The Minister Severed Ties

A Church finance officer I met this morning angrily said that I had severed all ties with the Church on close of my ministry -- and referred me to a certain document. I know that document -- or "agreement", as I shall refer to it. I informed members, in a letter, of all they needed to know about it -- and so did esteemed city attorneys. It looks to me that these things were withheld from the members:

• The agreement was neither witnessed nor ratified, as was required by the agreement itself -- it never got that far.
• It was an undated agreement. The date was to be written at the top once it was fulfilled by all parties. It never was.
• The Human Rights Commission condemned the agreement in writing, for contravening the Constitution of the Republic (no less). It was a terrible document. If anyone wants to own it now, they are welcome, but it could get them into some trouble.
• The agreement used specific Church terms to indicate that I was not severing all ties with the Church. In fact I am still formally attached to the Church -- see yesterday's post. I (quote) "belong" to the Church.
• It was a two-sided agreement. To this day, the Church did not fulfill its side, in multiple ways. Esteemed city attorneys wrote to the Church about it. It has been disastrous.
• Afterwards I received several demands from attorneys Valentine & Associates. I should sign that I forfeit "all and any claims of whatsoever nature and howsoever arising from the contract of employment that existed", or I would not be paid a cent.

OBSERVATION: On this basis, I am told that I severed ties. Therefore there are false rumours about this, and the finance officer, for one, has been carrying these rumours, shouting at me today how wrong I was -- as if he believed them completely. Church folks will know where this set of rumours comes from. A verse which would seem appropriate: "You shall not carry a false rumour" (Exodus 23:1).