This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The founders of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in the Jacksonville area, are in a legal dispute with the church that involves allegations of financial misconduct and fraud. The investigation is largely focused on two different aspects of the Weems leadership, said Lee D. Wedekind III, a partner in the law firm Nelson Mullins. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they enter church property. The Roys Report reached out to ARC, asking when the Weemses and Celebration Church were removed and why, but did not immediately hear back. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! The spokesperson also said PPP funds were not utilized in the TurnCoin investment. However, in 2020, the Weemses launched AWKNG TV, a Christian not-for-profit streaming network. Weve had a great relationship with Full Source and they were looking to expand their space here on Deerwood and simultaneously we were looking to move some of our operations to our hub (Arena) location, King said. What is Celebration Church? Copyright 2022 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved. Where did the PPP money go? Scandals have lately surrounded ARC-affiliated churches and even the ARC itself, arguably North America's biggest church planting organization. ), Sky 4 photo of Stovall and Kerri Weems' home, Any and all meeting minutes, agenda, and board resolutions, and any drafts thereof, of Board of Trustees meetings held between January 1, 2017 through present, Any and all documents relating to Pastor Stovall and Kerris compensation packages from 2017 through the present, including but not limited to written agreements and records of payment from the Church to them, Any and all documents relating to the churchs 2021 purchase of the parsonage from an entity controlled by Pastor Stovall as alleged on page 9 of the Motion To Dismiss. According to a recent investigation carried out by the Nelson Mullins law firm, Weems personally benefited from unauthorized financial transactions and managed the church poorly. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. . Tim Timberlake was named Weems successor to lead the nearly 12,000-member church. We highly encourage you to use the advanced search tab under the group search bar to help you find the best group for you. He did not say how many staff members are alleged victims. You're invited to join us at Future Conference 2021 from August 4th-6th in Jacksonville, Florida! Click here and search groups under your location! Recurring negative changes in unrestricted net assets; Inability to meet and pay financial obligations as they become due; Liquid assets insufficient to cover donor restrictions on net assets and unearned income plus provide sufficient funds to meet operational obligations; Total liabilities in excess of total assets; Financial statement disclosures that describe organizational financial challenges; Failure to meet financial health standards imposed by regulatory or other accreditation bodies; A determination by a regulatory or other accreditation body of a violation of law or standards regarding the use of the organizations funds; An audit, review, or compilation report that indicates uncertainty about the organizations ability to continue to operate as a going concern. Connection and life change may take time and can be found in open, honest conversations. 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. $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. In written answers to Times-Union questions, Weems's spokeswoman said Tuesday that the home needed updates when it was bought in February and that those had been "contemplated all along by all parties involved." He told his church that on Friday, Jesus Christ appeared to him at a church service. He said he resigned because cannot be legally connected to any church in which the leadership abandons the clear biblical principles and spiritual qualifications for spiritual covering, spiritual authority, and ecclesiastical governance and oversight.. The other thing is when pastors believe their accountability should be in light of other pastors. The findings could be presented to the church trustees as early as next month, he said. The church paid just under $1.3 million for the home on Black Hammock Island in June 2021, about 50 percent more than Weems company paid for the home in February 2021, according to property records. Look up! By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Defendants launched their outrageous, libelous attack after Pastor Weems had already resigned and completely separated himself and his family from Celebration Church, said the complaint by Tampa-based attorney Shane B. Vogt, who previouslyrepresented former Alaska Gov. Global Senior . The Weemses sued Celebration Church the month after the church launched its investigation. Create an account or sign in to your My Celebration Account to sign up! In August 2011, a ceremony was held for its new location, a 7,000 square foot facility on 30 acres near 9A and Baymeadows Road. Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response, Transfers of church funds to new businesses the Weemses were going to manage, The churchs purchase of a parsonage for over $430,000 more than Stovall Weemss company had paid four months earlier when it bought the property, An advance of seven months salary to Stovall Weems and nine months salary to Kerri Weems even though neither one carried out the duties those salaries were for. Other pastors dont spend much time looking after other pastors; it is the board and leadership that witnesses this every week. 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.. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Pastor Stovall Weems, one of the founders of Celebration Church, has resigned. Thanks Mark, I feel bad for all the other people who got hurt by the church leaders. The restricted usage of these funds is documented with the Churchs Human Resources department. Sara Brady, spokesperson for Stovall and Kerri Weems. So you can expect the bank to try to recoup collateral that may have been put up. Hi. This can be a good thing but it takes away their accountability. The Celebration Church Jacksonville scandal is all about Stovall Weems telling that he met Jesus Christ on Good Friday and was surprised by his personality. The Weemses filed a request on March 15 for Celebration Church to produce the following documents within 30 days: READ: Stovall and Kerri Weems request to produce. The I-TEAM talked with a local attorney about what the newest court filing could mean for the Weemses and their businesses. I watched the pastor move away from dependence on Christ, to emphasizing the muzzuzah, and hand signs. King said the church will feature a 1,000-seat sanctuary, a preschool and childrens wing for kindergarten through fifth grade, a large youth space and classrooms. At stake is control of the churchthe essence of a religious controversy into which this court is prohibited from intervening, attorney Lee Wedekind III wrote last week when he asked Aho to dismiss the case. Scandals have lately surrounded ARC-affiliated churches and even the ARC itself, arguably North Americas biggest church planting organization. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Attorney Gene Nichols, whose not affiliated with the case, reviewed the document. The church received $2,153,702 in federal stimulus monies which were later forgiven, data collected by ProPublica shows. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Celebration Church responded to Weemses lawsuit by asking the court to dismiss it, partly on religious liberty grounds. No contractor is listed. In February, after Stovall Weems was suspended, the Weemses filed suit against Celebration Church, alleging the church retaliated against them for reporting financial misconduct. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church are suing the Jacksonville megachurchs hand-picked trustees to avoid being ousted over claims of financial irregularities. Its office and Celebration College are at 10302 Deerwood Park Blvd. In the days following that action, Stovall Weems removed one of the trustees and tried to remove two others, court filings show. 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. He was suspended by the governing board earlier this year. What Happens Now? We remain focused on advancing the kingdom of God. --Wayland Wiseman, Executive Pastor, Celebration Church. Groups that do have childcare options will have that listed in their groups description. It is a non-operational entity to which no money was ever transferred and in fact, has never had a bank account. Their initial lawsuit in March forced into the public what was intended to be an internal investigation by the Board of Trustees. The Central Church Offices are open Monday-Thursday from 9am-5pm. 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. Interested in becoming a group leader? The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. This story is another example of unchurchly. Suing to get your power position back, over a church? The founders of the 12,000-member Celebration Church are suing the Jacksonville megachurch's hand-picked trustees to avoid being ousted over claims of financial irregularities. To donate, Volk runs his own nonprofit Together For Israel, Former Pastor Accused of Rape Resigns from Churchome After TRR Investigation; Church Official Makes False Claims, Embattled Next Level Church Closes as More Demand Investigation & Audit, Judah Smiths Celebrity Megachurch Hires Man Accused of Rape Over Alleged Victims Objections, Why Businessman Peter Chung Matters for the Future of The Kings College. Celebration Church @CelebrationChurch_org 46K subscribers Home Videos Shorts Live Playlists Community Channels About LATEST MESSAGE The latest message from Celebration Church. The Asbury Revival Is Over. The celebration.org site shows that Celebration Churchs main campus is at 9555 RG Skinner Parkway, in the Baymeadows area. The new complaint seeks damages from the church andtrustees Kevin Cormier, Marcus Rowe, Angela Cannon and Jacob William as well as attorney Lee Wedekind III, who represented the church in answering the Weemses original lawsuit and seeking to have the court case dismissed. Search by Location or Filter by Keyword. Stovall Weems dismissed the trustee in January over the alleged misconduct, according to the Weemses lawsuit. I left because the Word was replaced with Michael Heiser teachings. The spokeswoman said the Weemses never intended to get any money for themselves from that retirement fund. Actually Richard it is like apple or any other corporation. I have first hand knowledge of the spiritual abuse within this organization. During that same four-month period, the median sales price for a Jacksonville-area single-family home rose 17 percent, to $330,000, according to the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. The leadership as a whole sucks and the unsaved world lives better. The Weemses, who have been ARC leaders for more than a decade, are no longer listed as ARC Lead Team members. . Wedekinds motion to dismiss said that, in December, the trustees had learned of worrisome financial transactions including the churchs purchase of a parsonage from a company that Weems controlled. 1:53:02 Know. Its a shame because at the start, they had the right concept, but absolute power and money corrupt absolutely. Even then, $5 million is still not enough to adequately maintain the campus, he said. The 71-page filing repeated elements of the original complaint, saying Weemshad discovered misconduct by a trustee who spread lies about the pastor to convince other trustees to support his ouster. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? First Citizens Bank said, as of May 5, the defendants owed a total of $716,123: The Defendants have failed, neglected and refused to pay the Plaintiff, according to the filing from First-Citizens Bank. For more info on our latest happenings or to get involved, contact us at celebrationyouthjax@celebration.org or visit The Celebration App. View our Privacy Policy. Pastor Drew King, chief business officer of Celebration Church, said the church will open in the summer. 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. 3:1-8. $645,281 owed by Honey Lake Farms Inc. and guarantor Stovall Weems (loan and credit card accounts, plus interest, late charges and attorneys fees), $50,867 owed by Weems Group LLC (credit card No. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Celebration Church and its former senior pastor, Stovall Weems, have been plagued by scandals in recent months. Full Source is an e-commerce company that sells office, safety, industrial, janitorial and maintenance supplies as well as discount apparel. Details havent been released about financial arrangements mentioned in the suit, but portions of court filings mention them ominously. Administration of the Churchs PPP funds was controlled by the Churchs CFOs. Wednesday afternoon, he said by email that the new complaint was very disappointing and a distraction from the churchs ministry. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Celebration Church, one of the biggest churches in the Jacksonville area, on Monday released findings from an internal investigation into its founding pastor, Stovall. Give me my job and salary back, even if you hate me? Celebration Church, one of the biggest churches in the Jacksonville area, on Monday released findings from an internal investigation into its founding pastor, Stovall Weems. 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