A majestic uplifting inspirational collection. Having only met her a few months ago, now I have the joy of hearing her every Sunday morning! What a blessing to all who are touched by this musician and her work!
Remembering back, weren't there at least two other victims of Dale's for whom the statue of limitations has passed? Were they not alos children when it began? Were they groomed in confirmation class? How many more who are too timid to come forward? Dale is a predator and should be put away. He is a disgrace to the Lutheran church and so many have been deceived. I pray that Judge Evans sees thru this[power and money stuff] and lets justice be done!
God's Blessings and my Heartfelt congratulations on Martin Luther Lutheran Church's 150th anniversary! Honored to serve with you as Pastor from 1986-2001, this morning I must move my daughter Libbi into her dorm for her freshman year at the Univ of Chicago. I am with you in prayers and spirit as I read the wonderful article on line. Keep up your wonderful work of praising and serving our Savior Jesus Christ in your corner of God's Kingdom! Blessings and Peace to you all! Pastor Connie, Holy Trinity Lutheran, Salem, Ohio
from Feb 20 Vindy.."Dawn Cantalamessa, assistant county prosecutor, said the pastor sexually abused the parishioner beginning when she was 15. “He had groomed her from the time she was a minor,” the prosecutor said.
Because the statute of limitations then in effect has expired, however, the charges in the indictment pertain only to crimes allegedly committed during the accuser’s young adulthood, the prosecutor explained."
Predators groom and manipulate powerless vulnerable people. He wouldn't get to first base with most adult women, so look who he preyed on! Can you imagine a person's first sexual experiences being at the hands of Dale Giffin? The damage it has done these now women for the rest of their lives? It took tremendous courage to come forward to Bishop Eaton and to law enforcement, knowing that there would be people out there who would "revictimize" them! My prayers are with them!
No amount of "good work for the kingdom of God" [growing a church membership, impressive programs, no large building [if there's a huge exodus who will pay for the nearly $1.9 million debt? what was he doing leading a congregation into that kind of indebitness?], your personal story of his presence at your marriages, confirmations, baptisms and funerals, none of it should be used to justify the other side of Dale Giffin!
There are more at Zion who were sexually harassed by Dale who know that by coming forward they will be ostracized. So they suffer in silence! I pray for them!
I pray for Bishop Eaton that the council will graciously and humbly invite her back to show they need the help of the larger church in this tragedy that has touched the entire Lutheran community in the Valley!
And I pray that the Prosecutor and his staff do their homework and that justice can be done in what has been called "a defense attorneys town"
Zion Lutheran Church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America[ELCA] and not an independent entity. The leadership needs to face the fact that their former pastor did violate women and humbly turn to the bishop and her staff for assistance and direction. The ELCA has pastors trained to deal with the aftermath of sexual misconduct. There are many "humble Christ centered Lutheran pastors who love the WORD more than the BUCK "who could in time serve Zion well. They had two excellent ones in Mark and Chuck, faithful servants of Christ! How could a former “man of the cloth” plead innocent in the civil court yet by removing himself from the denomination[at no one’s request] in essence declares guilt? One steps outside the jurisdiction of the denomination when one knows that thru church legal action, he would be found guilty. We hoped you’d show a bit of honesty Dale and plead “no contest”..or better yet save the tax payers and plead guilty! I guess honesty is too high of a price to pay? It would be a gift from God to see justice done on this case in Mahoning County! We can only pray!
Those apartments which Dale managed for his brother's Giffin Management, out of Michigan were sold for over $2 million in the summer of 2007..check real estate transfers. So the assistant prosecutor just said on WFMJ that two other women came forward, one where the violation took place outside of this county[let's pray she files where she was violated..where? Camp Mowana or Wittenberg Univ??..two of his stomping grounds!] and the other is older so the statue of limitations has passed. So at least three..how many more? How far back does this abuse go? I pray that any other victims/survivors have the courage to come forward.
The clergy-parishioner relationship is a sacred trust . The clergy[even more than teachers] are always the power person, entrusted with the sacred as well as physical lives of their congregants. It is never a consensual sexual experience. When the one who is to represent God to you and in the case of the woman in the article, he was like a “father”..do healthy fathers or God figures take advantage of the situation? Absolutely not! He is a black eye on all clergy. This pastor took vows to a marriage and to the church. I hope his wife has the emotional and spiritual strength and the financial security to see that she too is a victim of a manipulative, power hungry individual who deceived her big time as well as a whole lot of people. My prayers are for her as well as all affected by this tragedy. Unfortunately clergy spouses often do not have a “pastor”. I hope she has a good and safe one.
Take note that Dale preyed on girls whose fathers were either lacking or absent. He wouldn’t have stood a chance in trying to “groom” a young woman like a couple of the women who have written. It sounds like they had strong families in the church. Predators carefully target their prey. Being highly successful in church growth he was able to hide his sickness and his crimes. Crimes like his are acts of POWER as is all rape. Young girls are led to believe they were “special” and if lacking a strong male figure in their lives could easily be taken in by this wolf in sheep’s clothing. If a person of God says what they are doing to you is fine in God’s eyes, and it’s just between them, what’s a young impressionable girl to do? Dale Giffin lived two lives. Zion needs to face the facts that they have been deceived and need to have compassion for the victims, notice Bishop Eaton said “women”. It’s more than one whether their statues of limitations have passed or whether they are afraid to press charges since they might be ostracized by church friends or even family members. Obviously other victims have come forward . I am told that No Lutheran clergy volunteers to remove themselves from the roster of the ELCA unless guilty. It’s one thing to resign from the congregation but one resigns from the denomination’s clergy status so as to prevent litigation upon not only the congregation but the larger church body as well. I hope this victim has received the best therapy possible[maybe that’s how she came forward] by those who understand that clergy sexual misconduct is far more than a violation of the body, it is a violation of the soul/spirit and one’s whole trust relationship with God. I hope the victims have been able to connect with each other and to realize that each of them is not alone. Dale Giffin has also violated his profession because when clergy do what he did, all clergy[especially males] become a little less trusted by parishioners.
Healing music: Salem woman channels God’s peace on new CD
A majestic uplifting inspirational collection. Having only met her a few months ago, now I have the joy of hearing her every Sunday morning! What a blessing to all who are touched by this musician and her work!
November 7, 2009 at 9:51 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Ex-pastor indicted on rapes to get plea deal
Remembering back, weren't there at least two other victims of Dale's for whom the statue of limitations has passed? Were they not alos children when it began? Were they groomed in confirmation class? How many more who are too timid to come forward? Dale is a predator and should be put away. He is a disgrace to the Lutheran church and so many have been deceived. I pray that Judge Evans sees thru this[power and money stuff] and lets justice be done!
November 1, 2009 at 10:14 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Martin Luther Lutheran Church
God's Blessings and my Heartfelt congratulations on Martin Luther Lutheran Church's 150th anniversary! Honored to serve with you as Pastor from 1986-2001, this morning I must move my daughter Libbi into her dorm for her freshman year at the Univ of Chicago. I am with you in prayers and spirit as I read the wonderful article on line. Keep up your wonderful work of praising and serving our Savior Jesus Christ in your corner of God's Kingdom! Blessings and Peace to you all! Pastor Connie, Holy Trinity Lutheran, Salem, Ohio
September 20, 2009 at 9:05 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Ex-pastor pleads innocent to rapes
from Feb 20 Vindy.."Dawn Cantalamessa, assistant county prosecutor, said the pastor sexually abused the parishioner beginning when she was 15. “He had groomed her from the time she was a minor,” the prosecutor said.
Because the statute of limitations then in effect has expired, however, the charges in the indictment pertain only to crimes allegedly committed during the accuser’s young adulthood, the prosecutor explained."
Predators groom and manipulate powerless vulnerable people. He wouldn't get to first base with most adult women, so look who he preyed on! Can you imagine a person's first sexual experiences being at the hands of Dale Giffin? The damage it has done these now women for the rest of their lives? It took tremendous courage to come forward to Bishop Eaton and to law enforcement, knowing that there would be people out there who would "revictimize" them! My prayers are with them!
No amount of "good work for the kingdom of God" [growing a church membership, impressive programs, no large building [if there's a huge exodus who will pay for the nearly $1.9 million debt? what was he doing leading a congregation into that kind of indebitness?], your personal story of his presence at your marriages, confirmations, baptisms and funerals, none of it should be used to justify the other side of Dale Giffin!
There are more at Zion who were sexually harassed by Dale who know that by coming forward they will be ostracized. So they suffer in silence! I pray for them!
I pray for Bishop Eaton that the council will graciously and humbly invite her back to show they need the help of the larger church in this tragedy that has touched the entire Lutheran community in the Valley!
And I pray that the Prosecutor and his staff do their homework and that justice can be done in what has been called "a defense attorneys town"
March 10, 2009 at 10:44 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Ex-pastor pleads innocent to rapes
Zion Lutheran Church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America[ELCA] and not an independent entity. The leadership needs to face the fact that their former pastor did violate women and humbly turn to the bishop and her staff for assistance and direction. The ELCA has pastors trained to deal with the aftermath of sexual misconduct. There are many "humble Christ centered Lutheran pastors who love the WORD more than the BUCK "who could in time serve Zion well. They had two excellent ones in Mark and Chuck, faithful servants of Christ!
How could a former “man of the cloth” plead innocent in the civil court yet by removing himself from the denomination[at no one’s request] in essence declares guilt? One steps outside the jurisdiction of the denomination when one knows that thru church legal action, he would be found guilty. We hoped you’d show a bit of honesty Dale and plead “no contest”..or better yet save the tax payers and plead guilty! I guess honesty is too high of a price to pay? It would be a gift from God to see justice done on this case in Mahoning County! We can only pray!
February 28, 2009 at 4:47 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Former pastor Giffin faces 6 rape charges
Those apartments which Dale managed for his brother's Giffin Management, out of Michigan were sold for over $2 million in the summer of 2007..check real estate transfers. So the assistant prosecutor just said on WFMJ that two other women came forward, one where the violation took place outside of this county[let's pray she files where she was violated..where? Camp Mowana or Wittenberg Univ??..two of his stomping grounds!] and the other is older so the statue of limitations has passed. So at least three..how many more? How far back does this abuse go? I pray that any other victims/survivors have the courage to come forward.
February 27, 2009 at 6:39 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Former pastor Giffin faces 6 rape charges
The clergy-parishioner relationship is a sacred trust . The clergy[even more than teachers] are always the power person, entrusted with the sacred as well as physical lives of their congregants. It is never a consensual sexual experience. When the one who is to represent God to you and in the case of the woman in the article, he was like a “father”..do healthy fathers or God figures take advantage of the situation? Absolutely not! He is a black eye on all clergy.
This pastor took vows to a marriage and to the church. I hope his wife has the emotional and spiritual strength and the financial security to see that she too is a victim of a manipulative, power hungry individual who deceived her big time as well as a whole lot of people. My prayers are for her as well as all affected by this tragedy. Unfortunately clergy spouses often do not have a “pastor”. I hope she has a good and safe one.
February 21, 2009 at 11:36 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Former pastor Giffin faces 6 rape charges
Take note that Dale preyed on girls whose fathers were either lacking or absent. He wouldn’t have stood a chance in trying to “groom” a young woman like a couple of the women who have written. It sounds like they had strong families in the church. Predators carefully target their prey. Being highly successful in church growth he was able to hide his sickness and his crimes. Crimes like his are acts of POWER as is all rape. Young girls are led to believe they were “special” and if lacking a strong male figure in their lives could easily be taken in by this wolf in sheep’s clothing. If a person of God says what they are doing to you is fine in God’s eyes, and it’s just between them, what’s a young impressionable girl to do? Dale Giffin lived two lives. Zion needs to face the facts that they have been deceived and need to have compassion for the victims, notice Bishop Eaton said “women”. It’s more than one whether their statues of limitations have passed or whether they are afraid to press charges since they might be ostracized by church friends or even family members. Obviously other victims have come forward . I am told that No Lutheran clergy volunteers to remove themselves from the roster of the ELCA unless guilty. It’s one thing to resign from the congregation but one resigns from the denomination’s clergy status so as to prevent litigation upon not only the congregation but the larger church body as well. I hope this victim has received the best therapy possible[maybe that’s how she came forward] by those who understand that clergy sexual misconduct is far more than a violation of the body, it is a violation of the soul/spirit and one’s whole trust relationship with God. I hope the victims have been able to connect with each other and to realize that each of them is not alone. Dale Giffin has also violated his profession because when clergy do what he did, all clergy[especially males] become a little less trusted by parishioners.
February 20, 2009 at 5:10 p.m. permalink suggest removal