For eight years, Samuel Emerson was a pastor at Cloverdale Christian Fellowship Church, also known as 香蕉视频直播淐loverdale Church.香蕉视频直播�
His last day as a pastor came on May 18, when RCMP 香蕉视频直播渟howed up at the door of the church香蕉视频直播� and led him out in cuffs, said Samuel香蕉视频直播檚 father, Randy Emerson, who is the current pastor of Cloverdale Church.
In a media release issued Tuesday afternoon, Surrey RCMP revealed that they received several allegations of sexual assault against Samuel Emerson and his wife Madelaine on May 17, 2017.
The South Surrey couple 香蕉视频直播� who have five children 香蕉视频直播� were arrested the next day.
Samuel Emerson, 34, has been charged with 13 counts of sexual assault, 11 counts of being in a position of authority and touching a person for a sexual purpose, and one count of sexual touching of a person under the age of 16.
Madelaine Emerson, 37, has been charged with one count of sexual assault, one count of being in a position of authority and touching a person for a sexual purpose, and one count of threats to cause death or bodily harm.
The alleged assaults occurred between 2015 and 2017.
Surrey RCMP explained the 4陆-month delay in announcing the arrest that 香蕉视频直播渢here was no investigational or public safety need to report out on this matter.香蕉视频直播�
The day of the arrest, Randy Emerson wrote on Facebook: 香蕉视频直播淚f you know us and our church please pray. We are under attack like never before and we need the accuser of the saints to be silenced and Truth prevail.香蕉视频直播�
Two days later, he wrote, 香蕉视频直播淭hank you to everyone who is praying for us and expressing love at this time. You are making a difference. This is a time when we must not believe with our eyes and ears but with our spirits. Let God be true and every man a liar. Can香蕉视频直播檛 be specific at this time but your prayers are making a difference.香蕉视频直播�
Randy Emerson and his wife Christine started the Cloverdale Christian Fellowship Church, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this Sunday.
香蕉视频直播淪am, being our son, was a part of the church right from the beginning,香蕉视频直播� he told the Cloverdale Reporter on Wednesday. 香蕉视频直播淚f I香蕉视频直播檇 seen anybody go out that way, it香蕉视频直播檚 traumatizing. Any of our staff taken away (in cuffs) would be tough香蕉视频直播� Being my son, it was it just the cherry on the ice cream, you know?香蕉视频直播�
The couple was not previously known to police, and they were later released under 香蕉视频直播渟trict conditions香蕉视频直播� sufficient to alleviate any safety concerns,香蕉视频直播� an RCMP spokesperson said.
One of those conditions is that Samuel and Madelaine cannot have contact with the church, according to Randy.
No mention of Samuel or Madelaine is on the church香蕉视频直播檚 website, but according to his social media accounts, Samuel was a pastor at Cloverdale Church, and worked with Youth Church Cloverdale.
Randy said that Samuel worked 香蕉视频直播渋n every ministry of the church,香蕉视频直播� which includes the youth ministry.
Samuel Emerson香蕉视频直播檚 work as a pastor also took him to other churches in Surrey, including Life Church in White Rock. In a Facebook post in September 2016, Life Church wrote, 香蕉视频直播淭his Sunday we welcomed young Pastor Sam Emerson from our sister church in Cloverdale, B.C.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淪am grew upon our church, and had some very important insights to share,香蕉视频直播� the post reads.
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Following the arrests, Sunday services at Cloverdale Church were subdued for 香蕉视频直播渁lmost two months,香蕉视频直播� said Randy.
香蕉视频直播淧eople were in shock for the first while,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t was very, very difficult and very quiet and subdued. For the last couple of months we香蕉视频直播檝e been building towards something lively and full of life again. For awhile it was just, like, everybody was just staring off into space.香蕉视频直播�
The congregation went from a crowd of around 250 people to 50 people.
香蕉视频直播淧eople just left,香蕉视频直播� said Randy. 香蕉视频直播淭hese are people, some of them that we香蕉视频直播檇 worked with for 25 years.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭hey were ripped out of our relationships just immediately. And they wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 talk to us. At all. Afraid, and I don香蕉视频直播檛 know what for,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淎s I understand it, none of the allegations occurred at the church,香蕉视频直播� said Randy, 香蕉视频直播渨hich is where we work very hard to keep it safe here. We香蕉视频直播檙e even reviewing those policies and protocol to see if we can tighten everything up.香蕉视频直播�
Randy said that Cloverdale Church香蕉视频直播檚 safety protocols are 香蕉视频直播減retty typical.香蕉视频直播� They include criminal record checks for staff. No minor is left in a room unsupervised with an adult if the minor and adult are 香蕉视频直播渙pposite genders,香蕉视频直播� he added.
香蕉视频直播淎s far as we know nothing happened [at the church],香蕉视频直播� said Randy. 香蕉视频直播淎nd I can香蕉视频直播檛 control stuff that happens off the property and on people香蕉视频直播檚 own time.香蕉视频直播�
The Cloverdale Church continues to be active in its work. 香蕉视频直播淲e continue to do the things that we香蕉视频直播檝e always done, but it香蕉视频直播檚 on a much more subdued level,香蕉视频直播� said Randy. 香蕉视频直播漌e香蕉视频直播檝e pulled back, but we香蕉视频直播檙e not stopping.香蕉视频直播�
Surrey RCMP have said the investigation into Samuel and Madelaine Emerson is still ongoing, and that they believe there may have been other victims.
They are asking that any potential victims come forward to speak with police.
Surrey RCMP as that anyone with more information call 604-599-0502, or, if they wish to remain anonymous, to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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