Kenneth McCall used his position of power as a youth pastor to harass, molest, and assault young girls. I couldnt handle it.. Its more like picking and choosing what you think sounds good, crossing your fingers, and hoping it all works out. To donate, click here. It's pretty diverse although everybody is very excepting regardless. I went home with the intention of taking pills and killing myself, Lusk said. Easy problem to solve. This settlement is the poster child for why AB 218 was created, said Costa Mesa attorney Brian Williams, whose firm represented Lusk and the other women. During her junior year at Lakewood High, Lusk was outcast by old friends who sat in the bleachers with the 20-something man they believed she had mistreated. Dial and two other women recently settled a lawsuit against SeaCoast alleging sexual abuse by a youth pastor. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)]. Now 55, Lusk can still remember a woman telling her You are the Devil. And at a Lakewood High homecoming football game, during Lusks junior year, she was shunned by former friends who hung out in the bleachers with the 20-something man they felt she had wronged. Is she lying? But Surratt added that Mauneys transition was not something I was involved in.. We also asked Surratt about what happened at TurningPoint. Only a handful of North Long Beach Brethren employees are still associated with SeaCoast. M: 714-742-6593, ATTORNEY ADVERTISING She was not yet a teenager when the abuse began. but nevertheless freely and voluntarily exposed herself to all risks of harm., When I read Seacoast Graces pleading, in which the church blamed me for the sexual assaults, I was devastated, said Ms. Lusk. In a deposition taken last year, McCall, now 66, admitted to inappropriate sexual contact with at least half a dozen girls in his care. Schools and churches. Orange County Register also stated that multiple requests to SeaCoast's attorney went unanswered. The lawsuit is being brought by a woman identified as "Jane Doe," and alleges that ARC knew that Joshua Mauney, ARC's . One man said a senior pastor was concerned for the reputation of the church if word got out about McCall. One Saturday, she said, she walked by McCalls office to witness a girl on her knees in front of him.. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. It was the social gathering spot.. Seacoast offers Junior High Ministry, which exists to raise the next generation in a God-honoring manner. Take the next 6 weeks to explore the wisdom of Proverbs and discover the hope it offers in an unorthodox world. 2. The Leadership Team may appoint Regional Directors on a unanimous basis, with no opposing votes. I couldnt handle it.. Lusk and Dial both say that, as adults, they found themselves fretting over their own childrens safety, sometimes, to the point of paranoia. In a phone call with McCall's attorney, he said that neither he nor his client would be commenting on this subject. 363 7th Ave, 12th Floor New York, NY 10001 646-759-2551, 366 Jackson Street Suite 100 Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101, Sexual Abuse in the Music, Fashion, Film and Theater Industries. (Los Angeles, CA) - Attorneys from Greenberg Gross LLP and Jeff Anderson & Associates filed two lawsuits today on behalf of plaintiffs Carrie Denise Dial and Julie Poole Lusk against Kenneth McCall and Seacoast Grace Church, formerly known as North Long Beach Brethren. Most people do not have the fight response and if so, people arent screaming and ecstatic to share their experience of rape and/or sexual harassment, thrilled to relive their horrific trauma. I dont make myself vulnerable, she added. I felt like a doll., Dial said McCall repeatedly warned her not to tell others about their relationship because they wouldnt understand., To me, that meant he was going to marry me when I turned 18, Dial said. The complaints also detail the decision by Church leaders to eventually allow McCall to quietly resign, which permitted him to continue to work with young children. (714) 761-5100 info@seacoastgrace.org, SATURDAYS AT 5:00pmSUNDAYS AT 9 & 10:45am, Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved 1 Post. I remember watching myself from the corner of the room, as if it wasnt me. Now SeaCoast is paying for the actions of Brethrens former youth pastor. In depositions, witnesses expressed regret that they didnt go to authorities when the abuse occurred. McCall was employed by Seacoast as a pastor in the late 1970s and early 1980s. (McCall) gave me extra attention, and I liked that, said Dial, 58, now a resident of Liberty Hill, Texas. This past July, when allegations that Carter had sexually assaulted a woman at Together Church became public, COTH cut ties with him. Observing Lent: How parents can help kids remember Jesus in simple yet fun activities, Candlelight concerts to pay tribute to Taylor Swift at Immanuel Presbyterian Church featuring her popular hits, Mary Star of the Sea Parish in San Pedro celebrates St. Joseph's Day, Community Lenten Caravan's AME churches worship stops lead up to Resurrection Sunday, CIM Group buys property from West Angeles COGIC, LA archbishop to lead 6-mile procession as part of National Eucharistic Revival. He taught me to be coy; if you like someone, dont show it, she said. 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We wanted him to be held accountable, Dial said. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? As part of the National Eucharistic Revival, Archbp. This allegedly included placing Does desk in his office, and exchanging emails, text messages, and phone calls with Doe during all hours of the day and night. Greenberg Gross LLP Contact Matthew Ingles: (201) 705-2194 (c), (213) 334-7045 (o), Jeff Anderson & Associates Contact Mike Reck: (714) 742-6593 (c), (310) 357-2425 (o). I want justice for us all.. That extra attention included disappearing together in group games of hide-and-seek. It was the social gathering spot.. Therefore, when a victim is preyed upon, they are typically triggered, causing them to regress and not think as clearly because they are right back where they were in their previous victimization. Public records and court searches did not turn up any lawsuits alleging sexual abuse against Mustard Seed Ranch. As your worship begins, be sure to set aside time during the service for people to welcome those sitting around them. McCall was employed as a pastor, teacher, and spiritual counselor, with access to parish minors in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Yeah. The church then countersued state, county. He was a master manipulator, Lusk added. Three women, Julie Lusk, Denise Dial, and Jane Doe, had bravely filed lawsuits for systemic sexual abuse they each suffered between 1976 and 1983. [PHOTO: The Seacoast Grace Church on West Cerritos Avenue in Cypress on Friday, April 22, 2022, in Cypress. The church was charged for enabling repeated sexual abuse against three underage girls. They asked McCall to vacate his post, but told puzzled parishioners that he had done nothing wrong. She taught English and journalism in Compton for four years, and at Loyola Marymount University and El Camino College for a year. LAKE ELSINORE, CA The stepdaughter of a former Lake Elsinore Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) elder was awarded over $2.28 billion in damages this week in a civil lawsuit,. The church is the refuge and the Body of Christ, he said. Between December 2019 and March 7, 2020, Mauney raped and sexually assaulted Doe on 12 separate occasions at various locations, including Mauneys office at Newsound, according to the suit. Yet what about the ministry of the victims? It was like he was running a harem, he said. We have to look at the totality of circumstances to determine whether a crime was committed, or if she is bearing false witness for monetary gain. Even though it was Easter, we had to go home., [Photo: Julie Lusk in her home in Huntington Beach, CA, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. But Kenneth McCall took advantage of young girls like me, and the Church didnt do anything to prevent it from happening. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Several other women say they were also the victims of Kenneth McCall. Copyright 2020 Jeff Anderson & Associates | Disclaimer|Privacy Statement | Accessibility Statement, 366 Jackson Street, Suite 100 St. Paul, MN 55101 651-227-9990 In 1987, North Long Beach Brethren consolidated with a Los Alamitos congregation, which soon became SeaCoast Grace in Cypress. It was re-traumatizing to read that, Lusk said. Before an opportunity emerged for long-delayed legal action, Dial assumed justice had passed her by. In 2020, TurningPoint changed its name to Motion Church, which remains an ARC member. So, did I like being around him? SeaCoast Grace Church. I told every staff member I had access too. Looking back, my adult brain can see that. In 2019, Carter left Together Churcha now-shuttered ARC member megachurch in Yakima, Washingtonfor undisclosed reasons. McCall owes $250,000 more. Rehab helped her recover. I could not agree more. You know, everybody loved him. She is now 41. When a powerful person like a pastor is harassing someone much lower on the totem pole, like an assistant, they experience powerlessness and shame. Now SeaCoast is paying for the actions of Brethren's former youth pastor. Court records show that she was a mere five years old the first time she was sexually assaulted. Newspapers in English Newspapers from United . He oversaw the nonprofits San Juan Capistrano site for more than a decade, leaving in 2020 in the wake of the lawsuit filed by Lusk and others. The case is one of many that was filed at the end of 2022 during the 'look-back' window, where adults were able to file civil suits against child sexual abusers years after the fact. Its time justice is served, said attorney Mike Reck of Jeff Anderson & Associates. Yet, your sole comment is BUT she never reported being raped to the police? You clearly know nothing about abuse and have never been a victim. Daughter of Disgraced Megachurch Pastor Jeremy Foster Speaks Out, 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. SeaCoast Grace Church. On Oct. 13, 2019, Gov. Uncover why SeaCoast Grace Church is the best company for you. It was re-traumatizing to read that, Lusk said. Despite disliking his physical advances, Lusk still craved McCalls presence. Copyright 2023 Fight for Survivors | Greenberg Gross LLP. McCall began this pattern with both Ms. So for those triggered by my word harbored even if it was a moral failing (which it was not, this was sexual and spiritual abuse) leadership knew if not when they originally hired him then since last December. The Roys Report reached out to Dailey and Rizzo for comment, but neither responded. I flipped out, Lusk said. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Church was kind of the thing to do. After the passage of AB-218 and its suspension of statutes rules they got their chance. What does it mean to be successful? According to the church's website, they are a group that is centered on experiencing Jesus in a fun and exciting way through pertinent preaching, crazy activities, tons of sweets, and high-energy worship. I was 12, but I was the responsible party? The victim, referred to as Jane Doe to protect her identity, claimed her stepfather sexually assaulted her from the age of 5 until she was 14 years old. Then she recognized some faces. SeaCoast Grace Church is a mega church located in the Anaheim area in Cypress, CA. This settlement is the poster child for why AB 218 was created, said Costa Mesa attorney Brian Williams, whose firm represented Lusk and the other women. Youth Ministry. McCall currently is the Program Director at Mustard Seed Ranch (San Juan Capistrano, CA) which claims to provide faith-based, equine therapy to traumatized youth in a safe environment. To donate, allegations that Carter had sexually assaulted, FILED Complaint Jane Doe-37560_Newsound Church with Highlights, Analysis: ARC Pastors Enriched Through Hillsong Celebrity Preachers Scam, ARC Pastor Leading Church Delinquent on Mortgage Teaches College Class on Finances, Disgraced Megachurch Pastor Posts Apology After Being Spotted at John Maxwell Leadership Event, https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.arcchurches.com/about/constitution-bylaws, https://web.archive.org/web/20160409151639/http://www.arcchurches.com/about/constitution-bylaws/, Gods Clinic Cares for Thousands in Colorado, Former Georgia Youth Pastor Put on FBI Most Wanted List for Alleged $10 Million Fraud, Partnership On Track to Meet Goal of 20 New Oral Bible Translations, Shaming Signs at Cedarville University Spark Controversy, UMC Rules Disaffiliating Clergy Dont Automatically Lose Credentials, Days-long Revival Sweeping Asbury University in Kentucky, Dante Bowe Posts, Then Removes, Apology for Behavior Causing Split with Maverick City Music, Matt Chandler Steps Aside After Admitting Inappropriate Online Relationship, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Shamed, Excommunicated Mother for Refusing to Take Back Child Abuser, Former Megachurch Pastor Remarried After Adulterous Affair, Resignation, Disgraced Megachurch Pastor James MacDonald Charged with Assault After Allegedly Attacking Woman, Televangelist Creflo Dollar Renounces Past Teachings on Tithing, But Questions Persist. Why do any adult women that are raped by their husbands/boyfriends/bosses/fathers not speak up and continue to live/work/stay with them? O: 310-357-2425 I guess I felt special. One man, who worked at the church while attending college, dubbed McCall the Pied Piper.. The law was a broad expansion of the original statute of limitations for victims to sue. The suit claims Newsound and ARC also gifted or paid Mauney $70,000 after he resigned. The leadership who turned a blind eye and tried to pay-off the victim are just as guilty as the rapist. Join us Sundays at 9:00am + 10:30amTo learn more, visit http://respo. Dial worked as a registered nurse. Surratt said he knows of no reports of abuse by Mauney from TurningPoint staff. Knowing that Ken hurt other girls besides me, and knowing that he is working with at-risk youth now, makes me sick. The lawsuit also provides a link to ARCs constitution, but that page apparently has been removed. The victims say the assaults took place not only in McCalls office and car, but also in the chapel, on a church bus, at a swim party, in hallways, on a park swing, in restrooms and, when one girls parents were away, in her bedroom. In 2010, Lusk became addicted to the pain medication she took for a broken wrist. This Team will be made of the International Director, and at least four and not more than seven National Directors. I said, Oops, and closed the door and left, he said. It was responsible., As a result of my abuse by Ken McCall and the complicit actions of North Long Beach Brethren Church, I spent years questioning everything in my lifeGod, love, church, friends, trust, loyalty, and myself, said survivor Julie Poole Lusk. 3 years ago. During this internship, Delgado sent Easley disgusting, graphic communications of a sexual nature, the suit says. . At one point, they purchased a boat as an excuse to attend church camp. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. It seems the ARC way is a boys club and fraternity that takes care of the boys through overseers (also known as friends, mentors, etc) and keeping secrets through intimidation and non disclosure agreements. Since then neither he or his wife have had any association with the church. And you dont want to start throwing rocks.. To that end, the core values of HSM are rooted in the teachings of the Bible, praise, and service to others. The abuse continued until her stepfather's arrest, and he pleaded guilty to one count of committing lewd conducts with a child under the age of 14. Denise Dial, another plaintiff in the lawsuit, recalls having a nave crush similar to Lusks. She was not yet a teenager when the abuse began. It was the first time Id slept well in years, and that felt good, she said. . 44 reviews of Seacoast Grace Church "We first came to Seacoast Grace during a Thanksgiving service. But my teenage brain couldnt., By 16, Lusk understood that she was not the sole focus of McCalls flirtations. | Facebook/Seacoast Church Days after an autopsy report confirmed Pastor Darrin Patrick died by suicide, the South Carolina-based Seacoast Church's founding pastor, Greg Surratt, and Pastors Josh Surratt and Chip Judd had a live conversation about thoughts based on lie, sustained stress and survivor . Click here OR text SCGCHURCH to 77977 on your mobile device! I could talk to him about my personal problems, she said. There were no cases of sexual abuse against Mustard Seed Ranch for public records and court searches. During that time, he oversaw a number of the Churchs youth programs and initiated mentoring relationships with young girls, including both plaintiffs. The suit claims that both Vibrant and Rizzo knew or reasonably should have known of Jason Delgados conduct, and failed to take appropriate action. The complaints detail the survivors allegations of how McCall sexually groomed adolescent girls, including both plaintiffs, in an effort to establish trust so that he could isolate and assault them. All Rights Reserved. It was the most elaborate church service I ever attended. is amazing and Pastor Doyle constantly challenges me with the Word and makes me want to know Jesus more. Smith added that hes also spoken to two other victims of Delgados, who say they reported Delgados sexual harassment toward them in 2016 and in 2018-2019. Despite disliking his physical advances, Lusk still craved McCalls presence. ", "Justice in Riverside yesterday for our courageous client in my first jury trial with my two daughters, Michelle and Taylor," Dordick said on his Facebook page. Reached by phone, McCalls attorney said that neither he nor his client would comment on this story. (Courtesy of Denise Dial)], Dial said McCall repeatedly warned her not to tell others about their relationship because they wouldnt understand., To me, that meant he was going to marry me when I turned 18, Dial said. He/she moved to another school. I said, Oops, and closed the door and left, he said. While speaking with Corky Smiththe lawyer representing the plaintiff in the Vibrant Church caseThe Roys Report learned of the Florida lawsuit, which was filed last March. We didnt have the Internet, he said. Our church is Non-Denominational / Independent. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. I want accountability for what I and others endured. After leaving the church on short notice, McCall found work in commercial real estate. Lusk, the SeaCoast attorneys added, failed to use that degree of care and caution which a reasonably prudent person would have used under the same or similar circumstances.. Kenneth McCall used his position of power as a youth pastor to harass, molest, and assault young girls. Seacoast exists to help people discover life in Christ and to learn to walk in His ways. In each case, McCall exploited his position of trust and as a result, disregarded his spiritual obligations to these young girls. Five years later, that camaraderie was shattered. My goal wasnt and isnt division. Legislation passed in 2019 temporarily suspends the statute of limitations for claims of childhood sexual abuse, allowing for the filing of a lawsuit. I never matured much beyond that. In depositions taken last year, several former North Long Beach Brethren employees testified that rumors of McCalls inappropriate relationships with girls and first-hand sightings ran rampant. I felt like nothing had changed and the church was still sticking its head in the sand..

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