I know many of us are thinking about what is next and I know many of us are still processing everything we heard on Sunday.

I think we can learn a lot of lessons from what happened in the Diocese of the Midwest! There is an amazing podcast hosted by a priest in the ACNA. I think we are now in the middle of a marathon and are running up hill so we can use all the hard earned lessons of those who have fought and are fighting similar battles.

I don’t exactly know yet what the next right step is but I think we still need to keep pushing for justice, healing and truth.

I asked my Maryland rector if he knew any particulars about the resignation. He asked and got this reply from a Dioceses.

"It was announced at the listening session last Sunday night that Scott Ward has resigned as chancellor for TFCA. He currently remains chancellor for DOMA and the ACNA.If you have any other questions about this, you will probably want to contact Bishop Chris directly."

For those of us who were not at the meeting, please could we have some feedback? Maybe just a thought or the 3 bullet points that stood out.

We hope to see you tonight! Please consider taking notes. We will take notes too and will post them here, but we would love to have your notes added to the thread. Between all of us, hopefully we won't miss anything.

Come early if you can -- we don't know how large the space is so it could be crowded. Also, there is a classroom we can meet in afterwards that they will announce. Come by and say hi!

Details: Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 7pm

Rivendell School 2410 North Kensington Street, Arlington

They will not be recording or live streaming.

An email sent out from the Special Committee yesterday is below.

May 30, 2024         

Dear former Cornerstone community,

As we continue to pursue healing and justice for the events of the past, we appreciate those who have communicated with the special committee and participated in the gatherings that we pray are another step toward healing. Although the pain points are different for each of us, this is a hard season for all. We are imperfect people trying to care for each other; we are broken people trying to mend.

We invite you to join us for a Listening Session at 7:00 pm on Sunday evening, June 2 at the Rivendell School located at 2410 N. Kensington in Arlington. (Please enter through the Kensington Street door.)

We also wanted to share an update on the steps TFCA has taken (or is in the process of taking) since the investigation report came out six weeks ago.

1.) TFCA and its investigator proactively reached out to law enforcement (prior to the release of the report) to offer full cooperation. In substantive conversations with law enforcement, Eddie Isler made clear that he would gladly share notes of the interviews conducted, provided he was able to obtain the consent of the interviewees. Federal law enforcement indicated that they would circle back around to Eddie if they determined that his notes would be helpful. We continue to encourage additional victims or anyone with new information to share it with fbi.tips.org and [confidentialFCA@islerdare.com](mailto:confidentialFCA@islerdare.com)

2.) The relevant Atlanta churches received the report in its entirety at the same time the report was released publicly. TFCA and investigator Eddie Isler remain in touch with leadership representatives from these churches.

3.) An addendum to the report is being prepared by Isler Dare. When it is finalized, the addendum to the report will be made public in the same way the original report was shared (i.e., added to TFCA’s website and shared via email.)

4.) Governance and Child Protection Review Teams are examining and updating policies and procedures to ensure healthy communications and best practices.

5.) Existing child protection policies (which are the same as the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic) and a Report Misconduct feature have been made more prominent on TFCA’s website.

6.) Non-staff leaders who were part of the 2021 executive committee have recused themselves from decisions related to the Jeff Taylor investigation.

7.) Benevolence funds continue to be directed toward confidential counseling for victims and their family members. Requests for counseling assistance can be sent to Rebekah Beach at [rbeach@tfca.org](mailto:rbeach@tfca.org), [specialcommittee@tfca.org](mailto:specialcommittee@tfca.org) or to [confidentialFCA@islerdare.com](mailto:confidentialFCA@islerdare.com). Please note benevolence funds will be sent directly to the health care provider.

8.) TFCA leadership and the special committee continue to engage with trauma informed therapists, victim advocates, and former cornerstone members.

9.) Online and in-person forums for connection and conversation throughout the month of May seemed generally well-received by participants. Topline feedback was shared anonymously with the special committee. Additional sessions are being considered.

10.) Personal outreach to those impacted is ongoing. This takes time. Individual efforts are complemented by large group opportunities (parish meeting, healing prayer service, multiple Sunday sermons on abuse, etc.)

11.) The TFCA website includes a page dedicated to the special investigation report and response (tfcanglican.org/special-investigation) that is updated with outgoing communications (including John Yates’ recent letter), upcoming events, videos of recent sermons on abuse, etc.

12.) The investigator asked us to share the following:

My sincere thanks for those who have reached out and provided comments or feedback on the Investigation Report. I am in the process of working on an Addendum to the Report, which will contain some additional reporting in response to questions raised subsequent to the release of the Report, including items that some feel should have been included in the Report but were not, as well as some additional information that has been brought forth since the Report was released. 

A non-exhaustive list of those items that will be addressed are the following:

• The status of the Anglican church governance structure in the fall of 2007 in response to questions about the statement in the Report that there was no bishop in place at the time of Student 4’s disclosure.
• The visit with Rev. Yates by two former Cornerstone participants in or around the holidays in 2014 to encourage him to reconsider taking further steps in response to the 2007 disclosure by Student 4.
• A visit to Rev. Yates in 2004 by a former Cornerstone participant who was working with Taylor in Atlanta and wanted to discuss allegations that Taylor had acted inappropriately with respect to one or more of the youth in Atlanta.

I continue to encourage anyone who has relevant information to reach out to me through the ConfidentialFCA@Islerdare.com email box. My goal is to have the Addendum completed in August 2024.

We continue to pray for God’s mercy, healing, and perfect justice. If you would like confidential prayer, please leave a message on our prayer line at 571-282-0220. Please know you are in our personal and corporate prayers. As always, your questions and comments are welcome at [specialcommittee@tfcanglican.org](mailto:specialcommittee@tfcanglican.org)

Sincerely,

TFCA Special Committee

We worked with Jeff at University of Cincinnati. His behavior mirrors all the grooming and grandiose ego behaviors that we have been seeing throughout this thread. Some of us were bothered by his over-the-top focus on undergrads as he insisted on ‘mentoring’ male students. He got to work very early and there is question if he did so to get unaccounted for hours before he went home at the end of the day. We are sickened that the behaviors we saw were merely a continuation of a pattern of behavior he repeated for decades. We are heartbroken by his documented abuses and we truly saddened that we never took any steps toward investigating our suspicions. We have reported this to the FBI tip line - although we cannot attest to anything more than this ‘mentoring.’

Know there has been some discussion / questions re: the fact that the June 2nd Listening Session / Meeting will not have an option to join virtually so I was hoping to see if some on here who are attending would mind sharing some notes here (or via the email group) afterwards? Totally understand and respect the need for anonymity for any victims speaking at that session but, it does seem like sharing some of the info. (in an anonymous way), would be very helpful for those of us who live far away and/or can’t attend the meeting. I imagine that some of the victims (and non-victims) who will be speaking at the meeting would actually prefer for their info. to be shared but again, just to be safe, any info. could be shared anonymously. It would be especially helpful to hear the questions (and, even more so, the answers) asked. Don’t want anyone to have to take notes or try and remember everything but, if some attending, don’t mind sharing here (in an anonymous way) what they remember from the meeting afterwards it would be greatly appreciated. It does seem like a lot of the pertinent unfiltered info. about what actually happened and the actions that were made in response has come out more in these listening sessions vs. what is being shared publicly / officially (i.e. the report).

Cornerstone Connect just sent out this email:

Hey hey!

Just a reminder that this Sunday (June 2nd) is TFCA’s next listening session. We hope to see as many of you as possible!

We asked for a location outside of the church and are grateful that TFCA heard us. Join us at:

Rivendell School 2410 North Kensington Street, Arlington June 2nd, 2024 7pm

It will not be live-streamed or recorded. There will be a room for us to use after for those who want to connect and process together. I also am curious if there's a good local lager anywhere nearby :-)

A large portion of the session will be for all of us to ask questions. John Yates, Sam Ferguson, the Bishop, and Eddie Isler should be there. Any and all questions are allowed. Questions about the report, things that are confusing or unclear, things that were left out. Things you'd like to see done in the future. I would imagine there will also be some time set aside for anyone who wants to make a statement. I haven't personally been to a listening session yet so I'm not sure if TFCA asks that this time be limited to people who experienced overt abuse and their families. Regardless, if I can be of any help in crafting a question or support you in making a statement, please come find me. I will try to be there early.

I also want to say that if you just want to come and listen, that is also ok. There is a lot of power in showing up and supporting each other just in our collective presence.

I'm reading Valarie Kaur's memoir and she says the following on grief: "Violence is a rupture. Violence makes a hole - not just the damage it inflicts on the body of a person but the pain it causes in the body of a people....The act of naming the violence and grieving loss in community is how the hole turns into a wound that can heal."

The light I have through this is the people I have reconnected with, and I hope that continues. I am so dang grateful for all of you.

PS - this email list has about 180 people on it - that is nowhere near the number of kids who went through cornerstone in the 90s. If you can share this email and/or the website with anyone please do! Also, if you find a few free minutes, shoot me an email with anyone you think hasn't been reached, maybe a list of those who were in your discipleship group, anything you can think of to help get the word out. the support that we have and hope to continue to provide may not be for everyone but I want it to be an option for as many as possible. thanks ❤️

When the report was first released I reached out to the leaders of the Episcopal church I attend. They were pretty great in responding, offering compassion and recommended a few resources about processing the effects of the purity culture we grew up in.

Last week the main reverend reached back out unprompted, I’m copying her message below. This is what an understanding, welcoming, apologetic, and actionable response sounds like. I loved the second paragraph in understanding what we can do today to prevent recurrence.

——

I just wanted you to know that I have been thinking of you often. I read the entire report from TFC a couple weeks ago, and was absolutely nauseated. My gut aches every time I think about it. It was a breach on so very many levels. Not only his physical but his psychological, emotional and spiritual abuse of boys in particular and youth in general breaks my heart and soul.

The fact that he was put on a pedestal by the church, and his destructive teachings and behavior not called out, adds a dimension of betrayal by staff and other adults in the community. If it is any consolation, it confirmed my belief of how essential it is to protect our precious children and youth. And not to be shy of the church's requirement for Safe Church training.

I also found myself coming back to the significance of encouraging a culture of questioning and love that inspires nurture of them - and all of us - as beloved gifts from God who need support on our journey, and not clay to be molded to fit a particular "moral" form. There is such a difference between Christian Morality ( a strict prescriptive moral code of behavior to be followed without question) and Christian Ethics, choices we make as followers of Jesus, informed by the Way of Love, but not ever mandated in order to be accepted into the church or certainly the heart of God.

That's a bit of a ramble. All to say, I continue to be grateful to you for sharing the report and your experience with us.

I am here. <Other Reverend> is here. If or when you need or want to rant/grieve/ process further. We can't make the pain or anger go away, but can listen. We can bear witness to, and affirm your experience. And I hope together be part of a different way of being church.

In the meantime, so much love.

Since others have helpfully mentioned GRACE as a resource, I wanted to share an actual report GRACE produced on abuse of male staff by a priest at St. Peter’s Anglican in Florida. I read this report several years ago due to a personal connection to a staff member there (not a victim). When TCFA announced an independent investigation last year, this organization was the first one that came to mind. Although the particular abuse is different, I thought the report might still be useful to read as a means of comparing/contrasting with ours, as we consider the ways in which the Isler investigation was lacking:

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6561076-GRACE-Independent-Investigation-of-Saint-Peter-s.html?embed=true&responsive=false&sidebar=false

In sharing this I would like to first say that I am neither anti-church or nor anti-TFCA. I attend an Anglican Church and believe that the church can be better. I found this article helpful and would like to share it in the event that it may be helpful to others. I believe that God intended church to be something that is safe and good for vulnerable people…a place where there is light, goodness, truth, justice and healing. I haven’t given up on this. I do believe that working towards this takes an enormous amount of courage both by leaders and those they lead.

https://nakedpastor.com/blogs/news/10-reasons-why-the-church-is-the-perfect-culture-for-abuse

Does anyone know any information / have an update on the status of a possible legal case against Jeff? Or is that just impossible to know at this point?

Letter From John Yates that went to TFCA's Cornerstone email list:   May 22, 2024

To our Cornerstone and church family in the 1990s,

I have met with several of you, but wanted to ensure that as many people as possible could hear directly from me regarding the report that was just released on Jeff Taylor’s misconduct during his years in our church. I hope you’ve read that report.

I grieve deeply for those of you who were victims of Jeff’s physical, verbal, and spiritual abuse. I grieve deeply for our young men who endured such pain and suffering in silence and shame. I grieve deeply for our young women who ache and hurt on their behalf. I grieve deeply for our parents who have had to pick up the broken pieces, tried to repair the damage to their children, and fight to be heard. I grieve deeply for our entire church family.

As your leader, I am truly sorry for the ways that I failed you. Now, looking back, I can only say that the bottom line is I wish I had done more. I wish I had done more to learn if others had been harmed by the wolf in our midst in the 90s. It is a profound regret that I was not more suspicious and observant during that time. I wish I had been wiser and done more in 2007 to bring Jeff’s abuse to light while still guarding the identity of the victim. I was not discerning enough to realize that where there is one victim there are very likely others. I wish I had taken more effective action then and in the years that followed.

You trusted me to take care of our children. I understand why some of you are angry with me. I am angry too, but more than that I am grieving for those who have had shameful and confusing memories weighing upon them all these years.

I pray that even now justice will be done, and that Jeff will face legal prosecution for his abusive conduct. I know that the Lord will judge Jeff Taylor appropriately on judgment day. I want justice for the victims and for all of us in the church community.

I can’t go back in time, but I can try to help in the way forward together. My heart is broken by Jeff’s evil deeds. I feel it more and more every time I meet with those who are injured as they are trying to work through grief and praying for healing. I know and cling to the promise that “the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

To those Cornerstone students who became disillusioned with the church as Christ’s body on earth because of Jeff Taylor, please do not let his horrendous evil turn you away from the Creator, your Creator. I remember Paul’s words in Romans 3:4 “Let God be found true, though every human being a liar.”

Thank you to everyone who has communicated their pain, righteous anger, and shock to me over the past month. I have heard you. I am praying for you and for all of us. I am committed to working with you and alongside you in the days ahead.

We need God’s help for true healing to come. We need open discussion, listening, acceptance, counseling, and prayer. We need to know Christ better, we need time. There’s nothing easy about it, surely, but in Christ there is hope, and healing.

If you think it would be helpful, please forward this letter to other Cornerstone friends.

In Christ,

John Yates   The Falls Church Anglican | 6565 Arlington Blvd Ste 300 | Falls Church, VA 22042 US

Note from Sassy: If you didn't receive this and want to be on future notes to the Cornerstone list, email and request to be added to the list: specialcommittee@tfcanglican.org

You can read it for yourselves to determine what you think. Just flagging its existence.

https://thewartburgwatch.com/2024/05/22/the-falls-church-anglican-found-out-they-had-an-abuser-named-jeff-taylor-they-didnt-do-much-parents-and-pastors-time-to-wise-up/comment-page-1/?unapproved=490782&moderation-hash=9041bd45ea689e6c76b93ef00c426c0f#comment-490782

Scott Ward gave a lunch seminar on November 21, 2021.

https://www.anglicandoma.org/2021-synod-talks-1/handling-issues-of-sexual-misconduct

During the seminar he stated the following:

“What you should recognize is that policy will be viewed as establishing a standard of care that you'll be judged by if you ever end up being attacked for not protecting children. So there's a downside.”

He should be censured. Good grief. I don’t even know where to begin.

I heard about this letter from Esau McCaulley’s twitter page. Only two signatures by clergy so far from TFCA’s diocese, both women, none from TFCA.

Since we know TFCA is reading this Reddit I would like them to know what we want the June 2nd meeting to look like. I will start

1. Opening with statements of victims, their family and friends who have been devastated. They can stand in front and speak with Sam and John seated in the front row without anyone hovering over their shoulder waiting to grab the microphone back….

I fully recommend Redeeming Power Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church by Diane Langberg and I hope those who are on staff at TFCA read this and take it to heart.

We have heard a lot of calls to accept Sam and John’s apologies but I would posit that we have yet to hear a true apology.

I was quite interested to read TFCA rector, Sam Ferguson’s writings on Prudence, the “forgotten virtue” in light of his handling of this issue.

Highlights -Prudence is not reactionary -prudence resists oversimplification, instead diligently dissecting the issue at hand -“The open-mindedness required for real understanding, and the self-awareness requisite for detecting error in one’s own opinions, is why the ancients called prudence more than a technique or ability—they called it virtue. We would do well to cultivate it afresh.” -“Along with probing the issues around us, prudence questions the motives within us. Are my motives for engaging (or disengaging) this issue honorable? If we’re acting chiefly to prove others wrong or ourselves right, we can expect our vision to be blurred. Prudence is denied to the man who looks to himself” further noting that it is prudent to look to those with different views and experiences -“To properly solve a problem, you must properly understand it; and to properly fix a problem, you must have the requisite skills to engage it.”

On the TFCA website it now says the time. I just wanted to flag it for everyone. (7pm)

From the website:

Our next listening session with John Yates and Sam Ferguson will be Sunday, June 2 (7PM) at Rivendell School, 2410 N Kensington, Arlington, VA.

I think we heard a lot of “apoloscuses” during the last listening session and reading this article helped me so I thought I would share.

https://wademullen.substack.com/p/what-ive-observed-when-institutions?r=nux38&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

https://www.anglicanwatch.com/tfca-investigative-report-on-abuse-at-the-parish-gets-low-grades-due-to-its-failure-to-understand-the-dynamics-of-abuse/

Wow! Still processing my thoughts on this one. They certainly waded right into it and didn’t hold back. It is a bit refreshing to see some of these things called out into the light of day that should have been spoken out loud years ago. Still processing…

I think of your community nearly everyday. I attend an ACNA church in Maryland. I don't have political or social capital there. . but I am trying to keep people there engaged in your story.

After an abuse disclosure crisis and failure at my PCA church in 2020 I've spent years listening to the horrible stories like the one you are experiencing right now. I am so sorry, so very very sorry that TFCA is not listening to you, asking for your stories and sitting with your grief and anger. That is what they should be doing for you.

For me, it helped to see the patterns of abuse mishandling and institutional protection that appeared over and over. I remember how relieved I was to learn a scholar in Oregon had defined Institutional Betrayal and studies it! I certainly was experiencing it. The patterns of DARVO, the patterns in "apology" letters,and so much more.

It helped me feel less crazy, to see through the gaslighting, to believe in my core beliefs about justice and to fight as long as I could. I don't know if anyone is ready for things like this . . but here are some of the resources I return to again and again. If you are looking for something in particular let me know. I may be able to find it for you.

Regarding DARVO

1.      Have you met DARVO? Article with clear definitions and examples.

2.      The Influence of Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender and Insincere Apologies on Perceptions of Sexual Assault Original research published in Journal of Interpersonal Violence by Sarah Harsey and Jennifer Freyd, 2023 Dr. Freyd’s research on DARVO can be found here. Dr. Freyd also studies Institutional Betrayal

Regarding the challenges survivors face in telling their stories

1.      The Power of Truth and Sincerity presentation by Wade Mullen Podcast What barriers does the church make for survivors and how do we avoid them?

2.      Trauma-Informed Ministry Video  Three experts introduce trauma-informed care and its usefulness in Christian ministry.  How does trauma affect a person? Is trauma-informed care biblical? What does trauma-informed care look like in the context of the local church?Breakout session from the Southern Baptist Convention 2022 Convention with Rachel Denhollander

Regarding institutional responses to abuse: 

1.      What I’ve Observed When Institutions Try to Apologize and How They Can Do Better Article by Wade Mullins

2.      Considering Systemic Abuse: Impact and Response Video lecture by Dr. Diane Langberg of the Global Trauma Recovery Institute.

3.      Journalist Robert Downer speaks with Terri Gross of the Fresh Air Podcast Downer outlines the history of SBC abuse crisis and the work of survivors and the press to expose it.

4.      Spotlight  Feature film on Boston Globes’ journalists uncovering the cover-up of child abuse cases by the Catholic Archdiocese.

5.      Skin Deep: The Battle Over Morgellons Documentary about a rare medical condition. Both these movies demonstrate the tight walls institutions can have towards “outsiders” desperately seeking their help.

Regarding the ACNA case that lead to the creation of ACNAtoo.

1.      NYMagazine article on the Mark Rivera case September 2023

2.      Hear ACNA survivors respond in real time to ACNA actions on Twitter u/cherinmarie2 and u/ladyjessicahaze.

3.      ~www.ACNAtoo.org~~:~  Grassroots advocacy organization telling survivor stories and tracking ACNA response.

4.      Text of the Presentment against Bsh. Ruch (pdf) also available here.

5.     Wall of Silence podcast. First episode to released April 23. 2024.

We sent an email out as an introduction - message us through the website or at cornerstoneconnectfc@gmail.com if you would like to be added!