The Chronicles of Reverend Kris Erskine - Is the Community being used to rehabilitate another Preacher?

Kettle calling the pot black or Changed Man? 
Is the Community being used to rehabilitate another Preacher?
You Decide! 

Erskine Hired to Preach in Harlem
By: Ashlea Sigman Email
Jun 21, 2008
http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/20633704.html

Bryan Police have been looking for him for two and a half weeks.

Now, a former Bryan pastor, wanted for embezzlement, turns up at a church in New York

A Harlem website announces "officers and members of the Bethany Baptist Church family are proud to announce that Dr. Kris Erskine, Pastor-Elect, will be preaching dynamic sermons on potential, purpose and power each Sunday beginning June 1st."

On June 5th, Bryan Police issued a warrant for Erskine's arrest.

He's accused of taking $10,000 from the church he pastored in Bryan, Shiloh Baptist Church.

Police say he funneled money meant for the church, into his own account.

Money like checks meant for tithe offerings, scholarship funds, and even hurricane Katrina help.

None of the Deacons KBTX spoke with say they were contacted by the Harlem church, as a reference.

Shiloh Baptist's interim pastor, Carl Idelbird says he wasn't contacted as a reference either, and doesn't know what to think about Erskine's new position.

KBTX notified Bryan Police about Erskine's whereabouts on Saturday.

Chief Ty Morrow says the District Attorney has authorized his extradition, and that Bryan Police will notify the Fugitive Task Force, as well as the FBI.

TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2008
Former Bryan Pastor Arrested, Bonds Out of Jail
http://onanite.blogspot.com/2008/06/former-bryan-pastor-arrested-bonds-out.html

Former Bryan Pastor Kris Erskine has been arrested after turning himself in on theft charges, this after he left the state during the investigation into his alleged wrongdoings.

It was News 3 that tipped authorities off to Erskine's new employment in the New York City area. A website promoted Erskine for services at Bethany Baptist Church in Harlem, a site KBTX let authorities know about, one they say they hadn't seen.

Erskine is accused of stealing money from his former church, Bryan's Shiloh Baptist. Authorities believe he took in the neighborhood of $10,000 for his own personal uses, including money that was designated for hurricane victims and scholarships among other things, this according to the church.

The pastor turned himself in early Monday morning, and was confined at 4:18 a.m. according to the county. When News 3 contacted Bryan PD about the arrest mid-Monday-morning, officials were unaware he was sitting in their local jail.

Erskine's bond was set at $5,000, but just after 1 p.m. Monday, he bonded out of jail.

Officials with Bethany Baptist Church in Harlem, say they will wait to hear from Erskine, before they take any action.

"Sometimes they just blow it out of proportion and we're not quick to judge," Duane Causweli with Bethany Baptist Church said. "We here at Bethany knew him different then from what he did in Texas, so when he comes back here we'll talk but I'm not quick to judge anyone."

Bethany Baptist Church tells us it had been looking for the ideal pastor for the church for years, and thought Erskine was the perfect match.

News Three tried to get in touch with Shiloh Baptist Church deacons who originally went to police with the allegations.

According to Deacon Willie Pruitt, the Brazos County District Attorney's office has told the deacons not to talk about the on-going case, but he says "I'm just happy he turned himself in and I'm happy he got a job."

Brazos County Justice of the Peace Tommy Munoz set Erskine's bond Monday morning, but no conditions were added. That means Erskine can leave the state.

News Three talked with the Brazos County District Attorney's about the investigation. It says the case will go to a grand jury in the near future.

Jailed Pastor's Friend Speaks Out
Posted: Jun 25, 2008
by Loren Korn
http://www.abc40.com/global/story.asp?S=8556296

BRYAN - He went from being in the pulpit to behind bars. Bryan Pastor Kris Erskine was charged with stealing over $10,000 from the Shiloh Baptist Church in north Bryan.

Bryan police say Erskine then eluded them when he got another job at a church in Harlem.

ABC40 has exclusive details about his life away from church. Also, his frame of mind before he turned himself in to Bryan Police early Monday morning.

"I spoke with him before he left for New York.  He did say that he was seeking employment and he was going to go on with his life," said the Rev. Robert Wilson, Publisher for the Brazos Valley Informer.

Wilson has known Erskine for years and sought out ABC40 to tell his side of the story. He says the way Erskine has been portrayed publicly is not an accurate description.

"He's an intelligent man. He's made some mistakes. He's very articulate and he's very sharp," said Wilson.

Wilson said he came forward because he felt Erskine's positive influence on the community outweighs any possible wrongdoing.

"He's done a lot of good things in the community. Reverend Erskine enforced the Hour of Power on Wednesday. Reverend Erskine done an excellent job gaining young people to Christ. Teaching, counseling and working with people elsewhere in the Brazos Valley. They should just forgive Dr. Erskine, Reverend Erskine, and allow him to make restitution and go on with his life," said Wilson.

Wilson hasn't spoken to Erskine since he turned himself in on Monday. However, he expects to talk to him in the coming days. Wilson also told ABC40 that he would be more than happy to testify on Erskine's behalf.

Former Pastor to Pay Back Local Church
By: Brenna Flores
Jul 31, 2009
http://www.kbtx.com/news/local/headlines/52226077.html

Shiloh Baptist Church will be repaid $6,000 by its former pastor, Kris Erskine.

Erskine was found guilty November 17 of misapplication of fiduciary property. He was sentenced to four years probation, had to pay a one-thousand-dollar fine and complete 100 hours of community service.

Erskine took funds from the church and put them in a personal bank account.

A hearing on Wednesday determined the amount of money that was owed as restitution. Erskine agreed to repay the money after members of the church and two local bank representatives testified.

World Aids Day and Harlem

Today is World AIDS Day.

Wanted to take a moment to remind the Village of the importance of this day.

Many Harlem Residents have been touched by this disease. They have been touched either as one who has been infected by the AIDS virus or as one who is a relative, friend and neighbor of one infected by AIDS.

It is not a day to judge but to understand and to care.

Do something positive for someone with AIDS today. Go by their home or phone them to say hello. Ask them how they are doing. Make it something you do often.

Let us hope this is one world health day that will go away in our lifetime because a cure has been found.

To learn more about 2008 World AIDS Day:
http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/static/en/

TH
Watching Out For The Village!

Somehow It Will Eventually Touch the Powerfull and Shady!

It may come early, it may come late, but somehow it comes. Some are not as powerful as they think. Think about that Charlie Rangel.

Check out the article below Community!!!

November 20, 2008
A Prosecutor Indicts Foes, and Cheney and Gonzales
By JAMES C. MCKINLEY JR

HOUSTON — The longtime district attorney in Willacy County, Tex., is not retiring from public office quietly after a defeat at the polls this year. Instead he has issued a flurry of indictments against his local political enemies, and then for good measure filed charges against Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales.

Mr. Cheney was charged with “engaging in an organized criminal activity” in connection with the 2001 beating death of an inmate by two fellow inmates at one of the privately run federal detention centers in the county, which is near the Mexican border, court officials said.

The indictment, brought by the district attorney, Juan Angel Guerra, asserts that Mr. Cheney has some culpability in what happened because he had invested in the GEO Corporation, a company in Florida that owns and operates the federal detention center in Raymondville where the death occurred.

For his part, Mr. Gonzales is accused of using his influence to stop an investigation into corruption during the building of another federal jail used by marshals. The indictment also says both Mr. Cheney and Mr. Gonzales “committed the crime of neglect” because, it contends, illegal immigrants were ill-treated at detention centers.

A lawyer for Mr. Cheney, Terrence O’Donnell, said the vice president had no direct investments in the GEO prison company but did have money invested in a mutual fund that might have invested in the company. He called the charge that Mr. Cheney had something to do with the assault or the running of the detention center “bizarre.”

George J. Terwilliger III, a lawyer for Mr. Gonzales, said, “This is obviously a bogus charge on its face, as any good prosecutor can recognize.”

Mr. Guerra was under indictment on charges of theft and tampering with records for more than a year and a half, until a judge dismissed them last month. During that time, Mr. Guerra, a Democrat who has been in office 12 years, lost a re-election bid. He leaves office on Dec. 31.

He also has been acting rather oddly since his arrest in March 2007. At one point, he camped outside the county jail in a trailer with a horse, three goats and a rooster, daring the sheriff to arrest him. Convinced that local law enforcement officers had aided the investigation against him, he threatened to dismiss hundreds of criminal cases in retaliation.

Then on Monday, Mr. Guerra, 53, persuaded a grand jury to issue indictments against people he said had something to do with the investigation against him, charging them with wrongful arrest and abuse of office.

Those charged included two local district court judges, the Willacy County court clerk, a special prosecutor appointed to investigate him and a former assistant United States attorney.

In a separate case, Mr. Guerra brought an indictment against a political rival, State Senator Eddie Lucio Jr., a Brownsville Democrat, charging that he accepted money from a company that handles the day-to-day operations at the Raymondville detention center.

“It’s just retaliation,” the county court clerk, Gilbert Lozano, said. “He’s not happy with some of the officials he had indicted.”

On Wednesday evening, a judge set an arraignment date for Friday for Mr. Cheney and Mr. Gonzales, but said they could have their lawyers appear on their behalf. The judge, Manuel Banales, said he would not listen to motions to quash the indictments until that hearing, because Mr. Guerra was not in court.

Since no one knew where Mr. Guerra was, the judge sent Texas rangers to his house to check on his well-being.

Original Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/20texas.html?ref=us

TH
Watching Out For The Village!

Is Craig Schley Really Campaigning for the 15th Congressional District?

Is Craig Schley really Campaigning for the 15th Congressional District seat?

The Manipulative Model is using the following as a contact address on his shamelessly self-absorbed congressional campaign web site.

331 West 57th Street,146

New York, NY 10019

Is that address in the Village of Harlem, within the 15th Congressional District or somewhere in midtown Manhattan?

Wonder! Who is actually orchestrating, that is, directing his campaign?

Is the Village of Harlem near 57th Street?

The address appears to be in New York’s 14th Congressional District and is represented by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D) not Rep. Charles Rangel (D).

View Larger Map

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

TH
Watching Out For The Village!

2008 First Presidential Debate Viewing Party

This is an important historic event!

Seeing it on a large screen will be exciting.

VIEWING PARTY

2008 First Presidential Debate

COST: FREE / HOWEVER, MUST HAVE TICKETS

(Obtain Tickets from Box Office)

Box Office Hours:

Weekdays (except Wed.): 10:00am – 6:00pm

Wednesday: 10:00am – 8:30pm.

Visit ApolloTheater.org for more information, 

or call 212-531-5305

WHAT: First Presidential Debate 2008

WHO: Senator Obama & Senator McCain

WHERE: World famous Apollo Theater / 253 W. 125th Street, Village of Harlem, New York

TIME: Doors open at 7, event at 8

WHEN: Friday, September 26, 2008

FEATURING: Political Analysis & On Site Voter Registration

TH

Watching Out For The Village!

Memories of Jim Jones & Craig Schley

Upon reflecting on Craig Schley, the Executive Director of Vote People (aka Vote of the Everyday People) as a congressional candidate, Jim Jones, the charismatic Preacher of the People’s Temple comes to mind. The followers of both men, pounce mercilessly on those who question the motives of their leadership. Unfortunately Jim Jones’ devotees followed their leader into physical death by drinking grape juice laced with cyanide. Will the Village of Harlem follow Craig Schley to its political death by drinking his grape juice laced with manipulation?

If this happens the gentrification of the Village of Harlem along with the “pushing out” of the Indigenous Community would speed up. One must ponder out loud a question. Is this part of the 50 Year Plan? That is, get the community to replace the present Congressman Charles Rangel (who is also self-absorbed) with just a younger version of himself?

Yikes!!!

Community! Call to the Holy Spirit! & Pray Satan Away! Pray Satan Away! Pray Satan Away!

TH
Watching Out For The Village!

Charlie Tries To Explain It All!

Just to keep readers up to date!

Charlie tries to explain it all while the Republicans (and some Democrats from his own 15th Congressional District) are snapping at his "Ways and Means" Committee Chairmanhip heels.

Hard to run at 70+ years old.  

Where is the Community (that you sold out) when you need them?

Watching you fall Charlie and trying to keep an opportunistic carpetbagger like Craig Schley at bay.

Check out the Video!

TH

Watching Out For The Village

Hope he paid for this web site!!

Well the "Model User" now has a campaign (?) web site. About 10 months after he set out to manipulated the Harlem Community into thinking that he really cared about them and not his ambitions.

He presently uses a web site for votepeople.net that he does not have official rights to. 

Hope Craig Schley paid for this web site.  Interestingly,  the page for votepeopleforchange is still a holder page.  The only one that is up is craigschley.com.  But of course, his campaign is not really based about change it is really about  the "Me, Myself and I" campaign to "get over" on Harlem.

Will address the following in future posts:

• A Blue Collar Man, with a White Collar Education
  
• How it all got started....
  
• A Humanist at heart
  
• I believe that communities should determine their own destinies
  

Hey! These are phrases that he is using.

Jive in a suit and not cute!

TH

Watching Out For The Village!

Model? Boxer? Model Boxer? Or Model of Distraction

The Harlem Wanna "B" Craig Schley is now sending Charlie Rangel "Wolf Tickets".  How does he have the bravado to do this?  One can do this if one is a wolf, that is, a balding wolf in sheep’s clothing.  One good slap from Rangel and this Blood Sucker (Isn't that what wolfs are in scary movies) will go running and crying back into the abyss he came from.

Community, can we not do better than this self created leach. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The Village has to be careful not to let it be sucked dry before it realizes that its life existence is being taken from it by an opportunistic carpetbagger trying to "get over" on us.

While watching out for this wolf, try to think about who would be worthy to represent the Village of Harlem in Congress.  Charlie needs to go, but, this one should not take his place.

TH

Watching Out For The Village!

Charlie! Why did you put us in this predicament?

Question: Charles Rangel, why did you not resign earlier this year? Or 10 – 20 years ago. Why did you let it get to this point? Why did you not decide to run again? Why did you put the Harlem Community in a “trick bag” and in “harms way”?

What should have happened: Charlie Rangel indicates no later than January 2008 that he will no longer run for office as the Congressman for the 15th Congressional District in New York State and/or resigns from office. Then, a group of worthy candidates emerges to run for the 15th Congressional seat because they do not fear reprisal from Charlie and his “friends”.

Instead, this is what is unfolding: Harlem has a Congressman who needs to leave office (Charles Rangel), and, there is an opportunistic carpetbagger who does not really care about Harlem trying to get into that office (Craig Schley). The situation presents a problem with essentially no solution to Residents who love and respect Harlem. Either leave Charles Rangel in office or elect a self-centered opportunistic interloper into office. Darn!

On reflection: This is what happens when a Community does not make one of its priorities the development of good, grounded, stable and caring “home grown” community activists/politicians. Because of this, Harlem is now exposed and can end up being used by self-absorbed interlopers with political designs. Also, by not addressing this problem the Village of Harlem is now presented with essentially NO CHOICES for leadership. To summarize, there is no decent leadership in Harlem now and no decent leadership ready for the foreseeable future. Darn, again!

A little history: Craig Schley came out of nowhere less than one year ago at a 125th Street Rezoning meeting. He does not really know Harlem. He uses the ideas and work of others who know Harlem to “get over”. He used the 125th Street Rezoning as a way for him to get a lot of media face time that he felt would help “position” him to run against Charles Rangel.

More Stuff On This: As indicated above, Charlie Rangel needs to go but a seasoned Harlemite who really knows the Village of Harlem should replace him. Not an opportunistic and manipulative political “wanna be” who is trying to get a name for himself while attempting to “get over” on Harlemites.

This Wilhelmina Model is attempting to hook on to the discontent of Harlem Residents who suffer under the present crop of sorry Harlem Politicians. While tapping into this discontent, this carpetbagger is hoping that the Harlem Community does not carefully examine him and his past/present deeds too closely. In other words he sees this as an opportunity to “get over” on Harlemites because of the intensity of their anger towards Rangel.

Harlemites should definitely be angry with Rangel but not so angry as to allow Craig Schley’s fake concern for Harlem and the 125th Street Rezoning to blind them to his (Craig Schley’s) manipulation of the present painful state of politics in Harlem.

This guy is slick because along with banking on the Harlem Community’s massive dissatisfaction with Charlie Rangel he is also attempting to “hook on” to Obama’s call for change. As indicated above he will use the ideas and work of others (for example, Obama’s call for change) to push through his own (personal) agenda being “Me, Myself, and I”.

Again it must be stated: Charlie needs to go but this “Model of Distraction” should not be the one to replace him. Mr. Slick Schley has attempted to use the email of other groups to get himself known, piggy backed on other groups’ rallies to give a false impression that he is leading these groups, is the executive director of an organization (?) that has abused human rights (vote people), although it claims to be for human rights and has yet (it is believed) to stop using a web site to which it has not been given rights to.

Disrespecting Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.: Craig Schley disrespected the memory of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (ACPJ) by using ACPJ’s statue as a “stage prop” in his announcement. Given the situation, it is inconceivable that Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. would have been pleased about a carpetbagger using his image as a way to continue to pull the “crap” Craig Schley is pulling on the Harlem Community that ACPJ held so dear.

In Summary: The community needs to carefully check out this “Manipulative Model” before it is too late. Harlem needs a Congressman who cares about the community, not just about “Getting Over” on the Community.

Lastly this must be said: Craig Schley came out of nowhere and he needs to go back to nowhere for the good of the Village of Harlem.

Strength and Care to the Village!

TH
Watching Out For The Village!

Hi & The Village of Harlem Must Be More Careful In The Future

This blog is established for all those in the Village of Harlem, New York City who are just plain tired of seeing the Village used as a stepping stone for the obscenely greedy and blatantly ambitious moochers. Usually both behaviors – greed – ambition – rear their ugly head in the same person or persons.

This is one of the reasons why the Village was so manipulated during the recent 125th Street Rezoning.

Manipulative people looking out for the camera and not looking out for the Harlem Community. This involved underhanded interactions by individuals, groups and politicians that ultimately negatively affected the Harlem Community.

The Community really needs to step back for a moment and attempt to determine what really happened and what is the furture going to be like.

The Harlem Community also needs to get rid of all of the present Harlem politicians and not throw away votes for opportunists who really do not have the community's interest at heart.

Harlem must make better choices in the future about who will represent us.

Strength and Care to the Village!