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. Celebration Church @CelebrationChurch_org 46K subscribers Home Videos Shorts Live Playlists Community Channels About LATEST MESSAGE The latest message from Celebration Church. The Roys Report reached out to ARC, asking when the Weemses and Celebration Church were removed and why, but did not immediately hear back. The News4JAX I-TEAM looked into what Celebration Church received in PPP money, which was distributed to help businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic. To view a group that you are a part of, sign in to your My Celebration Account and click the My Groups button below. According to Lambert, the church spends about $5 million per year (37% of the church budget) to maintain the church's properties. Join us for Wednesday night services at all Jacksonville locations with hang-time from 6:30-7:00PM and service beginning at 7:00PM. First Baptist Jacksonville commissioned a study in recent months to figure out what the church must do to update its facilities. We believe that true life change happens in the context of community. Celebration Churchcontinues to stand by the validity and authenticity of the board investigation, he said. Wells without water clouds without rain, they are the foam of the ocean washed up upon the shores ! 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. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Sarah Einselen is an award-winning writer and editor based in Texas. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? Since . In the suit, they allege trustees suspended Stovall Weems in retaliation for reporting financial misconduct by a church trustee and the churchs former CFO. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Stovall Weems was seeking restoration of his salary and backpay. We have nothing to hide. 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. 0:00 1:22 Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems has resigned from the Jacksonville megachurch "I founded and poured my life into," saying the choice was "absolutely necessary if I am to. The Weemses sued Celebration Church the month after the church launched its investigation. Dan Busby, Longest-Serving President of ECFA, Dies at 81. They filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against Celebration Church, alleging a church trustee was improperly billing the church for construction-type services at its Honey Lake Farms property in Madison County and turned the other trustees against him, leading to Stovall Weems suspension. Celebration Church is no longer listed as a member of ARC, either. 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 action you just performed triggered the security solution. To donate, click here. Scandals have lately surrounded ARC-affiliated churches and even the ARC itself, arguably North Americas biggest church planting organization. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In 2021, Stovall Weems transitioned out of the Senior Pastor role and into a Founding Pastor role. Any and all documents supporting your allegation that Pastor Stovall made multiple large transfers to new for-profit entities that the Weemses intended to manage going forward including but not limited to bank records and written communications. Now they've finally tied the knot, Soccer's Orlando Pride ditches players' white shorts over period concerns, Rooftop bar and music venue planned for Bay Street, NASA made history by knocking an asteroid off course. This article has been corrected to accurately describe the churchs relationship with ARC. Another one in the never ending line of evangelical power and money seekers that has (and will) left hurt, traumatized, abused people in the wake. Many of those older folks, like me, gave years of our lives to help grow that church, only to be pushed aside. . Hey Rob. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. Siebeling is a senior pastor at The Life Church, an ARC-affiliated Tennessee megachurch, and Volk runs his own nonprofit Together For Israel. When a ministry encounters failureor even worse, scandalits difficulties can almost always be traced to a breakdown in governance, ECFA says in explaining Standard Two. Venus and Jupiter are going in for a nighttime kiss, He proposed 60 years ago, then broke her heart. Sarah Palin in a libel suit against the New York Times. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. We believe that true life change happens in the context of community. What I have witnessed is more pastors are using their authority to control the narrative. We remain focused on advancing the kingdom of God. --Wayland Wiseman, Executive Pastor, Celebration Church. Email:[emailprotected] None of the questionable transactions were approved by the trustees, Wedekind wrote, although the Weemses lawsuit said the parsonage was approved by the churchs compensation committee, which included trustees. Honey Lake Clinic advertises offering a Christ-centered program that practically heals past wounds and equips people with Godly decision-making skills to transform their lives. Its a nonprofit that operates alongside Honey Lake Farms, founded in 2017 as the nonprofit Celebration Care Ministries Inc. and still partially funded by the church. Depart from me you evil doers of iniquity for I NEVER KNEW YOU! 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. But we also look forward to serving the entire community who may not be familiar with Celebration yet, King said. 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. It's big, with about 12,000 members who attend nondenominational services at around 10 far-flung locations or join in online. Hobby Lobby moved to Parkway Shops in River City Marketplace in 2015 and also opened a store at The Strand at Town Center. 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. The church included emails between Stovall Weems and trustees that it said backed up its version of events. 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. They said through a spokesperson that the price difference on the parsonage reflected extensive updates, repairs and housing-related expenses they had paid for before selling it to the church. To sign up for a group, please follow these instructions: 3. These are fiefdoms and not churches. 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. Familiar minds think alike. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, gardening, and coaching high school extemporaneous speaking and debate. Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, the statement said. No criminal charges have been filed in this case. Every organization shall exercise the appropriate management and controls necessary to provide reasonable assurance that all of the organizations operations are carried out and resources are used in a responsible manner and in conformity with applicable laws and regulations, such conformity taking into account biblical mandates, it states. The letter from the church board removing him said Weems was being removed for "possible improper financial practices and/or failure to fulfill duties and responsibilities as senior pastor." Celebration Church filed a motion to dismiss the injunction, News4 Jacksonville. Pastor Stovall and his wife, Kerri Weems, founded the Jacksonville church in 1998. A civil court hearing on the case between the Weemses and Celebration Church is scheduled for May 31. The church argued that the couples suit presents the latest chapter in a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power by Stovall and Kerri Weems against Celebration.. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Celebration Church filed a motion to dismiss and accused Stovall Weems of financial misconduct, fraud and spiritual abuse. 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. Celebration Church said in its motion to dismiss that the board of trustees did not have knowledge of or give authorization to the purchase of property that was designated as church parsonage for the Weemses. That was nearly completed when the lawsuit was filed, the statement said. Look up! Search by Location or Filter by Keyword. Great! Other pastors dont spend much time looking after other pastors; it is the board and leadership that witnesses this every week. Where did the PPP money go? Previous coverage: Bank sues Celebration Church founders for $716,000 in business debts, credit card bills, Church founder leaves: Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems quits, vows to 'continue our ministry elsewhere', 'At stake is control of the church': Celebration Church, founder Stovall Weems embroiled in legal dispute. No PPP funds went to Honey Lake Farms, LLC. You're invited to join us at Future Conference 2021 from August 4th-6th in Jacksonville, Florida! By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. We have many groups that meet virtually as well as hybrid groups that meet in-person and virtually. The Weemses filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against Celebration Church. 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 have until June 12 to provide a written response to the court. The Weemses also said theyve been threatened with arrest if they come onto church property. The Regency Park church will be a closer option for them. A hearing on the dismissal motion is scheduled for May 20. So you can expect the bank to try to recoup collateral that may have been put up. personally benefited from unauthorized financial transactions and managed the church poorly. That suggests a long term pattern, so why is that part only coming out in light of the financial issues? For more info on our latest happenings or to get involved, contact us at celebrationyouthjax@celebration.org or visit The Celebration App. This isnt Apple, Coca-Cola, General Motors, etc.! A spokeswoman for Weems said the church has about 300 employees. Meanwhile, the substantive allegations made in our Complaint about financial improprieties perpetrated by current Board members have gone unanswered. What Happens Now? Stovall and Kerri Weems are in a legal dispute with the church they founded in 1998. I look forward to a solution that honors God above all else. ECFA Standard Four relates to a ministrys use of resources and compliance with laws. There are certain allegations regarding what I can best characterize as spiritual abuse.. Nichols says cases like these usually are resolved before they end up going to trial. Administration of the Churchs PPP funds was controlled by the Churchs CFOs. Nichols says the Weemses also personally pledged to repay the loans. One part of the investigation concerns financial transactions made between January and June 2021, when there were no board meetings conducted, Wedekind said. 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. The filingincluded broad denials of wrongdoing by the Weemses, who launched the church in 1998. We believe true life change happens in the context of community and we welcome everyone to experience this together, no matter what church you call your home! This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Was this article helpful? Honey Lake Farms, LLC (which is different than the non-profit Honey Lake Farms, Inc.) is a for profit entity that was formed on the advice of the Churchs attorneys at Holland and Knight. Stovall and Kerri Weems released a statement to News4JAX on Wednesday: We could never have imagined that the church we started and nurtured for nearly 25 years would be seized by individuals whom we believe are prioritizing their individual interests in power and money ahead of their duties to Celebration Church and its mission. Copyright 2023 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. This can be a good thing but it takes away their accountability. The Central Church Offices are open Monday-Thursday from 9am-5pm. Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? 3:1-8. . Duval County property records show Weems Group, LLC, which is registered to Kerri Weems and managed by Stovall Weems, according to the State of Floridas Division of Corporations, purchased a home on Shellcracker Road in the Black Hammock Island area of Jacksonville for $855,000 in February 2021. Regency Park is anchored by Ollies Furniture Outlet, American Signature Furniture, Bealls Outlet and, in development, Surplus Warehouse. Rizzo is the executive director of ARC and missions pastor at Church of the Highlands, another scandal-plagued ARC church. All of them ! 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. 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