please ignore any solely decorative, dysfunctional, monochromatic, androgynous busts
By Barbara Seville
with Brian Campbell
First Published 25 June 2023
Many of us have received the attached correspondence from Executive Pastor Chris Wolf of Grace Community Church of Howard County. Our reason for this page is to bring clarification and correction. Since donors are eager to optimize their decision regarding Abounding Campaign donations and avoid a significant financial mistake, we felt pressed to have that explication delivered. We repeatedly suggested to Executive Pastor Chris Wolf that he quickly render changes to the letter and explained why. Two of our emails to him are displayed below and should be read in concert with this content.
Regrettably, we again have received no response from Executive Pastor Chris Wolf or any other elder for over a year.
In the summer of 2020, Executive Pastor Chris Wolf and then Elder Guy Bunyard were urged in person to take action similar to sending this letter. For the subsequent two years and nine months all elders were encouraged likewise. Inside of two weeks after Family Meeting - Part 2 was published, Grace Community Church of Howard County finally acted. Stakeholders suggest that Executive Pastor Chris Wolf’s letter was prompted by content on that page. Regardless of the reason, we are encouraged that there is movement.
Nonetheless, in order to comply with state and Federal code, letters slightly differently worded (but with significantly different information and outcomes) should have been sent on two previous occasions, namely immediately after Grace Community Church of Howard County made decisions to forego:
- the “build out” of land they claimed they had in West Friendship, MD, and also
- retiring their mortgage with Abounding Campaign proceeds but rather eliminating the mortgage with whatever amount the "that" was from "we got that back" (sometime in 2022).
Regardless of any previous non-compliance with laws governing Grace Community Church of Howard County’s solicitations, full abidance with Federal and state codes is ultimately necessary.
There are numerous laws that specifically govern solicitations like the Abounding Campaign by Grace Community Church of Howard County. Grace Community Church of Howard County has been apprised of these repeatedly. Specifically, if any church decides to forego an identified objective for which money was solicited,
- donors are to be immediately notified,
- subsequent donations to that objective are be categorically rejected, and
- all previous donations for that objective are be returned.
Only with the donor’s written consent can Grace Community Church of Howard County repurpose (use for any other objective) anyone's gift. (Please see the first email.)
This is known as a "positive confirmation". Executive Pastor Chris Wolf may have confused this with "negative confirmation" which is "Grace will do something different than what your were told with your donation unless you:
- become aware of it, and
- tell us otherwise".
There are inherent difficulties in negative confirmation and reasons for laws eschewing it. Again, regardless of rational for these laws (see paragraphs four and five of the second email), it should be obeyed.
Secondly, we think that Executive Pastor Chris Wolf 's advice regarding income tax implications is incomplete and may unnecessarily prompt donors to fearfully act in a way that is not in their best interest (see parapraphs two and three of the second email).
Lastly, Grace Community Church of Howard County is not limited to sending your donation to only their “partner organizations”. They can transfer it to any 501(c)3 company.
The whole of page 2 of Executive Pastor Chris Wolf’s letter appears to communicate an exertion to keep this money and without concern for the law. One cannot but ask, "Why?" Our hope is that they are not doing so intentionally and that this page prompts them to act lawfully.
We propose the following edits to Executive Pastor Chris Wolf’s letter and request that he include them is a “follow-up” correspondence.
We are grateful for your donation to the Abounding Campaign. Our hope is that you are as excited about the new church planting strategy as we are and would like all monies raised to date to be repurposed to the generic "church planting strategy". This replacement objective is currently without definition and, continuing with the status quo, you will have no access to detailed financial statements for accountability purposes. If that is the case, you need to send an email to Abounding@Grace.Community stating the above. Otherwise your donation will be returned to you. We realize that you might want greater clarity regarding the church planting strategy, may want transparency as to how that $3.5 M is ultimately spent or might want us to transfer your donation to a 501(c)3 organization of your choosing that may have the level of transparency you desire. As such, if you do not want your money to be returned to you, you must send an email to the above address requesting your donation be:
- moved to our general or benevolence funds (continuing with the status quo, you will have no access to detailed financial statements for accountability purposes),
- sent to 501(c)3 organization of your choosing (which may provide greater transparency regarding the spending thereof).
If you do nothing, your money will be returned to you. We suggest you consult with a professional advisor regarding tax implications. There may be ways to avoid amending tax returns for the years in which you made donations.
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We hope this page prompts Grace Community Church of Howard County to cease misappropriating donations (intentionally or otherwise) of over $3.5 M and comply with state and Federal laws.
As in this post, each subsequent one will address concerns related to a single specific topic.