Trinity Upperville tries to silence critics via vague threats of security issues

Just when things couldn’t get any worse for Trinity Upperville, its wardens, both of whom need to resign, are pulling the “loose lips sink ships” routine in an effort to silence criticism, having just sent a vaguely threatening cease-and-desist letter to the members of the congregation. The move is both remarkably stupid and evinces a profound lack of understanding of the role of transparency and accountability in any healthy church.

In their letter, the wardens, who seem determined to run interference for alleged pedophile and outgoing rector Jonathan “Johnny Boy” Adams, allude to vague but allegedly serious “security threats,” even as they proclaim, “We share [this warning] because the dire consequences of continued escalation must be understood.”

They then go on to say that security will be at the church, both during services and during weekly operations.

The consistent theme in the wardens’ missive is not, however, security but rather the limitation of information sharing, both within the parish and among outside audiences.

The letter raises several issues:

1. If the wardens think that their efforts will, in any way, reduce coverage of the debacle now underway in the parish, they are profoundly misinformed.
2. Both wardens evince a lack of understanding of human nature. Not only do church members not want to live in a command-and-control environment, but the fastest way to push information to a media outlet is to tell people not to.
3. If the wardens think they can intimidate this media outlet (or any other) with vague claims of security threats, they are very much mistaken. Our priority is to protect children and parishioners, and to bring light to the darkness.
4. The wardens’ letter underscores the importance of the diocese providing adult supervision. The latter was a huge misstep by the wardens and only reinforces the conclusion that they are trying to cover up the current debacle.
5. Most importantly, we see nowhere near this level of energy when it comes to protecting a boy and his family, which makes the current situation even more appalling.

Anglican Watch condemns the wardens’ efforts to engage in cover-up. We have zero tolerance for any effort, direct or indirect, to aid or abet an alleged pedophile. And we challenge the wardens to provide any credible evidence of a security threat.

We’ll wait.

A copy of the wardens’ letter follows: