NEWSBREAK
College Takes Over Station Finances Following Accounting Irregularities
esults of an investigation into accounting irregularities at WGTS - FM 91.9, affiliated with Columbia Union College (CUC), located in Takoma Park, Maryland, indicate misappropriation of funds and fraudulent accounting, according to CUC's administration. The administration launched an immediate investigation by an outside auditing firm in October of 2002 after discrepancies in year-end financial statements and altered financial information suggested accounting fraud.
The audit and investigation, handled by Cline, Brandt, Kochenower & Co., P.A., revealed a series of accounting irregularities, including falsification of financial statements, false reports to the WGTS board, overstatements of assets, and misappropriation of funds into personal accounts. The audit covered a three-year period from July 1999 through August 2002. During that time, $197,135 in checks were written to Anni Hevener, WGTS's accountant, and deposited into her personal bank account.
Immediate steps to remedy the situation were taken by the College administration and the WGTS board when the probability of accounting irregularities surfaced.
In addition to launching the investigation, the chair of the WGTS Board relieved Ms. Hevener of her accounting responsibilities and requested and accepted her resignation from the station. The college administration brought the accounting functions for WGTS into the college's financial offices and assumed complete control over the financial operations of the station. A new financial oversight plan for WGTS was developed and instituted.
In addition, the board of WGTS has voted to pursue all matters related to the audit expeditiously and aggressively, including timely reporting to the authorities; and to extend the investigation into the scope of the fraudulent activities prior to July 1999.
While the investigation proceeds, John Konrad, WGTS's General Manager and brother of Hevener, in desiring to avoid any appearance of impropriety, has volunteered to step aside as general manager and has been reassigned to other duties until the matter is resolved. Mr. Konrad has disclaimed any knowledge of the alleged malfeasance at the time it occurred, and is not suspected of any wrongdoing. Gerald Fuller, a member of the WGTS board, has agreed to serve as acting general manager.
"I know I speak for both the college and WGTS when I say we will continue to be proactive in our commitment to a full investigation, ensuring that all monies are accounted for," said Randal R. Wisbey, CUC President. "I want to assure donors that all funds will be used faithfully for the purposes for which they were gifted. Our highest priority at Columbia Union College is preserving the public trust. This is especially true for our publicly supported affiliated radio station."
"The WGTS board has been stunned by these developments," said Edward D. Motschiedler, chairman of the board. "We are now reviewing our internal policies and control procedures to fix whatever was broken. We are looking at our bylaws and evaluating the structure of our board in order to improve governance. We are grateful that the College's financial leadership discovered this fraud."
The WGTS board will continue to be responsible for oversight of the station, and all financial matters will be managed by CUC. Funds lost to theft are covered by an umbrella insurance policy held by CUC and will be remitted to the station at the time the claim is processed.
Largest Adventist Book Center Decides to Downsize
The Potomac Adventist Book Center (ABC), Silver Spring, Maryland, often cited as "the world's largest Christian book store," is downsizing its operations in the near future. Approximately one-third of the employees have already been released from employment.
Actions were taken January 15 by the Potomac Conference Executive Committee to stabilize the finances of the Potomac Adventist Book Center. "It has become increasingly clear to ABC management and the committee members that the market cannot sustain an operation of this magnitude," says David Weigley, Potomac Conference president. "The goal in moving to Cherry Hill [current location of the Potomac ABC] was to meet the needs of the Adventist constituency, as well as to expand our opportunity to witness. This goal has been realized, and several individuals have joined the church as a result of the change."
The committee voted to reduce the store space by 50 percent. The actions followed a thorough and careful review of the operations of the ABC. With expenses exceeding sales, it was determined that a major change was necessary. The conference and the ABC management will continue providing services to churches, schools, and other customers.
The executive committee expressed its desire to continue to maintain a strong ABC presence. Since servicing church members, as well as witnessing to the community, continues to be of paramount importance, committee members have chosen to scale back in size, but retain the current location.
Vandals Damage Two Florida Churches
Vandals caused thousands of dollars of damage to two churches in DeLand, Florida sometime during the evening of January 29. Members who arrived at the churches the following morning found bookcases toppled, organs smashed, and floors flooded.
The two churches are located across the street from one another. The Baptist church sustained about $20,000 worth of damage and appeared to be the harder hit. The Seventh-day Adventist church, which offered to share their building with the Baptists until their church could be repaired, had damages estimated at $10,000.
"It just made me sad to think that people are so angry that they would do something like this," said Bob McMillan, pastor of the DeLand Adventist Church. "I hope they will find the Lord. They need God in their lives, or else they wouldn't be doing these kinds of things."
Church members report that vandals flooded the kitchen by stuffing rags in the sink and running water. They threw down four or five microwave ovens as well as a large television set. Bookcases were overturned in the church library and a large mirror in the foyer was shattered. Particularly troubling was the smashing of a glass frame containing a picture of Jesus.
"It almost feels like someone came inside our house," said Kathy Godard, DeLand church member. "It's part of our family."
Women's Ministry Supports Church Groups in India
A year ago, Ardis Stenbakken, General Conference director of women's ministry, and Nancy Van Pelt conducted evangelistic reaping meetings in Tanuku, India, establishing 10 new church groups. "I always worry about what's going to happen to the people when we leave," said Stenbakken. "It is very important for them to have a church and pastoral support to remain faithful Adventists." For this reason, women's ministries began a campaign to raise funds for church buildings in the ten villages, raising enough so far for three to four buildings.
Eleven months later, in November 2002, Dorothy Watts, women's ministry director for the Southern Asia Division, visited the villages of Tanuku to see how they have progressed. The villages report another 132 baptisms. Foundation stones were also laid for two churches during her visit, and the purchase of land was finalized for three more churches. Watts reports that the people are excited about the new church buildings and are meeting faithfully each Sabbath.
Four lay Bible workers live with the people of Tanuku, giving them guidance and encouraging them in their faith. "[It is satisfying to know] that as a result of women's ministries these congregations began and these churches were built. God is good," says Stenbakken.
Florida Couple Launch Magazine for "Preacher's Kids"
Libny H. Dubreuze, Sr., a Florida Conference pastor, and his wife, Sara, have recently launched Increase, a publication targeted specifically toward individuals commonly referred to as "preacher's kids" or "PKs." (PKs are defined as those who have grown up in a pastor's home or have experienced some form of pastoral environment.)
This culminates a long-held dream of the Dubreuzes—to create a magazine that focuses on the needs and concerns of pastors' children by providing information and motivation for PKs to use their talents and experiences so that others may benefit. "We have ministries for family, men, women, children, but not PKs. My dream is to establish a PK ministry for every conference, union, and division in the world," said Libny Dubreuze.
"I appreciate the concept of a magazine for pastor's children, and I congratulate the vision of Pastor Libney and his wife, Sara, says Lewis Hendershot, president of the Florida Conference. "As a ‘preacher's kid' myself, I understand the challenges that are faced by many children of pastors to live their lives in ‘glass houses.' It is a great privilege, and at the same time, often a difficult position to be in. Any attempt at encouraging and being redemptive toward pastors' children has my complete endorsement."
The first issue was released December 2002. The magazine will be published 12 times each year and is available by subscription only. More information concerning the publication may be found at www.tagnet.org/increasepk.
Russian Leaders Create New Moscow Mission Territory
Church leaders in the Euro-Asia Division recently voted to create a new mission territory in Moscow, to be administered separately from the surrounding rural areas of central Russia.
Adventist leaders say they hope the move will encourage church members to honestly confront the challenges of evangelism in a secular city environment. "We already have about 4,000 Adventists in the Moscow area," says Valery Ivanov, director of communication for the Euro-Asia Division. "But the population is around 11 million, not counting nearby cities. That means Adventists are like a few particles of sand in an ocean. Many people have probably never met an Adventist."
The new Moscow Mission, headed by president Aleksander Zhukov, will focus on practical ministries designed to meet the spiritual needs of diverse city dwellers.
"Residents of large megalopolises have different psychological and social attitudes from other people," says Ivanov. "All day they receive constant information from the media, both good and bad. Their lives are fast, they move around a lot, and they spend a lot of time traveling to work. They have a lot of entertainment available. And another feature of our megalopolises in Euro-Asia is that we have so many refugees from other regions and cultures. We cannot use a single method for taking the Christian message to all of these people."
Ivanov adds that Seventh-day Adventist churches and members tend to be clustered in just a few regions of large cities. One goal of the Moscow Mission will be to start churches in neglected areas. "Normal people don't travel an hour or more to church," he says. "We need to be in each neighborhood so we can meet people where they live."
News Notes
As an update to an item reported in the February 13 Newsbreak, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Egypt has reacted to comments made on January 7 by Coptic Pope Shenouda III. In a letter to the church leader, the church expressed dismay that he would insult another Christian group and in such a public manner.
"I felt hurt, together with the thousands of Adventist Christians in Egypt, when Your Holiness mentioned the Adventist Church members in a negative way," wrote Farouk Rizk, communication and ministerial director for the church in Egypt.
"The Adventist members of our church are very much appreciated by the citizens and the government of our country. We were shocked to hear . . . words about us that do not have love, but the opposite."–Adventist News Network
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