There were a lot of United Methodist Staff who didn't want to believe this story, just like they didn't want to believe that Callie Matthews' Peace / Banning Order against a Parishioner existed, because according to them, "it was too terrible to do to someone, and they didn't want to believe someone representing them had taken this course of action" .... But what they didn't want to accept and what exists in plain sight are two (2) totally different things. Here's my story behind Emory United Methodist Church, now billing themselves as Emory Fellowship. It was extremely necessary that this story gets shared, after receiving notice on July 25 2019 that because I "visited" Four (4) Churches and chose not to remain in those facilities as a Member (and because I will not be silenced referencing the travesties within those facilities), I have been labeled "Trouble, and Dangerous".
The fact of the matter is, I have "visited" over fifty some odd number of Churches in my lifetime for various reasons. I mean, if something is going to be said, at least it can at least be "correct", right?
My Best Friend and I, following the suggestion of a former member of Emory, decided to visit one Spring day in 2004, and met in the Parking Lot shortly after only pulling up and before we could even get parked by one "Mrs." LaVerne Beverly Rodgers, who did everything she could to get us into the building as fast as possible. We remained at Emory for a total of Eight (8) months. During our "Visitor-ship" (I will refer to it as being), we were never introduced to anything. No one ever inquired as to who we were. We merely entered, sat through the service and left when it was over. At least that is what we were able to do when LaVerne was not near us.
We had instances seemingly "immediately" at Emory that "spotlighted" the fact that everyone up in the place seemed to be in "Heat". There was a woman who came in, walked past us, and took a seat on a pew directly in front of us. Ten minutes into the service, Daniels encouraged the Congregation to "Hug one another". The woman slammed her Bible down on the pew where she was sitting, hiked herself up on her knees on the same pew, whipped around, and flung herself directly towards my mouth. I threw up my arms and blocked her from coming any closer, as she flew into level nine anger, hissing "Oh, you don't" .... - and I cut her off right there, stating "No, I don't!" She grabbed her Bible and purse, and took off towards the rear of the building "hissing" as she went out, "I hope you remember that!" I responded, "I'm sure I will!" .... as my friend and I sat there looking at each other in "utter" disbelief.
The Maintenance Man followed up not long after that, putting everything he could into getting next to me. He even went as far as having a key made to the outside "lift" secretly supposedly, so that my friend and I didn't have to wait on anyone to come operate it for us. In short, I shut him down completely, after he thought his act of "kindness" would get him in my favor, after wanting us to believe that he was risking his job for me - but in reality, he had been "told" to give us a key, since he was often late arriving to Emory.
Not long after this in the month of December, LaVerne Rodgers decided to make her move.
One Sunday morning, she came to where my friend and I were sitting, and handed me envelope which I discovered contained $300.00 in cash, after remembering I even had it and opening it only after we had driven away from Emory for the day. I called her at home using the number listed on the Church program and asked for an explanation. LaVerne stated that it was a Donation to my cause, and that she had gotten the information about it off the flyer we had attached inside the rear window of our vehicle - a flyer that did not ask for Donations. We never have. I offered to return the money but she refused to accept it, with it being right after the Katrina Hurricane hit. I thanked her then, and handed her a "Thank-You" card with a list of organizations the money went to during Service the following Sunday, only to be handed yet another card from her at the end of the next week, which contained $200.00 in cash this time. LaVerne stated that she wished she could do more, and came again still the next week, with a bag of stuffed Teddy Bears of various sizes for the children this time, which I got delivered to those children. The same procedure was followed, with me giving her a Thank You Card, and a list of places where her Donation went.
As time got us closer to the Major Holidays, LaVerne began focusing even more on me; Inviting me to semi - secluded places with her with me refusing to accompany her at every turn, detailing my discomfort with the invitations mostly, and reminding her that I had someone under my care. FINISH THE STORY HERE: https://onevoiceonesound.webs.com/grown-folk-talk read more
