Recently Read: The rise and fall of the Crystal Methodist

While we’ve been consumed with the debate here on human sexuality, our friends in The Methodist Church in the United Kingdom have been weathering a scandal featuring a pastor named Paul Flowers, nicknamed in the UK press as “The Crystal Methodist” (for his drug transactions)

Some of his offences were relatively trivial, like a drink-driving bust in 1990. Two years later he became chairman of the trustees of the Lifeline Project, a charity involved in helping young people with drug and alcohol problems. In 2004 he was suspended by the charity as it investigated allegedly false expenses claims amounting to tens of thousands of pounds. Ian Wardle, Lifeline’s chief executive, this week confirmed that the Charity Commission had been informed of Lifeline’s findings, which concerned “a significant sum” and required what he described as “a lengthy and thorough investigation”.

via ‘An accident waiting to happen’: the mystery of how Paul Flowers’ career flourished – Crime – UK – The Independent.

Here are some links to stories on the Flower’s situation if you want to catch up with happenings across the pond, and keep our Methodist friends in the UK in your prayers.

‘An accident waiting to happen’: the mystery of how Paul Flowers’ career flourished

‘Crystal Methodist’ Former Co-op Chairman Paul Flowers Arrested in Drugs Investigation

Drugs, sex and bad banking: Downfall of minister-turned-bank boss grips Britain

Recently Read

Recently Read posts are stories the editors of The United Methodist Reporter have found interesting from other sites and wanted to share with our readers. The editors do not necessarily endorse the opinions shared in these stories, and referral here should not imply endorsement of that content.