The Family Leadership Initiative (FLI) is a biblically based family ministry model that trains, supports, and provides urban Churches in the Grand Rapids Community with resources for developing healthy families.
1, § 4 of the.Motto: Equipping Churches to Strengthen Families "It is well settled that courts, both federal and state, are severely circumscribed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and art.
"Accordingly, the issue is reviewed de novo." Id. "Whether subject-matter jurisdiction exists is a question of law for the court." Dep't of Natural Resources v. Therefore, this Court will only address whether the claims are justiciable, and we will not address the merits of the claims.
#Pilgrim rest baptist church grand rapids trial
To the extent that the claims are justiciable, it is proper that the merits of those claims be addressed first by the trial court, and not this Court.
To the extent that the claims are nonjusticiable, the arguments on the merits are irrelevant. On appeal, the parties address the merits of the claims. The trial court concluded that all the claims from both cases were nonjusticiable under MCR 2.116(C)(8) because of the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine. After this meeting, two boards of directors each began asserting that it was the legitimate board of directors. The pastor's opponents question the legitimacy of the board of directors that was voted in by the pastor's supporters. On January 1, 2012, the pastor's supporters held a board of directors meeting, at which they claim the pastor's opponents maliciously tried to break up the vote for a board of directors. Defendant Pearson later pleaded nolo contendere to a charge of embezzling more than $50,000 but less than $100,000 and was ordered to pay restitution. On December 30, 2011, the Kent County Prosecutor's office authorized an arrest warrant for defendant Pearson on one count of embezzlement. On December 27, 2011, the board of trustees, allegedly exercising its right as board of directors, voted to suspend defendant Pearson with pay. The majority of these transactions were for the benefit of defendant Pearson, his wife, and a former church secretary. On December 23, 2011, Plante Moran issued a preliminary finding report that demonstrated that, between 20, more than $237,000 had been removed from Pilgrim's Rest Baptist Church's bank accounts through questionable transactions. Between July 6, 2011, and October 13, 2011, defendant Pearson admitted that on numerous occasions he gave himself raises, used church credit cards for nonchurch purposes, and paid himself monetary honorariums, all without either board's approval or authorization.Īfter the Octomeeting, plaintiffs Blackwell and Mayfield hired Plante Moran to analyze theīegan to take sides and formed a pro-defendant Pearson faction and an anti-defendant Pearson faction. In April 2011, the board of trustees and board of deacons became aware of defendant Pearson's authorizing a raise for himself. In 2011, defendant Pearson was the pastor and president of Pilgrim's Rest.
Plaintiff Pilgrim's Rest Baptist Church is an ecclesiastical corporation. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings. The defendants-appellees/cross-appellants and defendants/counterplaintiffs-appellees/cross-appellants in the consolidated case (collectively referred to as "pastor's opponents") cross-appeal the same order. 319571, plaintiffs/counterdefendants-appellants/cross-appellees and plaintiffs-appellants/cross-appellees (collectively referred to as "pastor's supporters") appeal the trial court's Novemorder that dismissed their claims under MCR 2.116(C)(8). Plaintiffs/counterdefendants-appellees/ cross-appellants Pilgrim's Rest Baptist Church, Nathan Mayfield, and Stephon Blackfield (plaintiffs) cross-appeal the same order, which also dismissed their claims under MCR 2.116(C)(8) for being nonjusticiable. (defendant Pearson) appeals the trial court's Octoorder dismissing his counterclaims under MCR 2.116(C)(8) for being nonjusticiable. 318797, defendant/counterplaintiff-appellant/ cross-appellee Arthur Pearson, Sr.
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