Celebration Church @CelebrationChurch_org 46K subscribers Subscribe Home Videos Shorts Live Playlists Community Channels About LATEST MESSAGE The latest message from Celebration Church.. The report also said Weems had been involved in fraudulent mischaracterization when he applied for a bank loan for Honey Lake FarmsInc. According to the report, Weems told his lender that the church board approved purchasing the house, when they did not. The purchase of the Shellcracker property is part of the ongoing legal battle. He also answered questions about the ongoing dispute with Celebration Church. Christian Faith Center 101 South Peachtree St. Creedmoor, NC 27522 919 528-1581 How can they claim they conducted an investigation into improper financial transactions without a financial audit? Back in February, the Stovall Weems filed a lawsuit against the church, claiming that when he tried to expose financial misappropriations by church trustee, Kevin Cormier, that Cormier began feeding the other trustees and senior church members lies and misinformation.. New to Celebration Church? After the employee delivered the car as demanded, Weems told him to find his own ride home, the report reads. Meantime in 2021, Stovall Weems transitioned out of the Senior Pastor role and into a Founding Pastor role. All Rights Reserved. This is how Celebration planned to use the money, based on data from the lender when the loan was originated: The Weemses filed a request on March 15 for Celebration Church to produce documents within 30 days to prove its allegations. . The report states the Weemses also posted schedules of their required food and beverage service so that their employees would know how to serve them food and drinks. The church financed the purchase of the property by drawing on its line of credit from its primary lender. Megachurch Pastor Stovall Weems Said Jesus Came to Him Sporting Brown Hair, White Robe. Celebration Church We believe in Christ first, in excellence in all things, that people are a big deal, that everyone will grow, and that we are all family. I shall not and cannot be legally connected to any church in which the leadership abandons the clear biblical principles and scriptural qualifications for governance and oversight, the letter said. Tim Timberlake was named Weems successor to lead the nearly 12,000-member church. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. The report said over time, Weems used the encounter to justify his authority and maintain control of the church. Action News Jax facebook feed(Opens a new window), Action News Jax twitter feed(Opens a new window), Action News Jax youtube feed(Opens a new window), he claimed financial misconduct by a member of the churchs board of trustees, Download the Action News Jax app for live updates on breaking stories, Florida Senator proposes bill to cancel Democratic Party in state, Airport Authority discusses bringing new commercial flights to St. Johns County, FHP: Man dies after FDOT Road Ranger rear-ends truck, pushes him over edge of Buckman Bridge, PCSO: No charges in case of mail carrier mauled by 5 dogs, Deadly crash on Buckman Bridge, vehicle into St. Johns River. . The church and Weems have been in a civil court battle that includes allegations of financial misconduct and fraud. The report said when the trustees asked for a five-minute break to ease the tension, the Weemses walked out. It said Weems also failed to follow the fiduciary duties a senior pastor like him owes to hischurch. Action News reached out to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for comment and requested their information on racial profiling. The report said Weems filed a financial statement wrongly listing a $1.4 million loan from the church as a debt that was owed to Honey Lake Farms, and that when a bank loan officer talked to the church about it, Weems told church accountants to simply write off the money the church was owed. The single word used most frequently to describe Stovall Weems was narcissist. Nearly every witness we interviewed used that specific word, the report stated. We've been here in Jacksonville for 20 years, nothing like this has ever happened to me. Our refuge who can stand against." There was also alleged misappropriation of church funds under the Weems leadership. PPP loans are forgivable when theyre used on authorized expenses, but the report said church financial records indicate none of the loan money was spent on authorized uses. The report says as the Church became more successful, the lavishness of the Weemses lifestyle also increased. The report said the churchs cash balance dropped from $9 million in October 2020 to $6 million in December 2020 to $2 million in March/April 2021. Celebration Church - Our Team Our Team This team oversees the day-to-day ministry and operations of the church. Pastor Stovall Weems Resigns From Celebration Church Amid Legal Battle . The lawsuit claims that Stovall Weems attempted to confront Cormier about both the financial inaccuracies and "the lies" he was reportedly telling, but it had no effect on Cormier. Our team is passionate about living lives of worship and leading our church into the presence of God every time we gather. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. 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 churchs balance also allegedly dropped from $9 million in October 2020 to $2 million in April 2022 and Weems never grasped where the money went.. At one point he suggested the Church needed to learn how to function without any buildings, said the report. 2023 Cox Media Group. To find a way forward, she must look to the oldest stories of all for guidance. "The first thing that I was taken back with is like Jesus' personality. Celebration Church is shown Wednesday, March 16, 2022 in Jacksonville. The church said Stovall Weems signed the closing documents as the seller (Weems Group, LLC) and the buyer (Celebration Church). The report states Stovall was frequently described as a narcissist by witnesses. This increased the churchs debt by $1,300,000, according to the report. Weems filed a defamation suit against Celebration Church in late May. It said Weems directed the funds be spent on the following: The report said in total, $500,000 of PPP loan proceeds were used to purchase TurnCoin with no notice or authorization by the Board of Trustees. The report also said Weems bundled these funds with others so he could qualify as a legacy investor in TurnCoin and would be entitled to be paid back before other investors and receive 10% interest on their investment. Celebration Church said it agreed to purchase a parsonage for the Weemses to use as their personal residence. In March, a Weems spokesperson told the Times-Union that the TurnCoin investment did not utilize any of the churchs PPP funds.. The 12,000-member Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, continued its legal sparring with founding Pastor Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, in a new lawsuit earlier this month demanding that the couple vacate a million dollar waterfront home owned by the church after Weems completely resigned from all work with the church in April. This is how Jesus was when He was on the earth. View our Privacy Policy. The investigation said the COVID-19 pandemic led to a complete disruption of the churchs operations. "But for the steadying leadership of Pastor Tim Timberlake and the actions of Celebration's Board, Celebration would have likely already failed as an institution," the report said. Despite my numerous requests for the usual independent financial audit for 2021, as reflected in the board minutes, they have not done so, choosing instead to conduct their own misinformed investigation over months without input from those most informed. Four months later, The Weems Group sold it to the church for $1,286,863.30 which is 50% more than the Weems Group had paid. Wed love to connect with you online or at a location near you! People close with Kerri Weems stated that she expressed being suicidal as a result of the Encounter and Weems behavior following it. Another recounted that an employee was instructed to purchase a car for Weems and deliver it to his home. Theyre also seeking restoration of their base salary, benefits and back pay. The founders of Jacksonville's Celebration Church are suing the church, its trustees and a lawyer for defamation as fallout spreads from a legal fight sparked by Stovall Weems . If you need help with WJXTs or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801. CELEBRATION ARENA CAMPUS PASTORS Tim and Jen Timberlake SERVICES SUNDAY MORNINGS // 9:00AM, 11:00AM PHONE 904.737.1121 EMAIL info@celebration.org LOCATION 9555 R.G. The report said the meeting went well initially but ultimately had no lasting impact and Weems continued to spiral.. Previously, the Weemses have denied the allegations against them and said a member of the Board of Trustees engaged in financial misconduct by improperly billing the church for construction-type services that he initially said he would provide as an in-kind donation. Wed love to connect with you online or at a location near you! Church in town for cadets was canceled, and we were told that we could receive visitors between 1330 and 1530 on Sundays only. Celebration is praying for a resolution for all parties involved, and is confident in Gods plan for the church and that ultimately the truth will prevail. Celebration Church has been under new leadership since 2021. 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. The initial resignation letter says that the family would continue our ministry elsewhere, placing ourselves under the proper accountability and oversight of a council of apostolic pastors and elders in our city., On Instagram, Weems posted a note from himself and his wife telling followers, we love you and miss you very much. This action presents the latest chapter in a campaign of deception, manipulation, distraction, and abuse of power by Stovall and Kerri Weems against Celebration, reads Celebration Churchs motion. The News4JAX Morning Show team brings you breaking news from overnight -- local, national and international stories, as well as weather and traffic to start your day. Pastors Tim and Jen have a heart for Gods people and equipping them with the tools to transform their lives from the inside out. That CFO ended up leaving her position in January 2021 and transitioned to solely working for Honey Lake Clinic, which offers behavioral health treatment services and is located two miles from Honey Lake Farms. Weems and his wife, Kerri, have been locked in a court fight with the board of trustees over the trustees decision to suspend him because of suggestions of financial irregularities. The church said the Weemses refuse to vacate the property and refuse to pay any rent. The report said the Jacksonville minister, who was suspended by the megachurch's trustees in January, "brought Celebration to the brink of insolvency" while coloring his leadership with. Overall, the report states that Weems' engaged in a series of "improper and unauthorized" financial transactions through which they personally benefitted, either directly or indirectly, at the expense of the Church. Nelson Mullins reported that the single word used most frequently to describe Stovall Weems was 'narcissist'. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. One day before Martin Luther KingJr. Day, churches across the country held a walk-out-of-church protest. If you need help with WJXTs or WCWJ's FCC public inspection file, call (904) 393-9801. It said its entitled to rent for the period of April 15, when Weems resigned from the church, until the day the Shellcracker property is vacated. David & Angela Daniel Lead Pastors For more information on service times and. In it, he claimed financial misconduct by a member of the churchs board of trustees. When it says "your local church" what it means is "the parish of the Church of Denmark that governs your area." Denmark still has a State religion. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis never made a sequel to their 1994 action, comedy movie "True Lies," directed by James Cameron, but CBS has a new TV series with the same title inspired by the film. Harry is a secret international spy who pretends . $856,033.33 transferred to Honey Lake Farms First Citizens Missions Account. Stovall Weems posted a letter on Instagram that stated the resignation was effective Friday, April 15. I shall continue a righteous path with a new ministry despite these shameful efforts., 'At stake is control of the church':Celebration Church, founder Stovall Weems embroiled in legal dispute, The fallout:Celebration Church founder Stovall Weems quits; vows to 'continue our ministry elsewhere'. 2023 Cox Media Group. They also confirmed that Kerri Weems was distraught and overwhelmed by her husbands behavior, said the report. In an eviction notice dated April 26, an attorney for Celebration Church also said the Weemses have been storing taxidermy and other personal items at the churchs Regency location and those items needed to be removed by the end of May. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The News4JAX I-TEAM looked into what Celebration Church received in PPP money. In 2020, Weems drafted a document that instructed the Weemses assistants on how they were to keep each of the three residences so the Weemses would not be bothered during their transitions between homes. Celebrations board of trusteesrecently suspended Pastor Stovall Weems pending aninvestigationinto certain decisions made by him in early 2021 that were not in the best interest of the church and were not approved by the board. Celebration Church's mission is for God's family to pursue God's Kingdom. Stovall also directed the church to switch from PNC Bank to First Citizens Bank without regard to possible consequences. He was fully God but many times we forget the man Christ Jesus. Stovall Weems wrote in an Instagram post that they are grateful for the overwhelming support theyve received and look forward to being welcomed back to the church they founded. The Weemses also said the church threatened to arrest them if they came onto church property. Celebration Church filed an eviction complaint against its founding pastors, Stovall and Kerri Weems, in a move to get the couple out of a home the church owns on the Nassau River. Were so far past Christian. I shall continue a righteous path with a new ministry despite these shameful efforts.. The churchs internal investigation said Weems made several questionable financial transactions without board knowledge. Action News Jaxs Law and Safety Expert Dale Carson, whos a criminal defense lawyer, said if thats true, it could lead to fraud charges. [1] and is led by Senior Pastors Tim and Jen Timberlake. Weems said he spent more than $458,000 to make repairs and improvements. At Celebration Church, we prioritize Jesus mission to spread the gospel.We are a global house comprised of many rooms around the world, with headquarters residing in Jacksonville, Florida. Read: Bank sues former pastor of Celebration Church in Jacksonville for over $700,000 Weems said in April he has nothing to hide. The report said that loan money was properly used and documented. It said he disengaged in business meetings with staff and cried frequently. Weems never had a grasp of where the money went and would oscillate between negligent attention to financial details and aggressive demands for voluminous information, said the report. It said the disruption was further complicated by Weems plan to separate the business from the church by spinning off several ministries as stand-alone corporate entities. Find more information on upcoming services, workshops, and ministry events. 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. At Mt. John Piper Answers, 'Jesus Revolution' sees stunning opening weekend, finishes third at box office: 'miraculous', Hilarion Heagy, Eastern Catholic monk, renounces Christianity for Islam, Megachurch votes to leave UMC after trying to disaffiliate without congregational vote, Vineyard Church senior pastor resigns amid misconduct allegations against son, This week in Christian history: Shahbaz Bhattimartyred, Methodist hymnwriter born, Anne Graham Lotz wonders if Asbury revival sparked last great awakening before Christs return. 2023 Cox Media Group. Kerri can tell you, like I was just kinda sobbing. Read the full report of the investigation of Celebration Church of Jacksonville below: Weems Investigation Report by ActionNewsJax on Scribd, STAY UPDATED:Download the Action News Jax app for live updates on breaking stories. "A lot of us are angry,and it's time for us to get up and do something," Misabiko. Celebration Church is a global, multi-site church located in Jacksonville, Florida. The founding pastor of Celebration Church, one of the largest churches in Jacksonville, announced Monday he's resigned from his positions amid a legal battle with the church's trustees. Stovall Weems said he believed Cormiers construction work was part of his $1 million pledge and believed the churchs Chief Financial Officer was accounting for Cormiers donation. 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 Weems. We will add his response to this story as soon as we get it. Stovall and Kerri Weems, who founded Celebration Church in 1998, filed a lawsuit for injunctive relief against Celebration Church on February 23, alleging a church trustee was improperly billing the church and was setting the scene to oust Stovall Weems from the church he built. The money hasnt been used for a revival, the report said. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. The report argued that Weems received a financial benefit from the digital security buys. After the church received a $1.1 million loan through the federal Paycheck Protection Program last year, the report said, Weems directed the purchase of $500,000 worth of a digital security called TurnCoin. Please click here to learn how. The home is on Shellcracker Road in the Black Hammock Island area of Duval County. The first known celebration of Black History Month happened more than 50 years ago. Those steps were to accept the resignation of the Weems as employees without further compensation, pursue the removal of the couple from any positions of authority relating to the Church, and to find and account for all "misappropriated funds". When he applied for a five-minute break to ease the tension, the report says as the church switch!, said the church and Weems behavior following it purchasing the house, they! 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