A convicted child sexual offender, previously convicted and jailed in the early 1990s for child sexual offences while a member of Wellington Christadelphian Ecclesia has been arrested and will be charged on Monday with other child sexual offences.
He had subsequentlyjoined the Christian Reconciliation Centre in Whanganui, a group with historical connections to the Christadelphians.
He is well known for attending numerous Bible Schools and his family would often invite themselves to other Christadelphian family's homes across New Zealand. It is widely accepted including from people who were arranging brothers at Wellington at the time, that he offended against as many as 50 people.
If you're were offended against by this man please consider coming forward. You could disclose your abuse to the Police or the Royal Commission (although this will not be accepting submissions beyond this month - December, 2022). This may help others who may have left the company of the saints.
Some people feel let down that the Police were not involved in their cases at the time, that the arranging brothers mishandled the situation or it was swept under the carpet.
It is not only about what happened in the 1980s and 1990s. Allegations against other have been made in the last year about events that have happened in each of the last two decades.
People who have come forward have found the process of going to the police and the Royal Commission very supportive. They are willing to explain their experience to anyone that asks.
Please consider your own experience and that of people close to you. Christ came to relieve oppression (Luke 4:18) - we should do likewise. As his family together we have an obligation to ensure we do not offend one of his little ones (Matthew 18) lest a millstone be hung around our necks and we are drowned in the sea - now is the time to rea h out to the authorities Paul said were put there for our good and the punishment of evil doers - wherever we are (Romans 13).
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