To my fellow Two Rivers members and believers:
For those wondering about the motivation behind the vote Sunday, May 4, 2008, to remove nearly one hundred members from Two Rivers, wonder no more. Jerry Sutton finally spoke last night at the May 1, 2008 , discussion session. While what Sutton said was brief, make no mistake, his words and body language spoke volumes and confirmed for everyone present the true nature of the downward spiral of Two Rivers over the last two decades.
In short, Sutton exposed himself on May 1 st. First, let me say that the May 1, 2008 discussion meeting appeared to be a business meeting, at least for a few minutes. The Deacon officers made it clear that they were following Robert’s Rules of Order and church Bylaws. However, it appeared that the one-sided intention to follow Robert’s Rules of Order and the church Bylaws was discarded once the officers and Sutton realized members were going to make opposing motions from the floor, actually threatening the vote this coming Sunday.
To date, as it relates to the vote Sunday, there has been no official business meeting for the plaintiffs or members to object to, or make a motion opposing or postponing, the vote Sunday. Clearly, this is in violation of the church Bylaws which state that “all business meetings of the church shall be [governed by] Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised (latest edition).” (See Article IV, Section 4).
Furthermore, while absentee ballots have been made available in the church office for the vote Sunday, these ballots are nothing more than early voting ballots. How does absentee voting generally work you ask: “[i] n the United States, an absentee ballot is a ballot that the voter records and casts other than at a designated polling station on Election Day. Typically these ballots are mailed, though some states provide provisions for emailing ballots, faxing ballots, or delivering them in person to a designated location.” (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absentee_ballot).
Any member who has attempted to obtain an absentee ballot and leave church property with it to perhaps mail it back because they are unable to vote in person on Sunday, May 4, 2008, has been prevented from doing so. These so called absentee ballots have been kept in the church office, and cannot leave the church office, members have been instructed. This form of absente ballot voting is illegitimate and void.
In short, the vote Sunday, regardless of the outcome, will be illegitimate, void, and in violation of Church Bylaws and parliamentary rules and procedures. For that matter, decisions made by church officials beginning on July 8, 2007 to date, have been illegitimate and void from the standpoint of internal church rules, regulations, and other governing rules and regulations. Most concerning, Biblical mandates, which supersede any man made rules or regulations inside the church, have been shunned through this entire process.
So, with all this being said, how did Sutton expose himself on May 1, 2008? Well, let Sutton speak for himself. It’s quite simple, Sutton summed it up as follows red faced with index finger wagging - I make the rules in this church, I decide when a vote will take place, and you have no say so in it. Oh, by the way, you better be glad that I’m a Christian, because if I weren’t, I’d sue you (Hear the actual audio here).
In reality, God’s word sums it up as follows: “For your guilt teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your lips testify against you.” (See Job 15:5-6).
I can assure you folks, do not worry. God has complete control over what will happen this Sunday, May 4, 2008 . “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) Rest assured, those who remain behind will soon learn, as hundreds in past have, it’s a one way show at Two Rivers.
One thing is for sure, Sutton will at least have a country music hit if things don’t work out, albeit likely a one hit wonder, “It’s My Way or the Highway.” It just might outsell “Achy Breaky Heart.”
Steve Fuller
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