So I did remember correctly...you weren't that much older than me (19 - 12). I remember when my mom first started taking us to Coniah. At first, we were really "weirded out" by the whole thing. She came home from her job as a waitress at a deli in La Jolla one day and said that she was going to be going to some meetings with some people (Mark Hosford and a group of others came to pick her up). She was a single mom at the time and we were struggling. It was just what she was looking for...people to love and welcome her. I believe it was either late 1972 or early 1973. Then she started taking us too.

When I read the things that Maureen and Shalom went thru, I can hardly believe it. Somehow, I must have escaped those things. Thank God! I had dealt with enough in the "world" by 12 (mom's ex-husbands, the family violence and a man she married that was an awful human being). Church always seemed like a respite to me. At least when I was growing up. And there was no dad better EVER than Ben Mason! What a relief when he and mom married. I don't think I would've grown up knowing what a father was without him.

I worry some about mom...but she's a grown woman and I know that I cannot convince her to do anything different than she is doing. She won't discuss what's going on...and I've learned through the years to not try to discuss things like this with her. She doesn't exactly make excuses for the leadership, but she won't talk about it either. Ahhhh, well...I will just continue to love her like I always have.

I've managed to contact a few of the people that left the ranch over the years through social media. I cannot and will not let go of the "family" that God made for us all through TLW...because if nothing good ever comes from that organization, the "family" that we all built will always be a part of my heart. I know that life hasn't been easy and won't be easy for those who have been hurt. I'm so sorry that those things happened. I know that only He can heal what has been so badly damaged and I hope that people will be there for each other!

kBOY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
(Remember
> all the scuttlebutt surrounding Mel Bailey in
> Anaheim?) We were also stuck in the east when all
> the 'divorce-wars' were taking place. We were
> also not in a position to get our ears close
> enough to go beyond whispered gossip.
>
Could you add some more color to what happened to Mel Bailey? I was active at Coniah at the time he was “ejected” from TLW for supposed sexual involvement with someone. I remember RDC invited him down to preach a sermon which was on the need for more “love” which some of the JRS sycophants interpreted as more “sex”.

One of the things that ultimately drove me away was interacting with sycophants (a term I didn’t learn until the age of Trump) much younger than myself, who I finally decided didn’t have a clue outside of what the current “word” du jour was.

I know that RD thought Bailey was getting railroaded, but then RD had a perverse streak, himself.

THE JEWEL:


I'm afraid I am not going to be of much more help with the Mel Bailey situation. I was a young buck at the time, living on the 'farm' across from CLW, which of course is now the Rayen Resort--or whatever the hell they call it. (I never had the pleasure of even a tour, although I'm sure some of my tithes and offerings were misdirected on it's behalf.)

Anyway, I was fairly new to the LA area fresh from Haiku, Maui, and had the use of the 'farm truck'. So, I was volunteered for the job of helping to move Mel Bailey's decorating business furniture (I think that is what it was--like 1976-77) into storage--I can't remember. I do remember Bill Maybe was there, and just got the sense this whole 'transition' had something to do with some 'scandal'--I didn't really know at the time. I only heard later that it may have had to do with some sexual impropriety, with no details whatsoever.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Too bad back in the day no one had the foresight to suggest this as a possible Kingdom Business:
'Scandal Moving Company.'
Disregard this comment.

Has anyone heard if the fellowship is officially dissolving?

kBOY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> THE JEWEL:
>
>
> I'm afraid I am not going to be of much more help
> with the Mel Bailey situation. I was a young buck
> at the time, living on the 'farm' across from CLW,
> which of course is now the Rayen Resort--or
> whatever the hell they call it. (I never had the
> pleasure of even a tour, although I'm sure some of
> my tithes and offerings were misdirected on it's
> behalf.)
>
> Anyway, I was fairly new to the LA area fresh from
> Haiku, Maui, and had the use of the 'farm truck'.
> So, I was volunteered for the job of helping to
> move Mel Bailey's decorating business furniture (I
> think that is what it was--like 1976-77) into
> storage--I can't remember. I do remember Bill
> Maybe was there, and just got the sense this whole
> 'transition' had something to do with some
> 'scandal'--I didn't really know at the time. I
> only heard later that it may have had to do with
> some sexual impropriety, with no details
> whatsoever.
>
> Sorry I can't be of more help.

That’s OK, just a curiosity thing for me. Ahhh..., yes, the furniture store. I still have two lamps, two end tables, and a coffee table I bought there. I think my wife and I bought our first mattress there as well but that is long gone.

I remember the grand opening. They had a band there composed of some of the rock musicians from the LA churches. At one point they took requests, so I sent up a request for “Plastic Jesus” from the Cool Hand Luke movie. They wouldn’t do it - no balls, I tell ya :-).

Road to Damascus Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Has anyone heard if the fellowship is officially
> dissolving?


Not with any certainty, but I hears APCO is dissolving, and individual churches are deciding what they want to do. I would assume TLW will.dissolve as there will be no ties to each other, but I honestly dont know.

The Jewel wrote:
I know that RD thought Bailey was getting railroaded, but then RD had a perverse streak, himself.


I remember, at Shiloh during that time period, hearing JRS say that he too thought Mel Bailey was getting railroaded.I also remember Mel Bailey quite well from my time in LA. At the time I would no more have believed he did something like that than I would have believed JRS could or would. Today I believe it was more that JRS didn't consider sleeping with someone other that your wife as an issue.

Cloudwatcher:
Can’t seem to send private messages. Got yours. Yes, interested. Please send email and we can communicate that way.

It’s in the process of shutting down.