From: Brenda Dumper
Subject: CONFIDENTIAL - My notes from yesterday's Zoom
Date: February 11, 2021 at 5:29:45 PM CST
To: Anne Kessler, Bp. Stewart Ruch, Eirik Olsen, Helen Keuning, Steve Williamson
Hi all,
Attached are my meeting notes from our Zoom with J-team yesterday.
There were times when I was so caught up in listening I couldn't keep up with typing so if you remember things differently from what I've noted or you have any additions, corrections, clarifications, etc please let me know :).
Also, just so you all know, I did send these notes and a summary to Charlie and Alec to keep them both in the loop.
Thank you,
Brenda
Zoom Meeting, February 10, 2021, 4pm – 6:30pm
Present: J-team: Joanna, [Eve] Annemarie, Cherin, [redacted advocate]. Upper Midwest Diocese – Stewart, Eirik O, Steve W, Helen K, Anne K, Brenda D
4pm – Stewart opened in prayer than introduced his team; Steve cathedral dean Rez, Eirik Ex Dir of GH, Anne Dir of ops Rez and treasurer for diocese, Brenda LCO, Helen as diocesan “board”
Joanna, [Eve] Annemarie, Cherin (started attending Rez at 8 yrs old, left when COL was started), [redacted advocate] Rez since [redacted date] & is friends with both Cherin and Annemarie.
Stewart acknowledged and validated both Joanna’s & Cherin’s hurts and that what has happened to J and Cherin/[redacted] matters very much to us. We’re taking all of this very seriously.
Stewart then apologized / agreed with J that he’s in over his head, that’s a fair assessment (from her email). When [Cherin’s daughter]’s accusations came out, we didn’t dis-believe them, we agreed that Mark should be arrested and are shocked that nearly 2 years later we still don’t have a trial. We also didn’t know at that particular point that we needed a 3rd party involved. We understood that we need to work through a pastoral care plan, and we need to make sure everyone is being cared for; however, we didn’t not know about 3rd party. In Nov, chancellor said we need to do this, and Jan letter pushed that need to a priority.
Stewart to Cherin–Stewart was invited to Mark’s bond hearing and spoke to [Mark’s wife] at that time. I should’ve reached out to you at that time to connect with you as well so that you had an opportunity to share with me when this happened and not waited until the fall.
There is a lot to learn here for all of us, and we need to and want to learn.
4:17pm J-Team feedback on everything up to this point. Each person passed
Stewart explained that, while we’re aware of the many questions she asked, this team has determined that focusing on the independent 3rd party first will help the other pieces be accomplished in the best manner possible.
Stewart did report to DCFS on the information about [redacted] from Js email.
We’ve never supported [Mark’s wife] living with Mark
Cherin noted that she shared with Val news about [redacted] and was assured that would be shared with Stewart, which “obviously didn’t happen” since J’s email is what instigated that mandatory reporting. Cherin reminded or asked that this conversation between Val and Stewart take place as recently as last November 2020.
Anne K walked through the 3rd party research we’re doing; Equitask, Ministry Safe, GRACE.
Equitask returned Anne’s call within an hour of her email being sent. Wheaton College has used this company among others. Anne is still researching with our WC contact about the pros and cons of their experience with companies.
GRACE did not respond, even after three emails, to us until a Rez contact with a GRACE board member. The reply was a bit disconnected.
Ministry Safe – still have not heard back from this company.
Anne has also reached out to Christianity Today who also have extensive resources to equip and train churches. We’ve purchased their entire program for the Diocese that we’re reviewing and hope to use across the Diocese.
Joanna reached out to both GRACE and Ministry Safe and has received very quick replies from them. GRACE gave an overview of what their investigation would look like. Possible difficulty to do an ind investigate while law enforcement is involved bc they don’t want to do anything that could jeopardize that legal process. Ministry Safe sent a formulaic email reply a few days after initial contact. It’s important to Joanna that whatever 3rd party is used is survivor centered and not church litigation.
[Eve] Annemarie – understand MS is primarily formed of lawyers. Not familiar with equitask but want to make sure they’re survival focused, help figure out our processes, intentional about undercovering other victims,
[redacted advocate] – those victims need to be able to talk to the investigator without having to go through the church for their safety and security.
Anne – seems there’s a difference between 2 difference groups, 3rd party investigation that cannot impede the legal system. Then there’s the org side org assessment where they can come into our “house” and tell us where we went wrong, where do we need to make changes.
J agreed with this, and all of the above, then reiterated the story of the KY Pst Cunningham.
Helen spoke to our desire to “go public” and that is part of our research with this 3rd party to help us navigate this process, timing and wording. Please send more resources to Helen, but this is on the back burner so that we can proceed in the best way possible without cause of slander, be clear on what we do know, what’s public knowledge, etc.
J said thank you, appreciate the thoughts we’ve put into this, agree with the risk of doing more harm than good. [redacted advocate] did all of the research for all of the resources at the end of the email. J understanding that catechist was a formal role, preached at Cola, was a youth something in the church.
Joanna pressed charges against Mark on New Year’s Day. [redacted]’s allegations are being investigated (by Kane County?)
Various discussions from J, [redacted advocate], A, C about victims and the opportunity we have to actually learn and respond well.
Eirik, spoke to GH Review and the result of needed sexual misconduct policy needs and both org and dioc are committed to these changes and improvements. Christ Our Light will be part of the external review. Also reiterated our strong advice to not be in the home with her children with Mark.
J asked if Eirik told [redacted] he agreed with her going to let her children say goodbye to their father.
Eirik actually said the exact opposite to [redacted], she should never live under the same roof as him, she should not have to leave the home, he should. I did create space for her to say goodbye.
J asked if Mark is receiving pastoral counseling.
Stewart said no he is not, that he has had some pastoral care meetings a while ago. [redacted] has asked to be removed from Rez’s care and withdrawn membership.
Stewart is using the language of sexual predator in terms of Mark. Stewart will do all he can to urge others involved with the Rivera to urge [redacted] and children to not be in the same home with Mark.
[paragraph redacted for confidentiality]
Cherin clarified that Eirik reached out to [redacted] after J’s email and is very concerned that the 2 conversations that she had with Val did not get communicated up the chain as Val specifically said it would.
[redacted advocate] remembers Mark being involved early on when she came in [redacted date] and that he left due to taking some type of youth ministry position with Baptist church in Big Rock.
Cherin – Mark was youth pastor in Big Rock in 2006.
[redacted] / others said Mark is wearing an ankle monitor and has a 3pm house curfew.
Stewart wrapped up expressing who J-team can contact with any questions etc:
Process related go to Anne Kessler
Christ Our Light / Rand / Greenhouse related go to Eirik Olsen
Anything else goes to Brenda
Copy Stewart on all communications
Call ended approx. 6:27 PM
*It is Stewart’s expectation that our group respond to any emails from J-team within 24 working hours – even in that response is along the lines of I’ve received your email and will be back in touch shortly.