The Events of July 4, 2010

On July 4, 2010 James "Jim" Hall made a threat against my life and the lives of my family. He waited for me in the sacristy to confront me and advised me that if Shepherd of the Hills was "his" church and if I preached on Sunday of July 11, 2010 he had a shotgun and would shoot me and my family and he again reiterated that when I brought it out to the congregation. As many may already know that Jim has Alzheimer's, but his actions are not excusable by the disease and are a sign of further mental illness that may be caused by the Alzheimer's. Jim Hall is a very ill man and we pray that he receive the help that he needs. The Pasco County Sheriff did confiscate the ammunition for his shotgun, but that can easily be replaced. So, for the protection of me and my family as well as everyone in the congregation I filed an injunction, aka restraining order, against Jim in which Jim is not to be in possession of firearms or ammunition and will be required to surrender any and all firearms in his possession to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. This is temporary until the hearing to be held July 15, 2010 at the Dade City Courthouse.

These actions will hopefully begin the process of helping Jim get the help that he truly needs. These threats have moved from verbal to physical and are increasingly getting worse. Let us come together in pray to bind the evil in Jim's mind, to send a sense of peace into the families hearts that they will put Jim into a locked Alzheimer's care unit in which he can receive the treatment he needs. His memory is not yet gone, but reason is not something that one can truly do with him any longer, that is the threat. The evil of this disease is that it can create or bring out mental illness with those affected with it and, though he told the officer he was only trying to "scare me". Pray that there be a hedge around me, my family, and the church and let us be diligent in the Word and ask for God to keep Jim from harming anyone, including himself. Let us be ready to support June in the event that they do place Jim in a protective Alzheimer's care unit. God is our great provider and as we trust in Him whom shall we fear?