Chapel of Awareness pastor's letter

"Your current Board members are all free thinkers and none were held hostage or coerced into making decisions they didn't agree with."

Reverend Don Miller, Chapel of Awareness pastor

In such a fractious time in the world, in an era where unity is needed most in the name of "loving kindness" (as the Friends of Chapel have put it) Chapel of Awareness Pastor Don Miller takes an uncalled-for slap to the faces of a good amount of the Chapel of Awareness membership who supported the previous Board prior to (and during) the Friends' lawsuit.

Reverend Miller has opted to turn what was once a positive, inspirational, and unifying annual letter to the congregation by previous pastors into a negative political play designed to ostracize those he and the Friends of Chapel do not agree with. Coercion and "hostage holding" are serious accusations. He has thrown them at current members without qualification or example. This is inappropriate and unbecoming of a pastor -- especially one who admits in his own letter that he has been gone from Chapel for about a third of a year.

Reverend Miller states in the letter that Reverend Nell Rose Smith took over as Pastor in his absence, yet the present church bylaws do not state a procedure for such a handover (the closest that can be found is the calling of a special meeting of the congregation); even if such a handover was done properly by board action, no notice was ever sent out to the congregation.

Before he takes this slap at members and the previous board (representative of the chapel membership as elected), Reverend Miller refers to church founder Reverend Eugene C. Larr's "mundane practices" of teaching. Does he really mean to call the founder's teachings "mundane"? As to say, by definition, "common; ordinary; banal; unimaginative"? From Chapel Guardians' observations, this approach falls in line with the very publishing of the book In the Beginning, material that (by the book's own admission) founder Larr did not want published (a position he was consistent on for years).


Reverend Miller's letter is ironic in that he literally sat on both sides of the fence during the church conflict, serving and voting with some of the very board members he accuses of "hostage holding" while supporting the Friends' lawsuit. This calls his loyalties into question when it comes to a whole congregation, which Chapel of Awareness members assumed would be made whole by the Friends' stated goals upon taking over the church. This letter does not make the congregation whole; it only keeps the wound open. Many argue that it is the Friends of Chapel who fractured the congregation to begin with, and based on the actions (recall: right thought, right action) of the sitting leadership, Chapel Guardian must now agree.


Reverend Miller says the current Friends leadership is working to make sure there are no hostile takeovers of Chapel of Awareness. But there has been one. Theirs ..... From the filing of a lawsuit to the banning of ministers, corporate members and leadership against mediation, to the publishing of a book the founder didn't want to a new leadership that has been consolidated into Friends of Chapel backers.


From the letter, Reverend Miller would have the membership believe that Chapel of Awareness was saved from some underground force bent on taking it over (odd, given that the alleged ringleader was pastor for about two decades). That was not the case, no matter what Friends of Chapel propaganda would have you believe.


Reverend Miller's tone -- his statements in this letter -- is a new unfortunate chapter in Chapel of Awareness history. Is this what Chapel of Awareness has come to? Is this what Reverends Eugene C. Larr and Donald Schwartz would advocate? Is this what you want out of what has often recently been termed "Your Chapel"?

Chapel of Awareness letter about revoking memberships

Chapel Guardian received the above letter (name removed by request) from a Chapel of Awareness member. The letter from Sherry DeLoach uses (as the sender noted) the words "revoke" and "terminate", which by definition carry punitive connotations.

From Chapel Guardian's reading, the wording of Sherry DeLoach's letter falls within this definition, indicating without being explicit that punitive action is imminent. Just because someone chooses not to renew corporate membership, that doesn't mean they have engaged in misconduct. Plus, who would honestly contact their organization and ask "Please revoke my membership"? This is no way to encourage anyone in our congregation to keep a membership of any level.

A year ago, the Friends of Chapel sent out a letter in which they pledged to "restore balance, wisdom, and spiritual leadership" to Chapel of Awareness. Sherry DeLoach's letter is another in a list of examples now of how those words had no meaning, as far as Chapel Guardian are concerned.

Sherry DeLoach is among the leadership of the Friends of Chapel. They organized and sued the Chapel for the very issue raised in the letter she sent. Lack of participation and non-payment of corporate dues were among the reasons that Friends of Chapel memberships were canceled, leading to their lawsuit and resulting mediation. Now in control, Sherry DeLoach and the Friends of Chapel are citing the very same reasons for threatening to revoke memberships.

Rev. Ann Lorenzini's expulsion letter from Chapel of Awareness

Chapel Guardian has received a communication (read it at the end of this post) from Rev. Ann Lorenzini. To Guardians' knowledge this is the first time she has openly addressed the circumstance of her expulsion from Chapel by the church Board of Directors. Her information is helpful because it confirms what Guardian has been receiving --- that students, service attendees and members are being misinformed about what happened to Rev. Ann. She addresses this issue directly in her statement below.

Chapel Guardian knows of other expulsions, including at least one other minister. This has been covered in past observations here. Rev. Ann's is significant because of her long association with the Chapel and close ties with Founder Rev. Gene Larr until his passing in 2006.

Rev. Ann has provided Guardian a copy of her letter of expulsion, provided here for you to read. Consider the misinformation Nell Rose Smith uses in her rationale for Rev. Ann's expulsion:

EXPULSION VS. CANCELLATION

Nell Rose Smith claims Rev. Ann (whose name she misspells in the letter) was responsible for "the expulsion of the entire membership". This is false. Not even the friendsofchapel.blogspot.com site referred to this particular action as expulsion. Friends of Chapel stated that the church "cancelled the memberships of everyone". The term expulsion by definition is related to punitive action. Even the Friends of Chapel acknowledged the action as cancellations, not punitive action (punishment). 

The Chapel Board of Directors at the time (December 2009) made it clear in a letter from Rev. Ann to the congregation that the cancellation of all memberships was necessary for reorganization after the schism occurred. That was not punitive intent (expulsions). That letter was followed up by a new membership form for all to fill out, which Friends of Chapel ordered their faction not to acknowledge. Those new forms were being mailed back and accepted to the Chapel at the time mediation began, however. The action that the Board took was not punitive, it was procedural based on circumstances. Nell Rose Smith also seems to ascribe these actions as solely those of Rev. Ann, when they were Board decisions.

ECONOMIC AND GENERAL WELFARE?

Chapel Guardian find this issue cited by Nell Rose Smith as bizarre. She refers to Rev. Ann's "failure to meet the fiduciary responsibility for maintaining the economic and general welfare of the Congregation." This is also false.

Under Rev. Ann's leadership and contributions, the Chapel of Awareness received new energy-efficient windows. Rev. Ann also saw to the continual maintenance of the Chapel. Under her watch, while the Landmark/Friends of Chapel were inactive, Rev. Ann installed new fans in the Sanctuary for better energy efficiency.

Finally and most disturbing, while Nell Rose Smith and the Landmark/Friends of Chapel were inactive in the church and suing it, Chapel of Awareness successfully rallied the membership to donate for a new roof. Nell Rose Smith and her group are now the sole beneficiaries of what Rev. Ann and the membership did.

QUOTING BY-LAWS

Nell Rose Smith quotes the By-Laws to Rev. Ann in saying that the Chapel "shall be open to those persons who are keenly interested in actively bringing into action the concepts and directives as set forth in the Articles of Incorporation". But this is exactly why Nell Rose Smith and the Landmark/Friends of Chapel were removed from the membership rolls in the first place. They were not active, and expressed no interest whatsoever. How can Nell Rose Smith accuse Rev. Ann of the same thing?

CONCLUSION

In calling the Friends of Chapel out on their lack of activity or contact with Chapel for several years as of 2009,  what Rev. Ann and the Board of Trustees ended up doing at the time was really expose a faction of the membership --- lead by people following Landmark philosophy, not Chapel or Gene Larr --- standing at the sidelines to take over assuming Rev. Ann would fail upon the founder's passing in 2006.

That failure did not happen, and they were asked to justify their absence. That led to the lawsuit and their ultimate takeover of Chapel. In that takeover, the new Board under Nell Rose Smith's leadership did not honor the spirit of the mediation agreement, expelling Rev. Ann even though her position on the Board was recognized.

Given the subject matter of the letter, Nell Rose Smith oddly signs it "Sincerely yours".

BELOW: REV. ANN'S NOTE TO CHAPEL GUARDIAN

from xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx
to Chapel Guardian
date Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 8:38 AM
subject Re Chapel of Awareness Spiritual Church

Dear Guardian,

Thank you for your vigilance this past year in posting the activities at the Chapel of Awareness Spiritual Church in an objective manner.

For the past many months, I have received phone calls and cards wanting to know where I’ve been, and saying: “…Many of us pray that you will one day have a change of heart.”  I have explained the reason to them, but there are some who still don’t know the details of, and for, my absence.

Therefore, I am attaching a letter I received in June, 2010, from Rev. Nell Rose Smith, as Chairman of the Board, which will fully explain why I am no longer there.  You have my permission to print it in its entirety, or in part, as you see fit.

Again, thank you for your continued interest in the Chapel.

Sincerely,

Rev. Ann Marie Lorenzini

Former board member still on staff; why wasn't he expelled?

Yet another sign of the current Chapel of Awareness board's "loving kindness" ...

While they expel two ministers who served on the Board of Trustees that they disagreed with, they allow one of those ministers' board colleagues to continue to speak at the Chapel now.

It is widely known that Bill Grove, a reputable mental health professional, sat on the Board of Trustees that voted to suspend Chapel activities while under legal and psychological siege by the Friends of Chapel.

By the new Chapel junta's own definition, he also did not live up to his "fiduciary responsibility" to the Chapel by voting to suspend Chapel activities. But there he is, giving lectures ... not expelled.

It's interesting to note that all other former members of the board who also acted to suspend Chapel activities during the Friends' lawsuit have expressed no outrage over the treatment of the two ministers. Is that silence out of fear? Or Friends of Chapel payment for new loyalty?

The Friends of Chapel repeated "loving kindness" like an advertising slogan. Since when does "loving kindness" include eye-for-an-eye revenge? It doesn't. But don't tell that to the Friends of Chapel.

MINISTERS AND SPOUSES EXPELLED

Chapel Guardian have received information confirming expulsions at Chapel of Awareness, specifically two ministers and their spouses.

(One of the confirmations from a Chapel member is included at the end of this post.)

Letters were also sent out to former board members indicating that, despite the previous Boards acting in unison, no "grudges" were held against the rest. So the new leadership at Chapel has now admitted to retaliation.

The ministers expelled for life, and now barred from teaching at Chapel, are Rev. Ann Lorenzini and Rev. Barbara Koenig. Their spouses Joe Meyer and John Petrowski are banned for a period of time only.

These expulsions were carried out after they submitted official retirement letters, which the new Board acknowledged. The new Board also have allowed their spouses to return after a certain period of time while the ministers are banned for life. This further confirms that the Board's action was retaliatory in nature.

These expulsions, and their context, also raise other red flags in terms of the mean-spirited tactics of this junta:

1) At the "hearings" the new Board held to voice "grievances", Joe Meyer announced his retirement from maintenance, at which time Ernie Linkous (a pillar of the La Mesa business and civic community) "thanked" Joe to a round of applause. Then expulsion.

2) At those same "hearings" (including "grievances" that were aired without the presence of the accused), Ernie Linkous again "wanted to thank" Rev. Lorenzini and Rev. Koenig for their service to Chapel. Then expulsion.

Any reasons for these expulsions aside, this kind of two-faced hypocrisy is unbecoming of those who claim community service and spiritual and ethical behavior.

The behavior of the new Chapel junta is also two-faced because if they really believed in their case, they would have expelled all members of the Boards (including Rev. Don Miller and Rev. Sandy Smith) responsible in the decision-making that lead to their lawsuit.

These expulsions have completed the purging of knowledge necessary for Chapel of Awareness to function and teach legitimately. For example, Rev. Koenig is the only minister Founder Gene Larr ever assigned mediumship papers to, and those who truly know Chapel understand why. Rev. Lorenzini was chosen by Gene Larr to lead Chapel, and she did so for two decades despite the so-called Friends of Chapel.

****************************

Below is a letter Chapel Guardian received from a concerned Chapel of Awareness member:

from xxxx
to Chapel Guardian
date Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 6:23 PM
subject Re expulsions

Dear Chapel Guardian, in your most recent blog dated June 17, 2010, entitled "Member expulsions impending," you requested information about any expulsions or threatened expulsions.

It is understood that letters have been sent out to the members of the former Board of Directors of the Chapel of Awareness Spiritual Church indicating what their future status in the Chapel to be. Some letters were benign indicating that no action would be taken against them and they were welcome to return to Chapel, classes, etc.

However, four letters were of total expulsion - two of them for life and two of them for five years duration. The former Chairman of the Board and the First Vice Chairperson received the lifetime expulsions. The former secretary and one advisor received the five year expulsions. Four other former Board members also received letters in which there was no action taken against them.

It is also understood that this was done in the spirit of "wrapping things up."

As a point of interest, the former Chairman of the Board had send a letter of full "retirement" to the current Board on June 5, 2010 and the letter of expulsion was dated June 14, 2010. How can someone be expelled who is no longer there? Perhaps their vitriole needed to be expanded one more time?