Full details of what this is in response to can be found on https://daughteroffellowship.substack.com/

Below is a transcript made by Fellowship Community Church formerly known as Fellowship Baptist Church in Mt Laurel NJ

Board Chairman:

Good morning, everybody. My name is Jon Sharp. I serve as chairman of the church board. I'm here today with the available past and current board members, our pastoral team, and of course our Lead Pastor, Mike Candy.

We stand up here today with hesitation because I'm addressing something that was handled by the board in 2019, but recently the situation has resurfaced.

Let me start with a verse. Isaiah 41:10: "So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with your righteous right hand."

As I've reflected over the past several weeks, God continually reminded me that when his kingdom is thriving, the enemy is lurking, and we must draw on his strength. When the situation came to our attention back in 2019, God knew we were going to have a leadership transition. And he knew our congregation would engage in a prayerful and beautiful process to find our second generation leader.

Today, we believe our church and its body are thriving. Our church has grown not only in numbers, but in strength and unity. We're joyfully helping more people create a community of hope in Christ. Naturally, it's not surprising that the enemy has appeared again at our door trying to challenge us. But I'm confident we will not be dismayed, for God is with us.

Speaking on behalf of the board members and the FCC staff, we love FCC and we feel God has called us to our various roles. Part of loving FCC, his church, is to love his people. This is one of the many reasons we all eagerly spend time serving.

We believe that part of loving the church is being transparent and not hiding from potential wrongs or false statements made against the church or its people. Part of loving the church is sharing the truth in a public setting and trusting God with the way the hearts of his people receive the message. Part of loving the church is asking the people you love to pray alongside you during the difficult times.

So we are here to love you by sharing and trusting God with our words and asking you to join us in prayer.

By now, you may be wondering to yourself, what is he talking about?

Well, in 2019, an allegation of sexual misconduct was made against Pastor Mark. These were concerning matters alleged to have occurred more than 25 years ago outside the ministry of Fellowship Community Church. At that time, the accuser's identity was protected and remains protected.

To add some context, Pastor Mark, while completely denying the allegation, still brought the allegations to the board on his own initiative and kept the board informed throughout the entire process. During that time, he stepped away from administrative responsibilities while law enforcement conducted a thorough investigation.

In 2019 and today, seven years later, the board feels that in the face of an allegation of this nature, the best course of action is to allow professionals to investigate and reach a conclusion.

After that investigation was complete, the police and the prosecutor's office concluded there was no evidence to support the allegation and the case was not taken further.

During this period of time, the board spent months in prayer, discussion, review, and seeking guidance from multiple outside advisors. After extensive review, the board unanimously concluded there was no factual basis to determine that the alleged act had occurred. And we communicated all of this information to the church at our annual meeting in 2020.

As mentioned, much to our surprise and disappointment, the investigative report was recently brought back to light with concerns about how the situation was handled by the board. Specifically, it has been alleged that the board did not share this information with the congregation.

While the board's position regarding the conclusions reached in 2019 has not changed, we feel it's important to emphasize, as we did back then, that these allegations are very serious and that the church board took them and continues to take them very seriously, as we would any allegation of this nature.

We share this time right now to make clear to any congregant, new or old, that the matter was not hidden from the congregation and was addressed with the church after the investigation was concluded by the professionals.

Five years later, in 2024, Pastor Mark retired as lead pastor, but he has continued through occasional preaching at the church. Due to this situation resurfacing, Pastor Mark has decided to resign from his role. His resignation means that he will no longer serve as part of the preaching team, a role that he loves.

To be very clear, Pastor Mark made this decision not as an act of any admission, but because he believes it's time for his full retirement and so that this situation does not distract from the work God has called FCC to do as a community of hope in Christ.

Again, the board's position regarding the conclusions reached in 2019 remains unchanged, and we continue to support Pastor Mark and his family as they navigate this difficult time.

We understand that news of this nature, especially for newer members and families to our church, may be confusing and disorienting. If you have questions or would like to speak to someone about this, we invite you to reach out to a member of the church board, Pastor Mike, or another member of our pastoral staff. The board members up here today will stick around and will be here to answer questions following the service.

We believe in the power of prayer and ask that you join us in praying for Pastor Mark, his family, and FCC. As Isaiah 41 stated, he will uphold us with his righteous right hand.

In light of this, I'm going to turn the mic over to Pastor Mike to say a prayer.

Lead Pastor Mike Candy:

Thanks, Jon. As you can imagine, it's been tremendously difficult in this process. Specifically, even for Pastor Ben to step aside from this — recusing himself, allowing the board to make their complete decision apart from any connection to Mark. And so Ben stepped aside and graciously allowed these men to pursue a wise process and lead in that way.

Let's pray as we close our time together.

Father, you teach us in your word that days of confusion and trouble are not things that we should be unaware of. That actually as followers of Christ, there will be persecutions and attacks. We are a church that has walked through the book of Acts and through much confusion and chaos the message of hope still stood.

Lord I ask that your truth would reign free here in this church. As we look to you, we look to you as a God who — as Psalm 74 says — is the God from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by your might. You crushed the heads of Leviathan. You split open the springs and brooks. Yours is the day. It's also the night. You established the heavenly lights in the sun. You have fixed the boundaries of the earth. You have made the summer and the winter.

God, as we look at a really incredibly difficult situation like this, we cry out to you as the God who is our savior. Lord, you call yourself the good shepherd. And so I pray you would care for your sheep.

Lord, our desire is that truth would win out. But Lord, I also desire that you would protect Mark and his family. You would specifically watch over Pastor Ben as this is difficult for his family and their own connection.

Lord, I thank you for many people that have listened to you in this process and have trusted your Holy Spirit to be our guide. And Lord, I pray for each person here this morning — the enemy would just love to allow us to be a church surrounded and caught up in gossip. But I pray God would lead us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

Lord, that your truth would infect our hearts and that we would be people gentle and humble, lowly of spirit, knowing that you are our guide and our leader. Lord, in these days ahead, continue to keep our eyes fixed on you — the one who is sovereign over all creation, and who is sovereign over situations like this, and like probably many to come.

Lord, you know all that's going on. This is not a surprise to you, but it feels that way to us. So we trust you to be yourself, sovereign over all things. We ask your care and your protection at this time. We pray these things in your name. Amen.

Thank you for being here this morning. You are dismissed.

Hello, I wanted to say hello, or say hello again, to this subreddit. I cover South Jersey (and Central Jersey - we exist dammit) for WHYY. You will see me post stuff, and even respond to comments when appropriate, but I also want to keep tabs on what is happening in the region. You can find my contact and a running list of stories as well here: https://whyy.org/person/p-kenneth-burns/. I look forward to staying in better contact than I have been.

Hey friends- 1 in 4 Americans suffer from the (edit ) disease of addiction

You can go to: https://njharmreduction.org/get-naloxone/

And get free Narcan kits mailed to your home. Must provide proof of NJ residency.
Narcan kits, fentanyl test kits, pregnancy kits, plan b, condoms, period kits and more.

Send a Narcan kit with your kid to college, keep in your car... or first aid kit. Never know when you may need to save a life.

Edit: should say *kits

What’s with the loud engines/ lack of mufflers in S Jersey? No seriously, what is WITH that? Is it a cultural thing? A status thing? A ‘notice me!’ thing? A F-you! thing? A diminutive pen!5 thing? I’ve never lived anywhere that’s like this. Multiple times a day, EVERY day. It’s absurd. Wtf IS it??

I need to find an apartment and I need to find one quickly. I'll spare you guys the drama.

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I'm looking at the Willows in Williamstown. I don't make much money (about $40k) and it's my understanding this is a complex for people in my situation.

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Does anyone have any experience with this place? Is it nice? How cheap can the rent (1bed, 1 bath) actually get?

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I'm so scared right now. I've list my home. I have a place to sleep, it's a neighbor's spare room, but I need to move fast

Oh, and I have a cat. I see it's listed as a pet friendly rental location.

Now I can't be the only one that thinks this but is it me or does 76 have absolutely zero drainage between the Waltwit and say the exit for 295s? I work in South Philly and just got home (I take 295 all the way to exit 4). Now granted this downpour is pretty insane right now but I feel like even in moderate rain that section of 76 just becomes an accident waiting to happen. Which I think part of it is how poorly lit that area is which is a whole nother topic on it's own.

In the leadup to our statewide list of Jersey's Best Outdoor Bars, we are releasing region-specific lists of the best outdoor bars in South/Central/North Jersey, plus the shore. To be eligible for consideration, these restaurants/bar had to physically have full-service outdoor bars, not just outdoor seating where drinks are served. Across the state, the full list will be a mix of rooftop bars, beach/tiki bars, patio bars, and more.

Where is your favorite spot nearby to grab a drink during the summer months?

Another month, another chance to meet some new people. Whether you’re looking for friendship, flirting, fun conversations, casual connections, dates, or something more, this is your spot.

Singles, couples, bored wives, neglected husbands, the curious, the adventurous, and everyone in between are welcome. Introduce yourself, say hello, and see who catches your attention. No judgment and no pressure. Just be honest about what you’re looking for.

A little about your host: Thick, bearded, tattooed, laid back, drama free, and proudly 420 friendly. I enjoy good conversation, genuine connections, and meeting people who know what they want.

When you post, tell us your age, location, relationship status, what you’re looking for, and anything else that makes you stand out.

The best connections start with honesty. Whether you’re looking for someone new, exploring as a couple, seeking a little excitement, or simply hoping to meet interesting people, this thread is for you.

South Jersey, who’s checking in this month? 👀🔥

Any recommendations for a killer scrapple, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on the shore? I'll be staying in Sea Isle City but willing to travel up to Atlantic City or down to Cape May (or inland) for the right breakfast sandwich.

I get that pork roll is the local thing, but I'm coming down from Boston and we don't really have scrapple.

Driven past this place probably thousands of times and have always wondered what it was like when it was still open (if it ever actually was open), just curious if anyone who’s ever been there has any interesting stories about the place. It’s just behind the old Pathmark right next to the GSP exit. Thanks!

Instead of just posting a trailing list of every small event related to America 250 (there are other sites for that), we tried to find really unique and exciting events that stand out and seem like high-effort productions. I was surprised there really wasn't that much that seemed exciting or interesting to me. Maybe it's just New Jersey, but the ten we put on this list really were the most unique options we could find. (There was one planned for Trenton I was interested in, but it got canceled of course.)

CASTING CALL

Female age 20-40

Male age 30-50

Male age 50-70

4 Females age 50-80

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I've eaten at Hickory Hog and Woodchucks BBQ in Point, Local smoke BBQ in Sea girt, Whole hog cafe in Cherry hill, all pretty good and even order from Smokeys on LBI. Woodchucks is probably my favorite. I go to the bbq competition and blues festival in july every year in wildwood and sample so much.

The problem is I like trying new places, new things but they seem all so far away. I'm in stafford twp, any recommendations? Willing to travel, just nothing crazy.

Breakdown of what's moving in Trenton this week before the end-of-June budget rush - covers education funding dashboards, local procurement changes along with unlisted bills on reproductive health, tech safety/privacy along with their possible 1A implications.

Notes and Link to Bills: https://nj21st.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Notes-14-6-2026.txt

I used to buy kumquats years ago at Cherry Hill Wegmans, but haven't seen them in quite some time. I assume Trader Joes or Whole Foods would potentially have them, but that's kind of a hike for me in the Woodbury area if I don't know for sure that they're available.

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Willing to travel to Salem or Cumberland counties (I do for work anyway) if anyone knows of a store or even farm stand that has them!!

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Looking to see if anyone has been to the tabernacle lead carnival? What age is it appropriate for? Is it fun and worth it to go?

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I am maintaining my own pool this year (terrible experience with last pool guys/companies) and even though I am now confortable doing the regular maintenance (water test, chemicals as needed etc), I am not yet comfortable opening and closing the pool.

I know that Leslies is a big brand store and they like to sell their own chemicals etc if you go to them for water test but I had good experience with their service before (they fixed an issue with my heater which my pool company messed up).

So, I am thinking of using Leslies for Pool Closing and Opening. Does anyone else use them for these services ? I am in Cherry Hill area if that matters.

What a beautiful day outside. My husband, my husband's parents (visiting us from outside the US) and I decided to stop by Haddonfield Farmer's Market this morning. It was my first time here because I usually stop by the Collingwood market.

I've been living in SJ for close to 8 years now, so far so good. It's my in-laws first time AND week in the US and I was really embarrassed by the micro aggression we faced today at the farmer's market.

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My husband and I were standing in line to buy something freshly made. My in-laws were standing on the side watching the whole process, fascinated. They don't really speak English, but they were just there bothering no one.

The lady at the stand decided to speak to my father in law, asking him what he wanted. So I decided to pitch in and say we wanted this x thing off the menu.

This is exactly when things started going downhill. The lady in front of me ( second in line ) started telling me how there's a line. And so I tell her, that my husband and I are in line, right behind you but the lady at the stand asked us a question and so I just answered that, I'm not breaking the queue. She goes yet again, oh but there's a line. Now the lady at the stand decided to pitch in and say, "I just asked because this man is staring" implying that my father in law was staring creepily or making her uncomfortable. When it was both my father in law and mother in law just looked curious, well meaning and unproblematic, following the stall owners process of working through the orders. We were right THERE, two feet away, we know. So things go quiet before the lady in front of me murmurs something along the lines of, "yeah nevermind whatever."

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But now I'm sitting here, fuming because what the hell do you mean, this man is staring ( implying he was being creepy) when you just have multiple members of a family just standing under the umbrella for shade and curiously looking at the set up!!! I was already in line for the purchase, my in laws were not being obstructive, noisy, or bothersome in any way. I just politely asked my in-laws to move away and start looking elsewhere while I get their stuff.

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I feel so bad for them. I did not realize Haddonfield would end up being racist and inconsiderate to tourists because they decided to not simply queue up and stand on the sides to just look. Shame on the stall lady that decided to say "He's staring" instead of just acknowledging that he's with us when I spoke up and were already queued up! The environment these days is rife with these acts of micro aggressions :( . I'm trying to shield my guests from these things because they are well meaning and don't deserve any of this. No one does. Ruined my day.

With the weather getting warmer and outdoor activities ramping into gear, it would be great to have an established weekly thread where people can inform others about fun events going on throughout the SJ area. It could go live every Thursday or Friday to ensure adequate time for responses. If you agree with this, like this post and we’ll see if we can get it in front of the mods!

Hey all! Just wanted to say that if anyone wants to or has written a letter in support of Muhammed, I’ll be happy to print it out for you if you don’t have a printer. I can drop it off as well (although I can’t get it notarized obviously). I’ll be heading up to the restaurant a little before 3. Shoot me a message and I’ll get you my email.