Officials of Unity of Wichita held a news conference Sunday to announce the recent discovery that in excess of $100,000 was missing from church accounts, according to a media release from the church.
Senior Pastor Reverend Daybree Thoms said, “It is with great sadness that we had to notify our congregation today, that a trusted church member has confessed to systematically embezzling money from Unity of Wichita for several years.
Because the amount is in excess of $100,000, we have reported the loss to authorities and will allow the justice system to follow through with appropriate action.”
Thoms explained that because she was only recently appointed new Senior Pastor for Unity of Wichita, she had requested that a routine audit of church finances be conducted. “It was that routine request for an audit that prompted the church bookkeeper to submit a written confession to church officials,” said Thoms.
Unity of Wichita Board of Trustees President, Joe Dunlavy, said, “This revelation is, in no way, a reflection on our previous senior pastor, our interim pastors nor any member of the Board of Trustees. This individual was a highly respected member of the church leadership and has admitted to being solely responsible for the missing funds.”
Dunlavy explained that though the discovery is fiscally painful for the church, it is the emotional shock that is most difficult for the congregation. “Fundamental to Unity’s principles and teachings is the belief that we are each, individual expressions of God; so, this is extremely devastating because the individual in whom we had entrusted our finances was a highly respected and beloved member of our church family.”
If there is an “up side” to the discovery that such a large amount of money is missing, Rev. Thoms said, “It’s my hope — and the hope of everyone at Unity of Wichita— that our experience will serve as a reminder to all churches: that, though we trust in God, when it comes to finances, audits are still necessary.” She said no church should entrust so much responsibility in just one individual.
“Oversight and transparency,” explained Thoms, “should be paramount in the financial procedures of any church whether large or small. And, regardless of the misguided reasons for having betrayed the congregation’s trust, we still hold the individual who committed this crime in our prayers and extend our love and forgiveness. Unity is about making our spiritual principles and ideals come alive — even in situations like this.”
“As the President of the Board of Trustees,” said Dunlavy, “I am grateful that Reverend Thoms wisely requested an audit as she stepped up to become our Senior Pastor; because, if she hadn’t, the problem may, very well, have persisted indefinitely. If nothing else,” Dunlavy continued, “it is certainly a relief to one-and-all, to discover the problem sooner than later. With Wichita State University’s Innovation Campus ramping up right across the street from Unity of Wichita, we are on the threshold of an exciting new era in our history. Now, the healing can really begin.”
Unity of Wichita is a member of Unity Worldwide Ministries in Lee Summit, Missouri.
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