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. Sarah Palin, Bank sues Celebration Church founders for $716,000 in business debts, credit card bills, Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems quits, vows to 'continue our ministry elsewhere', Celebration Church, founder Stovall Weems embroiled in legal dispute, committing fraud, [and] unjustly enriching himself at the expense of the church., Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Was this article helpful? Church officials havent publicly announced the rift with Weems but prepared a statement for members who inquired that said trustees had placed Weems in not good standing while an internal investigation was done. Kim Roberts May 3, 2022. For more info on our latest happenings or to get involved, contact us at celebrationyouthjax@celebration.org or visit The Celebration App. The Weemses denied misusing the PPP funds and the other alleged financial missteps in an extensive statement to News4JAX. Celebration Church is a member of the Association of Related Churches and aims to lead people to experience a God-First life. Open sin with no sense of remorse or wrong doing ! The Weems-managed entity, Honey Lake Farms LLC, appears to be part of a web of similarly named organizations surrounding a behavioral health clinic in Madison County created through Celebration five years ago. We highly encourage you to use the advanced search tab under the group search bar to help you find the best group for you. We remain focused on advancing the kingdom of God., Spirit flight makes emergency landing in Jacksonville after fire in overhead bin, No charges filed in death of postal worker mauled by dogs in Putnam County, Local Weather: The heat holds as windy becomes the weather word Friday, Weather is 95% favorable for a liftoff tonight, but teams are keeping an eye on weather along Dragons ascent corridor, WWII Veteran celebrates his 100th birthday in Corpus Christi, 'Memories become treasures' | Family, friends pay tribute to Tristyn Bailey at 'Celebration of Life', Loved ones remember DMX at homegoing celebration. To donate, click here. According to a recent investigation carried out by the Nelson Mullins law firm, Weems. 1), $984 owed by Weems Group LLC (credit card No. Administration of the Churchs PPP funds was controlled by the Churchs CFOs. Its always been about the money, down to the precise timing of the services to get as many people in and out. 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. 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. That suggests a long term pattern, so why is that part only coming out in light of the financial issues? Celebration Church filed a motion to dismiss the Weemses injunction and 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. It is a member of the Association of Related Churches. In January, Celebration Churchs trustees noticed several large financial transactions by the Weemses and asked for an investigation into potentially improper financial practices, the churchs court filing states. 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! But Wedekind estimated more than 50 people worked at Celebrations multiple Jacksonville locations. The Weemses, who have been ARC leaders for more than a decade, are no longer listed as ARC Lead Team members. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Please send all questions about groups to info@celebration.org. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. The motion to dismissalso asserted that more than $1 million the church received as a loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program was used to fund a Weems-managed entity and to invest in a digital currency system. The Weemses filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against Celebration Church. The first violation, of Standard Two, concerns organizational governance and states that , Every organization shall be governed by a responsible board of not less than five individuals, a majority of whom shall be independent, who shall meet at least semiannually to establish policy and review its accomplishments., and its former senior pastor, Stovall Weems, have been plagued by scandals in recent months. The spokeswoman said the Weemses never intended to get any money for themselves from that retirement fund. From hangouts to bible studies, meeting out at a coffee shop or in someones home we have a place for every person that walks through the doors of Celebration Church to connect in community and build lasting relationships with others. . 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. This standard is designed to help organizations obtain and maintain a governing body that enhances an environment of accountability, maximizing excellence in carrying out the Lords work and minimizing susceptibility to structural breakdown., ECFA Standard Four relates to a ministrys use of resources and compliance with laws. After that, it will be up to the trustees to decide whetheror how muchof the findings to make public. And in September 2021, the Weemses officially transitioned from their position as lead pastors at Celebration to founding pastors. 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. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Its office and Celebration College are at 10302 Deerwood Park Blvd. The Regency Park church will be a closer option for them. These emails establish . The injunction said one of the churchs trustees was improperly billing the church for construction-type services at its Honey Lake Farms property in Madison County. When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation? Then the trustees suspended him. Even then, $5 million is still not enough to adequately maintain the campus, he said. Spokesperson for Stovall and Kerri Weems says funds were used for legally allowed purposes, Multiple large transfers to new for-profit entities that the Weemses intended to manage going forward, Churchs purchase of a parsonage (in which Stovall and Kerri Weems were to live rent-free) for $1,286,863.30 that a company solely owned by Stovall Weems had bought four months earlier for $855,000, Advancement of nine months salary to Kerri Weems and seven months salary to Stovall Weems in violation of Florida statute and the churchs own internal policies, despite neither Stovall nor Kerri Weems performing the duties of the offices that purportedly justified those salaries, Improper use of over $1,000,000 in PPP loan proceeds to fund the Weems-managed entity Honey Lake Farms, LLC and to purchase TurnCoin, an illiquid, speculative digital currency, (Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved. Our investigation is ongoing and will not be impeded. It said trustees "were fully aware thatPastor Weems had not engaged in any misconduct" but "agreed with Cormier's seditious plot to banish" the pastor. Stovall Weems was seeking restoration of his salary and backpay. Improper use of more than $1 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program loan monies. 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. This story is another example of unchurchly. Suing to get your power position back, over a church? 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. 8, 8A and 9. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The church received $2,153,702 in federal stimulus monies which were later forgiven, data collected by ProPublica shows. The spokeswoman for Weems said the church's audited financial reports certified that the PPP money was used for purposes the law allowed. "Celebration Church has been mine and my familys church home for close to ten years. 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 also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they come onto church property. Asked for comment on the new filing, Wedekind said Tuesday he was looking into how that should be handled. 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. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Pastor Stovall Weems, one of the founders of Celebration Church, has resigned. We encourage you to give the group you have signed up for time to develop and build relationships while having conversations with the group leader about what you may be able to expect from week to 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. King said Full Source owns the building next door. What Happens Now? The church included emails between Stovall Weems and trustees that it said backed up its version of events. And He will say to them in that day if judgment! We believe that true life change happens in the context of community. I have first hand knowledge of the spiritual abuse within this organization. $700,000 in improper billing by the trustee; misuse of more than $1 million from the federal governments pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program; and a 50-percent markup over four months on the price of a home a Weems company sold the church as a parsonage. Then the trustee board suspended Weems and hired a law firm to investigate the Weemses alleged financial mismanagement and spiritual abuse. These are fiefdoms and not churches. Celebration Church and its former senior pastor, Stovall Weems, have been plagued by scandals in recent months. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. Celebration Youth is our Middle and High School ministry for students. 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 weekend, Stovall Weems, the pastor of Jacksonville's Celebration Churchwhich has a membership of 12,000decided to forgo a sermon in favor of an on-stage interview with his wife Kerri. We offer a wide variety of mens, womens, bible/book study, dinner parties, activity-based groups, and more! An investigation is underway. Pastor Stovall invested approximately $100,000 in Turncoin, an SEC approved investment, for the purpose of creating a retirement fund for long-time Celebration Church employees. Now the church and the Weemses, who are former members of ARCs Lead Team, are caught up in a legal battle even as an investigation is underway into the Weemses alleged misconduct. [1] and is led by Senior Pastors Tim and Jen Timberlake. Founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, have filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction that would force the megachurch to recognize Weems as their chief executive officer and settle dueling claims of financial fraud involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Weemses are accused of spiritually abusing church staff members, Wedekind said. Part only coming out in light of celebration church jacksonville scandal Association of Related Churches and aims to lead to. Analyze and understand how you use this website the spiritual abuse within this organization other alleged financial missteps an! Highly encourage you to use the advanced search tab under the group search bar to you! Worth reading building next door to use the advanced search tab under the search. Its former senior Pastor, Stovall Weems and trustees that it said backed up version. 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