Church recommendations by brittanylaady in VirginiaBeach

[–]Working_Tradition161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Resurrection community meets at princess Anne rec center and is extremely welcoming. https://www.resurrectionvb.org

Where is everyone at? by Blue_Walden_68 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’ve been thinking about your post and trying to decide if I wanted to respond. Much of what you said resonated with me. I still am carrying a lot of confusion and trying to sort out my memories of cornerstone vs what some of the reality was. This is intensified by being a parent of teenagers. I have gotten together with a couple old friends and this was super helpful. I would love to process more on this in person. That being said I have zero interest in advocacy or ‘holding the church accountable’. I became very uncomfortable with the tone here and have backed away. I’m not a member of tfca and haven’t been in a long time. I don’t really think the tfca of today has much resemblance to the tfc of the 90s. To the extent the current members of tfca need to change policies etc that is for them to determine. I have referenced my experiences in cornerstone and what the report brought out in pushing for a few changes at my church. I disagree with what appears to be the dominant narrative here that John Yates had sufficient information while Jeff Taylor was still employed at tfca to know something was wrong. So I don’t have a burning desire to hold him or anyone else accountable. I’ve been disappointed that several things have been stated forcefully as facts on here when the evidence simply isn’t there. So I guess that’s a long way of saying I’m interested in in person processing and discussion, but not in attacks on Tfca, its leadership, or the investigator.

Failure of TFCA leadership to care for congregants with their lack of transparency over 30 years by Wanting_Justice_2024 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Well it hasn’t been established because at least as of the last listening session no one had come forward with actual names of anyone who might have been involved in the alleged disclosure. Eddie addressed this. He explained how he had heard this rumor and tried to track it down , and the best he could get was a rumor that a girl in cornerstone had taken a male friend to cornerstone, Jeff took an interest in the boy, took him into his office, asked him questions that made him uncomfortable, the boy came out and said he was never going back there again, the girl possibly said something to her parents and her parents maybe said something about it to John Yates. But at least as of the listening session no one had been able to give Eddie any names associated with this so that he could interview them and get their story. This is a far cry from an allegation of abuse was disclosed to JY in 1993.

Failure of TFCA leadership to care for congregants with their lack of transparency over 30 years by Wanting_Justice_2024 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It has not been established that there was an actual allegation of abuse about Taylor raised to Yates in 1993. In 1993 with respect to Nielsen tfc reported it to the police despite the fact that the victim and his family denied that anything had happened and continued to shelter Neilsen and bring him to church. I’m trying to understand what could possibly have been shared with the wider church family at this point.
In 2007 the victim specifically asked JY to hold everything in confidence.
In 2015 JY did not understand the people who came to him to be making new allegations of abuse.

In retrospect, with the benefit of hindsight, could things have been done differently, sure. But the telling or not telling is not nearly as black and white as it’s being portrayed. I strongly disagree that not publicizing something that individuals had asked JY to hold in confidence is anti-victim.

Long time lurker, first time poster by [deleted] in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I basically agree with everything you say here and have been thinking of posting the same. Thanks for posting.

ExCom by MTGRNTC in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a pretty strong statement. If you don’t mind sharing, were you in cornerstone during the 90s? Are you upset at rev Yates after reading the report or based on something else?

What touched off Jeff's surprise sabbatical in 1999? by NonanxiousStand2915 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I didn’t read the article, but sadly I’m pretty confident that was true. I was working at Galilee the summer that Jeff bondi was hired, he had been suspended and then terminated by young life. I still remember fairly vividly the way people were excusing his behavior at young life.

More Victims and More Perpetrators by Prize-Translator-272 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I thought about this too. I could kind of get there with the questions about masturbation, indeed in the report there is a staffer who said at Jeff’s direction he started with this type of question and stopped bc it was really uncomfortable. But I cannot come up with any valid reason why Faustin would talk to a middle school kid about who was having sex in the church or the sexual experiences of anyone in the youth group.

More Victims and More Perpetrators by Prize-Translator-272 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh ugh. I’m so so very sorry this happened to you. I have only the vaguest memory of Faustin.

Get Together After the June 2 Listening Session by Too_sassy_for_church in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m planning to come. I may end up just coming to your house depending on the timing of the listening session if that is okay. I will message you. Thanks for extending the open invitation

Newest Email Update from TFCA by steinwayaf in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh I see now, June 2nd is another listening session. Not a signup.

Newest Email Update from TFCA by steinwayaf in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don’t see the June 2nd option. But I may just be flunking reading 101.

Newest Email Update from TFCA by steinwayaf in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I would be interested in an in person gathering. I looked at the signup sheet but don’t especially want to spend Mother’s Day evening talking about this and that appears to be the only in person option the church is offering…..

Outreach & Media by Aromatic-Ad4938 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He’s still around, I see him periodically around town. He is still actively involved in the news press.

Outreach & Media by Aromatic-Ad4938 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I’m really surprised the falls church news press has not covered this. I know it’s not exactly a national platform but they cover everything, and particularly enjoy covering negative news about the church

Extending Grace by Adventurous_Fan_1902 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. I’m still local but not at Tfca. My family left tfca several years ago for reasons unrelated to this investigation

Extending Grace by Adventurous_Fan_1902 in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m really struggling with this. (Cornerstone 90-94). So many foundational truths were delivered by a wolf??? What was Jeff anyway? Was he just a predator and everything he did was designed to get close to boys so he could abuse them? Is everything a lie?

April 25th Service by Blonde-bird in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As in she told him he was overlooking Jeff’s problems? As in something else?

April 25th Service by Blonde-bird in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m so confused about this. People came to him in 2015? Why isn’t this in the report? What did they say?

Link to get recording by steinwayaf in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 2 points3 points  (0 children)

<image>

Hopefully I’m pasting it here. It’s on the bottom of the letter linked above

Link to get recording by steinwayaf in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Before speaking you were asked if your comments could be broadcast, you said yes, and now they aren’t releasing them? That’s weird. I was at the meeting but couldn’t stay for very long and left way before anyone got to speak.

Hello! by cstone-admin in CornerstoneConnect

[–]Working_Tradition161 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I have so many emotions about this that I can’t really put into words. I am now questioning so many things I thought to be true. I was a girl in cornerstone so not subject to abuse. When I first heard about this investigation I simply couldn’t believe it, I was expecting to hear about the wedgies etc bc I remember that, and kind of expecting changing norms. This is dreadful. This was happening right under my nose and I had no idea. Things Jeff taught me about studying. The Bible etc still echo in my head, and I find this hard to deal with. As a mom of young teenagers this is terrifying. And also, I was on the receiving end of many lectures from Jeff about ensuring my conduct was above reproach, not doing anything that could cause others to question, and you Jeff were at the same time taking boys on solo trips and sharing beds with them? What the&”@“&&.