Church splits over R75 000 in missing funds

AN unholy row over alleged missing tithes totalling R75 000 has split a 130-year-old Karoo church – with the minister leaving and starting another church in the town.

Reverend Richard Bremner, the former minister of the Trinity Methodist Church in Graaff-Reinet, was forced to leave after he blew the whistle on another senior official who allegedly dipped into the church’s tithing pot. Church bosses gave him the option to relocate to De Aar or leave the church.

He chose to leave and set up a church at Graaff-Reinet’s Union High School.

Several church members chose to follow him, but most of them refused to talk about the row.

Those who did comment did not want to be named. One said Bremner had announced his departure during a service.

“Now the entire church will walk out with him,” he said.

Another church member said although she had joined Bremner’s church, the move was not determined by his resignation.

There had been “tensions” even before this, she said.

The congregation had also had no say in the decision to relocate Bremner.

“We weren’t given any clarification or a dialogue,” said the woman. “It is not a good feeling to be part of an organisation that is not concerned for the people on the ground.”

The fallout relates to Bremner accusing a senior member of dipping into the church’s tithes and stealing a total of R75 000.

Methodist Church of Southern Africa presiding bishop Reverend Zipho Siwa confirmed that a senior member of the Trinity church had been referred for an internal disciplinary hearing.

But the disciplinary hearing and Bremner’s relocation were separate issues.

“Methodist priests are appointed annually for missions.

“Bremner’s move was done by conference, which is the method we follow according to the needs of the church,” Siwa said. “He resigned because he chose not to follow the order.”

The umbrella church’s general secretary, Vuyani Nyobole, said relocation was standard practice in the Methodist church.

He was not aware of any infighting in the Trinity church.

Bremner served the Trinity church for three years and was apparently popular with the congregants. His only comment was: “I don’t believe church business should be in the public domain.

“It will be harmful for the people in the church,” he said.

Bremner’s replacement, Reverend Nico Els, said some congregants had been unhappy about the way in which Bremner left and felt they should have had a say.

“When we sign up and get ordained by the Methodist church, we make an oath to go where we are sent. It is painful when the church tells you to go somewhere, but those are the rules,” Els said.

“There was a lot of prayer when this matter was on the cards.

“We believe all things work together for the good.”

Els said Bremner had led a “great ministry” and he hoped to build on that.

“I will continue the good work like Bible studies and outreach [programmes].

“He [Bremner] goes with my blessing because God’s church is bigger than the Methodist church.”

Els said while congregation numbers were down on Christmas Day, this could have been because many were away on holiday. He could not say how many members had left the church with Bremner.