers send out a letter to all the friends here in Atlantic Canada to stop the false rumours that they were spreading against Morgan. We asked them to clarify that the accusations brought forward by Morgan and others were validated. The letter was vague and confusing and left a lot of room for interpretation

We would like to highlight some parts of the letter in particular.

“….inappropriate and disrespectful interpersonal behaviour”

What was happening was psychological abuse, sexual misconduct, and hateful malicious behaviour. “Inappropriate” is dearly a euphemism to downplay what was actually happening. Does any parent want their child to offer for a ministry Where they Could be forced to share a room or a bed with someone who is aroused by them? Does any parent think it’s ok to have their son or daughter browbeaten to the point of considering suicide? Does any parent want their child to join a ministry where they visit friend’s homes and are sexually assaulted or leered at by “trusted elders”? It is no surprise that this behaviour exists. It is appalling that it is not dealt with properly,

“The changes made regarding these workers were made with the intention to address this behaviour and to stop it going forward.”

These workers were simply moved around. The removal of these workers only occurred because it became obvious that Morgan was right about them. So much hurt and confusion could have been avoided if they had simply did what she asked back in 2020.

She simply asked that they take a break from the work and get some psychiatric help.

Here is the full letter from the workers

—————————————————————————————————-

Dear all,

We would like to write to you today to be open and clear about inappropriate and disrespectful interpersonal behaviour that has existed and subsequently been reported in our ministry. Recently there were changes made on this staff because of behaviour that was considered inappropriate, especially for responsible workers in a field towards their younger companions. The changes made regarding these workers were made with the intention to address this behaviour and to stop it going forward There was no intention to cast any blame or doubt on the victims of this behaviour. We have moved after thorough deliberation on these issues, wanting to gather as much balanced information as possible. In seeking the guidance of God and wanting to move prayerfully and carefully, we believe that appropriate action has been taken in each case and that all involved will be wiser and kinder going into the future.

We feel that there needs to be an extra amount of compassion and understanding for those who are feeling vulnerable, and we know that as circumstances change, this could include any one of us at critical times in our life. We all need to learn to communicate with each other and listen to each other in a way that makes us free to voice our concerns and needs. This is an atmosphere that we would like to nurture and encourage in our fellowship and especially in the ministry.

God’s ministry on the earth is made up of human beings, with a human nature prone to failure. However, this is a very serious calling and, by the grace of God given to us, we should be held accountable to a high standard of love, meekness and morality. Just as a faithful adherence to this example set by Jesus has the potential to help and encourage; anything less than this heavenly standard has the potential to cause hurt and discouragement in others. In spite of sometimes being greatly disappointed in individuals in this ministry; we still believe in our calling in this ministry and our greatest ambition is to be servants, with a faithfulness to this calling.

We know that our greatest responsibility is to keep our own life and spirit right before God, but we do feel the weight of the responsibility when making decisions about things that involve so many of you. We fear that we will sometimes fail to make the best decision, and looking back we acknowledge that sometimes this has been the case. We feel sorry for our failure in this way. We are certainly in need of your prayers, and appreciative of your mercy and understanding. Most of all, we are thankful that God is above all and sees all. If we Seek His Spirit and heed it, He will lead us in the way of truth and righteousness.

With brotherly greetings.

——————————————————————————————

Remember, the point of this letter is to clarify that the acts of abuse, harassment and assault were true as per Morgan’s allegations and that they were mishandled, dismissed, and the victims were attacked, slandered, and shamed.

As far as Woodstock convention; The workers asked for a meeting with us to tell us that Woodstock Convention would be cancelled because Bob had said that there was corruption in the oversight. We were repeatedly told that they had prayed about it and this was the conclusion:

——————————————————————————————–

Dear staff.

The last while we have been thinking about the Convention at Woodstock. We have prayed about it, and discussed it together. We feel like it would be better this year not to have the convention there. Hopefully it will be possible to have it there again next year. We have spoken to — and —  and asked if we could have a 2nd Napan, from June 30-July 2. They are agreeable to that plan. It will follow the same format as 1st Napan, three days with two meetings per day. Could you please let everyone in your field know about this.

Your brothers, Dale, Ray, and Jonathan.

——————————————————————————————–

Following this email, we received another saying from the workers, saying they are reconsidering. At this time Bob was asked how he felt about having a convention?
Bob’s reply to that was, “This convention is not ours it belongs to the friends, what do they want? Bob stated that his vote was for a full convention but it was ultimately up to the friends who have put a lot of work and money into the grounds.

So now we go to the latest email regarding convention.

—————————————————————————————

Dear friends

We plan to have a three day convention at Woodstock
Two meetings a day, no evening meetings
We won’t have sleeping arrangements and won’t have meals arrangements
So I plan to go next week for a few days
The 19th of June a few of us will go to Woodstock to prepare, we’ll have a couple of days to prepare the meeting shed, the washrooms, the mini home and cabins
There will be lots of room and services for trailers as before.

————————————————————————————-

No explanation to us on why it is not a full convention. Still a warning, we’re not out of the woods yet?

As far as the workers that were the perpetrators towards Morgan: One is at her sister’s home. No official word that she is “out of the work” but she was still exhibiting grooming behaviours at gatherings toward young girls. Two of our true sister workers have caught her exhibiting this behaviour and the true friends in the area have asked that she not attend their meetings as they have young children.

The other sister that was moved to Ontario has been removed from the work just in the last week or two, I believe because of a professional recommendation.

The overseer that was moved to AB is no longer an overseer but is still in the work. We wish the AB brothers would reach out to get the information because the brothers in AB probably haven’t been told the extent of damage that he has done or even what it means to his victims for him to still be in the work. Step aside, get the help you need, and then see if you are fit for the work. It feels like there is no thought for the victims and how much that would go towards helping people heal.

– Bob and Stacy Bainbridge

Ronda Stidolph leaves the work

WINGS Note:

Ronda was in South America for quite a few years, before returning to USA.

This anouncement doesn’t mention any reasons. WINGS believes that the reasons are likely to become public and also believes that they do not relate to CSA.

Dear friends,

I have voluntarily stepped aside from the Work.

Someone said in a workers’ mtg a long time ago, that our goal shouldn’t be to stay in the Work until we die but to become like Jesus. That’s a true goal for all of us! Though my position in the Body changes, my connection with the Head, Christ Jesus, and also my salvation, remains unchanged and grows richer with time. I asked someone who’d stepped aside from the Work once, “Do you feel like you have more fruit or less fruit?”. His response was, “I have different fruit”. That will now be a part of my journey too.

Your sister,

Ronda Stidolph

LeRoy Sandford disclosure

WINGS Note: This disclosure does NOT involve CSA. It is posted as an example of bringing to light past actions that have been kept hidden. A related disclosure is https://wingsfortruth.info/2023/05/14/honourable-disclosure-of-past-conduct/

LeRoy was overseer of North and South Dakota.

LeRoy Sandford 7:37 am

Dear Dakota Friends,

It’s with a heavy heart that I write this letter of apology to you because I’ve broken your trust. I’m very sorry…

Around twenty years ago I was in an inappropriate relationship with a sister worker. This past Saturday evening she shared the experience with a group of our friends where she labors in Minnesota.

Yesterday I came to my brother’s and informed our Dakota Staff about my failure, communicating with most personally before sending them an email.

My hope was to communicate with ones among you that would feel this most keenly, before sending a letter of apology to all of you.

—- —– (the sister) communicated with the Minnesota staff last evening, also. Her apology has already been posted on the internet, which makes it imperative that this be sent immediately. We were in communication in the days leading up to this.

This is the final part of the letter to staff:

“I am the brother. I’m very sorry. Much of the above is the echo of my heart. Life in this ministry has been rich. It’s difficult to imagine life not in this ministry because of the love our Lord puts in our hearts for our fellow laborers, for His people and for seeking souls.

Workers are my very best friends.

This feels like an awful dream, but I know that the Lord sees everything, and there are possibilities of usefulness where ever we find ourselves.

I intend to spend time with my family until the future becomes clear. I came to Phil and Karen’s today.

Lyle Schober has ticketing to arrive in Minnesota on Tuesday. He’s to arrive at Hunter Thursday by suppertime, and is to guide the Workers’ Meeting on Friday.

The temporary plan is that you communicate with Perry and Paul concerning arrangements in the Dakotas.

Regretfully, but with love in Christ,

LeRoy”

PS: Will include ——-’s apology:

————————————

Saturday May 14, 2023

Before all the world:

I will state only facts, without details, in this first part.

My name is —– —— and I am on the Minnesota worker staff.

Twenty years ago or more, I was involved in a consensual relationship with a male co-worker on my staff.

That relationship was cut off and there was a clean break.

After some years, that staff member was asked to move to the position of overseer.

He called to confirm that there was continued certainty that there would be no future connection. I affirmed that.

I had been in Minnesota some years already.

I have given myself to the work and people here. I love them.

Those are the facts.

Letter from ex-sister worker – May 2023

WINGS Note: This letter addresses poor communications; inappropriate worker relationships; worker abuse; racism; financial uncertainty; male dominated hierarchy; the trauma of leaving the work; child sexual abuse; and more.

To those who need to hear this:

I was a sister worker for approximately five years. There was such joy and love and people were incredibly kind. However, those things cannot negate some of the systemic problems within the ministry that have only been highlighted by the recent news of despicable behavior by some of the brother workers and the resulting cover-ups.

When I left the work, I was absolutely traumatized. It’s not a time I particularly like to think or talk about. However, I want to share it here because I’m not alone in this trauma. I don’t think anyone that leaves the work comes out perfectly fine. We all leave pretty messed up and it’s not because we didn’t pray enough or we lost our calling. It’s because the way the work is set up now is a recipe for burnout and trauma. We get in the car with a companion, a suitcase, and prayers. And sure, that’s enough to sustain for a while. You read and you pray and you copy the routines of your older companion because they seem to know what they are doing. You pour your heart and soul into finding something that feeds your heart in order to share it with others in gospel meetings. And it works. For a time. You love the people you are serving. You feel like you are helping them. Sure there’s this brother worker texting you in a way that you aren’t sure is entirely appropriate. But you’re happy. There truly is so much joy and people are so good to you.

And time goes on. And you experience more of the love of God’s people. And you go on your first special meeting rounds as a worker. You’re surrounded by people who know nothing about you and they are curious about your story. Sometimes that curiosity borders on rude because people just want to know where this brown sister worker came from and don’t really want anything edifying other than the satisfaction of their own curiosity but there are truly some amazing people among the friends and they love you even before they meet you simply because of the God you serve.

You’re so busy now. You’re running around having three gospel meetings a week and bible studies and you’re learning so much. You’ve decided to read through the bible in chronological order and you feel so connected to God when you pray. But you bought a silly fictional book on your kindle app to read in your “downtime” and now you feel so guilty for spending the friend’s money on something so frivolous so you buckle down and try to do even better. You pray harder and give more of yourself to the people in their homes. And you truly love them all and want only the best things for them and when they share hard stuff with you and your companion you listen and learn and try to help. But there’s still this brother worker texting you in a way that you’re sure now is inappropriate but now you feel like you’re the one who encouraged it because every time you’ve told him to stop and he didn’t you still responded and now it’s all your fault so you’re just kind of sick all the time underneath all the happy.

But things are still really good. You’ve experienced convention and preps and special meeting rounds and seen what a miracle it is that it works. Yeah, it’s a little cringey that the sister workers do the laundry and the cooking while the brothers do “manly” tasks like it’s 1950, but it’s so good to be around the other workers.

Your brown skin itches when you stay in a bedroom with a gigantic confederate flag on the wall or when one of the friends says something so racist you want to vomit, but you shake it off and continue moving forward. And more time goes on and you block that inappropriate brother worker on your cell phone and when he starts sending emails you block him there and when he sends you letters you throw them away. You feel so much better now and are reinvigorated. Sure you have a coworker that uses guilt and shame as a tool to try and control you and who you don’t agree with about much of anything but it’s just for a year. And when your companion through ignorance answers friends in ways that can retraumatize people you cringe and try to mitigate the damage but you’re just a kid really and aren’t quite equipped with the correct tools yourself. You can get through it. The friends are amazing in your field and you love them and they care for you and despite everything, you make it through by the grace of God and the friends.

Now you’ve been in the work for two and a half years and you’re sent on another out of state special meeting rounds. It’s an honor and a privilege you’re told. And you land and it’s a whirlwind of meeting new people and traveling and you don’t even have a second to process. And soon you’re riding up with one of the local sisters to stay the night at someone’s home and you’re told that the father of the home no longer lives there because he was caught doing something inappropriate to one of the children in the home. However, that same father is coming over for supper because, apparently, since it’s special meeting time he needs a special meeting visit too. And you can’t say no and scream at how insane that is because you’re young and a sister and this isn’t even your state but you watch him like a hawk all through supper. And quietly look up the local hotline and make a mandated report once he leaves because it’s very clear that neither the local sister or the mother understand what supervised visits means, as they let him go outside to play with the kids when neither of them intended to go out there with him. But you hardly have a minute to process this insanity because you’re going from home to home every night and being told that maybe the fact that I exist as a half black, half white human is God’s way of fixing all this race stuff even though this particular person “never understood the whole interracial marriage thing.”

And on it goes. So much joy and goodness heaped on you that every time you take a breath or feel the need to be just a person and not a worker the guilt nearly cripples you. When at the end of the year your overseer says your companion told him you’re too radical and vocal about anti-racism, too liberal, too young to truly understand the way the world works you tuck your rage and hurt inside, and continue going forward. And looking back now, choke on the hypocrisy of reprimanding a young sister worker for speaking up about racism when brothers are running around covering up whole affairs. And soon, some of the hard stuff friends share with you starts bringing up some of your own hard stuff. And again, you don’t quite have the tools to handle it and your companion doesn’t quite have the tools to handle your crazy but it’s still ok. She’s trying her best to help you and you’re trying your best to be ok. You still feel God’s presence when you pray and you still find something to share for gospel meetings so it’s all ok. But you keep on going because the good so much outweighs the bad. And you go and you go and you try and you try until you just can’t anymore and you’re sitting alone in a hotel room with a bottle of pills ready to take your own life. But through timely intervention, you instead go home and have no money and no education and are totally traumatized and sick and have to figure out where you go from here.

This is just my story. Now I want to get to the point of why I’m sharing this.

First is communication. Communicate with new workers. Communicate with the field. Communicate about what’s going on in other fields and other parts of the country. Don’t communicate with just a select few. Communicate with everyone. Workers go into the work with no guidelines or idea of what they are getting themselves into. They have no idea what is appropriate behavior and what isn’t. A code of conduct would go a long way towards clearing up some of that confusion. Also, communicating about whether there are alleged sex offenders in the field is a must. You made me complicit in endangering children by not telling me there was an alleged offender going to one of the meetings in my field. If workers don’t know about the offenders that have been reported in the past, how can we make decisions about where people go to meetings or who is allowed at gospel meetings? Because you better believe I would not have been quiet about allowing children to attend any sort of gathering where an alleged sex offender would have access to them. Where children are concerned we can’t take any chances and you make all of us complicit in endangering them when you don’t make it known who these offenders are alleged or otherwise. Let’s err on the side of protecting victims rather than protecting sex offenders. Zoom and Microsoft Teams are amazing things and those under investigation can attend meetings that way.

On that note, another thing that workers need to make an effort to do is be in touch with what is actually going on in the world and what the friends are actually dealing with. This is something that’s hard to describe and something I only recognized once I left the work but it’s so important. Workers are insulated. The friends are a buffer between the rest of the world and them. And this doesn’t work for several reasons. First, it gives workers a skewed perspective of what humanity is. The friends are on their best behavior around the workers. In contrast, it makes the people who don’t go to meetings look worse. This makes workers think that the friends are just better people and makes them want to give the friends the benefit of the doubt. In reality, we are all human. Just because a sex offender goes to meetings, doesn’t mean he or she is any less prey to their compulsions then a sex offender that doesn’t go to meetings. Not only does this layer of disconnect from the real world skew their beliefs about human behavior, it also disconnects them from some of the very real issues that the friends face in their day to day lives. It also, somehow makes workers think technology is bad. Making it possible for people to attend meetings via Zoom or Microsoft Teams is not the same as being an evangelical television preacher.

Next, sister workers need to speak up. We need you guys to have a voice and a say in the things that are happening. I understand that it’s hard to see yourselves in any position of authority. And many of you sister workers have said you have no desire to be in any position of authority. But here’s the thing. You may not be able to picture it or have the desire for it, but WE the people you are teaching and loving and helping NEED you to have it. This ridiculous hierarchy among the workers needs to change. The fact that a person is male, does not automatically mean that they should have a meeting and speak for 45 minutes at the end of a special meeting or a convention meeting. By putting a hierarchy on the speaking list, you are automatically telling people, some words are more weighty then others. And that should not be the case since all those words should be coming from God.

Brother workers have their place and the vast majority of them are good men, I’m sure. However, they have shown that they are ok with covering up bad behavior. They have shown that they don’t understand what is and isn’t appropriate behavior. Child sexual abuse is always awful and needs to be dealt with directly by the authorities. I think we are all slowly getting on the same page there though a lot of progress needs to be made. However, when brother workers are having affairs with women in the fellowship, aside from not living what they preach, there is a power imbalance that makes this behavior unacceptable as well. They can lie and coerce and lay the blame on the victim and tell their victims they won’t be believed. And somehow, at the end of it all, they can make their victims believe it was consensual or the victim’s fault for tempting them. We need both brother and sister worker overseers to ensure this kind of thing doesn’t get swept under the rug or treated as simply a slip-up or an opportunity to shuffle workers around. We need sister workers to have input on companion lists so abusive behavior from older to younger sister workers doesn’t get overlooked or allowed to continue. We need to hear from the sisters that things will change and not just from brother workers. Sisters are the voice of the vulnerable and the victimized. They are often easier for victims to approach and yet, they have to turn their concerns over to brothers and have those same brothers shut it down or cover it up. That needs to change. I, for one, am sick to death of hearing meaningless apologies from brothers. I want to hear from our sisters that they aren’t going to tolerate this behavior anymore either.

Since workers are going into people’s homes, they need to give those same people guidelines on how to keep their families safe. We do not know the hearts of people and workers need to do what they can do to protect the most vulnerable among us. Dean and others like him, had access because people inherently trust the workers. So we need to do better in telling them about how to have guests safely in their homes. For instance, have the children sleep upstairs or even in the parent’s room when they have workers in the home.

Lastly, finances. My own experience was fraught with what I could and couldn’t spend money on. Nobody told me what to do with the money that was given to me. It was left to me to decide what to do with it and so I’d give some away to people I thought needed it and then just hang on to it or very rarely buy something frivolous like an audiobook that I’d always feel guilty about doing. There needs to be both guidance for the workers and oversight of those finances.

There is more I could say about secondary trauma and retraumatization of victims. I could talk about how exiting the work is handled or not handled. I could even talk about racism among the friends and workers since it was such a key component of my own story or discuss the unrealistic idea that workers need to be “on-call” 24-7. However, I will let this rest for now and hope that my voice added to the many others calling for change will help make a difference too.

A sister,

Maria

P.S. Feel free to share this. I don’t mind at all.

Jeff Thayer steps down as worker

Dear friends in Minnesota and Iowa,

We are collectively sorry for lapses in communication in the past. We are working together to correct this. We are sorry for the confusion and uncertainty you have felt.

Around 15 years ago there was an allegation against Jeff Thayer regarding a relationship with an adult woman. Some of the concern is with how it was handled. Monday Jeff returned early from his Orient tour because of this issue. He is stepping aside from the work and will be going to his brother’s home in another state. We want to assure you the case is not closed. We will keep you posted as this develops.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to any worker you feel comfortable with to answer questions or share concerns.

Shari Stamps and John Simons are available as a resource for the S Minneapolis field.
Shari Stamps [phone and email redacted but available from WINGS on request]
John Simons [phone and email redacted but available from WINGS on request]

With sincere care,

The IA/MN staff

WINGS Note:

A worker has been defending Jeff, stating “Unfortunately Jeff is being ‘attacked’ by people who are no longer part of our fellowship. Some of you may have seen the letter which appeared on Facebook. It depicts something that may have occurred 15 years ago… some inappropriate sexual behaviour. It seems to me that all is blown way out of proportion & I feel very deeply for Jeff in this humiliating experience”.

WINGS understands that the matter was reported by a person who is a member of the fellowship.

Jeff Thayer has previously stated “I found myself investigated twice. Both times yielded up no evidence for the allegations…”

Jim Holt notification that Robert Flippo no longer a worker

From: Jim Holt

Date: Tue. May 9, 2023, 8:35 PM

Subject: Robert Flippo

Dear friends,

We are sorry to send this note, but feel we should let you know there are allegations against Robert Flippo of inappropriate conduct with women. Even though some things happened many years ago, it has now been deemed best that he not be active in the work.

Additionally, as a reminder, if you have been a victim of abuse, you can visit RAINN.org or call their hotline at 800. 656.HOPE for information on reporting to authorities and for support services. Also feel free to reach out to us if you need additional support.

With care,

The VA/MD/DE/NC Staff

WINGS Note:

Robert Flippo has been laboring in Maryland in 2023. In previous years, he has been in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina. He also spent time as the overseer of Georgia.

WINGS understands that other allegations are being investigated.

Woodstock 2023 convention cancelled: Punishment?

Another update from Bob and Stacy Bainbridge, May 7, 2023. They have asked that this be shared publicly.

Email from brother worker to Bob and Stacy:

Hello Bob and Stacy,

After talking about it a bit more among ourselves, we still feel that it is better not to have the convention at Woodstock this year. Hopefully things will be better next year, and we will be able to have it again. Take care. Your brother, (redacted). 

Response from Bob to the brother worker:

They call this Group Punishment. It’s a tactic used by the military to enforce strict discipline. It has no place in God’s fellowship. Why should all of the friends suffer because we criticized you. This will cause hurt and division. What we need is kindness and healing. We believe that this is a deliberate effort to ostracize us. This also sends a threat to anyone who would want to speak up about abuse or corruption to be silent or else. The fact that you told us Thursday night that convention was cancelled and then later told others that it was undecided was deceitful and wrong. It is staggering that you would hurt us in this way. All we asked is that Morgan’s request be honoured: (Redacted) needs to step aside from the work temporarily and get mental help. A code of conduct needs to be written so that new workers understand clearly what is expected of them. Older workers need to know how to behave in a Christ-like manner. How to teach the younger workers with kindness. All workers should be aware of what behaviour is inappropriate. Why is that so much to ask? Morgan read to us today some emails and text messages from two brother workers who previously were criticizing the overseer and encouraging her to keep pushing for change but now are dismissing her abuse. Wonder what happened?

Update from Stacy Bainbridge May 6, 2023 – Woodstock Convention

Wed. April 26th- Supper time at our kitchen table with one brother worker, my husband Bob, and myself. The conversation went to Morgan and our frustration about how her abuse has been handled. This man whom we have trusted (silly us) proceeded to explain to us that Morgan’s inappropriate touching from an older sister worker on two separate occasions was NOTHING, that he has been touched on the leg by others before and she is just sensitive. Yet again we found ourselves explaining that it wasn’t “just a touch on the leg”. Just imagine that this was an acceptable behavior… we’d think twice about who we sit next to in the dining shed or at our very own kitchen table. No, I’m sorry, I will not sit by quietly and allow these untruths to be told. Since then, I have heard this same story being shared amongst friends; one first-hand and one incident second hand. I’m assuming there has been more but I don’t know that. Workers are believed, they are “the workers”.

Thursday, May 4th- Bob was contacted in the afternoon for a meeting with 3 of our brother workers at 7 pm. Bob asked that we have witnesses and meet at a different location than our own home (which later was taken out of context and said that we didn’t even want them in our home). We later learned that they were coming from a meeting with the overseer. When we sat down with these three men, we had our other daughter and son-in-law on speaker phone from NZ as well as two other witnesses. The first remark made was, “We just came to talk about convention”, indicating that this wasn’t about Morgan, but whether we are going to have convention this year at Woodstock. One worker indicated he was asking because Bob had made a remark that there was corruption in the oversight. It was stated that Bob was talking to a lot of people and telling them the overseers are corrupt. The actual comment Bob made was that there is corruption within the overseers (we all know we can’t make a blanket statement about any group of people) and people all over the world who are reading what is happening can put these facts together for themselves. My hope is that it keeps going until all the ugly is cleaned out, overseers, workers, and friends. This is unacceptable. The overall purpose of the meeting was to tell us there will be no Woodstock convention at least for this year. I mentioned during our meeting that it would be impossible to talk about this without bringing Morgan’s story into it, so the meeting was long with no progress. The moral of all of this is that this is what we get for speaking up. Not only have we planned for convention but everyone else looks forward to it and has made plans to come to Woodstock; now they’ve all been sent a warning.

Friday, May 5th- I sent our brother worker a text to stop spreading stories minimizing Morgan’s abuse. I sent him the definition of and the laws in Canada about slander. I indicated to him that we had shared the news about their decision to not hold convention at Woodstock. My response from him was, “It’s not definite about convention, I asked about no convention this year. I was talking to the overseer this morning and it’s not yet definite.” No response to my comments about slander. I reminded him that he was definite last night when he said there would not be convention at Woodstock for at least a year. This was stated multiple times in front of 6 witnesses.

We are frustrated and discouraged to have to fight so hard for truth to be told and for these things to be taken care of. We are sorry to everyone and so sad that the workers feel that the truth being told will hinder convention.

Email from Bob and Stacy Bainbridge re worker abuse and lack of transparency

Dear Friends,

It is with Morgan’s permission that we send this email.

The absence of information and lack of acknowledgment of recent abuses and how its been or being handled has put and continues to put innocent people in harms way. So this is the reason for our letter. We would like to make clear the reason that Morgan is out of the work and in NZ.

In March of 2021 Morgan brought information forward to the overseer about emotional/psychological/narcissistic abuse and sexual misconduct by two of her older companions.

After hearing her experience he agreed that this behavior was abuse. When Morgan then informed him who the abusers were, he changed the subject. In the following weeks and months he made efforts to slander, discredit, undermine and portray her as a liar to cover up and dismiss the abuse.

With the support and similar stories from others the overseer was forced to acknowledge the abuse yet again, the acknowledgement however, was short lived. With the continued support from staff other overseers were brought in from the USA. Many hours were spent in visits with the staff during their time here, it was at this time that one of these overseers suggested to Morgan that if she was just inventing trouble as an excuse to leave the work there was no need she could just leave.

During Nov. 2021 Special meetings (on line) the staff workers along with visitors were together in NS. At this time a visiting worker Inappropriately touched Morgan on two separate occasions. Morgan realized at this point the behaviors of abuse were far greater and more wide spread then she could have imagined.

The eventual solution for all of this abuse was to move the abusers, one to Ontario, one temporarily to the USA and our overseer to Alberta.

Morgan’s only request at the time of reporting was for the abusers to step aside from the work and get the appropriate help/therapy needed. Instead we have made a safe haven for continued abuse.

Some overseers in parts of Canada and the USA have sent letters to the elders in their fields to be read to their meetings, but many places still have have not.

These things we all know are unpleasant and awkward to talk about but we cannot ignore the hurt and damage being done to the innocent. Going forward we need to know that these abusers are not just being shuffled to a different state or province to continue their abuse. These people need to be reported to the proper legal authorities.

Think about the many, many, victims that have had their lives damaged and are spending months and years in therapy from the harm these abusers have caused. The lack of acknowledgement, action and dismissiveness exacerbates the feelings for the victims of abuse. These scars are with them forever, and the hurt goes far beyond the victims, it affects all of their family and friend.

Please encourage our overseers that have influence in directing our workers to take the right course of action, be transparent in dealing with these abusers, report abuse.

Victims need to be able to speak up and be taken seriously.

Ps: In case you wonder or are hopeful that things are maybe moving in the right direction as far as recognition of harm done and the need for change and action, Within the last two weeks, Bob had a conversation with an overseer who dismissed Morgan’s examples of abuse as “silly little things”. He also in this conversation was victim blaming. However it is encouraging to read a letter written by Darryl Doland who has acknowledged the part that he has played in being complicit in trivializing, silencing and censoring these reports of abuses. We can only pray that these sentiments are contagious.

Please feel free to share as we don’t have everyone’s contact details.

Bob and Stacy

Email from overseers Darryl Doland, Wayne Bechtol, and Brian Getz to the friends in Washington, N. Idaho, and Alaska areas

Sent May 4, 2023

Dear Staff,

Please share this email and attachments with the elders in your field and have them share them with those in their meeting.

Your brothers,

Darryl, Wayne, Brian

Dear friends in WA/N ID/AK,

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, there was a man who was left wounded, robbed, exposed and half dead. As events continue to unfold, there are many feelings of anger, sadness, fear, and these feelings can be overwhelming and disorienting, which is a difficult place to be in. When the wounded man was at his lowest point, another man reached out to help, and immediately the healing and hope the wounded man needed so desperately began to take shape … but it still took time and nurturing. The grief we are feeling and the wounds we are nursing these days, need more than time and courage to heal. We especially need to feel the unconditional love of God. 1know God is expressing His love to us in many ways. In addition to that, 1am aware of many other hearts working in unison with His Heart. I’m so thankful for all of your prayers, support, visits, etc. that have been like a collective hand of love reaching out to me and so many others. I would also like to be part of this ‘collective hand’ that is reaching out to you. Unfortunately, because of the volume of information I am receiving, right now, I can’t answer everyone individually. If you would like to receive brief newsletters that will keep you updated on happenings as we traverse these stormy times, please send an email to: [redacted] and simply type ‘YES’.  

In a previous email I said we would set up a website to provide more information about CSA, but we encountered some complications, so I will send our documents directly to you by attaching them to this email. They are the combined effort of doctors, victim advocates, therapists, psychologists, sister workers, brother workers and laymen. We recognize that these topics are way too large to summarize in a few documents, but our aim was to compile information that can be helpful and educational without being too overwhelming. As an investment in everyone’s safety, I urge you to take the time to read these documents carefully.

Our convention season will soon arrive and for many it won’t be an easy time. Some of us are looking forward to being together again and feel it’s exactly what will help. There are others who are more reluctant for several reasons. I hope you will feel free to attend or to stay home. I understand your feelings and support your decision, either way. As in years past, you will have the option to listen to the convention meetings by phone.

My coworkers, Wayne & Brian, join me in sending their greetings and care.

With care and thanks,  

Darryl