www.news-herald.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18992457&BRD=1 -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 11/6/2007
Last Visited: 11/6/2007
Senior Minister Les White first suspected something was awry at the First Church of Christ in Painesville when missionaries the church was supporting called."Some of the missionaries were not receiving the funds we had committed to them.They called us and asked if everything was OK with the church," White said.
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The bookkeeper, a 37-year-old wife and mother, started her position April 1, 2005, White said.
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White said the church will struggle, but survive, after the theft.What hurts more is the loss of trust, he said."I think everyone here feels like they've been punched in the stomach.This is someone we knew, someone we trusted, someone we supported."White said.
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White is hoping for restitution."It'll be difficult, but it's not like we're going to close our doors and go away.We're still going to do the Lord's work here," White said."We do have some funds set aside for a future expansion that we may be able to tap into temporarily to get us over the hump."Church members have been kept informed throughout the investigation and have remained supportive of their church, White said."There's a sense of unity and a sense that we will overcome this, because the Lord is on our side," he said.