My childhood friend left Sioux Falls, SD a couple years ago and married that Philip Kennedy man. Her name is Angel. If anyone knows any information, if she's okay, or any other tidbits I would love to know. I haven't gotten to get in touch with her for a very long time and would love to know how she is.

Hi Ron,

I'm pleased you're doing well.

And, yes, the early days had some wonderful, wonderful moments.

I knew WH too. I hadn't spoken with her in some time before she checked-out, but, yes, she was a sensitive woman and was always kind and gracious to me. A real loss.

Am VERY pleased your son wasn't one of the tragedies.

God bless.

Is refugee Joel B. who speaks from inner circle knowledge. former friend.

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum (obviously), but I was one of the original members of the Indiana group from early 70s. I lived in New Castle, IN and I worshipped in the home of the Berfangers in New Castle IN (led by a "Sister June" who lived in the same neighborhood), and in a house in Muncie near the Ball State University campus where I heard both Hobart Freeman and Charles Meade speak. I also remember hearing Freeman speak at another house in New Castle, but I don't remember where. I just remember meeting in a very large basement. I remember the "trials and tests" controversy that split the groups in two, and I agreed with Bro. Meade's reasoning that God does not bring trials and tests on His people, so I went with Bro. Meade's group. After a while we met regularly in the Meade's detached garage in Daleville, IN. I lost contact with everyone in the Berfangers' group after a while.

My closest friends at the time were Pete and Linda Woods, who also lived in New Castle. I joined the Berfangers group in 1970, where Pete and Linda both attended. I was 14. I was married 4 years later, which was about the same time Pete and Linda got married. Linda and I got together regularly, and after our children were born they played together. Linda's 2 sons were born at home, delivered by Pete.

I also remember Scott and Valerie, but I don't know their last name. Scott was befriended by the Woods after knocking on their door one day to sell books. He was attracted to Valerie, who I think was visiting with the Cookes from Sioux Falls. They married a few months later, after her parents came to the house and tried to take her back. I remember there was some fear of her being kidnapped and de-programmed. Anyway, they married and had many children; all of them home births.

However, I had married outside the group and my husband never accepted any of it which gradually made it difficult for me to attend meetings regularly. I continued to listen to Bro. Meade's tapes, though, and kept in frequent contact with the Meades and Pete and Linda. I met Gary and Joni Cooke when they came to visit, and I remember hearing about Libby's premature birth and death. I was amazed at the growth of the end-time movement, and my tape library was augmented with tapes from the overcomers meetings in Billings as well as Sioux Falls.

Eventually the faith healing issue ended my contact with the Meades as well as Pete and Linda. My youngest child developed a rare tumor when she was a baby. I was encouraged to pray for her healing, which I did, but my husband and I also sought medical treatment, so she went through chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation for a year. I had regular contact with Linda and the Meades during my daugher's illness, and I was encouraged to stop seeing the doctors and rely on my faith. I pointed out that 1) my husband would not agree with this, and 2) since we had already sought medical treatment the state would take custody of her to make sure she got treatment. This had already happened to another child at the hospital whose parents were Christian Scientist.

Ironically the doctors stopped treatment a year later. The Meades gave me an anointed handkerchief and my daughter wore it for the last 2 weeks of her life. My faith never wavered - she was going to be healed. The night Katie died I was rocking her, thanking God and praising Him for healing her. Interestingly, she kept pointing to something in the room, saying "Jesus." She slept soundly that night but when I went to check on her in the morning she had just taken her last breath.

Soon afterward Linda brought something to me that I had left at her house, and that was my last contact with the group. I had been shunned.

During my daugher's illness Linda mentioned that the Meades were looking at property in Gainesville Florida and were planning to move. She also said she and Pete were thinking about moving as well, but I don't know when they moved.

Does anyone know what happened to the Woods and Scott and Valerie? Also, was Gary Cooke still in the group when he died? What about the Carreders and the other members of the Sioux Falls group that have been 'sidelined' (from a previous forum posting)?

Sorry for the long post, but it was rather cathartic. I also hopes it helps a bit for those who want to know about the early days. Like Refugee, I also believe that God was working in the early years, and I also felt the anointing during the meetings. Money was not an issue then, although we were encouraged to tithe. The Meades lived in a very modest home. And none of us was brainwashed. We were at an impressionable age and we were looking for spiritual truth we hadn't yet found. I had been to many churches and was turned off by their politics and their spiritual deadness. The end-time group at the Meades was on fire; a lot like the early church must have been. It is sad to see what they have become, although I truly believe there are some very good, sincere people there who truly love God and believe they are following the truth. I truly pray that God opens their eyes and brings them to the truth.

God's blessings on you all.

Hi Grace,

Nice to hear from you, though I'm not sure we've ever met. I certainly knew Pete and Linda quite well, as well as Scott and Valerie.

I am very sorry to tell you that Linda passed away a few years ago. She did have a daughter, born in about 1990. That girl now has a child of her own. Pete left the group some years ago and is living in central Florida.

Last I knew, Scott and Valerie were still together.

Gary was in the group when he died, having remarried (to Marlene's sister) after Joni left him. As I saw someone post earlier, Joni is now a state legislator back in the Sioux Falls area.

Mike Carrendar had a bunch of high-level positions in big companies, but ended up in a very high-profile bankruptcy a couple of years back - including crimes, bizarre car crashes, etc. Wild stuff. As far as I know he is not in any criminal difficulties, just strangely in proximity.

All my best,

Ref

Hello folks,

Former MM member here, although it wasn't called MM when I was involved. I was part of the Evanston group--joined in about 1974, left in 1980. I have two brothers who are still involved, living in Lake City.

Interested in connecting with other former members, etc. Feel free to contact me privately, etc.

Grace and peace,

Tom

Hi Tom

I read your post with interest. My name is Jana Foster (it was Jana Coates at the time). I was one of the original members in Indiana, joining in 1972 when I was about 14. When the split between Hobart Freeman and Bro. Meade happened I chose to stay with the End Time Ministries group. I believe we began meeting at the Meades' garage in Daleville IN shortly after the split occurred.

I am curious as to the reasons you left the group in 1980. Would you be willing to share them?

Pete and Linda Woods were close friends of mine even before they were married and until 1982 when my youngest child died of cancer and I was shunned by the group for my lack of faith and for seeking medical treatment.

I received an email from Pete a couple of weeks ago and learned of Linda's death in July 2005. Do you know what caused her death? I remember she had epilepsy. Also, do you know if their children still involved in Meade Ministries?

Are you still able to contact your brothers?

I am curious about the changes that have occurred in the group, because it is drastically different from what it was in the "old days." I don't have ill will toward anyone currently in the group. Rather, I pray that their eyes are open to the truth.

Do you know why the Meade Ministries sign recently disappeared from their worship center? Also, is there any truth to the rumor that Bro. Meade is residing in a nursing home?

Thanks for your patience.

Warm Regards,

Jana Foster

Quote
Refugee
A brief history of Charles Meade and his followers:

PART ONE

I’m in the mood, and I may be the only one who knows some of these facts, so I’m going to write them. Some parts of this are rather obviously my interpretation and judgment, and I’ll rely on the intelligence of the reader to divide properly.

Charles Meade born on December 24, 1916 near Paintsville Kentucky, at a place called Bear Mountain. His mother’s name was Julia Howard. I don’t recall the father’s name, but he was considerably older than Julia. Julia was very devout. It was a large family, one sister of which (named Clara, I think, later married to a kind and cultured man named Brown) remained close for life.

During Meade’s childhood, the family was strongly influenced by Dored Williams, an itinerant Pentecostal evangelist. There are dramatic stories of Williams and healings from the time.

The family was poor, and young Charles traveled to Ohio to work with migrant farm crews. One pivotal experience for him was seeing a Chrysler New Yorker stuck in the mud, and helping to push it out. The driver was from New York and impressed young Meade. (This was in the depths of the depression.) Meade looked at his fellows and said, “Boys, some day I’m going to have one of those Chryslers.” Old group members will recall that Meade always chose the New Yorker as his car. Only later did he move to Cadillac. (After, I think, the New Yorker had ceased being made.)

Meade then entered the US Army and spent three (as I recall) long tours of Europe. He was wounded. He tells stories of his mother’s prayers and divine protection.

After the war, he ended up in Muncie Indiana with his wife Marie. He worked at Ball Jar, was a union steward, and they had two children, Bob and his sister, whose name eludes me at the moment. Both Charles and Marie developed serious health issues through the 50s and 60s. Marie had several heart attacks and was clinically dead on an operating table at least once. They were not devout and lived some level of middle-class existence.

In about 1967, Marie had a conversion experience and began attending church. (They ended up at a Four Square church in or very near to Muncie, though I’m not sure that was the first one.) Charles resisted Marie’s efforts for him to follow suit. But, approximately nine months later, Meade was converted during an evangelical service at the Four Square church. (Some of Meade’s later followers who attended Northern Illinois University knew this evangelist.)

Following this, Charles and Marie renovated their lives and attended church continuously. It was at this point that Meade began having visions – some in the church pews. At some point, they left the church and joined with Hobart Freeman’s Faith Assembly group. (We are into the early 1970s now.) Meade was eventually asked to conduct meetings for Freeman in Muncie, but the two fell out some time thereafter and Meade began conducting his own meetings. I’m not sure if the first ones were in his garage in Daleville, IN, but they soon were. This occurred in about 1973. The group was small but devoted. The most dramatic event from this time (1974) was a meeting at a place (perhaps a home) they called “the Burfangers.” (That’s phonetic and it was a family name.) Many dramatic healings were reported.

At this time, a group of bright young students were gathering at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. One of them, Mike Carrendar, was from Indiana and his mother was involved with Meade’s group. Carrendar brought tapes to the group from both Freeman and Meade. (The others included Chris Shaheen, Gary Cooke, John Linton and John Lofstrom.) They were enamored with both Freeman and Meade and an Evanston group began to form.

After some time, Cooke went home to Sioux Falls, SD and started passing around tapes and gathering like-minded friends. Linton did similarly in Billings, Montana. All quit school, with the exceptions of Carrendar and Lofstrom.

Not knowing anything about Charles Meade's life as a minister, I do know something about his early life.

Charlie's father was not "much" older; he was 5 years older than Julia. His name was Leck Meade. Leck had 3 uncles who were Baptist ministers. Julia's father was a Baptist minister, as were several of his brothers and uncles. Leck and Julia were not extremely devout, no more and no less than other families in the area.

There are 2 versions regarding Charlie getting wounded during WWII. The 1st: The jeep Charlie was driving got shot and he received some shrapnall. The 2nd: Charlie was drunk and drove the jeep off the road, jeep rolled over, and Charlie ended up under the jeep. In both versions, he ended up wounded. He ended up in a hospital in Columbia, Ohio, where he was given morphine.

It was not Charlie's mother's prayers and divine intervention that "saved" him. After he came out of the hospital he moved in with one of his sisters and her family. As the family remembers, he was completely "screwed in the head". Always got in trouble, got his nieces and nephew in trouble, and was drunk most of the time. His brother-in-law finally told him to pack up. During this time, Charlie had also married a sweet girl. The marriage didn't last long - they divorced - no children.

The sister he remained close to for life was Cora; she had joined him in Florida.

While married to Marie, Charlie had an affair (in Indiana). Bob is the result of this affair. Marie and Charlie had also adopted a girl; Sandra.

Was Charlie a phoney? Yes and no. His siblings, nieces and nephews could tell about the times when Charlie was a teenager and gather all the kids around him and preached with fire. To this day they will tell you that Charlie truly believed what he was preaching. They will also tell you that Charlie isn't Charlie anymore.

A few relatives have tried to stay in touch with Charlie, but all will tell you that Marlene doesn't make it easy. Over the last 10, 20 years Charlie has tried to get several of his siblings to move to Lake City; one of them did and was quite disappointed to find out that he never got to get together with Charlie. After a year of trying he moved out of the state. Roadblock was Marlene.

I met Charlie only once and labeled him immediately a hypocrite and he in return decided that I was a lost cause. The occasion of this meeting was the 100th birthday of one of Charlie's brothers. Charlie had showed up with all his entourage and from what I could see, his family was not very impressed. They were even less impressed with the way Marlene and Charlie pushed the children of the birthday boy aside so they could be next to him when the photographer of the local paper took his shots.

I know all of Charlie's siblings and most of their families. They are all genuine people, not particularly religious, and just plain down to earth folks. Kinda like their parents were...btw: Julia loved to chew tobacco, barn dances, and scary stories.

Dear Jana,

Thanks for your message. I will reply to you offline.

Regards,

Tom

Hi Patches,

Ok, you've got some good info. I'll just make a couple of comments below:

> Charlie's father was not "much" older; he was 5 years older than Julia. His name was Leck Meade. Leck had 3 uncles who were Baptist ministers. Julia's father was a Baptist minister, as were several of his brothers and uncles. Leck and Julia were not extremely devout, no more and no less than other families in the area.

I heard a bit differently, from Charlie, but you seem to have good info.

> There are 2 versions regarding Charlie getting wounded during WWII. The 1st: The jeep Charlie was driving got shot and he received some shrapnel. The 2nd: Charlie was drunk and drove the jeep off the road, jeep rolled over, and Charlie ended up under the jeep. In both versions, he ended up wounded. He ended up in a hospital in Columbia, Ohio, where he was given morphine.

I heard him say he got "blown off a hill." Ah well.

> It was not Charlie's mother's prayers and divine intervention that "saved" him. After he came out of the hospital he moved in with one of his sisters and her family. As the family remembers, he was completely "screwed in the head". Always got in trouble, got his nieces and nephew in trouble, and was drunk most of the time. His brother-in-law finally told him to pack up.

I have heard this also, and also that both Marie and Marlene were his legal fiduciaries. (Which would explain the need for a speedy re-marriage.) But, I have no real fact to base that upon.

> During this time, Charlie had also married a sweet girl. The marriage didn't last long - they divorced - no children.

Total news to me.

> The sister he remained close to for life was Cora; she had joined him in Florida.

That's right! Cora! Thanks. Nice lady. Has she passed now?

> While married to Marie, Charlie had an affair (in Indiana). Bob is the result of this affair. Marie and Charlie had also adopted a girl; Sandra.

I like and respect Bob, so I'll leave this one alone in public. Yes, Sandy; thanks again.

> Was Charlie a phoney? Yes and no. His siblings, nieces and nephews could tell about the times when Charlie was a teenager and gather all the kids around him and preached with fire. To this day they will tell you that Charlie truly believed what he was preaching. They will also tell you that Charlie isn't Charlie anymore.

Sounds about right.

> A few relatives have tried to stay in touch with Charlie, but all will tell you that Marlene doesn't make it easy. Over the last 10, 20 years Charlie has tried to get several of his siblings to move to Lake City; one of them did and was quite disappointed to find out that he never got to get together with Charlie. After a year of trying he moved out of the state. Roadblock was Marlene.

Yup.

> I met Charlie only once and labeled him immediately a hypocrite and he in return decided that I was a lost cause. The occasion of this meeting was the 100th birthday of one of Charlie's brothers. Charlie had showed up with all his entourage and from what I could see, his family was not very impressed. They were even less impressed with the way Marlene and Charlie pushed the children of the birthday boy aside so they could be next to him when the photographer of the local paper took his shots.

Sad.

> I know all of Charlie's siblings and most of their families. They are all genuine people, not particularly religious, and just plain down to earth folks. Kinda like their parents were...btw: Julia loved to chew tobacco, barn dances, and scary stories.

I really appreciate your input.

Ref