ACNAtoo
@ACNAtoo
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Supporting victims of sexual abuse and other harm in ACNA contexts. Resources, networking, whistleblowing. Survivor-led. (ACNA=Anglican Church in North America)
Joined July 2021
We’re publishing this guest thread from the mother of the 9yo victim of sexual assaults by Mark Rivera. We’ll be using her initials to protect her & her daughter’s identity. She wants to correct the record about public statements put out by @ChurchRez & @MidwestAnglican. #ACNAtoo.
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BREAKING: Three members of @The_ACNA PRT resigned today in protest on behalf of survivors. @autumnvandehei @artofbreathing @Christen_P5
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At today's ruling, Judge Barsanti found Mark Rivera guilty on 6 out of 10 counts. Rivera's bail has been revoked and he will go into custody to await his sentencing hearing on February 10.
Kane County Judge John Barsanti is scheduled to deliver the verdict on Mark Rivera’s case tomorrow, December 15, at 11:00 am at the Kane County Judicial Center.
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Predators understand they need to groom not only their victims, but also the communities where they prey on them. In this article, we lay out the tactics abusers use to groom entire communities and how to educate ourselves to withstand their predation.
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Today was the sentencing hearing for Mark Rivera. On 12/15/22, he was convicted on 5 felony counts: 2 class X felonies of predatory sexual assault of victim <13 & 3 class 2 felonies of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of victim <13. Rivera was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
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CM: Advocates and supporters - I need your help! I am calling publicly for the immediate removal of Bishop Stewart Ruch and Diocesan Chancellor Charlie Philbrick from the committee that is overseeing the @MidwestAnglican investigation.
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"When a woman or a child who has been sexually abused is required to meet one-on-one with the perpetrator, it becomes morally inexcusable and psychologically violent to insist upon legalistically following Matthew 18." | @scotmcknight and @laurambarringer .
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We are disappointed @The_ACNA is not addressing the concerns of the PRT members that were chosen for their specific expertise in this area. These concerns are valid and align with our experience and that of the survivors we represent.
"We disagree with assertions in their letter and wish they had discussed those with us before stepping down, but it would not serve the survivors or the investigative process to debate them at this time." Read the full statement from the PRT:.
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Helen Keuning, former member of @The_ACNA @MidwestAnglican Bishop’s Council (BC), breaks her silence to explain why she resigned:
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Merry Christmas from your ACNAtoo AdvoCats, to all who celebrate! We thank the young daughter of @cherinmarie2 for this delightful painting.
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CM: The oversight of this investigation should be immediately turned over to a new team made up entirely of people that have no relationship with Mark Rivera and who are not under Bishop Stewart Ruch's authority in any way. Nothing about this committee is “independent”.
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Correction: Today the judge ruled Mark Rivera guilty on 5 counts - 2 Class X felonies and 3 Class 2 felonies. The sentencing range for those 5 counts is 15-120+ years. And he's now back in jail awaiting sentencing on 2/10.
At today's ruling, Judge Barsanti found Mark Rivera guilty on 6 out of 10 counts. Rivera's bail has been revoked and he will go into custody to await his sentencing hearing on February 10.
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Five years ago today a 9-year-old child’s courageous disclosure of sexual abuse by a church leader and family friend set in motion the process that finally stopped lay catechist Mark Rivera from preying on vulnerable people in his community.
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We have begun receiving witness accounts from the "family meeting" held at @ChurchRez yesterday evening. We would like to note a few of these that have been corroborated by multiple witnesses: 🧵.
Two recent members (one a current ACNAtoo advocate) of @ChurchRez in Wheaton, IL were barred from entering a “family only” meeting tonight led by Bp. Stewart Ruch discussing the abuse mishandling. @RNS @MidwestAnglican @The_ACNA @cbschicago #ACNAtoo
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After updating our database last night with some recent cases, we realized that in fact we're tracking abuse allegations in 14 (out of 28) dioceses in @The_ACNA. Abuse and its mishandling by those in power extends far beyond @midwestanglican. #acnatoo.
Done and Left Undone: "While ACNAtoo is privately tracking abuse allegations in 12 ACNA dioceses involving over 100 survivors, these are the cases that the reporting survivors have given us permission to speak to publicly at this time." #acnatoo .
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Kane County Judge John Barsanti is scheduled to deliver the verdict on Mark Rivera’s case tomorrow, December 15, at 11:00 am at the Kane County Judicial Center.
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Cherin Marie and her young daughter are relieved to see some measure of justice served and to know Rivera will be behind bars for many years where he can’t continue to prey on the vulnerable, especially children. They are extremely grateful for all the support they've received.
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Today the following letter was provided to an ACNAtoo survivor advocate (with permission to share and publish as they saw fit) by @autumnvandehei, @artofbreathing, and @Christen_P5, former members of the Provincial Response Team.
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"Those who have been abused often find that the church seems far more enamored with the abuser’s redemption arc than with survivor healing.".
THE SECOND COMING OF ABUSIVE PASTORS, by Stuart Delony. "Those who have been abused often find that the church seems far more enamored with the abuser’s redemption arc than with survivor healing. It’s not just tone-deaf; it’s sacred backstabbing.".
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We hope that through following this case and the details that have been exposed, churches will work to create best practice policies to prevent abusers from having power & access within their communities as well as structures firmly in place to address cases of alleged abuse.
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Two recent members (one a current ACNAtoo advocate) of @ChurchRez in Wheaton, IL were barred from entering a “family only” meeting tonight led by Bp. Stewart Ruch discussing the abuse mishandling. @RNS @MidwestAnglican @The_ACNA @cbschicago #ACNAtoo
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Thank you @cbschicago for covering Rivera's guilty verdict, as well as your earlier coverage featuring @cherinmarie2. #ACNAtoo
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Merry Christmas from the ACNAtoo AdvoCats!.🎨 Our Christmas illustration was painted by the courageous young girl who first reported Mark Rivera’s abuse. 🎄🎄
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The Wall of Silence podcast about ACNA mishandling of abuse returned today with a new episode (briefly) explaining the pause and why podcaster/ACNA priest @PostCnsumrChris decided to resume.
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A survivor has come forward with her story of sexual assault by a religious leader in @greenhousemove within the @MidwestAnglican diocese in @The_ACNA. She asked us to share this. We applaud her for her courage in speaking up! DMs are open. #ACNAtoo
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We posted a guest thread yesterday from a child sexual abuse victim "Carol." At the request of the fellow victim she referenced anonymously, we deleted the thread & removed the article. Carol will still share her story in the coming days but will honor the other victim's request.
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CM: Both @StewartRuch and Diocesan Chancellor Charlie Philbrick are implicated in the mishandling of my daughter's sexual abuse allegations and have a vested interest in keeping the truth covered up. Neither should be allowed to have any say in the investigative process.
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Are you concerned (and/or confused) about what's happening in @The_ACNA and @MidwestAnglican? Read our statement and summary about the events that unfolded publicly this week.
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CM: Fr. Rand York, Chris Lapeyre, and @MidwestAnglican Dean William Beasley failed to report Mark's sexual abuse of my daughter. I reported Mark myself on 5/20/19. No one else reported it. @StewartRuch knew this happened, made excuses for it, and no one ever took ownership.
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This morning we are sharing a story from "River," a survivor who alleges grooming by Mark Rivera when she attended @ChurchRez while a student at Wheaton College. CW: The following account contains descriptions of grooming and sexual abuse.
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Our team is currently focused on supporting survivors of Mark Rivera’s abuse as the trial resumes tomorrow, 9/29. We have read the Husch Blackwell report and look forward to commenting on it once Rivera's trial concludes.
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CM: I personally told @ChurchRez leaders on 6/16/19 about 5 additional victims and 2 potential victims who may be in ongoing danger. No one took any action. No reports were made. No one listened. @StewartRuch was presumably told there were more victims and he did nothing.
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CM: Others on the investigation committee, Lay Canon Brenda Dumper and Dean Eirik Olsen, are decades-long close friends with Mark Rivera and his family. Mark's victims and our advocates are not okay with this.
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If this is @ChurchRez's official stance, then they are actively asserting that Cherin is misrepresenting Rez's involvement in handling the allegations & that the abuse & grooming experienced by survivors like River, Holly, Lily, Clarke, etc. is irrelevant.
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"In 2011, I was excommunicated from @ChurchRez because I had entered a same-sex dating relationship. They didn’t tell me this at the time. In all of my conversations with Dcn. Keith Hartsell and Fr. Kevin Miller, the word 'excommunication' was not used.".
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CM: I am the mother of Mark Rivera's 9 y/o victim. It was never my desire to speak publicly but I am left with no choice. I learned recently of deliberate deceptions that @StewartRuch has told the @ChurchRez congregation regarding the handling of my daughter's abuse allegations.
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is live! We're deeply grateful to our magnificent, talented volunteers creating this 4 our #ACNAtoo survivors!! @hlgriffin @Weejenbug @Wevans0987 @Temporarytwit10 @AaronMHarrison @john__perrine @bcastlemiller @rebeccagraber @friendly_sloth @gwenhugssloths.
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1. Multiple witnesses observed Fr. Brett Crull attempt to compel a Rivera victim's mother (who is also a former longtime @ChurchRez member) to leave the building. When she politely but firmly refused, he threatened to summon the 2 hired cops to force her departure.
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CM: I attended @ChurchRez for 18 years, starting when I was 8. I knew @StewartRuch before he was even ordained as a priest. I have also lost almost all my @ChurchRez friends due to how @StewartRuch and @ChurchRez handled this 2 years ago when my family came to them for help.
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CM: Not only was the Bishop's wife, Katherine Ruch, talking about my daughter and my family without ever speaking to us - her opinion was used by an @ChurchRez member to affirm narratives that my daughter, a 9 y/o sexual abuse victim, was not trustworthy or credible.
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This @RNS article has important info about former ACNA bishop Todd Atkinson being deposed after many years of egregious abuses and numerous brave survivors and whistleblowers who weren't heeded for way too long (& link to full report). By @kathrynmaepost.
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Rivera was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison, the bare minimum required for his convictions. The judge gave him credit for 1,124 days time served, despite 867 of those days being out w/his family wearing an ankle monitor. Meaning he's eligible for parole in just 9 years.
Former Anglican lay minister Mark Rivera has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for felony child sexual abuse and assault. “We’re relieved to be finally done, after waiting 1,389 days for this small amount of justice,” said the abuse survivor's mother:
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We just crossed 600 signatures on our Petition to the Province! After the resignations-in-protest yesterday by 3 members of the PRT, it's more important than ever that we keep raising awareness. It's not too late for the Province to do the right thing!
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CM: I asked @StewartRuch many questions that he has never answered: Why did no one apologize that @MidwestAnglican and @greenhousemove leaders refused to report my daughter’s sexual abuse? Why did no one listen when I told @ChurchRez leaders there were more victims?
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CM: @StewartRuch recently told @ChurchRez that COLA paid for counseling for my daughter; COLA paid for her first 4 sessions, said they would pay more, and then never responded, over 2 years ago. My family has paid out-of-pocket since then with no help. Rez has paid for nothing.
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Starting in 2021, substantial allegations of abuse and abuse mishandling have been made against @midwestanglican Bishop Stewart Ruch.
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Since then, over a dozen survivors have come forward with accounts of abuse by Rivera, with allegations including rape, assault, child sexual abuse, indecent exposure, and grooming. Rivera has also been charged with 2 counts of rape of another victim, and that case is pending.
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Thank you to all 100 people who have signed our Petition to the Province so far in under 24 hours! Would you consider adding your name as well, as we ask for a truly survivor-centered investigation?
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3. Witnesses observed several @ChurchRez clergy physically blocking multiple longtime members from entering the sanctuary. These clergy reportedly threatened to call over the hired cops to intervene when those individuals did not promptly depart.
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CM: 12/2020 I asked a friend to help arrange a meeting with Katherine Ruch so I could discuss, in-person, the painful things my family experienced at @ChurchRez - Katherine never responded. I also told @StewartRuch that I am heartbroken over his and the church’s inaction.
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CM: My family began attending @ChurchRez on 5/19/19 after we were pushed out of COLA. It took a whole month before we received any pastoral care at Rez. While we waited for someone to meet with us, @MidwestAnglican leaders were giving Mark legal, spiritual, and financial support.
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We understand that the details of the mishandling of sexual abuse allegations in @The_ACNA @MidwestAnglican @ChurchRez @greenhousemove are cumbersome, 1.5 years after beginning our public advocacy. So here is a summary to help you follow along. #ACNAtoo.
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Today we pause to honor the little girl who stopped a serial abuser and offered fellow survivors a path to come forward and say, “me too.”. You should never have been forced to make this decision, and your bravery saved others from having to do the same.
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CM: My family was gossiped about and treated badly by some @ChurchRez members and finally left the church. We tried getting help from Deacon Val McIntyre but our story was dismissed. @ChurchRez protected Mark’s children more than a 9 y/o abuse victim and her family.
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Shortly afterward, they filmed this video to document their experience:.
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CM: Mark had a group of church leaders supporting him at every court hearing, including Fr. Rand York, the priest at COLA. My husband and I went alone to almost every hearing. Deacon Val McIntyre failed to put hearing dates in her calendar so we had almost no clergy support.
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CM: 11/2019 I asked Deacon Val McIntyre at @ChurchRez if Rez could help pay for professional counseling for me. Deacon Val gave me a therapist referral and offered me counseling assistance, but later capped it at $500 & never reimbursed me even for the $250 intake session.
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CORRECTION: Judge Barsanti found Mark Rivera guilty on 5 out of 10 counts. Rivera’s bail has been revoked and he will go into custody to await his sent nixing hearing on February 10.
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Today in the Rivera trial, the defense concluded its case, and both sides made their closing arguments. The judge set Fri 11/18 10:30am to render his verdict.
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CM: On 6/29/19 @StewartRuch told Deacon Val to connect my family with @ChicagoAnglican priest Fr. Hartsell for support; she never did this. My family also received zero financial assistance from @ChurchRez or @MidwestAnglican. Financial support was offered twice but never given.
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Today @ACNAtoo released a further-redacted copy of @The_ACNA @HuschBlackwell investigation final report. You can read the report and our statement about the re-release on our website:
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CM: Deacon Val McIntyre’s pastoral negligence deeply harmed my family. She failed to provide us with proper pastoral care, withheld promised financial assistance, and contributed to my family being pushed out of @ChurchRez when we desperately needed support and community.
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CM: Others at @ChurchRez harmed us deeply. Some members gossiped about us, leaders failed to listen or take meaningful action, and my daughter was not believed or supported. I lost many friends and my reputation was destroyed. @ChurchRez is not a safe place for victims.
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CM: Among other things, this email names the @MidwestAnglican leaders who tried to cover up Mark's sexual abuse of my daughter. One of these leaders, Diocesan Chancellor (lawyer) Charlie Philbrick, is currently on the diocesan team that is “overseeing” the investigation process.
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. @The_ACNA has released two announcements regarding Stewart Ruch, Bishop of @midwestanglican: a declaration from the Board of Inquiry that Bp. Ruch is headed for an ecclesiastical trial and an update on the two presentments brought against Bp. Ruch.
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The following is a guest thread by "Clarke," a survivor. The thread that follows is in her words and her story can also be read on our website at the link below:
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CM: On 6/29/19 I talked to @StewartRuch & learned that he attended Mark’s first court hearing to support him & had given Mark’s family $500 of @MidwestAnglican funds - all while failing to reach out to my family. My family was offered $500 of support but it was never given to us.
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CM: On 1/19/21 @ladyjessicahaze, myself, and 2 advocates had emailed @StewartRuch and told him about how COLA leaders and members mistreated my family in the wake of my daughter's abuse disclosure. He never even acknowledged this story. So I emailed him on 5/1/21 to explain more.
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CM: With Mark sitting right there, Chris Lapeyre said, "We have been advised by the Diocesan Chancellor [Charlie Philbrick] that we do not need to report this to the authorities - and it sounds like you don't need to either.” I was pressured by many at COLA not to report Mark.
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Kane County Judge John Barsanti is scheduled to deliver the verdict on Mark Rivera’s case tomorrow, November 18, at 10:30 am.
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🔎Husch Blackwell Report Fact Check:. ⚠️Rev. York states that Mark Rivera preached at COLA on fewer than 5 occasions. 🧾Mark Rivera preached at COLA 27 times between Dec 2014–Nov 2017 alone, according to records on the COLA website & screenshots from the church’s Facebook page.
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CM: No pastoral care plans were ever made for my family when we left COLA and came to @ChurchRez for help, despite the promise that they would be. Deacon Val McIntyre forgot about multiple prayer appointments and failed to provide even basic pastoral care to my family.
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CM: On 5/18/19 @MidwestAnglican Chancellor/Lawyer, Charlie Philbrick, told COLA church leaders they did not have to report Mark's abuse. COLA leaders Fr. Rand York and Chris Lapeyre asked me to meet with them and Mark, and told me, in front of Mark, they would not be reporting.
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2. Witnesses report that at least one speaker on stage during the meeting described the alleged abuse as a "family issue in Big Rock" that was entirely unrelated to @ChurchRez.
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What follows is an excerpt of a letter from the Rev. Gina Roes (@artofbreathing) to her fellow clergy in @The_ACNA. Her full letter has been published with permission on ACNAtoo's website:.
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ACNAtoo has the author team’s full permission to publish the presentment with its exhibited evidence.
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CM: @StewartRuch told me that he was current on the situation with Mark because his wife, Katherine, was talking to all involved and keeping him informed. She never talked to me but was talking about my family with other @ChurchRez members without hearing my family's story.
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Amy describes how @ChurchRez's teachings on marriage and sexuality led her into a mixed-orientation marriage that was intended to “heal” her husband's homosexuality, but instead catalyzed a dysfunctional, deeply harmful, and ultimately abusive marriage.
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CM: The failure of Dean William Beasley and COLA leaders to report child sexual abuse led to @StewartRuch asking for an internal review of @greenhousemove, the church planting organization that planted Christ Our Light in 2013 and made Mark Rivera a catechist in 2014.
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Helen Keuning continues the ACNA Witnesses series with her third reason for resigning the @MidwestAnglican Bishop’s Council. She decided to choose love instead of turning away.
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When children are uncomfortable with the way they are being touched or talked to, they look to the adults around them to see if the adults are concerned. When they show zero concern and do nothing to constrain the crossing of physical and emotional boundaries, kids accept it. 💔.
If we want to prevent abuse in churches, it's important to train leaders & members to recognize how predators groom not only potential victims, but enablers who become so used to the predator's behavior that they miss important warning signs. @ACNAtoo.
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Multiple people have provided ACNAtoo with a text message that a @ChurchRez member sent to congregants, warning them of a convicted sex offender who has been attending Rez for the past three years.
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CM: The time has come for me to break silence on behalf of my daughter and my family. There are sadly more deceptions than I can address in this thread, but I would like to share portions of an email I sent to @StewartRuch on May 1, 2021 that speaks to some of them.
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.@The_ACNA has announced that its Board of Inquiry found probable cause to present Bp. Ruch of @MidwestAnglican for an ecclesiastical trial for violation of Canons IV.2.4 and IV.2.10, as laid out in a presentment brought by three bishops in 2022.
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Additionally, this stance would further dismiss Mark Rivera's documented 20+ year history and many volunteer roles at @ChurchRez.
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Update: the @HuschBlackwell report appears to have been removed from @The_ACNA website. We hope this means the Province is listening to survivor and advocate requests and will redact the details in question before putting it back up.
The Husch Blackwell report that @The_ACNA published on September 27 contains graphic details of the sexual abuse of a minor, in spite of personal and explicit details of other survivor and witness testimonies being heavily redacted.
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This is a guest thread for a survivor story. This survivor is going by the pseudonym "Amber" and her story is also on our site. TW for sexual abuse, sexual assault, and spiritual abuse.
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Today we published un update on recent events: Growing Calls for Transparency: Open Letters, Released Correspondence, and an Ecclesial Trial Update.
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