7th Update to CC Members - Warning letters from a lawyer

Dear Calvarites,

This is indeed a sad moment in the history of Calvary Church. Just when we have successfully convinced all our teh tarik members to withold all action until the forthcoming EGM on 15th August, where we hope our concerns will be addressed and discussed, we have our church pastoral team and staff shooting out two warning letters written by a lawyer, to life group leaders and members.

Since the warning letters were distributed by the church pastor/s and staff, many members are convinced that the lawyer was engaged by Senior Pastor to frighten the members from speaking out. The advisory from one of the pastors quotes "This may help some of whom you are guiding and helping" while the advisory from the lawyer quotes " Please spend some time reading.......it is very important that you are aware of what I have written for your own sakes and that of the church" and "I would be much obliged if you can forward these to as many members as possible to warn them too."

The first warning letter which is addressed to the Board of Deacons contains a veiled threat to members of possible legal suit by SP for defamation. We wonder how such a threat like this can be of help to the members. It is obviously intended to frighten the members who have spoken out and who are demanding transparency and accountability from our SP, pastors and deacons. It is also obviously an attempt to silence the members who were planning to speak out at the coming EGM. This act of the pastor/s and the lawyer will cause a bigger split in our beloved church. Some members are so infuriated by this latest 'act of terror' that they are checking whether this lawyer and/or SP can be sued or at the very least, get the lawyer dis-barred.

The entire warning letter is written based on the presumption that some members have or will put forth a motion to remove Pastor Guneratnam as the SP of the church. As at today, NO member of our group has put in such a motion. Since the window period to put in a motion for the forthcoming EGM has lapsed, no such motion to remove SP can be submitted for this coming EGM. The lawyer's letter is therefore, pre-mature, mischievous, calculated to instill fear, vexatious, a breach of the principles of natural justice and may be ultra vires.

The second warning letter which the church distributed and which the lawyer herself requested to be distributed to "as many members as possible to warn them too" (her own words) is, in fact, a personal letter from the lawyer to Bro Siew Chyuan. Therein, she accused Bro Siew Chyuan and his group (meaning our teh tarik group) of being "the judge, jury and hangman" and of "prima facie wrongdoing".

It is obvious that her letter is intended to cast doubts and fear in the minds of those who signed in support of the petition for SP to retire. It is definitely slanderous and intended to tarnish the good name, integrity, reputation and standing of our group members which consists of lawyers, accountants, engineers, CEOs, Christian leaders and SCG teachers, former CID officers, director/s of large PLCs and even a "Datuk". Our group is now debating whether to file a massive defamation suit against the said lawyer.

For the comfort of those who signed the said petition, we wish to assure you that legal advice was sought and the petition was vetted by two lawyers before it was put out for signatures. We hope that all the members will not be frightened by this shameful and cowardly act of the pastor/s and this lawyer. Let us constantly remind ourselves that we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against the strongholds and principalities that have taken a hold on our beloved church and leaders.

On a more encouraging note, we were certainly delighted with your support and the good turnout at the lastest meeting at KBU. The many personal testimonies and sharing from the heart during the meeting touched many and only convinces us that truly, our God's hand is indeed upon us as we persevere to bring about a change in our church. One lady shared how she had, some years ago, made a provision in her will to leave part of her estate to Calvaryland upon her death but somehow, God opened her eyes to what was happening and after failing to get satisfactory answers from the Church, she promptly changed her will. Another lady shared later that she has never felt such a release in her spirit as she did during our worship that Saturday.

Someone commented recently that our church deacons and pastors are taking our group's activities very lightly because they believe that we are just a small group of, at most, 300 people. To this, our response is that, throughout history, God has never used a large army to win His battles. Instead, He always uses the smallest of armies and the weakest of the lot to win the greatest of battles. The cleansing and revival of our church is not our job, it is His job. We are just called to be His vessels and do as He directs and leads.

Please continue to pray for our church and for our deacons to stand up and do what is right as we move forward into the final chapters of this long-drawn saga.

God Bless,

KC & some Teh Tarik members