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United Church of Christ Affair Crisis Deepens

Admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:06:21 +0000

United Church of Christ Affair Crisis Deepens

The announcement by the UCC Leadership that former President John Thomas is divorcing his wife to “live in a committed relationship” with a former co-worker has created a deepening crisis of confidence in the denomination. While it has since come to light that Thomas has had a long standing affair with UCC Ecumenical Officer Lydia Veliko, the UCC Collegium has indicated that it will make no further Statement or reveal additional facts.

Dr. Thomas travelled with Veliko since 2005 to Micronesia, India, Germany, South America, Jerusalem and numerous other locations. Their extensive travel schedule was sponsored and paid for from church funds. Questions are being raised about whether other national staff knew and what if any action was taken. Lydia Veliko resigned as Ecumenical Officer on June 16th, effective the “end of summer”. Thomas, who was the Ecumenical Officer before being elected President, brought Veliko then in her mid 30’s, to the position shortly after his election in 2000. As President, Dr. Thomas came under strong criticism for his aggressive support for the UCC to sanction alternative sexual relationships and the redefinition of marriage. Both Thomas and Veliko came under fire for their public statements condemning Israel. Further information can be found at http://biblicalwitness.org

John Thomas and Lydia Veliko had a rather remarkable travel schedule together including Micronesia in winter, Jerusalem (twice) in winter, springtime in Manhattan, autumn in Washington, Europe and the mountains of South America. Lydia had an apartment within walking distance of the Thomas home in Shaker Heights, near the commuter train station from which they commuted together into the Cleveland Headquarters. Sources have indicated to BWF that travel companions and national staff were aware of the relationship between Thomas who is 61 and Veliko who is in her late 40’s. Veliko’s resignation letter (link) indicates she is leaving the national staff for personal reasons but makes no reference to the relationship. BWF Executive Director David Runnion-Bareford has issued a statement as follows:

“The Church of Jesus Christ has been compromised terribly by those in Catholic and Evangelical leadership who fail to practice what we preach, but this sadly is a leader who preached what he practiced perhaps in the delusion that vocal advocacy for the sanction of sexual license would justify his own sin. It appears that he cheated on both his wife and all of us in the church. It should not be our task to bring this to light. It is time for Geoff Black and the UCC leadership to step forward and tell the full truth. Transparency and honesty is critical to restoring trust.”

A partial list of the Thomas – Veliko travel schedule included:
> India – February 2005
> Micronesia – March 2005
> Jerusalem (Israel, Palestinian territory) – December 2005
> Montreal – September 2006
> Washington – November 2006
> Southern California – February 2007
> Manhattan – April 2008
> Chile (South America) – August 2008
> Jerusalem – March 2009
> Germany – March 2009

Here is a scanned copy of Lydia Veliko’s resignation letter:
Veliko Resignation Letter (pdf)

Former United Church of Christ President Chooses Adulterous Relationship, Divorce; Creates Crisis

Admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:40:06 +0000

Dr. John Thomas, who completed his final term as President of the United Church of Christ in September 2009, recently announced that he is living in an adulterous relationship with a fellow national UCC staff member and is consequently separated from and divorcing his wife. The duration of the adulterous relationship with his co-worker, engaged in while he served as President of the UCC in Cleveland, or whether she was a subordinate has not been revealed. UCC Announcement.

Biblical Witness Fellowship, a confessing movement in the United Church of Christ has issued the following statement in reaction to this news.

“It is a great sadness for all of us that our former President John Thomas has broken his covenant commitment to marriage in exchange for an adulterous relationship. His action deepens the crisis of integrity in the UCC with consequences well beyond the tragic dissolution of his own family. During his administration, Dr. Thomas was a champion for the religious legitimization of sexual license and the redefinition of marriage. It now appears that his agenda may have been driven by personal justification of his own behavior rather than by any authentic conviction. The whole church is deeply hurt when our leaders fail to keep their vows and engage in this form of duplicity. It compromises the witness of all of us in the body of Christ. We understand that all of us sin and fall short of the glory of God, and call on our brother John Thomas to repent and seek restoration.”

UCC Volunteers Build Replacement Home For A New Friend

Admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:26:00 +0000

Displaying the kind of grass roots efforts that puts “feet” to Christian proclamation, Rev. Dr. Randall Forester and the congregation of St. Paul’s Community Church participated in an effort that is calling people nationwide to befriend and serve the friendless in Christ’s Name ths Christmas Season.

Randall Forester, pastor of St. Paul’s, said Hicks is known in the area as a person who walks along the side of a road to Chicora, which is just over the Butler County line.

“Everybody’s seen Billy,” Forester said.

After community members began befriending Hicks, they saw the man’s home, which is now nothing more than a dilapidated two-story brick structure with pine cones strewn throughout the inside. They knew they had to do something to help the man.

Read the rest of the article: Volunteers build replacement for man’s dilapidated home

St. Paul’s Community Church of Chicora, PA is a“Faithful and Welcoming” congregation in the United Church of Christ .