RE: http://www.thetimestribune.com/local/local_story_078084611.html

Good job to her for standing up for her self. I talked to this same woman about enrolling my daughter there. She was rude and very insulting. She went as far to tell me that there were several very important poeple who attend church there and since I was not a member nor important enough. Our daughter would not be high on the priority enrollment list. I enrolled my child in a different program because of it. A better program and am extremely satifised with them.

I too have been a victim of harrassment at Grace On The Hill, a United Methodist Church.

I feel I was blackmailed by one of the staff, when they made my own personal business, which had nothing to do with Grace On The Hill their business. I had been a member at Grace for 6 years, and I was shocked to say the least when this person gave me a very disturbing option, which tore me up spiritually & emotionally.

I didn't choose the option that they thought I would choose. I didn't think either option was fair. Because of the option I chose, my wife & I received a cease & desist letter from Grace delivered by a state policeman at my residence on a Sunday afternoon, just a few days after I got home from having foot surgery. I was so hurt by this letter, and the timing of when I received it, especially just after getting out of the hospital, and couldn't walk, made me very depressed. My wife didn't even go to Grace and was not a member.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Musiclover,

Wait a minute. The Pastor Tim Thompson is saying that this matter does not involve parents and students. Did he forget that the woman filing the suit is a PARENT, as well as a former employee, and that her child was a student? She should be given fair treatment as both a parent and employee.

At any rate, I find it fishy that this newspaper was hardly anywhere to be found when it came out on Tuesday the 18th. I had heard about this story and was interested (knowing a few members of the church)... Five stores and EVERY one of them sold out?

Hmm, I wouldn't be surprised if someone was sent to grab those up off the shelves.

Hey CorbinMom2,
Amen!! My hat is off to you. Great comments!!

I know what you mean about the papers. I picked up mine at the Dixie restaurant just a couple of hours after the paper was released on the 18th, and there was only 2 left when I opened the door to get one. I know they don't sell that fast.

I thought the same thing about Thompson's comment. Ms. Parsons was a parent first, and then an employee, and I've always heard that you don't mess with people's kids. If she wanted to give her daughter some of her lunch, she had that right, and Ms. Peace should've left well enough alone.

I used to go to this church and all the people I met there are so nice. This lawsuit is really terrible for them. From what I read in the story, it seems so silly. A couple of people couldn't get along and now someone thinks they can use the courts to get rich because of it. It's a sad world we live in.

Hey Lightspeed,
Used to go? Why don't you go there now?

Did you not read the other comments?

It's not the point of a couple of people not getting along. It's the fact that Ms. Peace should not have interferred in Ms. Parsons giving some of her lunch to her own daughter. Ms. Peace could have been more tactful in the way she handled the situation. I went there 6 years, and I saw alot of the staff pushing people around, which was not right. God is not into hurting people. I was deeply hurt as you can read in my comment, which was so unecessary in the way I was treated by 2 staff people. I even took my situation to the DS, who seemed to be on my side at first, but then turned against me, which I didn't understand, because he told these 2 staff people that my personal business was none of their business. Read II Thess. 1:6

If this would've happened to you, are you saying you would've let it go? Be honest.

"It seems so silly."
Do you think Ms. Parsons thinks it's silly for her to be insulted in front of the other employees? Do you think my wife & I found it silly when a state policeman delivered to us a letter from the church's attorney?

I've been churchless for almost a year after what "Grace" did to me. It's hard to find another church after you've been treated like I was treated.

I find nothing silly about my situation or Ms. Parsons, but very serious issues.

I'll tell you what is silly. The fact that Ms. Peace would even have to interfere with Ms. Parsons giving her daughter some of her lunch.
Now, that's silly.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Musiclover,

quote:

Originally posted by Musiclover:
I've been churchless for almost a year after what "Grace" did to me. It's hard to find another church after you've been treated like I was treated.

If it is this difficult for you to find a church that suits you maybe you should consider that the people at Grace aren't the problem, but that you are simply hard to get along with.

Hey Lightspeed,
The 2 staff people WERE the problem.

They made my personal business their business, which The Methodist District Superintendent told both of them that my business was none of their business, and they had NO business giving me advice about my personal business.

If these 2 staff person would've minded their own business, like the DS told them, I would still be at Grace.

I'm easy to get along with. I was there for 6 years, and was very active in the church and loved by everyone at Grace, until this 1 staff person invaded my own personal business by giving me 2 unfair options that didn't have anything to do with Grace. I stood my ground and these 2 staff members didn't like it, because I didn't choose the option they wanted me to choose, even though they gave me the 2 options to choose from.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Musiclover,

First of all, I want to thank the Times Tribune for allowing comments to be made about this story.

From what I understand after reading this, is that this lawsuit is a result of a mother giving her daughter some of her lunch, and Ms. Peace didn't like it.

Well, according to the Bible, if God can use a donkey to wake Baalam up, and a whale to wake Jonah up, I'm sure he can use food to wake "Grace" up, especially after how my husband was treated last year at "Grace."

Here's what happened.

He went in the hopsital on May 3rd of last year, and was in the hospital for foot surgery,
and was in the hospital for 15 days, and no one from "Grace" visited, nor sent flowers, not
even a card, and Grace is right next door to the hospital. Not even the pastor came, yet 2
years ago when he was in the hospital, the pastor & 1 of the staff members came before his surgery
and after his surgery.

Then to beat it all, just after a few days after he came home from the hospital and couldn't walk, well,
read his first comment that talks about the letter from the church's attorney, which I was served with also,
and I didn't even attend "Grace," and was not a member. We were deeply hurt to say the least by "Grace."

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Musiclover,

quote:

Originally posted by Musiclover:
He went in the hopsital on May 3rd of last year, and was in the hospital for foot surgery,
and was in the hospital for 15 days, and no one from "Grace" visited, nor sent flowers, not
even a card, and Grace is right next door to the hospital.

Then to beat it all, just after a few days after he came home from the hospital and couldn't walk, well,
read his first comment that talks about the letter from the church's attorney, which I was served with also,
and I didn't even attend "Grace," and was not a member. We were deeply hurt to say the least by "Grace."

Why in the world would you want to go to church there? Sounds like the people at Grace don't want you for whatever reason. Drop it and move on with your life. There are many other churches.

Hey Lightspeed,
I went to Grace because of this scripture: Jeremiah 23: 1-4.
The pastor & m. of music agreed with me about this scripture, and
then they went against it. Now read II Thess. 1:6.

Why did you quit going to Grace?

The people at Grace loved me & my music, and my voice, until the m. of music stepped into my personal business and caused chaos at the church.

Why are you defending these people by saying they don't want me, when you don't know both sides of the story?

I was established at Grace for 6 years, and it's hard to find another church after you've been hurt by church people.

Go to this site: www.geneedwards.com, and see all the books he's written about being hurt by other believers. I'm going to contact Mr. Edwards and tell him my story.

I go to church for God, not for people, so, I could care less what people at Grace want. God loves me and "If God be for me, no one can be against me."

One last thing. The majority of the people at Grace didn't agree with the letter sent to me by the church's attorney, and they also agreed that my personal business was none of the m. of music or pastor's business, and we're not going to drop it, so there. The only reason we posted about what happened is because of what has happened to Ms. Parson at Grace, which in both cases is invasion of privacy.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Musiclover,

quote:

Originally posted by Musiclover:

Why did you quit going to Grace?

The people at Grace loved me & my music, and my voice, until the m. of music stepped into my personal business and caused chaos at the church.

My wife is a Catholic so I decided to take on her faith. The people at FUMC were always very nice. I don't know anyone that has had the problems with them that you apparently have. Its a shame.

I hate to see a good church and a good group of people smeared on here by someone who is just disgruntled and can't let go of the past.

Get on with your life, you will be happier.

QUOTE from Lightspeed:
"I don't know anyone that has had the problems with them that you apparently have. Its a shame."

Read my lips. There wouldn't have been a problem if the m. of music would've minded his own business. So, I don't even know why you make a statement like the one above.

I had no problems until the m. of music invaded my privacy. You don't know the whole story, and are making assumtions.

Did you not read the part where I wrote that the majority of the people at Grace disagreed with the letter sent to us from the church's attorney? What does that tell you?

The problem they caused for Ms. Parsons has resulted in a lawsuit, so, how can you say what you said about me, when Ms. Parsons has sued them?

I'll tell you what's a shame is when church people can't mind their own business, and not delve into other people's personal business outside of the church.

QUOTE: "I hate to see a good church and a good group of people smeared on here by someone who is just disgruntled and can't let go of the past.

Get on with your life, you will be happier."

When you say someone who is just disgruntled, are you talking about me or Ms.Parsons, or both of us?

I don't know why you are taking up for Grace and not seeing anything my way, when I've explained to you that I didn't cause the problem.

I have gotten on with my life, yet, what was done to me at Grace was wrong. If you can't see that, I'm sorry. All my friends at Grace told me that what was done to me was not Christian at all.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Musiclover,

Lightspeed_Mechanic and Musiclover, I don't think you are seeing the point in this lawsuit. Did you read the article? The main complaint in this is not that she allowed her daughter to eat her lunch, that was the starting point. The point is Ms Parsons was not only assaulted by this woman, because a supervisor should never touch or grab another employee, but she was demeaned. Ms Parsons has a facial disfigurement and being told to wipe the "PISS FACE OFF" is very tramatic to someone who is already tramatized enough. It would be equal to telling a man in a wheelchair to move his CRIPPLED self out of the way. This same woman also told staff at the church that she had fired Ms. Parson, when Ms. Parson infact resigned her position and removed her daughter from the school. Since we leave in such a small town, this is tangament to tell everyone she was fired. Possible costing her other job opportunities. And to state another fact, she has given the church and staff involved many chances to make ammends. She only filed suit and went to the press after they refused to actually the situation. So don't make this about something it is not.

Thank you. Be respectful. If you don't know the facts, then don't comment.

quote:

Originally posted by MOTHER2:
Lightspeed_Mechanic and Musiclover, I don't think you are seeing the point in this lawsuit. Did you read the article? The main complaint in this is not that she allowed her daughter to eat her lunch, that was the starting point. The point is Ms Parsons was not only assaulted by this woman, because a supervisor should never touch or grab another employee, but she was demeaned. Ms Parsons has a facial disfigurement and being told to wipe the "PISS FACE OFF" is very tramatic to someone who is already tramatized enough. It would be equal to telling a man in a wheelchair to move his CRIPPLED self out of the way. This same woman also told staff at the church that she had fired Ms. Parson, when Ms. Parson infact resigned her position and removed her daughter from the school. Since we leave in such a small town, this is tangament to tell everyone she was fired. Possible costing her other job opportunities. And to state another fact, she has given the church and staff involved many chances to make ammends. She only filed suit and went to the press after they refused to actually the situation. So don't make this about something it is not.

Thank you. Be respectful. If you don't know the facts, then don't comment.

Oh please. You are being a drama queen. Filing lawsuits because someone talks harsh to you seems pretty weak. And if she was assaulted, then she should have called police. I think someone is just wanting to cash in on the church's deep pockets.

Musiclover is in the same boat. He sees a chance to hit the jackpot in court. You people need to grow up and get over it.