Letters From Those Impacted By
Philadelphia Church of God
Best of the letters from 2005

Flurry Tells Members to Cut Off From Certain Family Members:

January 5, 2005

Thanks so much for keeping up your site and allowing us to share our stories. This week I will celebrate my three year anniversary out of the PCG. I have had so many blessings since leaving, including financial and spiritual. I am so sorry for those years I wasted following a false prophet and neglecting a relationship with the true God.

I am writing to ask for prayers for family members still entrapped in the PCG. A few months ago these PCG members had planned to visit us (the PCG family members live out of state), but the ministry found out and forbid them to come home. Our family was never marked when we quit, so the PCG family continued to have contact with us, thinking it was okay. Last week Flurry dictated to them via a personal phone call that they are to cut off all contact (phone, letters, visits) with any ex PCG and WCG family member. This includes parents, brothers and sisters. This is causing the people involved to be severely depressed with a feeling of hopelessness. Flurry also told them that the problem about associating with ex PCG family members will be addressed in the next ministerial conference. I know that there are many PCG members who have regular contact with ex PCG and WCG family members so this could eventually affect a large percentage of the PCG. Your website is certainly helping many people find their way out of Armstrongism. Thank you so much for all your work. --Former PCG member

PCG Shutting Down All Tape Libraries:

May 2, 2005

We just learned from a friend on the inside that all PCG tape libraries have been locked down. Not even shut-ins to receive tapes until further notice.  No reason given. --Former member of PCG

Update February 2007: One of our contacts told us: "Not only are the tape libraries shut down, all tapes, CDs, etc. are to be destroyed immediately after being played by trusted contact persons. I don't think anything is available except on master copies at PCG HQ in Edmond."

British-Israelism Has Pagan Druidic Roots:

May 5, 2005 

While attending a service at a Church of God group a couple of years ago, I remember the minister chuckling and smirking, belittling those on the outside of the Armstrong group who observed Christmas and Easter, telling everyone how ignorant they were for observing holidays with roots in "pagan" customs. How surprised I was to recently learn that British-Israelism has documented pagan druidic roots. I'll bet all these Armstrong ministers that like to look down their noses at those mainstream Christians would hate to admit this.  Go to this article, scroll about 2/3 of the way down the page to where the sentence starts with "Brothers supposedly..." By the way, all the articles on this site dealing with British-Israelism are well researched and the sources are documented for the reader's quick reference.  --Impacted by PCG

Who Were the Early Deacons and Elders in PCG?

August 31, 2005

Would it be possible to know the name of the former (and very RARE) WCG elders and deacons who went to the PCG during the very first months of 1990? --Former member of PCG

Reply: An informant gave us the following info and these were the only ones known:

John Amos (local elder and associate pastor of Oklahoma City congregation)

Tim Thompson (deacon in Oklahoma City congregation)
Vyron Wilkins (local church elder in Oklahoma City congregation)
Dennis Leap (deacon from Buffalo, NY congregation)
Frank Garcia (deacon from Amarillo, TX congregation)
Wilbur Malone (local church elder from St. Louis, MO congregation)
Don Marshall (unsure as to whether he was a deacon in Oklahoma City congregation)
 
We are not sure if the following men came into the PCG in 1990 or 1991:
 
Jim Mortensen (local church elder from San Antonio and Uvalde, TX)
Don Roth (local church elder from Wisconsin)
Winston Davis (local church elder from North Carolina)
 
Our source did not remember if Don Marshall was ordained in an office, or not. But it was known that Marshall was wealthy and contributed a lot of money to Flurry in those very early weeks and months of the PCG, perhaps even funding the first mailings of Malachi's Message out of his own pocket. Marshall ended up leaving the PCG very early, and it might have been within one year. 

Dennis Leap and Mark Nash:

August 31, 2005

I think the above list my help explain the animosity that was between Leap and Malone. [Malone died 1-27-04]. Dennis Leap helped to write Malachi's Message to make it sound like Flurry did it on his own. (I read about Leap being hired because of his talent at editing.) When Leap stood up and said (in a tape that went out) that "we could have done a better job of writing MM" (or words to that effect), Flurry blew his top. He raked Leap over the coals in a following sermon for not giving MM the proper respect as being inspired by God, only through Flurry. I believe that Flurry can't get rid of Leap, but he doesn't want to give him too much power either.

Another person of interest is Mark Nash.  He is a former Navy Seal or Green Beret, with all the "talents" taught to them. He went to prison for defrauding the IRS, and yet was not even suspended while in prison. In fact, he was allowed to give sermons while on leave for "good behavior." If any member on the bottom level was similarly put away, he would be put out for putting the "church" in a bad light. After all, even deacons are supposed to be "blameless" in the world and of "good reputation." What gives? What do these men know that keeps them in the "good old boy network"? These two men, at least, have knowledge that keeps them on the "inside." Otherwise, Flurry would have disposed of them long ago. Mark Nash now teaches Physical Ed and who knows what else. 

It doesn't take much to realize that Flurry is over a barrel with at least these two men. --Former member WCG/PCG

Update: A 5-25-06 letter, "Flurry's Greedy Henchmen" stated that "Mark Nash received full pay as a minister and office manager while he served his time in prison."

PCG is a Registered Charity in the United Kingdom:

October 8, 2005

I have been out of the PCG for 7 years now. It has taken me a long time to get my head round things. I am however out of the woods.

 
I was brought up in the WCG from the age of 2. My mum was a member. I got baptised into the WCG when I was 22. I married in the church and we went into the PCG 6 months after it started. We were some of the first members in the UK. So I have been about a bit and know what it is all about.
 
In the UK the PCG is a Registered Charity and in being they have to submit annual records to the charity commissioners. Now by law they have to provide anyone that asks with a copy of their annual report of their activity. Also they have to have a public annual general meeting.  If they do not, they are liable to prosecution.
 
Anyone should write to them to ask for their report and what time of year their Annual meeting is. Should be interesting. One interesting point is that while we were members we were never informed of these meetings. Maybe it was not on our list of "Need to Know" things.  --Former member of PCG in UK

I Told PCG That I Wouldn't Tolerate Any Harassment:

October 9, 2005

My wife and I exited PCG last year, and I realized something. Apparently, no announcement was made.

When we left, my exit letter included a very real threat:

"I will not tolerate any harassment or suspicious occurrences. Be assured that I've made certain any pertinent information has been passed on to the proper authorities. Any further contact will be viewed as harassment and I will quickly file suit against the PCG for harassment. Consider that your one and only warning. You can tell the poor people in the PCG how we've fallen away, and you can even stand at the pulpit and declare us 'disfellowshipped and marked,' (rest assured, however, that if I hear of it, I'll sue for slander and defamation of character)."

The result is that even after two years and two months, no "public" announcement has been made. To my knowledge, even those that have been told we're no longer in the church, were not told we were "disfellowshipped and marked."

I greatly appreciate the ESN, and my wife is finding it a vast help in the healing process. --Rob Blaize, Former PCG member
 

Email Us

Letter Archives 

Contents (Site Map)

Return to top