Accused pastor's church stops services

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A Grand Rapids church, split over what to do about their pastor who is charged with of embezzling between $50,000 and $100,000 from the church, decided to cancel their religious services.

At least, the board did.

In a statement, Deacon board chairman and board member Stephon Blackwell said, "After much dialogue and prayerful discernment, the board leadership of Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church has decided effective immediately to cancel our regularly scheduled church service on Sundays until further notice."

The board members in opposition of the Pastor confirmed that they changed the locks on the doors.  Church will be closed for at least seven days, they said.

Pastor Arthur Pearson Sr. is charged with of embezzling from the church.

Clergy who support him are defiant.  They told 24 Hour News 8, they're holding service anyway.  They're encouraging members who support him to meet in the parking lot at 10:30 am on Sunday.

From there they will decide what to do, a reverend who didn't want to be identified told 24 Hour News 8.

In late December 2010, a civil complaint filed against the pastor alleges that a large chunk of the church's stolen money was spent at mall stores including JCPenney and Victoria's Secret. In total, church officials allege that $237,374.40 was taken from the church since Pearson took over as pastor in 2008.

Kent County prosecutors authorized an arrest warrant against him, charging him with embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000 from the church.

"At this time with the criminal charges concerning Rev. Arthur Pearson still pending and the membership of the church attempting to heal, we feel that it would be in the best interest of all involved to have some time for respite," the statement said.

"Our hope is that this respite will be brief and that we will be worshiping together as a church family in the very near future. We are asking the members and community to be in continual prayer for Pilgrim."

After an argument broke out at the church last Sunday, Grand Rapids police were called. Police have been called out to the church several times in the past two month to settle arguments between church members.

Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church is asking their members to "continue to pray for closure and for justice to be done concerning the charges against Rev. Arthur Pearson ."

The Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church Annual Meeting will still take place on Saturday, March 3, 2012, at 4 p.m., the statement said.