Hayes steps down as pastor
Published Tuesday, March 11, 2008
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Stumble It!A Fairbanks television station has reported former city Mayor Jim Hayes has stepped down as pastor of his church following a February conviction on federal charges of theft, money laundering and tax fraud.
Channel 11 news director Darryl Lewis said he reported last week that a leader at the Lily of the Valley Church of God in Christ confirmed Hayes agreed to leave his post as pastor during a membership meeting at the South Fairbanks church last week.
A call to Hayes’ home had gone unreturned as of Monday afternoon.
Hayes had served as pastor since 1997. He served as city mayor from 1992 to 2001.
A federal jury convicted Hayes last month of working with his wife to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from social service grants, money the couple used to help build a new home for Lily of the Valley’s congregation and for family spending.
It is unclear who the church’s pastor currently is. In April 2006, Hayes submitted a letter in state court that indicated he would choose Howard Hornbuckle, listed as a deacon on the church’s Web site, to replace him if Hayes suffered “incapacitation, resignation, removal or death.”
The notarized letter came three months after federal agents raided Hayes’ home and office as well as a nonprofit tutoring center run by his wife, Murilda “Chris” Hayes.
A call to Hornbuckle’s home had gone unreturned as of Monday afternoon.
Contact staff writer Christopher Eshleman at 459-7582.
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It would be pretty hard to manage a church from prison. But this is hardly news. More like schadenfreund. This guy is going to go through plenty without being raked through the coals in public. My prayer is that he will do some good with the other guys inside while he is there. He will learn that suffering brings obedience. And may be able to pass on the lesson to others and improve their lives as a result.
I hope he does some good for himself. Maybe he can re-find God and what led him to be a Pastor in the first place.
with 2/3 of the new testament written by a man in jail, pastor hayes isn't alone. don't be so quick to throw rocks.
Throw rocks???
One thing Hayes consistently said from the pulpit time and time again was "I didn't want to be the Pastor". Hayes does not care. The congregation had to go through many problems to force Hayes (the convicted felon) to step down. The congregation split in two because Hayes refusal to stay out of the pulpit.
This could have been a simple process.
1. Apologize to the church body.
Apologize to their family.
3. Step down and go home.
Truth
This mans deceptive ways have finally caught up to him I could say alot but I will only say I pray he can do some good in prision.
Emerlon
this man is why so many people like me dont trust organized religion. the only time you read of pastors they are in trouble. they preach against all the things you see them getting busted for. if you are going to talk the talk then you need to walk the walk.
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