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23 September 2024

We the undersigned publicly and emphatically stand in solidarity and support for the victims of sexual abuse at MorningStar. Each of us had some level of experience with the many facets of MorningStar ministries, whether their K-12 school, the ministry school MSU, or the Sunday morning congregation. We were students, church attendees, MorningStar staff, CSCL teachers, and volunteers. 

 

Many of us live in different places now, and we approach this statement with a spectrum of beliefs about God, religion, and our time at MorningStar. One thing we share is a firm belief that corruption, negligence, and abuse of power has gone on at MorningStar and its affiliated organizations for decades. We believe it is this corrupt and toxic leadership culture that enabled various forms of abuse to take place, including a child predator being able to abuse children for years.

 

We strongly condemn the MorningStar Board, its leader Rick Joyner, and other executive church leaders for their inadequate response to grave allegations. Their attempts to ignore, downplay, and discredit victims and the severity of their claims are not only morally reprehensible but also betray the trust placed in them.

 

We call for the following:

 

1. Leadership accountability. Rick Joyner should immediately resign from the church and hold no further positions of authority in the future. His comments on the allegations demonstrate a lack of empathy, conviction, and commitment to protect the most vulnerable among us.

 

2. Independent audit of the board. An independent, third-party review of MorningStar's Board should be conducted and the findings disclosed publicly. The audit should include review of all board members' credentials, background checks, the Board's decision-making policies and procedures, and the minutes of all board meetings and financial statements.

 

3. Independent audit of child protection practices. An independent, third-party audit should be conducted of the policies and procedures governing all positions of authority over children and the findings and recommendations published publicly.

 

4. Immediate consultation with organizations skilled in victim protection, safe environment policies, and preventing clergy/church sexual abuse of minors, followed by mandatory training. Based on these consultations, every individual (staff & volunteers alike) with a role that involves interacting with children should be given mandatory training on sexual abuse against minors and annual training should become standing policy.

 

These investigations must be conducted by an external, impartial body with no ties to the church or its leadership.

 

Finally, we encourage current members, supporters, students, staff, and volunteers to review all available information regarding the allegations made against MorningStar’s leadership and to carefully reconsider your continued support (financial or otherwise) to MorningStar. Absent significant MorningStar actions toward ensuring transparency, accountability, and prevention of abuse in the future, continuing to support this organization may contribute to continued abuse.

 

#TimesUp #BetterAMillstone

Signed,

Statement of Support and Call for Accountability

1 Emily Elston

2 Emily Williams

3 Lacy Anderson

4 Daniel Anderson

5 Jon Thompson

6 Laura Strite

7 Rebekah Carpenter

8 Destiny Edwards

9 Ruth Meharg

10 Calvin Elston

11 Bethany Cord

12 Kaitlin Mathis

13 Owen Bergeron

14 Anastasia Merriken

15 Wendy Hawley

16 Chad Hawley

17 Jessie Wimmer

18 Anna Hollingsworth

19 Caleb Doyle

20 Rachel Reeher

21 Arias (John) DeRienzo

22 Jason Healey

23 Miranda Escalante

24 Richard Hirth

25 Maeve Smith

26 Megan Escalante

27 Barbara Escalante

28 Cindy Irving

29 Josiah Carr

30 Sophia Kim

31 Jeremy Merriken

32 David Rowan

33 Rachel Souza

34 Valerie Cordell

35 Jolie Rempel

36 Micah Griffith

37 Courtney Blake

38 Mary Williams

39 Liz Corwin Seegers

40 Joel Arndt

41 Leah Wolf

42 Clyde Vreeland

43 Deanna Christal

44 Wes Strite

45 Robert Fulton

46 Austin Crump

47 Leah Bergeron

48 Emily Megown

49 Richard Irving

50 Jonathan Pollina

51 Matthew LaFlamme

52 Daniel Mullin

53 Landon Hawley

54 Sara Russell (Townsend)

55 Raquelle Rivera

56 Chris Gladden

57 John Emery

58 April Sechrest

59 Ashton Crain

60 Mikayla Emery

61 Amanda (Bryant) Mitchell

62 Robbie Roberts

63 Julia Willett

64 Karissa Dean

65 Glorya Quental

66 Taylor Dejaegher

67 Rachel DeRienzo

68 Ginese Wilmot

69 Victor Rosenzweig

70 Elyse Nagy

71 Adam Short

72 Anna Livingston

73 Brooke Barsell

74 Kim Miller

75 Chloe Kesler

76 Greg Miller

77 Bruce Shafer

78 Korynne Feliu

79 Candace Williams

80 Christine Orrick

81 Linda Abdelmalak

82 Mark Mathis

83 Abbi O’Leary

84 Hannah Richardson

85 Hannah Kimel

86 Rachel Saylor

87 Jessie Bernal

88 Ethan Crawford

89 Talia Buksbazen

90 Rian Buksbazen

91 Chellie Cloud

92 Josiah Williams

93 Jason Hills

94 Delaney Andersson

95 Glory Irving

96 Nicholas Livingston

97 Jack Abdelmalak

98 Erica Dawn

99 Joshua Fajardo

100 Sarah Williams

101 Laurie Stasi

102 Chad Cunningham

103 Hallie Cunningham

104 Paul Stasi

105 Dee Saddler

Additional Signatures Since Original Publication on September 23, 2024:
 

106       Sean Eberly

107       Robert Foster

108       Brenda Elkins

109       Sarah Carr

110       Teresa Ali

111       Maura White

112       Joshua Bacon

113       Rona Wallace

114       Susan Tuma

115       Toby Kreiselmaier

116       Sarah (Luffman) Petkau

117       Melinda Wilson

118       Gloria Carr

119       Sarah Corcoran

120       O Douglas

121       Anshit Mehrotra

122       Josh Thompson

123       Geraldine Edrei

124       Heather Griffin

125       Rebecca Faludi

126       Keith Faucheaux

127       Kyra Lewis

128       Christina McBride

129       Sharie Favors

130       Brantley Smith

131       Ulrich Tofack

132       Maranda (Nelson) Gullett

133       Corrie Byers Gardner

134       Charity Johnston

135       Holly Marth

136       Yaneisy del Corral

137       Zachary O'Flynn

138       Melody Bowling

139       Alyssa DeGraff

140       Vachelle Fleming

141       Robert DeFelice

142       Arne Mathingsdal

143       Faith Mathingsdal

144       Suzi Dewing

145       Will Cabrera

146       Nichole (Stasi) Ryder

147       Mark Ryder

148       Anna Parrott

149       Marcus Butler

150       Chris Petkau

151       Amanda (Stasi) Flowers

152       Madeleine Vest

153       Amanda Ferres

154       Sabine Cioto

155       Andrew Farmer

156       Grace Wagner

157       Elizabeth Thomas

158       Brianne Thorsen Mazzone

159       Shirah Eckert

160       Lindsay Bailey

161       Ryan Bailey

162       Marilyn Jean Toman

163       Richard Stephan Toman

164       Daniel Hoskins

165       Alex Mavrogenis

166       Suzanne Anderson

167       Lindsey Calverley

168       Tiina Kuukka

169       Olivia Thompson

170       Stephen Powell

171       Tracy Osborne

172       Chastity Harris

173       Teresa Phillips

174       Carly McLaughlin

175       Doria Stewart

176       Kathleen Lackey

177       David Lackey

178       Julie Diminyatz

179       James Klein

180       John Elving

181       Daniel Faludi

182       Summer Mukhin

183       Megan Scott

184       Susan Plowman

185       Jenny McDonald

186       Mandy Cordell

187       Nicole Freeman

188       Charity Brown

189       Cherie Cobb

190       Shiri Cordell

191       Raven Sherrill

192       Paul Barnett

193       Brad Flowers

194       Martin Stender

195       Chip Bagley

196       Mark Edwards

197       Rosemary Torres

198       Maria Mulhausen

199       Vicki Kusowski

200       Robin Gustaveson

201       Athena Ryan

202       Brian Johnson

203       Erin Rhodes

204       Michael Metzger

205       Kathryn Kost

206       Gerry Jacoby

207       David Samms

208       Terri Paxton

209       Beth A Martin

210       Julia Braun

211       Laura Young

212       Alisha Woodfin

213       Regina Hinkel

214       Kirstin Kinloch-Steyn

215       Dianne E Belsom

216       Darla McLean

217       Jamison McLean

218       Melinda Neves

219       Paul Bryden-Bradley

220       CJ Shock

221       Lyn Puente

222       Tracey Henderson

223       Steve Platia

224       Lisa Thompson

225       Jonathan Wield

226       Maureen Radosti

227       Kelsey Rollet

228       Patricia Clark

229       Kirsten Tate

230       Rachel Melvin

231       Christine Wyatt

232       Jerry Frederick

233       Teresa Frederick

234       David Jarvie

235       Marian Weaver

236       John Richardson

237       Jennifer Verdery

238       Irena Antonovska Mitev

239       Daniel Beck

240       Jenny Beck

241       Drew Buchanan

242       Sarah Buchanan Dresser

243       Bill Caron

244       Christina Winsnes

245       Elizabeth Kramer

246       Hazel Correll

247       LeeAnna Perry

248       Lance Leavitt

249       Jana Proenneke

250       Tina Sampley

251       Celeste Vickery

252       Patsy Wright

253       Judah Vickery

254       Susan Dyer

255       Elizabeth Vaughan

256       Deacon Robert Maldonado

257       Lisa Thurmon

258       Matthew Hoffman

259       Samantha Bartasis

260       Joan Kelley

261       Isabella Riggs

262       Rosemary Hogg

263       Ray Curry Jr.

264       Donna Daniel

265       Lindsay Mathews

266       Teresa Coppola

267       Madolynn Oliverius

268       Mary Czaja

269       Marisol Miranda

270       Johnna Morrison

271       Norma Fisher-Mixon

272       Jennifer Billingslea

273       Joshua Newton

274       Ashley Newton

275       Michelle Marie Mueller

276       Ellen Zittinger

277       Ira Malone

278       Nicole Weller

279       Suzy Buckhalter

280       Debra Spatara

281       Dave Funke

282       Sofia Aeschlimann

283       Linda Wolfe

284       Mary Friend

285       Gail Opie

286       Debra Madonio

287       Michael Snow

288       Heather VanDeventer

289       JonMark Baker

290       Debbie McCauley

291       Brenda Newman

292       Gail Matis

293       Hugh McCauley

294       Barb O’Donnell

295       Howard E Wilford

296       Arly Frye

297       Elaine Culpepper

298       Cheryl Vanwinkle

299       Amy Schumaker

300       Rachel Forrest

301       Angela Davidson

302       Tiana Nguyen

303       Victoria Flores

304       Kacie Lee

305       Alisha Hauser

306       Tracy Mihalak

307       Jeri Merritt

308       Angie Rorrer

309       Lonnie Ellis

310       Dazhe Bitz

311       Richard Patrick Grooms

312       Patricia Wallace

313       Valerie Bartelson

314       Bart Rainey

315       Johanna Copley

316       Amanda Raghunandan

317       Nancy Knopp

318       Kimberly Lewis

319       Mbago David

320       Kathy Brightman

321       Christopher Wright

322       Estevan Sierra

323       Teresa Gonzales

324       Joan Corr

325       Samuel Klimmek

326       Rev Cheryl Wallace

327       Rebecca Boudreaux

328       Jason England

329       Amanda Leslie

330       Catherine Pors

331       Pamela Gregorio

332       Robin Bauer-Pickering

333       Pam Merrell

334       Christine Jones Ross

335       Sarabeth (Lee) Elliott

336       Paul Leslie

337       Tina McCoy

338       Hui Teng Christ

339       Shalon DeGruy

340       Michelle Mueller

341       Gwen MacDonald

342       Tara Schorr

343       Ruth Garuba

344       Colleen Jacobs

345       Paula Prince

346       David Fassett

347       Brad Witmer

348       Annemarie Diffenderffer

349       Paul Mahle

350       David Cannon

351       Clint Van Wuffen

352       Kim Van Wuffen

353       Derrick Gates

354       John Rapp

355       Lisa Annichino

356       Tina Spruill

357       Jason Spruill

358       Cheryl Denny

359       Sharon Annichino

360       Regine Heimann

361       Debbie Beynon

362       Kay Duffield

363       Christa D Young

364       Saundra Caron

365       Theresa Woodard

366       Janice Van Huenen

367       Elizabeth Tillman

368       Andrea Donner

369       Jeff Symons

370       Sharon Bacsu

371       Matthew Blethen

372       Paola Caputo

373       Matt Dentino

374       Carol Martin

375       Andrea Belangia

376       Dana Wield

377       Sandy Hudson

378       Jocelyne Babin

379       Mai Alvarez

380       Gayle Cassara

381       Tara Wood

382       Hope Hennecke

383       Victoria  Stuart

384       Krista Schooley

385       Gene Paul Nesgoda

386       Debra Nesgoda

387       Clay Shaffer

388       Rebecca Talasky

389       Jacqueline Martell

390       Cathy Weinert

391       Sherri Dunne

392       Bryan Neumann

393       Lisa Hayes

394       Katie Bailey

395       Victoria Salmon

396       Michelle Wallace

397       Nathan Deming

398       Sheila Giese

399       Rachel Geissler

400       Kay Archuleta

401       Cheryl Vanwinkle

402       Joy Shepard

403       Judy Carey

404       Jennifer Winchester

405       Tina Frederiksen

406       Dennis Powell

407       Jenice Powell

408       Tricia Moss

409       Gene Mansfield

410       Pan Wright

411       Christy Brinker

412       Cheryl DeLand

413       Kaycee Graham

414       Jeannie Saenger

415       Claudia Slater

416       Edna Almond

417       Jill Presnell

418       Bill Presnell

419       Linda Branch

420       Isabel DeSantiago

421       Chrissy Quick

422       Danielle Gasper

423       Trudy Jerdal

424       Lucille Hatton-Jones

425       David Funke

426       Terri Overgaard

427       Candace Green

428       Cindy DeGrie

429       Larry DeGrie

430       Karen Crawley

431       Salem Webb

432       Sandra Hildebrand

433       Bill Leach

434       Kathryne Leach

435       David Bamber

436       Melissa Trantham

437       Carolyn David

438       Joni A Jones

439       Kim Weems

440       Dee Burnette

441       Melissa Johnson

442       Linda P Truman

443       Reta Wetherall

444       Frank Brown

445       Pennie Jennings

446       Pam Kilgore

447       Rachel Dennis

448       Debora Tyler

449       Sophia Marberry

450       Nan Grissam

451       Taran Schilg

452       Mark Copley

453       Darlene Burgess

454       April Stephenson

455       David Williams

456       Onie Clevenger

457       Lynn DiNonno

458       Susie Byler

459       Brandye Hartwell

460       Jamie Willis

461       Tiffany Chetta

462       Claire Cope-Watson

463       Chris Watson

464       Jane Boeckelmann

465       Kathy Thompson

466       Glenda DeVries

467       Calvin W. Elston

468       Peggy Kirby

469       Michael Hawn

470       Betty Purdy

471       E Netland

472       Sharron Davis

473       Erin Littleson

474       Elizabeth Nervegna

475       Artur Tsipan

476       Stefan Gustafsson

477       Cheryl DeLand

478       Sarah Gustafssson

479       Joanmarie Moscatello

480       Connie Settle

481       Tracy Hess

482       Ann M Hoffee

483       Katherine Clevenger

484       Mary Gingerich

485       Devonna Dillard

486       Tracey Graf

487       David Gingerich

488       Virginia Lirosh

489       Melissa Leggett

490       Lloyd Glenn

Kat Esposito
Laura Strabley
Rosalie Dagler
Christine Lamb
Agatha Fifield-Mesa
Jackie Morey
Tonya Crump
Sherry Daugherty
Dan Bar Enasha
Lara Derksen
Rebecca and charlie Price
Rhonda Godfrey
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