Members of First Baptist Church of Augusta are circulating a petition aimed at removing three trustees and the church moderator, who some blame for pushing Dr. Timothy Owings' resignation as pastor.
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The petition needs 30 signatures to call the 3,000-member church into conference July 13 for a vote on the removal of moderator J.I. McNair and trustees David Hudson, Dr. Charles Shaefer and David Bell.
News of the petition was hand-delivered to many members Tuesday in a 25-page letter written by member Ken Daniel. The letter describes the recent turmoil leading to Dr. Owings' resignation and details the financial controversy many members first heard of Sunday
According to the letter, church trustees questioned numerous financial dealings, from Dr. Owings' use of the pastor's discretionary fund to the church administrator's use of money for raises of some nonministerial personnel.
Mr. Daniel's document states that all purchases and raises were authorized by the proper committees or church administrators, including Mr. McNair.
In his letter, Mr. Daniel states that some church leaders used the financial issues "as their window of opportunity to end the tenure of Dr. Owings."
Mr. Hudson and Mr. McNair suggested that the pastor leave, according to Mr. Daniel.
"J.I. (McNair) specifically said to Dr. Owings that he believed (he) needed to find another place of service as soon as he could," Mr. Daniel wrote, referring to a March meeting.
The pastor announced his resignation May 27 in a letter to members, but he has not stated publicly why he resigned from the church, which was the birthplace of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845. Dr. Owings, the second-longest-serving pastor in the church's nearly 200-year history, gave his last sermon Sunday.
Dr. Owings has an unlisted phone number. Mr. Daniel, who declined to comment, agreed Tuesday to pass a message to the former pastor seeking comment, but Dr. Owings did not respond.
Mr. McNair was on vacation and could not be reached for comment, but Mr. Bell, Mr. Hudson and Dr. Shaefer each said they serve at the pleasure of the church.
"I will honor their wish," Mr. Bell said.
Dr. Shaefer said the issue was not about him.
"This is about First Baptist Church being God's people in the community," he said.
Mr. Hudson answered questions from The Augusta Chronicle by forwarding the text of an e-mail he sent to Mr. Daniel. In the e-mail, he talks about his friendship with Dr. Owings and support of his ministry.
"I have never asked for his resignation," Mr. Hudson wrote. "I have, when asked by him, given my views on him in a private meeting on how he might try to overcome the lack of confidence in his ministry that we both had heard from deacons, Sunday school teachers, youth workers and committee chairs.
"As for the work of the Trustees, we have the obligation to see that the Constitution and Bylaws of the church are followed."
Mr. Hudson said the trustees plan to complete their investigative review of the church's financial dealings at the moderator's request.
Reach Greg Rickabaugh at (706) 828-3851 or greg.rickabaugh@augustachronicle.com.
