Thread by @katierouquine

As I mentioned in my Sunday post (regarding the current abuse scandal in @The_ACNA, @ChurchRez, @MidwestAnglican, I wrote the Provinicial Respose Team a letter.

#ACNAtoo

I've held that letter for the last few days to weigh and consider whether it would be beneficial to share with a wider audience. Upon seeing the alarming news today that Mark Rivera, who has 9 felony counts of child sexual assault against him...

...has once again been bailed out of jail with merely an ankle bracelet (!) and this is the second time his bond has been paid for him – to the tune of a total of $40,000 posted on his behalf – I've decided to post my 3+ page letter in full below.

(I urge you to sign the petition if you've not already done so – you don't need to be Anglican or connected to these churches or dioceses to add your name in support of a fair and truthful investigation):

"To the Provincial Response Team,
Like many, I have been waiting. Waiting for clarity. Waiting for answers. Waiting for next steps. Waiting for a proper team to get assembled. Waiting for a trustworthy investigative firm to be hired.

Waiting and waiting and waiting. Exercising patience. Exercising hope. Exercising the quality in love of "believing the best", as the Amplified Bible puts it: "Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one],

hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]". I previously posted my own thoughts and then nearly 20 individuals reached out to me to talk privately about the ACNA abuse scandal –

to express their hurt, their pain, their questions, their confusion, and their own stories of mishandling within the Upper Midwest Diocese (they were a mix of lay leaders, staff members, and congregants).

I have attempted to allow space for the Province, the Archbishop, and the Provincial Response Team to do the right thing. I've noted that as deeply concerning and frustrating as this whole situation is, it – annoyingly – takes time to address and to do things right.

It takes time to assemble a team like yours: to vet people, to make sure it is balanced, representative, and composed of individuals seeking the truth.

It takes time to research and find the right investigative firm: to vet them, their history, their parameters, their stipulations, to be sure they are also seeking the truth.

It takes time when this horrible scandal breaks in the summertime, during a pandemic, when people's schedules are jostled and not synced up.

It takes time when those responsible to fill in during the interim (for leaders put on leaves of absence) are also themselves put on leaves of absence.

I don't know how many times I have said, "I'm sure it takes time", in hopes that what was going on behind the scenes was INDEED being done in good faith and WOULD indeed be confirmed as such in good time.

I'm truly sorry to say that's been blown out of the water and is no longer a plausible option for me to go on believing, espousing, or encouraging others to believe and espouse.

A few months ago, when the story broke about Keith Hartsell's complicity in a particular abuse situation, I watched closely to see how it would be handled.

It was possible – and I hoped – Keith would offer a sincere apology when reflecting upon his behavior in his early ministry years. However, upon Keith's first pass at addressing this at his church on September 5th, no sincere apology was offered.

Then, curiously, the recording of that livestream was removed. Your team, the PRT, asked him to correct his initial statement. You even alerted #ACNAtoo that Keith Hartsell would be presenting a public correction on October 31 regarding his misleading comments from September 5.

It was possible – and I hoped – Keith would offer a sincere apology upon realizing how the first attempt was lacking. However, when Keith offered a statement "publicly", the audio of said statement was muted for over 5 minutes on the livestream. This appeared dubious, at best.

However, if the muting was accidental, why wouldn't Keith provide his statement in writing? He never did and therefore leaves those watching – and like me, hoping – with very little choice other than to assume he intended to hide his statement.

Yet, what needs to be hidden if it's all aboveboard? What needs to be hidden if it's all true? Then the PRT chose to not pursue the matter further. I will speak plainly to you that that decision alone calls into serious question your credibility and...

...your claim that, "The Province takes this seriously and desires to ‘“walk in the light’” (1 John 1:7) and to ‘“conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ’” (Phil. 1:27).

Hiding the truth is not walking in the light, nor is aiding and abetting someone else hiding the truth. I can't believe that even needs to be said, yet it does as your chosen behavior displays otherwise.

Why ever would you do that? If you can offer a good explanation for why you did not hold Keith accountable for making his second statement publicly available, I'd be the first of many eager to hear it.

However, that situation is a drop in the bucket compared to what has unfolded this week and damaged the trust – and the hope – I was fragilely holding onto as a 20 year member of Church of the Resurrection.

@The_ACNA @ChurchRez @MidwestAnglican @threadreaderapp unroll please (Part 1/2)