'Thousands Of Dollars' Embezzled From Church

Christ Episcopal Church's board discovered discrepancies in a church bank account recently and reported it to police, said the Rev. Gary J.M. Barker, the church's rector. The church is also conducting an internal investigation.

The exact amount of missing money and the length of time this has been taking place is still being investigated, Barker said. The suspect has been identified and is expected to come before a grand jury in mid-July.

"We at Christ Church are shocked and deeply saddened," Barker said. "We are seeking all possible reimbursement remedies."

Smithfield police expect to bring charges of embezzling more than $200 as well as forgery, Sgt. Darrin Lindsay said.

The suspect, who was a paid employee, was getting a payroll check and writing himself or herself a duplicate payroll check, forging the signatures required to cash those checks, Lindsay said.

"We know it's in the thousands of dollars," he said. "We just don't know how much."

Barker alerted congregants in a letter mailed to the households and invited them to a parish meeting Monday. The church is reviewing its financial rules.

"Obviously we are paying very close attention to what was in place and if there was something in our system that allowed this that we want to change," Barker said.

The church's diocese is also assisting. The church is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia, which has offices in Norfolk.

The church is made up of about 200 members and growing, and Barker hopes to see that momentum continue. "

"We're still dealing with the shock and grief with someone who has broken trust," Barker said.

"As Christians, we understand sin. We all know that sin is a powerful force in our lives, which is part of the reason we try to have things in place in the system to not even allow something like this," he said.