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little2late
TPCWOC. IT is amazing how God can build churches and shut them down. TPC was awesome at one time, I have never felt the presence of the lord until I attended a easter service in 2003. Life was good, small group was awesome, people were REAL. WHAT HAPPENED??? Man decided what to worship. They created an idol that was based on building the church up instead of building the Gospel up. TPC is the best church, we are the main reason for summer jubilee, we helped the city clean up the city, we have the best elders, our elders and pastors are worth imitating. Do you hear all the WE and our?? It's all about TPC and not about Jesus. After my wife and I left we have never been contacted by anyone. 5 years and gone like we never existed. That really humbled us how we depended on man to make us feel worthy, instead of relying on Jesus. The roots of this church are spoiled and contaminated and needs to be pulled out and re-planted. I really do pray for TPC that the Lord will show mercy and grace towards their rebuilding process. TPC is where i met Jesus for the first time, I will never forget that.

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LearningPoint
D of D, would it be possible for the defrauded individuals to retain a lawyer and deal with this through a law office without it becoming public? Are there any lawyers who would be willing to pursue this for a percentage of the money that is recovered? I am obviously NOT legal savvy.

If Mike and Cyndi received legal papers in the mail regarding this (from those who wish to get on board with it--and we could contact people to let them know they have the option to do so), wouldn't M & C then need to get a lawyer themselves? THAT should make them take this seriously and consider what they might have done wrong.

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Daughter of Dorcas
However, the case could still be dealt with effectively (holding the Villamors acocuntable) and yet quietly (not brining public shame on the name of Christ) by not contacting the media and by seeking to keep the case within the confines of mediation rather than going to trial. Maybe Daughter of Dorcas knows if and/or how this might best be accomplished.

First, Mike would have to wrap his mind around and accept that fact that he has done something wrong. Pursuant to the information provided from various sources at the time of his departure to Texas -- Mike is under the delusion that he has done nothing wrong. Based on information from various sources who all reported similar information about the account of the ""Sabbatical" requirement of Mike and Cyndi by the TPC elders, Mike wanted to negotiate to his advantage and agenda and that had nothing to do with submitting with humility to the requirements of the TPC elders on him. Mike was used to having those around him be willing to compromise or give in to his will rather than Mike submitting in humility to anyone including the Elders. Short of Mike having a revelation from the Lord similar to Paul's revelation on the Damascus Road and submitting with humility to the type of action you propose, there is nothing anyone can do. However, former TPC members who are interested in getting a refund of their donation, because the money was used in a manner which had nothing to do with the purpose that the money was solicited for, could file a complaint with the Washington State Attorney Generals Office if TPC fails to respond promptly to their refund request. If the State Attorney General's office could choose to investigate Mike and TPC if they received enough complaints from individuals for the same issue, ie the misuse of stewardship funds and the failure to notify and offer refunds to those who donated when TPC started using the Stewardship for everything except what it was intended for including a source of $50K in severance pay for Mike.

D of D

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Daughter of Dorcas
We got a letter from the Attorney General's office and they want to know about complaints by folks who feel they should have been given the chance to decide whether they wanted there money back when TPC decided to use it in ways and for expenditures that the Stewardship Campaign Donations were never meant to be used for. It seems that churches (clergy) and politicians are exempt from the Consumer Protection Laws of Washington State. Imagine that! So I am going to make telephone calls tomorrow to find out about filing a lawsuit in small claims court and what the $$$ amount limits are for that route and what the costs would be. I will let you know what I find out.

D of D