Attorney: Man suing Without Walls International Church has history of impersonations

TAMPA — Joshua Brian Randolph says the son of the prominent head pastor at Without Walls International Church called him a racial epithet. In fact, he filed a racial discrimination lawsuit this month against the Tampa megachurch and Brandon White.

Randolph even provided the Times e-mails sent from Yahoo and Gmail accounts as proof.

But the church's attorney said Wednesday he has proof that Randolph has a history of impersonating others via fake e-mail accounts and telephone numbers, beginning with retired NBA player and coach Avery Johnson. Someone claiming to be Johnson told the church that Randolph, his representative, would travel to Tampa to help with a youth ministry at the church.

Johnson's attorney, Casey Marcin, said Wednesday the former player has never heard of Randolph or spoken to anyone at Without Walls church. He is a very busy man and has a staff that answers his e-mails, the attorney said.

"(Randolph) infiltrated the church under false pretenses with the sole purpose of doing damage," church attorney Barry Cohen said.

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If you're thinking of taking the plunge in a most unusual venue...

The Palm Beach Post reports that a Fort Lauderdale scuba shop is training clergy who will be available to officiate at underwater weddings.  Debbi Ballard, an ordained Jewish cantor, is training to perform a traditional (kinda sorta) subsurface Jewish wedding at which the groom will smash a light bulb with his flipper instead of the the usual wine glass.  Meanwhile, the couple can sip wine out of a sippy cup. 

"Not everyone is cut out for a white wedding,'' Ballard told the newspaper.  She is testing a mask with a microphone that will let her address the bride and groom below the surface while weddings guests, high and dry on a boat, can listen and watch via a video hook-up.

According to Jannette Alix, president of the Miami-Dade and Broward chapter of the National Association of Wedding Professionals, underwater weddings are not uncommon, but underwater Jewish wedings are.

“I am the Devil and I am going to kill you!”

Well, no...  But according to police, John Eugene Yale Jr., 43, did end up jamming his thumbs into another man's eyes early Monday after identifying himself as Satan.  He also hit the victim in the head.  Which is why he was arrested on a felony battery charge in Port St. Lucie.

Whatever.

Story from TC Palm.

Church asks: Is Obama the Antichrist?

Several people called a Clearwater church to complain when the question, "Is President Barack Obama the Antichrist?" was posted on a sign outside the church, the St. Petersburg Times reports.

The Rev. Ken Kink said he will answer that question during his sermon Sunday at Clearwater's Lakeview Baptist Church. "It's not as much about politics as it is about Scripture," Link said. " “The popularity of the president is such that even asking the question causes controversy,” he said. Link expects more than 200 people to attend Sunday's service.

Treasurer, 80, accused of stealing $44,000 from church group

NEW PORT RICHEY - An 80-year-old woman was arrested Thursday on charges she stole more than $44,000 from a church group while serving as its treasurer.

According to authorities, Earla B. Ferguson, of 10740 Central Park Ave., in New Port Richey, had been treasurer of a woman’s group at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church since March of 2000.

The New Port Richey Police say a church member noticed missing funds and contacted authorities. The investigation revealed Ferguson wrote church checks out to “cash” and kept the money, police said.

According to her arrest report, Ferguson admitted the thefts and said she did it because she came into “financial difficulty.” She said “she knew what she did was wrong and that the money belonged to the church,” the report said.

Ferguson is charged with scheme to defraud and was released from the county jail Thursday on $10,000 bail.

People at the New Port Richey church, at 5326 Charles St., are stunned, said Jim DeLa, director of communications for the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida.

“A trust has been violated,” he said.

Erin Sullivan, Times staff writer

NEW PORT RICHEY - An 80-year-old woman was arrested Thursday on charges she stole more than $44,000 from a church group while serving as its treasurer.

According to authorities, Earla B. Ferguson, of 10740 Central Park Ave., in New Port Richey, had been treasurer of a woman’s group at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church since March of 2000.

The New Port Richey Police say a church member noticed missing funds and contacted authorities. The investigation revealed Ferguson wrote church checks out to “cash” and kept the money, police said.