Johnstown church forgives ex-pastor
Stahl Mennonite Church chose not to press charges against pastor who stole.
by Anna GroffPrint Article Email to a Friend
Tom Croyle, former pastor of Stahl Mennonite Church, Johnstown, Pa., faces charges of stealing money from two charities in Johnstown.
According to a Feb. 24 report in the Tribune-Democrat, Croyle is charged with misappropriating $64,484 from Bridge of Hope of the Laurel Highlands and stealing $18,615 from St. Francis Sharing and Caring Inc. in Conemaugh Township.
He paid back about half the money before he was caught, according to police.
Croyle also took an unknown amount of money from Stahl Mennonite Church. Croyle was the pastor at Stahl Mennonite of Allegheny Mennonite Conference for seven years.
Croyle confessed to the congregation in June 2008. After this, action needed to be taken by Allegheny Conference’s Leadership Commission, according to interim Allegheny conference minister Donna Mast. His license was suspended at that point, and following this, Croyle voluntarily asked that his credentials be terminated. His credentials were withdrawn in early 2009.
Joy Cotchen, conference minister of children and youth for Allegheny Conference and a member at Stahl, provides this statement from Stahl: "It was a difficult time for our congregation after Tom's resignation, but we chose to work at healing and forgiveness with the help of our interim pastor Rose Bender."
To address this issue, Allegheny Conference formed two teams, says Kurt Horst, former conference minister. One team helped Stahl decide what to do and aid in healing. The second team worked with Croyle.
Stahl Mennonite did not press charges. "Stahl named and grieved the abuse and loss and chose to move on," says Horst.
"Things will go wrong,” Horst says. "When they go wrong, turn to your conference leaders for help. They have resources."
He also says the Mennonite Church USA document on pastoral misconduct offered guidance.
Rose Bender finished as Stahl's interim pastor early this year. Stahl Mennonite Church is in a pastoral search at the moment.
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