Reparations for Rev. Dr. Anthony Scott
Juniper Formation, in partnership with First Congregational Church (FCC) Greeley, invites you to join in the effort to collect or redirect Our Church’s Wider Mission funds towards a just restitution for Rev. Dr. Anthony Scott, who was terminated without cause from the Rocky Mountain Conference United Church of Christ last fall. We hope to collect $43,335 for Rev. Dr. Scott, an amount equal to six months salary and benefits.
You can read our appeal to our fellow congregations below.
March 22, 2023
Dear Fellow RMC Congregations:
Greetings from First Congregational Church (FCC) Greeley, CO, and Juniper Formation UCC, Denver, CO. We are reaching out to invite you to join us in ensuring that Rev. Dr. Anthony Scott receives a just severance package following his termination without cause from the Rocky Mountain Conference. Indeed, there is much healing to be done in the months and years ahead. However, in the meantime, Rev. Dr. Scott still has not received severance from the RMC.
Since the Conference Board has, thus far, refused to give no-strings-attached severance to Rev. Dr. Scott, the leadership of both of our churches have voted to redirect Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM) funds to be used for collective restitution. Alongside other interested churches, we hope to collect $43,335, the amount equal to six months salary and benefits for Rev. Dr. Scott during his employment with the Conference. Knowing how protracted and painful this process has already been, and how long the ministerial search and call process can take even under ideal conditions, we believe the equivalent of six months salary and benefits is the minimal just amount to provide. We invite you to join us in this effort to temporarily redirect OCWM funds towards just restitution, or to take a special collection from your congregation to give toward it.
We believe that OCWM funds are a tangible investment in our shared life at both the Conference and national church level. Historically, we have had confidence that these funds were being well-stewarded, and supporting our shared values of peace and justice locally, nationally, and internationally. However, since the news of Rev. Dr. Scott’s termination we have experienced a shocking lack of transparency from RMC leadership. We believe that covenant is based upon healthy relationships, which require communication and responsiveness. As such, we have communicated our concerns and participated in every opportunity to learn more about what has taken place. We are nearly four months out from this termination and the unaddressed questions regarding how the decision followed the appropriate process and our shared bylaws have only multiplied.
We also believe that in the absence of the RMC Board offering a fair severance package—one not tied to a non-disclosure agreement—it is up to the churches that comprise the body of the Conference to do what the Conference Board has not done. The Metro Denver Association has previously requested the Conference Board give severance without strings (e.g.: NDA) to Rev. Dr. Scott, and the Board did not take action.
Leadership of First Congregational Church have spoken about our plan to redirect OCWM funds with the Bridge Conference Minister, Rev. Diane Weible. Being only 10 days into her position at the time of our conversation, she requested a bit more time for the RMC Board to decide how to proceed. We agreed to wait 45 days from that meeting on March 8, 2023. If the Conference Board has not taken action to provide severance without strings to Rev. Dr. Scott, by Monday, May 1, 2023 (International Workers Day), we will immediately disburse the first installment of funds collected by local congregations to Rev. Dr. Anthony Scott. Should the RMC Board come up with a just severance package for Rev. Dr. Scott, we would step aside so the RMC can fulfill its duty to Rev. Dr. Scott, believing that this would be the healthiest outcome for the Conference as a whole. We would then return all funds collected for this effort back to each congregation.
In the meantime, we are getting organized, understanding that individual churches may need to come together to rectify this injustice outside the conference structure. We invite you to join us in covenant to do what is right and just to support Rev. Dr. Anthony Scott as the body of the Rocky Mountain Conference.
We have undertaken this initiative with Rev. Dr. Scott’s permission, and to date, we have $20,500 committed by local churches, with several others interested in participating. Together, we can exercise our responsibilities as a Conference and raise and distribute the $43,335 needed for the reparation fund if the RMC Board does not act. We invite your congregation to join us.
If you would like to join us, please:
Email us Revs. Jenny and Tamara to let us know the amount you are able to contribute:
First Congregational Church, Greeley is prepared to collect and distribute the funds from other churches choosing to contribute to this initiative. This will make accounting for these funds and associated tax documentation easier for Rev. Dr. Scott. Please contact FCC’s Church Administrator, Laura Gurney (laura@firstconggreeley.com), for details on how to contribute to this collective offering. These funds will be distributed no later than May 5th if the RMC board does not offer Rev. Dr. Scott an acceptable severance. In the event that such a severance has been provided, funds held by FCC will be returned to churches.
If you would like to send funds directly to Rev. Dr. Scott, please notify Rev. Tamara and Rev. Jenny to ensure your gift is included in the total amount offered to Rev. Dr. Scott.
Please reach out with any questions you may have.
In Partnership,
Rev. Tamara Torres McGovern (she/her) & Rev. Ben Konency (he/him)
Ministers
The Cabinet and Staff
First Congregational United Church of Christ, Greeley
Rev. Dr. Jenny Whitcher (she/her), Rev. Kari Collins (she/her), Keisha Wiggan (she/her), Amanda Creek (she/her), Rev. Dr. Jason Whitehead (he/him), Theo Isoz (they/them), Katelin Champion (she/her), Javon Bracy (she/her)
The Leadership Team of Juniper Formation, Denver
