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Photo courtesy of washingtonpost.com

Jericho City of Praise Church Board Fires Pastor Joel Peebles

We are appalled at the actions of this board. They are childish and underhanded individuals who seem to only exist because they have some control over this church. What a shame and God sees all.

A board of trustees selected by the late Apostle Betty R. Peebles, co-founder of Jericho City of Praise in Landover, on Wednesday fired her only surviving child, the Rev. Joel R. Peebles, as acting pastor and stripped him of membership in the church his parents created more than 40 years ago.

Peebles, 42, the sole survivor of the Peebles family, said he was notified in writing of his dismissal just after 1 p.m. Wednesday, when he arrived at the church to begin preparing for an evening Bible study session.

“I came here to go to church, and I got terminated,” the Mitchellville resident said Wednesday as he stood under the awning between the church’s two-story administration building, where his mother presided over church operations, and the sprawling sanctuary. “I was told to leave, and the police escorted me out. They told me I was not pastor here nor a member of the church. . . . The officer told me I was trespassing.”

The board said in a statement that Peebles’s dismissal signaled “a new day for Jericho.”

“While this decision was not made without prayerful consideration and patience, it became clear that this action was necessary to protect Jericho and move forward,” the statement said. “Steps taken today will ensure an orderly transition that will continue to provide thousands of people from across the region the opportunity to participate in worship, school and other services that are a vital part of our Church and community.”

Wednesday evening, hundreds of members converged on the church, demanding to be let into the locked sanctuary and Peebles’s reinstatement. Many in the crowd spoke in tongues or wailed during an impromptu vigil at the time they normally attend Bible study.

Peebles addressed them from the public sidewalk, promising that victory would be theirs and admonishing them “not to hate” those responsible for barring him from the church.

“I want to share with you that we will be having church. We will be having church,” he told the members. “We’re gonna have church here. We’re going to have church everywhere. . . . Nobody will never stop the people of God from worshiping God. . . . We’re going to stand as a church. A church is not a building. The building is simply a tool where people” can worship.

A source familiar with the controversy said the board decided to fire Peebles because the two sides had not been able to agree on managing the church. Both sides claimed victory after a court hearing on Monday.

The source pointed to statements, made by Peebles, that were posted on a Web site referring to “Joel Peebles Ministries,” an entity he started after a judge ordered that the board had authority over church operations. Deana Bass, a publicist for Peebles, said the Web site was started by supporters of Peebles who have filed suit on his behalf. She said he enjoys support from many members who have been upset by the board’s treatment of him, Henry and several others who have been fired.

We think its time now that Pastor Joel Peebles start a new church. We are sure that the members will be happy to move forward with him if he chooses to.

Read full article here.