Thursday, May 01, 2008
Story last undated at 5/1/08 - - 9:42 a.m.
Man gets 20 years for
sex abuse of 12-year-old
By Greg Skinner
JUNEAU EMPIRE
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A retired Coast Guard veteran was sentenced to 20 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy at a Juneau church camp last spring and then paying $300 to keep the child from reporting the crime.
Ketchikan resident Darren Jacksch, 42, also was convicted for sexually abusing a 10-year-old child in his home in 2004, while still in the Coast Guard.
Court records show Jacksch was employed at the Ketchikan Charter School at the time of his December 2007 arrest.
Juneau Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg suspended 12 years of Jacksch's sentence and ordered the 42-year-old to serve eight years in prison beginning Tuesday night. A paperwork mix-up delayed Jacksch's entrance into prison; instead he spent the night with his family at the Driftwood Inn. Jacksch entered Lemon Creek Correctional Center on Wednesday.
Jacksch is the second career military man in as many years to be convicted of sexually abusing children in Juneau. Cmdr. Robert Schetky was sentenced to four years for attempted sexual abuse of a 12-year-old. At the time of his crimes, Schetky was the highest-ranking Navy officer in Alaska.
For 10 years after his release, Jacksch must register as a sex offender and not have contact with anyone under 18 without written approval. Pallenberg said pedophiles have a high recidivism rate and that Jacksch "posed a risk to minors."
The director of the Ketchikan Charter School did not return a phone call Wednesday seeking comment on Jacksch's employment or when it ended.
Tuesday, with his wife and three children present, Jacksch spoke briefly before Pallenberg handed down his sentence.
"I'm truly sorry for the events that occurred, its effect on the families, and its effect on the school," Jacksch said. "I can say from my Coast Guard career, I can follow rules. This will not happen again."
Pallenberg said Jacksch showed no serious acceptance of responsibility for his actions. It's difficult to assess whether or not Jacksch gained any insight into the crimes he committed, Pallenberg said. His apology letters were form mail, he said.
"I'm troubled by the fact that he blamed a 12-year-old," Pallenberg said. "You can't blame a 12-year-old."
Jacksch molested his victim the first time at about 8 p.m. on May 27, 2007, as the child lay in a tent at a church camp with nearly a dozen others. After the child returned from a trip to the bathroom, he zipped "his sleeping bag around his face in an attempt to keep the defendant (Jacksch) from touching him again," according to documents filed by Assistant District Attorney David Brower.
"The defendant (Jacksch) again engaged in extensive sexual abuse," Brower said.
"I was raised in the faith, and it's always been the safest place on Earth," the victim's father said.
No documents in court named the church camp, and Brower said he didn't know the name of the camp. Brower said police intended to follow up with the church retreat in Juneau. There were never any other complaints so officials didn't follow up, Brower said.
The lead Alaska State Trooper investigator on the case did not return a call Wednesday.
Jacksch's wife, Bonnie, said the camp was out the road on private property.
According to court documents, the child's father called Jacksch on May 28 to say he heard "very disturbing things." Troopers were listening when Jacksch told the father he "would probably not understand."
"He grabbed my hand," Jacksch said. "It was comforting."
The child's father said his son would never start a sexual encounter as Jacksch fully described.
"We're into motor sports and 'hoorah stuff,' you know what I'm saying," the father said.
Jacksch admitted to his sexual act in detail and said he had a similar incident as a child. Jacksch said he enjoyed it.
"And then you paid him off like a prostitute," the father said.
Over the phone, Jacksch admitted to paying the child $300 in hush money, according to court documents.
"From our family's point of view, the kid was trying to extort my dad," Jacksch's 17-year-old son, Elliot, said in a phone interview Wednesday. "It's a case of he said she said. It's my opinion that he's innocent."
Elliot Jacksch said his father pleaded guilty to skip the heavy financial burden legal expenses would put on his family.
"You tell me, who's going to win in a child molestation case?" Elliot Jacksch asked.
At sentencing, Defense Attorney Loren Stanton argued that Jacksch should receive a lesser sentence, saying his client was a decorated veteran of the Coast Guard who was suicidal and deeply depressed over the issue. Stanton said Jacksch was willing to pay for his victims' counseling.
"His remorse is extensive," Stanton said.
Chief Petty Officer Barry Lane said he searched two databases and found no records of Jacksch's service. Lane said the failure to find records didn't mean that Jacksch didn't serve. Coast Guard attorneys were not familiar with the case, he said
Elliot Jacksch said his father exited Coast Guard service from Ketchikan in October 2006. If true, Jacksch's first crime occurred while he was serving in the Coast Guard.
Brower said the 2004 Ketchikan molestation of a 10-year-old happened in Jacksch's home. After word got out that Jacksch was arrested on a charge of sexual abuse, the other victim was discovered, he said.
Little information is publicly available about the older crime, and Stanton did not return a call Wednesday.
"I know less about that one," Elliot Jacksch said.
Kennebec Journal Online
Maine's Oldest Newspaper
Thursday, October 6, 2005
By Elizabeth Carr
Staff Writer
"Bible Study The Way It Used To Be"
Readfield -- "Can you imagine someone today just dropping everything they are doing at work in their cubicle to follow Jesus? Martin Johnson asked.
"That's quite a thing," said Johnson, of Endwell, N.Y. "They just left everything right there and followed him."
Johnson was describing a chapter from the Bible in which Jesus first starts calling up his disciples.
In a way, he was also describing his own life.
Johnson is part of a two-man team that runs weekly nondenominational Bible services out of other people's homes.
"I grew up and was raised in a home where I went to these types of Bible meetings," Johnson said. Now he helps lead the meetings.
As workers in a home-based Christian fellowship, Johnson and fellow missionary Shannon Meyer travel around Maine and other parts of New England, performing services wherever people will listen.
And on a recent Thursday night, people were listening in Readfield.
There was no pulpit or preacher. No collection plate or communion.
There were no pews, and no church with a steeple.
But there were Bible verses, hymnals and people who gathered to listen to the Gospel in a Readfield resident's kitchen.
And for the missionaries, that was plenty.
"We're trying to appeal to everyone on a spiritual level," said Meyer, originally of Coos Bay, Oregon. "We have all ages attend meetings, from infants to old people, with a random scattering of religious backgrounds," he said. "Some were raised in this faith. Others met it at some point later in life."
In trying to reach as many people as possible, Johnson and Meyer travel around the state performing services in Gray, Lewiston, Clinton, Union and Unity, as well as Readfield.
They publicize their meetings by word of mouth, or by posting plain black-and-white posters on town bulletin boards.
M. M. of Lewiston said she attends the services regularly.
"I've been coming to meetings like this since I was a little girl," M_ _ _ _ _ said. "My grandmother believed like this and I believe like this," she said.
M_ _ _ _ _ said she doesn't mind driving from Lewiston to different locations to attend meetings: "Whenever there's a meeting, I'll go."
And while travel is not a requirement of the home-based religion, it's a prerequisite for Johnson and Meyer.
With just their clothes, Bibles, hymnals and a 1996 Nissan Maxima on loan from two members of the nondenominational Christian church, the men lead simple lives.
The pair don't get a salaries for their work and they don't take collections.
"Jesus didn't have a home. He went house to house, home to home.....He went wherever a need was," Johnson said.
They live with members of their church, which allows them to travel across New England reading from the Scripture.
"We go forth, like they did in Bible days, and live with our people," said Meyer.
And while most people are trying to feel settled by buying houses and planting their roots, this pair relies on their faith in God and the kindness of strangers to show them where to go.
"We try to spend two days in a row in the same home," Meyer said.
But even their time in New England is not permanent. In a year, the men will get reassigned to a different place in the country, leaving everything they know of Maine -- a place they have come to call home.
And while other career choices might have been available to them, they are confident in the path they have chosen.
"It might have been very different if I had been married or had a family," Meyer said. "But we both really enjoy what we do."
Calgary Herald
Saturday, July 30, 1994
By David Climenhaga
DIDSBURY ----- They are among us, yet they are almost entirely invisible.
Theirs is a church with no name, no church buildings, no publications and virtually no records.
Yet, this secret sect is estimated by knowledgeable outsiders to have 2,000 to 4,000 followers in Alberta alone, about 250 of whom are in the city of Calgary.
There are as many in British Columbia: perhaps 2000 elsewhere on the Prairies.....10,000 spread throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California and 200,000 or more worldwide.
To adherents, this nameless way is true Christianity, handed down in a direct line of succession from the apostles of Jesus Christ - - and the ONLY way to find salvation.
They meet in homes and at large annual conventions, leaders like Jim Knipe politely tell questioners, because church buildings are not sanctioned by scripture and thus are a route to Hell.
But to opponents - - a growing body of whom can be found among conventional evangelical Protestant congregations - - the church is a dangerous cult.
The group so rigidly controls adherents that its behavior borders on abuse, asserts Gene Luxon, who runs an evangelical anti-cult ministry just south fo the Canadian border in Lynden, Washington.
"Its claims of apostolic succession are false too, says ex-adherent, Dale Wesenberg of Niton Junction, Alta......"That organization is built on a lie."
Indeed, Australian author's, Doug and Helen Parker, argue the group was founded around 1897 by a Scottish-born preacher named William Irvine - - who later was excommunicated and saw his role suppressed.
Such outsiders often term the group the "Two-by-Twos," because its unmarried, propertyless and itinerant preachers, known as "WORKERS," go forth "by two and two" - - as Jesus sent out his apostles, according to St. Mark.
"But we don't call ourselves that," explained Knipe last weekend on a beautifully shaded private farm near Didsbury, where more than 800 followers had gathered to worship and break bread together.
Adherents say they are simply followers of "the way," "friends," or "saints" - - serenely untroubled that an outsider might confuse with the Society of Friends (Quakers) or the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), two very different groups.
Regardless of any confusion about what to call the willfully obscure group, it appears to be thriving - - or at least holding its own - - in Alberta.
In addition to the convention near Didsbury, a similar number of adherents met on the same site the previous weekend - - the women in long, conspicuously old-fashioned dresses, with long hair in buns; the men clean-shaven and conservatively dressed.
Two-by-Twos have come together on this privately owned farm - - equipped with a large meeting barn and dining facilities big enough to feed an army - - for half a century.
Similar annual meetings are held on private farms near Greenshields, Hythe and Mellowdale in Alberta, five locations in B.C., three in Saskatchewan, two in Manitoba, and 110 throughout North America, including every province of Canada.
If few neighbors or passers-by know who own the gathered recreational vehicles and tents at a three-day convention, it hardly matters, says Knipe over the clatter of dishes in the crowded dining hall.
Like most of the sect's untrained clergy, about 44 of whom are constantly on the move in Alberta, Knipe was born into the faith. But followers are not hiding their light under a bushel, he adds with satisfaction.
"People do find us. If somebody is seeking, the Lord will lead them. And where He leads them is the place they should go."
Opponents take a more sinister view of the sect's low profile.
"They do NOT want to be known, the do NOT want publicity," says former member LLoyd Fortt of Port Coquitlam, B.C.
"It has given them a great advantage: they don't have to answer to anyone."
The crux of the debate is whether the sect represents true Christianity or is a cult. "The idea that one of their ministers is exclusively required to reach God defines them as a cult," states Luxon - - in both secular and Christian terms.
"And they do believe that the ONLY way you can be saved is through their homeless, penniless ministry," agrees Mary Ann Schoeff of Spokane, who like Fortt, is at work on a book about the Two-by-Two sect.
"They tell members all church buildings are false, that if you go to a church, you have no chance of salvation," adds Ex-Two-by-Two, Bob Daniel of Bend, Oregan.
Workers deny they preach they are the only way - - but admit they think another group would have to adopt pretty much the same practices to lead followers to salvation. "If it doesn't fit into the Bible, I can't have too much confidence in it myself," says Knipe. We have found a way that we feel does fit."
Likewise, critics say the group exerts enormous pressure on members to conform with its strictly proper lifestyle - - old-fashioned clothes, no alcohol or tobacco - - and forces them to shun friends and relatives who quit.
"If you leave this group, you are going to HELL, period," says Luxon. "That is taught."
This Knipe mildly sidesteps - - "everyone that is here is wholly here of their own free will and they are free to leave any time they wish." - - suggesting that it is ex-adherents who choose to cut themselves off.
Some ex-members also allege that strict social control sometimes has led to physical and sexual abuse of followers and their children.
"They really have the ladies pretty much in bondage," charges.
"Abused children are pervasive in this group," alleges Schoeff.
"It's out of control..............." adds Wesenberg, who claims he was molested at 10 by a clergyman and was afraid to tell his devout mother.
Knipe responds that while pedophiles and abusers can be found in any group, the church will not tolerate their presence. "We couldn't be Christian and condone it."
And it is true, agrees Fortt, that "they are not a group that welcomes pedophiles."
Still, he adds, the God-like status accorded male and female preachers who live in members' homes for short spells - - and the lack of qualifications or tests for prospective ministers - - invite problems. "There are pedophiles who have used this ministry."
The outsiders' other principal complaints center around doctrinal disputes within Christianity.
Two-by-Two's reject the concept of the Holy Trinity, Luxon charges, "They completely deny that Jesus Christ is God."
It would seem this is so. Jesus was "very definitely the son of God," agrees Alberta worker, Eldon Kenfrew. But as for being God - - "Well, OK, there's where we might run into a difference."
Conventional Christians also complain that Two-by-Two's do not accept the doctrine of salvation by faith in Jesus alone.
Again, the workers agree. "The Bible teaches us that faith, without works, is empty." says Knipe. "We say the two have to go together."
But despite its lack of advertising and informal structure - - an "overseer" in each province loosely supervising "workers" - _ the future of the sect in Alberta seems assured.
Certainly, young families - - many with children - - were plentiful in Didsbury.
And ex-members say adherents, many obviously well off, generously support the work - -keeping pairs of workers in their homes, slipping them envelopes of cash at conventions, providing them with new cars.
But today, more than ever before, evangelical opponents of the sect declare, it's potential for growth is slowing.
"Because of the onslaught of questions from ex-members and even secular society, they're gaining some notoriety," concludes Fortt. "They are more trying to hold themselves together with what they have."
Altamont New York Convention Makes News In New York
Just prior to convention at Altamont two articles appeared in the local newspaper. The July14, 2000 article headlined: FARM PLAYS HOST TO A LOW-PROFILE SECT - Guilderland Code violations draw notice to gathering of little-known Christian group 'Two by Twos'
The article described the group, their methods of ministry and fellowship, the convention and the group's history. But the article was really written to address Altamont Convention's safety issues:
"Despite the large number, most neighbors and town officials knew little about the group's existence until last month. That's when the town got a tip that four buildings on the 165-acre farm near the Watervliet Reservoir violated health and safety codes. The owners had represented the buildings as farm sheds, but when the town's building inspector visited the site, he found men's and women's dormitories, washrooms and cooking facilities inside the buildings."
"Town and county officials have ordered the owners to make sure the buildings, septic systems and other facilities meet state code by the time the event starts on August 17, 2000."
Worker Charles Steffen was quoted as saying: "It's really not a public gathering. It's a gathering of believers. We haven't had any illnesses or problems. We've been very careful. We want to do what's right.''
RE: The Altamont Convention Grounds
2001
My name is Edward (Ed) K. Williams. What you are about to read is the information I provided the workers responsible for the Altamont convention grounds located right on US Route 20 in the township of Guilderland, which is about 15 miles west of downtown Albany, New York, USA. By way of background, I grew up across the road from the property in question, and attended preparations and conventions there for 59 years. I am extremely familiar with the buildings and operations of the grounds, and am also very experienced in the construction field, as for several years I've been a Construction Consultant to the general public.
During the last 30 years, the Town of Guilderland (Altamont,the rural delivery mailing address, is about six miles from the convention grounds) has seen much expansion(especially in the form of shopping centers), so building authorities cannot "turn their head's" to the explicit actions of smaller individuals like was common in "The Old Days"... to be non-prejudiced, they must act impartial and adhere closer to "the letter of the law," as would be understandable. Corporations (as is the grounds), are given even less laxity than private properties. In1993-94, these stricter standards were emphasized, when I was asked to design a custom new 5-stall garage with a breezeway and an upstairs apartment for the private family that now lives in my old homestead.
While some have had concerns for many years about certain safety issues at the Altamont convention, I, like many others, kept quiet 'for the sake of the kingdom'. For example, I knew that there were GROSS violations (especially fire risks, safety dangers, unauthorized (re)construction, and serious pollution potentialities) that were being kept "hidden" from the authorities. One concern in particular, is the close proximity of Watervliet Reservoir, a public drinking water source which borders the grounds. In due course, I felt it necessary as a professional in the construction trade, to bring to the attention of the responsible workers my concerns about these issues.
To that end, on January 1, 1998, in a visit with workers Charles Steffen and Bruce Shaw, several of these things were addressed. I found that my concerns however, fell on deaf ears.
What follows is my written statement and letter to the responsible workers, regarding these issues:
February/March 1998
To: Those Responsible:
During my growing-up years, and forever afterward until he died, my dad, repeatedly voiced his concerns (and often, Convention Grounds, both to myself and many others. The potential repercussions from questionable (and even illegal) construction and safety concerns, were the prime and motivation, as one could see serious ignorance of applicable
governing codes and laws, etc., around the premises. These included numerous (and usually basic) building structural framing details and code violations, hazardous storage,
seating that collapsed, easy accessibility to "restricted" areas, and other situations where more immediate functional needs took precedence over addressing adequate safety, legal, moral, and perhaps other, responsibilities.
"Back then" there was always the risk of accidents, but only a comparatively minute possibility of any serious repercussions. However, in "today's world", one must demonstrate every effort to comply with the many laws governing the actual situation taking place, whether the project is building a new structure or converting older one, or meeting an environmental or safety standard. Also, it must be remembered that standards (and modifications permitted) for personal dwellings, are decidedly different than those required for other structures - especially where concentrations of people are probable and where the public may be present. Evidence of following safe practices, monitoring off-limits areas, fire watch, extinguishing equipment (and operational knowledge of it), and potential evacuation provisions and procedures, etc., must considered as well as the usual medical emergency support. It is also well to remember that sometimes, lawsuits must be filed, in order for some issues to be settled.
As with my dad, I know that our industrial training and responsibilities, plus our intimate knowledge of building and business procedures and practices, enabled us to "see" things that the unfamiliar would not be aware of. This background, and experience in dealing with events as well as various industrial, business and governmental "authorities", made us very aware of the (possibly) severe penalties (to say nothing of corrections costs) that can result when accidents do happen: there are also "fines", and other (possibly much more severe) charges that are levied from neglect and/or avoidance of various laws. Such penalties can go back several years to the codes, etc., in effect at the time things were done. These are especially crucial where the more than just the property owner may be involved.
Although many conditions are "grandfathered", in that updating is not forced if there's no change in function or use, this cannot be construed as a "blanket" fact: some new laws may require immediate compliance (E.G.: buried tanks).
Another very important fact, is that this property is located within local runoff distance (few hundred feet) of a public drinking water supply, which naturally, is monitored constantly for chemistry, pollution, and who knows what else. Because of such close proximity to this reservoir, and with sampling capabilities detecting parts-per-billion or
perhaps finer, changes in runoff content are documented very quickly, and could trigger detailed investigations; to say nothing of what the eyes, nose, or suspicions, of some casual observer might precipitate. The demise of the dairy has considerably reduced livestock runoff (a "plus"), but other substances such as fuel or sewage, could "ring bells"
in much smaller quantities.
It must also be taken into account, that the current construction-widening of the main road has removed some of the vegetation "screening" that provided a degree of privacy, so even existing structures are much less hidden to passers-by and could be brought into question: any changes, including excavation, machinery, building, or variation in fact of today's world, is that sometimes the News Media arrives at a location (possibly: "live"!) with, or even before, any "authorities"! One wouldn't want to imagine what this could mean, especially during Convention!
My current function includes "coaching" various clients on construction related activities, so in the industry, I am considered a "Construction Professional" (and have had a legal document drawn up accordingly). I have discussed my concerns with two different Building Inspectors (including the Town of Guilderland), and have been informed that since
I understand many of the problems, I may have some resultant legal liability, if I don't inform those responsible of these matters: therefore, the reason for this write-up. I will try to categorize some of the specifics, but this should not be construed by any means, as all-inclusive.
Building Codes:
The law requires that before any renovations or new construction is started, one must see if a permit is required through discussion with the local town building department. In Guilderland, there must also be "stamped" drawings (by a Professional Engineer, who certifies not only structural integrity, but also code-compliance of the design and its application) if the project is of $10,000 in value (not to be confused with cost!): smaller value projects could require this also (hence the reason to check in advance with the appropriate authorities), under certain circumstances. It must be kept in mind that usually, Code Enforcement officials must "sign off" (and may have to even be present) at specific stages of most construction projects, and that a "CO" (Certificate of Occupancy) must be issued before the project can be legitimately used: insurances could be nullified and legalities can be compounded many times over, if such "paperwork" doesn't exist: especially if such things as a fire or personal injury occurred, even years later.
Another important fact is that whenever the use/purpose of a structure is changed, it must be updated to all current codes governing its new use. For example, the recent conversion of the garage to a year-around meeting room, was supposed to have followed the above process. Minimums of compliance would have necessitated all doors swinging outward and sized for the exiting of a certain amount of people simultaneously, even possibly relocated (especially if the eventual use/layout were known). Also, combustion sources would be contained in a separate fire-resistant room (with its specific requirements!), maximum occupancy would be limited to 15 sq. ft. per person, and exit ways would have
to be lighted and free from all obstructions for certain distances: escape routes (no vehicles parked close, etc.) outside, and the inside never blocked with chairs, extension leads, or anything else.
Another example might be the conversion of the apartment over the cook house to a sleeping dorm. It is probable that the downstairs ceilings would have to be covered with fire code Sheetrock (possibly two layers) and the furnace hot water heating separately enclosed as above, an east-end fire escape needed, rooms would have to meet egress codes, and maybe even the septic and leach field changed significantly to accommodate the larger number of users: handicap access might even be required! One should never assume that no permits are needed, just because there are no appreciable modifications to the outside of a structure. Starting right, will help assure continuing and ending right: a spiritual understanding that also applies to such natural things.
The recently relocated "campground" area and its electrical "hookups", also have their own "running rules".
For example, was any attempt made to see what applicable codes there were that governed such facilities and was this done in advance of any actual work, were appropriate permits requested / issued? Good intentions, improved connections, and the obvious convenience of closeness, is no reason to assume the liberty of making changes without complying with the "rules" governing such projects. Simply put, such liberties could be breaking the law, and might result in undesirable consequences. As a driver of a car must comply with the "rules of the road", so must construction projects
comply with the codes governing them: lack thereof could also be as potentially disastrous!
The Trailers:
The use of this type of "building" makes a lot of sense, functionally, perhaps economically, and in the event they had to be moved elsewhere. However, trailers imply "temporary" and "portable", a rather difficult thing to explain when they remain in one location all year around and the "hookups" are obviously quite permanent in nature. Here
too, applicable codes must be addressed when making conversions from their originally designed purpose, as well as in the utility connections "to" and "from". Finally, since the Town of Guilderland has had an ordinance governing trailers for decades: permits and/or "variances", etc. are usually required when they're used, and must be applied for and granted for any such facilities before they can be deemed acceptable. It's possible that these might be removed very suddenly, under the "right" circumstances! Wheels for a "foundation" instead of concrete, may affect the taxability of a structure, but a different set of governing rules are then applicable under these different circumstances.
Bench Seating:
Every year it seems that at least two or three of the wooden benches collapses with occupants. Although there have seemingly been no serious injuries (mostly embarrassment to those on them), continuing to use them without any changes, could be very risky.
At an absolute minimum, they should be individually set up and functionally "tested" before they're used again.
Since the benches are capable of seating five people each, and these people could average 200 lbs. apiece, it's likely that the total weight could easily be 1000 lbs. of moving people. Personnel safety is often governed with a "safety factor" of four, or even five to one, meaning that if a "test" were made, it would mean loading each set-up bench with 4000 to 5000 pounds, hardly a practical solution, and one that would surely have a high failure rate. Probably the replacement with folding chairs or other manufactured seating is the most practical, since these must comply with acceptable standards.
One can imagine a serious injury happening, perhaps a lawsuit as a result (it may be required by an insurance company), and having to say that it has happened regularly and that nothing more was done about it than exchanging the bench, and telling people to keep young children from under the seats! In today's world, this would be considered as negligence, and could incur grave repercussions. Something must be done....soon!
Storage:
Old machinery and hidden nooks and crannies attract children and their naturally inquisitive minds. Perhaps some standard "barrier" tapes and a couple announcements would keep most away from the isolated exterior places where machinery or other items are located, but one must be aware that some will investigate no matter what the warnings. Of concern is the high-piled "stuff" behind the "green curtain" in the meeting shed: one would not want to imagine the problems of a heavy, item such as an engine, tumbling from several feet high onto benches and possibly people. Securing the higher items stored here would be wise, and perhaps a rigid "barrier" for the first few feet would dissuade the younger curiosity seekers. Lowering the maximum pile height at the near-edge would help too.
The other prime area of concern, are the barns, and what they contain. Most children are drawn to animals, but many, especially those from city areas, have no idea or comprehension of the weight or what else to expect around a full-grown cow, for example. Preventive barriers seem appropriate here.
Another, but totally different storage concern, is the potential need for a large volume of water as a backup for rest room facilities, etc., and for the unlikely event of a fire (a rather "safe" use of any clean underground tanks, providing a suitable rust inhibitor, and possible other stabilizers, are used). Pumps and hoses, not dependent electric power, might be a safe bet too.
Finally, the potential overflow of sewage and wastewater must be adequately addressed: if it should happen, where would it go and how would it be contained?
High volumes of soapy laundry and shower water have been the most troublesome in the past...
Fuel Storage:
Although this is primarily the responsibility of the property owners, the seasonal addition of several hundred vehicles, draws attention to the fact that this isn't just an ordinary farm. Also, new laws draw a line at a total on-site fuel storage capacity of "under 1101 gallons", and requires that any place that exceeds such, must be registered with the state and that the storage containers must be tested routinely in accordance with governing laws.
This "capacity" includes the total of all holding facilities on the property, even if they're not used - with special attention given to underground tanks (for such storage to be not included, they must be rendered useless - usually by removal, or sometimes by "opening" them and after cleaning, filling them full of soil: this to, is governed by law). For example, if three buildings each had a 250 gallon fuel-oil storage tank, and there was a 500 gallon storage vessel for tractor fuel, the site capacity would be 1250 gallons: it then must be registered with the appropriate State organization(s), and the required testing done on a periodic basis: there was no "grandfathering" of existing storage not requiring compliance. Fines can be very expensive, and removal of any "contaminated" soil likewise. It must be kept in mind that such things frequently draws the attention of the media, as well as "authorities". Here again, one cannot overlook the very close proximity of the nearby reservoir: a relatively small amount of oil would create a very noticeable sheen on its surface, and though relatively harmless, could draw undesired attention.
Liability:
Although the risk may seem small and the needed time short, in today's world the desirability of appropriate insurance coverage cannot be ignored: potential costs and litigation could produce dire consequences. One cannot expect the relatively standard "Homeowners" type policy to cover a gathering of several hundred people! Policies
available for certain types of "mass gatherings" would be applicable, but these would undoubtedly include some of their own audits of facilities and conditions of acceptability before being issued. Fire protection equipment (with people in all areas knowledgeable of using such), clearly marked and lit exits, proper aisles, many of the aforementioned conditions and who knows what else, would all be factored in. Perhaps by starting with contacting a few agents, it would help with arriving at some overall guidelines, ideas of probable premium and "corrections" costs, as well as an general "sense of direction".
Summary:
In conclusion, it must be said that the local town has been very tolerant over the years as the Convention has beenthere for so long and hasn't "given them any problems".
However, the area isn't the same as it was thirty, or even twenty, years ago (there was no Crossgates Mall then!), and of necessity, town authorities must demonstrate no prejudice in upholding laws, codes, and ordinances. Also, in the last several years, many new laws have "been put on the books" that local government had little to do with, and yet must
enforce - especially regarding anything to do with the environment (such as fuel storage).
My experience has been that if one sincerely tries to work with the responsible authorities "up front", and before anything is "cast in concrete", they are more than willing to give the benefit of any doubt, and even assist with practical and acceptable solutions: it makes their job much easier and both parties know what's expected before any action is taken. Conversely, they may have to come down with a "heavy hand" if there's any indication that unauthorized, and possibly covert, things have already taken place. One must recognize today's world for what it is, and act accordingly: most rules are intended for our overall best benefit. It must be openly demonstrated to all and in all things, that the Standards we profess to uphold, are validated by complying with the regulations, governing laws, and common sense, in everything that is done - not just the things that are openly obvious
(Romans 13, V1-7; I Peter 2, V12-15; etc.).
- Edward K. Williams
Copies of this document were: Personally given to: Don Bixby (Responsible for preparations at Altamont) on Wed., July 15, 1998
Personally given to: Charles Steffen (Overseer, Northeast States) at Freedom NY on Fri., Aug. 7, 1998
Personally given to: Albert Knaggs (Minister, and uncle of the property dweller) on Fri., Oct., 22, 1999
Mailed to: Sam McCracken (Overseer of Virginia) on Mon., May 22, 2000 by Carl W.
Note: On Mon., June 12, 2000, suspicions were confirmed through public (NYS, DOS) records available on the Internet, that this was no longer property of private ownership, but a Corporation: KNAGGS OAKLAND REALTY INC.
Sent by Certified Mail, Ret. Rec. Req., on Monday Dec. 11, 2000. Receipt returned on Dec. 13th.
Mr. Charles Steffen
% Peter Smith
157 Parkhurst Road
Gansevort, NY 12831-1404
Dear Charles,
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that I have had some requests that the 1998 Document I wrote and personally gave to you and Don Bixby that summer (and Albert in 1999) about my concerns at the Altamont Convention Grounds, be posted on several of the "Truth" Internet websites.
However, now that you have since stated publicly to the Media, that you "want to do what's right", perhaps we (Yes, ONLY you and I!) should have a one-on-one conversation at my home (and in front of the computer where necessary!), so that you will CLEARLY understand the exposure it would receive, once it was posted. Perhaps there are some comments that you would like to consider for inclusion with the posting, or maybe there are some CLEAR reasonings you would have as to why that it should NOT be "released" for posting at this time.... This will probably take several hours, so I'd suggest that you allocate the better part of a day, or likely more.. I shall expect an acknowledgment of this letter from you promptly, and that the resultant one-on-one "conference" will take place before December 28th 2000. If you choose to ignore this as you have other requests in the past, it will be interpreted as you giving your full consent and encouragement to proceed with the posting of the entire document on the "www" (worldwide web), so the TRUE FACTS preceding this past summer's inspection by the local health and building authorities, will become openly known.
Also enclosed, is a copy of a 6-page Scriptural explanation of divorce, that hopefully, will enlighten your understandings of this issue, according to the Bible.
And yes, I am again coming to you BEFORE anything is actually posted, and giving you an opportunity to discuss things openly FIRST.... Surely this has NOT been the courtesy that you've afforded me!
With all sincerity,
(Signed)
Ed Williams
"Conservative religious group peacefully goes about its business"
Albany Times Union - July 18,2000
By Kim Martineau
Guilderland, NY -- They don't smoke, drink or watch television. And though their numbers rival groups like the Moonies or Rajneeshees, this conservative Christian sect has managed to remain virtually unknown. Outsiders call them "Two by Twos" because ministers travel in pairs to convert new members. But to those who follow the austere lifestyle prescribed by the sect, which rejects churches and other institutions, the religion does not have a name and is referred to simply as "The Way" or "The Truth."
Since 1921, three generations of the K_ _ _ _ _ family have hosted a large, somber, spiritual retreat called a "convention" at their dairy farm. Each summer, an estimated 800 people, mostly from the Northeast, descend on the farm for a four-day religious event.
Despite the large number, most neighbors and officials in the suburban Albany town knew little about the group's existence until last month. That is when the town got a tip that four buildings on the 165-acre farm near the Watervliet Reservoir violated health and safety codes. The owners had represented the buildings as farm sheds, but when the town's building inspector visited the site, he found men's and women's dormitories, washrooms and cooking facilities inside the buildings.
Town and county officials have ordered the owners to make sure the buildings, septic systems and other facilities meet state code by the time the event starts on Aug. 17.
"When you have these mass gatherings, you want to make sure an accident doesn't happen," said town Supervisor Ken Runion.
A Scottish evangelist, William Irvine, founded the group at the turn of the century in Ireland as a reaction to organized religion. For a time, the sect was highly visible, and it spread quickly to other English-speaking countries. But then the group's charismatic leader began to deviate from the sect's principal ideas, arguing that the end of the world was approaching and that ministers should stop converting new members. Irvine was banished in 1914, said Benton Johnson, a sociologist who has studied the sect, and the group developed an aura of secrecy and anonymity that has endured.
The most fascinating aspect about the group, and the key to its survival, said Johnson, has been its refusal to be named or identified. When a reporter asked a local minister, Charles Steffen, what his group is called, he responded enigmatically: "The greatest name there is, is our father's name."
Members dress conservatively, but not in a manner that draws attention. They don't observe special eating rituals. They have no churches, literature or pamphlets, other than the King James version of the Bible. They are not incorporated as a tax-exempt religious group. They send their children to public schools. Without a name, the group has managed to avert some of the publicity and problems that smaller sects and cults have attracted.
"It's a very clever strategy," said Johnson, a retired sociology professor at the University of Oregon.
Because there are no churches, Two by Twos hold Sunday meetings in their homes. They believe the only path to salvation is by earning it, through simple living and the teachings of a minister (you can't be saved on your own). Ministers survive on the donations of members and are called by their first name. The sect traces its roots to the birth of Jesus, not the worldly Irvine, and places its emphasis on Matthew's gospel.
"We tell people to get back to the simple life of the scripture," said Steffen. "It's more of a fellowship or a family than an organization."
Though the group shares some of the characteristics of a cult, its members take a largely passive view of the world and are not violent, scholars say. The Guilderland police have directed traffic at the close of the gatherings but otherwise have had no reason to visit the farm, said Chief James Murley.
Besides Guilderland, two other gatherings are held in the Northeast, one on a farm in western New York and another on a farm in Milford, N.H. There are about 85 convention sites across the country.
But the group and its ministers have also attracted criticism from former members. A West Texan, G.D., blew the whistle on K_ _ _ _ _ Farm last month. G.D., who left the group after he got divorced in 1996, said he reported the violations because he is troubled by the leadership's secrecy and lack of accountability. He has never visited the Guilderland farm but got his information from a member.
"These men are very controlling," he said. "They hide their money. They wear $600 suits and have $20,000 credit card bills. And yet they stand up and preach, "I have nothing to my name."
All property is owned by individuals who, like the K_ _ _ _ _, use it for the good of the movement. "We charge no admission or other fees, nor do we take any collections," Albert Knaggs, a minister, said in a prepared statement. "We have not advertised our gathering, nor have we sought to hide it."
The K_ _ _ _ _ are now at work making changes to the farm to comply with code requirements. The Two by Twos expect to hold their convention this summer, as they do every year.
"It's really not a public gathering," Steffen said. "It's a gathering of believers. We haven't had any illnesses or problems. We've been very careful. We want to do what's right."
The following article was printed in a Bellevue, Washington paper, the EASTSIDE JOURNAL. It appeared on September 4, 1999 in the paper's Faith and Value section in the "Spiritual Perspective" column:
CHURCH SHOULD PRACTICE WHAT IT PREACHES
I was born and raised in an abusive religious system. I understand only too well how such a church can victimize its own people. The Lord was faithful to deliver me and, at times the journey has been exhilarating.
Other aspects of the experience have been very difficult. Making the choice to leave my church of a lifetime was deeply painful. Many of my relationships with family members and friends still in that church have been lost or crippled. I know my recovery will be a lifelong process.
Today my heart aches for others I see enduring that same kind of spiritual abuse. I want to do what I can to stop this needless hurt.
Many people find it hard to imagine how intelligent people can get entangled in such an abusive situation. The subtle twisting of scripture, the control of information and the emphasis on the happy, loving church family can make recognition of the abuse difficult.
When Leadership Disappoints
Those of us in the Christian community have to face the fact that sometimes our leaders fall. When it happens to us, it is painfully traumatic. It is a human reaction to bury our heads in the sand and pretend it never happened (or forget it quickly) in hopes that the pain will also quickly pass. How do seemingly godly leaders become abusive? What are the signs of spiritual abuse of power in the church? What is our responsibility to guard against this kind of abuse?
Is our church family healthy or does it exhibit signs of dysfunction? It has been said that watching how our leaders treat the "one" will give us an indication of how they view the "ninety and nine" in their church family. When a family member comes forward with concerns, is that person honored and his concern prayerfully considered?
When trouble comes to the family are the hurting members embraced and cared for or are they forgotten as though they never were a part of the family in the first place?
We are exhorted in scripture to do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Paul commended the Bereans as noble for searching the scripture daily to see if the things Paul himself was teaching them were true. Do our leaders encourage this kind of scriptural scrutiny of their teaching?
Abusive systems and abusive leaders put a high emphasis on the authority of church leaders and the submission of the "sheep" they lead.
They discourage questions. When members ask questions or voice concerns, they may receive evasive answers.
Do our leaders allow for input from the congregation? Do they show the openness of Christ-like servant leaders? Are our leaders teaching sound doctrine or must we set aside scriptural mandates in order to embrace their teaching? Do we continue to submit to them and say nothing? Our own well-being (and that of our children) and the very witness of the church could be at stake.
--Connie Jacobsen is a lay-member of the Eastside Christian community. She has lived on the Eastside with her husband for almost 20 years and is currently a stay-at-home mom of two teenagers and one pre-teen.
Connie was born and raised in the 2x2 fellowship in Montana; lived briefly in Colorado after getting married and has lived in Washington state since. She left the 2x2 fellowship in January, 1991 after professing for 23 years.
Child Custody Case in Canada:
Excerpts from the ALBERTA REPORT September 15, 1997:
…a divorced Edmonton couple, appeared in Alberta Family court to decide which of them would get custody of their two children. Mr. ______’s lawyer, charged that (his ex-wife) was raising their children in a cult to which both parents belonged but from which Mr. ______ has since escaped. Known as the Two-by-twos, the Way, the Truth, the Go-preachers, or "the Church without a Name," the movement claims to be the one true Christianity. The Family Court deemed itself unqualified to settle the question and referred the case to the Court of Queen's Bench, which now finds itself in the awkward position of having to rule on the harmfulness of a religious sect. "We compiled a list of 47 different cult characteristics," says lawyer ______. "The Two-by-twos meet all the points. They are extremely secretive, have no written doctrine or records, you can't get a straight answer from them and yet they claim to be the only path to salvation. Their 'friends' must give unconditional obedience to the workers or they're guilty of backsliding. And if they backslide, they're damned." Mr. _______ says his case is bolstered by California academic Ronald Enroth's work CHURCHES THAT ABUSE, Port Coquitlam author Lloyd Fortt's IN SEARCH OF 'THE TRUTH', and the testimony of a dozen former members in Alberta. However, Gordon Melton, the California-based editor of the Encyclopedia of American Religions, argues the Two-by-twos are simply an "old-line, 19th-century Christadelphian sect," an isolated subculture of non-Trinitarian Christians. They are not a cult because "there's no real threats or violence," he says. "A good comparison is the Amish. They keep to themselves, with a minimal creed; they stress community, and their faith is passed from generation to generation. The big difference is that the Two-by-twos blend into the community, own houses and work normal jobs." Some ex-members have cited instances of sexual abuse, but author and ex-member Fortt has admitted such accusations are rare. Local "workers" did not return calls from this magazine. The custody case may be heard at Queen's Bench in Edmonton within the month.
The Custody Trial was held in early 1999:
In January and February of this year (1999), the child custody trial of Dorey and Dorey vs. Steingard commenced. An issue which is, generally speaking, settled out of court or in a three to four day trial, had over almost a three-year litigation period grown to monstrous proportions; the trial lasted 17 days. Duncan and Margaret Dorey, father and stepmother to the children - Teresa and Katie Dorey, aged 8 and 6 (at that time) respectively - were pursuing sole custody of the girls. Janice Steingard, Duncan's former common-law spouse, was pursuing sole custody of her daughter Katie, and of Teresa as well. Teresa Dorey's birth mother died when she was 18 months old. Janice Steingard is a guardian of Teresa Dorey.
Janice Steingard is a member of the Two by Twos, her mother is a strong Willis Propp adherent and supporter, and her father is an Elder. They hold Meeting in their home. Janice's sister is a Sister Worker, and her brother and second sister are also Two by Two members. Significant indoctrination of the children into the Two by Twos had occurred and there was a lot of concern by the Doreys on the effect that this was having on the children, their development, and their relationship with the Doreys (as Outsiders).
The trial, presided over by Justice E. MacCallum, was heard in Queen's Bench Court in Edmonton, Canada. The gallery was packed to overflowing on most days of the trial, primarily populated by current Ex-Two-by-Two and their witnesses. Witnesses for the Plaintiffs (the Doreys) included, among others:
Mary Anne Schoeff from the state of Washington, acknowledged as an expert in the Two by Twos (having researched the Group for over twenty years)
Professor Ronald Enroth, of Westmont College in California, one of the leading experts in the field of cults and abusive churches (he profiled the Two by Twos in his book "Churches That Abuse")
An ex-member, profiled in a story about the Two by Twos in a series of newspaper articles about the Group
An ex-member and author of a book on the Two by Twos; and
An ex-member whose family was still involved in the Two by Twos.
Witnesses for the Defendant (Janice Steingard) included, among others:
The Head Worker/Overseer for Alberta;
Two Elders and longtime Two by Two members;
The mother of the Defendant, and a current Two by Two; and
Two women who are current members of the Two by Twos in Edmonton.
The lawyer for the Defendant, David Schwartz, was attended and assisted by a lawyer from the province of British Columbia - Norm Evans - who is a currently a professing Two by Two.
Despite evidence which appeared to demonstrate the appropriateness of custody being awarded to the Doreys, and of the risks to the children of remaining in the sphere of influence of the Two by Twos, the Judgment of Sole Custody was provided to Janice Steingard for both children, with access to the Doreys. However, the Court Order and Judgment concerning custody and access provides some direction on the issue of religious practices, as follows:
"When Katie Dorey and Teresa Dorey are in the Plaintiffs' care the Plaintiffs shall have sole say as to the religious practices they observe with the children. The Defendant is not to interfere or criticize the Plaintiff's choice of religion. The same applies when the children are in the care of the Defendant."
Since the conclusion of the trial, three Two by Twos have lodged complaints with the Law Society of Alberta against the lawyer for the Plaintiffs, James K. Arends. Their complaints centre around Mr. Arends' requests on the "Hope" and "Two by Two Church" Lists for assistance and information in preparing for the trial, which the complainants take exception to as an infringement on their rights. The investigation is currently pending with the Law Society.
INFORMATION PACKAGE:
If you would like to receive several documents from the Dorey & Dorey v. Steingard custody trial you may contact: Arends Law Office, #213 Nortec Office Centre, 59046 - 50th Street, Leduc, AB T9E 6J4 Telephone (780) 986-1443 Fax (780) 980-5385 or Email Jarends@connect.ab.ca
This extensive Information Package contains twenty-three documents/articles three of which are:
Declaration of Ronald M. Enroth, Ph.D.
Opinion Statement of Mary Ann Schoeff
Floyd Willis Propp - transcript of evidence - February 8, 1999 Trial Excerpt
Arends Law Office is making this package available on a donation basis which will help cover the court expenses and the cost of the printing and binding of these documents. Donations have typically averaged between $50.00 and $100.00. Please include enough money to cover the postage as well. This document is over one inch thick and weighs approximately two pounds. Cost of mailing in Canada averages about $8.00 to $10.00. Out of Canada mailing costs would be more.
The following letter was printed in the Impartial Reporter newspaper (in Enniskillen, N Ireland) week of December 15, 1997:
Dear Impartial Reporter:
We see in your recent printing of Cooneyite letters that our experience of leaving the mainstream Two-by-Two's in America in 1972 was referred to.
Later on we had a number of extended visits with some elderly Irish Cooneyites. We would like now to report a significant difference we noted (related to truth in advertising) that we believe the public should be aware of.
The "message" and general practice of both groups were similar. But while the Cooneyites seemed quite knowledgeable and open about their doctrine and their 1890s origin, the Two-by-Two's had little awareness in either area and were careful to evasively disguise what little they did know.
Without having to say so, they wanted to appear to be from the days of Jesus without interruption, a concept necessitated by their veiled claim that spiritual life could only come through the directly spoken words of one of their itinerant ministers. And they wanted to appear to be doctrinally orthodox without actually committing themselves clearly. They didn't really want to discuss either doctrine or history.
The Two-by-Two ministers could appear to agree warmly with views they didn't actually hold and which they would later disparage. They commonly led prospects to believe they held orthodox views, and also pretended the same to any of their own members who made specific inquiry on doctrinal essentials. But usually evasion and silence disposed of such questions, whether of doctrine or of history.
Had we been dealing originally with the Cooneyites instead of the mainstream Two-by-Two's, we could have learned much more readily the serious ways in which these groups differ from orthodoxy: * that their "gospel" was simply a method of preaching and meeting, and that it rejected the biblical message of God 's grace in providing a Savior.
* that they were relying on their own flawed faithfulness and placed no reliance on what Christ did for them when He kept the precept and penalty of the Law in their stead.
* that they did not believe God to be a trinity, nor Christ to be God,
* that they believed themselves to be the only Christians, etc.
Oh, yes, they "believed" in the blood of Christ, in His death, in His righteous, obedient life, but what they believed about these things was deliberately unclear, and the admission that they didn't rely on any of them for acceptance with God was very slow in coming.
But eventually it did come through. They simply expected God to be "reasonable" (as they called it) in accepting their best efforts, expecting that He could bend the strictness of His Law for them, that imperfect compliance with it could be accepted, though it cost Him His integrity as a Judge. Since they didn't see the price of heaven to be out of their
personal reach, they didn't need a Savior, much less a Substitute - only an
Example.
So let the public beware. And let those members who are privately "reading into" the teachings of the group truths which are not there re-examine and challenge what they are hearing. Doing this will not be easy. Even the Loizeaux Publishing House was, for awhile, completely, fooled into defending the Two-by-Two's as an orthodox Christian group. And the particular circumstances of Loizeaux's encounter with the Two-by Two's gave them far more chance to get to the truth about the group than any Two-by-Two convert ever has. It may help to remember that straightforwardness and consistency cannot be expected from Two-by-Two workers, even when they believe they are being honest. "Be wise as serpents, seem harmless as doves" is their oft-repeated motto.
Sincerely yours,
Ruth Miller
6120 West Umatilla Avenue
Kennewick, WA 99336 USA
The following involves Stanley Jordan, who was an Elder, in the 2x2 system.
Calgary Herald, Wednesday, March 20, 2002
CALGARY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORN CHARGE
By Emma Poole: Calgary Herald
A Calgary man caught with graphic Sexual pictures of children on his home computer pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of child pornography. Stanley Howard Jordan, 55, was also charged with importing child pornography, but that charge was withdrawn during his appearance in provincial court. Calgary police seized three computers from Jordan's northwest home last September after a two month under-cover operation. Investigators were left to rummage through the computer hard drives taken from his Edgemont home. Most of the photographs depict children of South American descent. Police said they believed the images were being given to customers through the Internet Bulletin-Board Services. Crown Prosecutor, Jolaine Antonio, has asked for a pre-sentence report. She also asked the court to order Jordan to undergo a psychiatric assessment at the Peter Lougheed Center. Jordan is scheduled to return to provincial court May 3.
He remains free on bail.
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