Florida Church Pastor Under Fire for Attacking Members for Talking While He Was Preached

(Rev. Cecill Hubbert, pastor attacked church member)

Florida Church Pastor Under Fire for Attacking Members for Talking While He Was Preached

Bethlehem Progressive Baptist Church in Brooksville is 151 years old  and a prominent part of its community.

But something has gone wrong since their longtime pastor Rev. Louis Edrington McGhee passed away. The choir has dwindled and the new pastor seems to have some real anger management issues.

News reports state:

On Sept. 2, the Rev. Cecill Hubbert grew enraged as Brooks, 81 (from the choir), and another member of the congregation carried on a conversation as Hubbert was preaching — though several members said Hubbert was mostly just talking about the need for more donations.

Hubbert first asked Brooks to be quiet, said member Lorraine Stockley.

"Then he rushed off that pulpit and he said, 'Shut up! Shut up! I said shut up!' And he went to the back of the church and he said, 'When I say shut up, I mean shut up,' " Stockley said.

Hubbert reached around another elderly church member, Eddie Warren, and grabbed Brooks, "and we all went down in a pile," Brooks said.

"Everybody was shocked. I was screaming," Stockley said. "I was like, 'What the hell is going on? This is a church.' "

Though no one was hurt, Brooks he has since been hospitalized twice with heart problems.

(Willie Brooks, 81, attacked by pastor)   Brooks and Warren reported the attack to the police, but they both signed documents stating they didn't want to press criminal charges.

A prosecutor told Brooks that because of the signed affidavit, the matter would be impossible to prosecute. This is after he changed is mind about pressing charges.

Many of the members say Hubbert caused the incident and has not done enough to ask the congregation for it's forgiveness. In fact, he has never apologized to Brooks.

Church member Stockley said the pastor does not call meetings because he like to run the church his way and this is why he spends time on Sundays talking about money. This is mostly because membership has been declining, even before the incident.

Brooks said he wasn't interested in hearing an apology from Hubbert at this point. It's too late, he said, and he won't come back to the church "until this whole mess is straightened out."

Though many of the members are waiting for an apology from the pastor, they also want him to run the church better. As they wait, they say it should be addressed soon because tomorrow is not promised. We agree. The pastor should apologize and he shouldn't be so concerned with raising money until he gets the trust and respect from the church back.

Source

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Polk County Church Administrator Wanted for Arrest in Embezzlement of His Employer

(Photo: google)

Polk County Church Administrator Wanted for Arrest in Embezzlement of His Employer

Investigators with the Polk County, Florida Sheriff's Office have issued an arrest warrant for a former church administrator who allegedly pilfered funds from his employer. Durfey was fired as church administrator after an employee found documents in his wastebasket showing suspicious ATM activity, Senior Pastor Jim Rogers said Saturday.

A former church administrator named Oliver ‘Dan' Durfey is facing a variety of charges including scheming to defraud and grand theft.

There has been a warrant issued but deputies have been unable to locate the 54-year-old so far.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the former church employee committed the alleged crimes over a 26-month period beginning in April 2010. Investigators say Durfey was employed by the First Baptist Church of Poinciana, located in Polk County.

Investigators say the suspect used church funds for personal use and obtained a debit card which Durfey used to purchase over $56,000 in goods and services.

Durfey's position in the church gave him access to two of the church's checking accounts and a savings account.

Furthermore, investigators say Mr. Durfey used church funds to pay for two booths at political venues during his campaign. Investigators say they found he is a candidate for clerk of the court in Osceola County. Durfey is one of four Republicans on Tuesday's primary ballot.

Durfey made claims on his on-line Campaign Treasurer's Report, stating he took out two personal loans totaling $10,000. The church has confirmed from bank records that indicate those particular funds came from their accounts and not the suspects. Source

UPDATE on August 14, 2012:
Durfey candidate for clerk of the court in Osceola County turned himself in to the Hardee County Sheriff's Office Sunday and was arrested on charges of fraud and grand theft.  Source

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