The Modern Epic, Pt. 2

As one might expect, the situation with DeSilva’s departure and the undisclosed audit report has left the members of Takoma Park in a state of upheaval. Some have reached out to DeSilva incredulously inquiring about the truth of his departure. Others don’t doubt that there was an affair, but aren’t concerned by it either; to them it is simply an example that “men will be men.” Still others are aghast at DeSilva’s behavior and believe he should be subjected to church discipline.

Then there are those who are less concerned by the affair than the missing money—which rumor has it could be as much as $300,000. (This figure includes both the thefts and other funds which are presently unaccounted for—such as the steeple repair windfall. Whether that is actually the amount remains to be seen. We mention it here only as the figure featured in the rumors rather than as established fact.) Since the theft has been declared to have been an inside job, there should be a rather small suspect pool and they are disturbed by the seeming lack of resolution.

Whether they are in one of these groups or simply among those in shock, everyone in the congregation is looking for answers. Both the pastoral staff and the conference officers have been woefully remiss in meaningfully addressing these problems.

The pastoral staff has undergone some changes since the end of The Epic, but not for the better. Pastor Gerry Fuentes was transferred to another church within the Potomac Conference and a pastor from that church, Jeff Taylor, was transferred to Takoma Park. So far as being a presence in the life, function, and direction of Takoma Park, Pastor Taylor may as well not exist. He preaches the occasional sermon, but is never in the office, takes no active part in leadership meetings, and has made no discernible effort toward healing the wounds within the congregation. 

Pastor Warfield came to Takoma Park late in 2009 to be the youth pastor. At that time he was a capable but impressionable young man. DeSilva took full advantage of his malleability and mentored him into a likeness of his own autocratic leadership style. He then bestowed on Pastor Warfield the title of “executive pastor” and gave him administrative duties in place of his duties with the youth. With DeSilva’s departure Pastor Warfield is the highest-ranking pastor at Takoma Park, despite not being ordained. Far from helping the church resolve its problems, Pastor Warfield has continued to be in contact with DeSilva and is carrying on his plans and philosophies.

The position of youth pastor is now occupied by one Osei Daniels, a longtime member and lay youth leader at Takoma Park. He has no pastoral training beyond a single weekend seminar. He is enthusiastic about the work, but his lack of training is painfully obvious.

The conference has appointed an interim senior pastor, Gary Patterson. Pastor Patterson was originally due to begin work at Takoma Park at the end of April, but he was delayed and only began the task in the second week of June. It is as yet too early to tell what his influence will be.

On June 9, 2013 an “open board meeting” was held in order for conference personnel to discuss the audit with the congregation in greater detail. Potomac Conference President Bill Miller attended—but once again the treasurer was somehow unavailable. So, once again meaningful financial questions were evaded on the pretext that the conference representative wasn’t sufficiently versed in financial topics. Elder Miller did make some general statements about there having been poor accounting processes, which caused the chairman of the finance committee to sputter in his own defense, “That’s how my company does it!”

Overall, the meeting was most remarkable for what Elder Miller refused to say. Many members expressed a great deal of frustration at the lack of straightforwardness, but the pleas for openness and transparency fell on deaf ears. The meeting lasted three hours, and in all that time the most Elder Miller would say about the audit situation was that in order to make an insurance claim the local law enforcement entities would need to be notified of the theft, and that they would then conduct their own investigation into the matter. The greatest hope for substantive information, such as it was, was a certain implication that once that investigation had occurred there might be additional information made available.

The meeting had also been intended to have an “executive session”—a session in which only board members could be present—but this executive session was preempted by its intended subject being brought up toward the end of the main meeting. This matter was to have been the membership transfer request of the former church secretary. This was controversial because membership transfers aren’t allowed if the member is under church discipline, and in her case there is the outstanding matter of whether she should be disciplined for her affair with DeSilva. Of course, if she is to be disciplined for the affair it would be only right for him to face equal discipline. This matter was left unresolved, pending “further information.”

The meeting ended with no progress on either of the major controversies facing the congregation. And remarkably, the conference officials seem to think that this pattern of showing up and stonewalling is somehow helpful.

They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
“Peace, peace,” they say,
    when there is no peace.
Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
   No, they have no shame at all;
   they do not even know how to blush. 
(Jeremiah 8:11, 12, NIV)