During the first summer night of a youth Bible study program several minutes before 7 pm on June 2, 2022, a 33-year-old gunman Jonathan Lee Whitlatch of Boone allegedly shot dead two Iowa State University students Vivian Renee Flores of West Des Moines and Eden Mariah Montang of Boone, ages 21 and 22 respectively, outside the church and attempted to kill a third woman who escaped unharmed before he killed himself in a murdersuicide. Learn more about Cornerstones values, ministries and staff. All rights reserved. Tom Nesbitt of the Ames Cornerstone Church wrote of James Moore:"He is a dear and humble man, greatly broken over what he is accused of and genuinely repentant over any activity that places his Christian testimony, marriage and family relations in any measure of question.". Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Fitzgerald also identified the two victims:22-year-old Eden Mariah Montang and 21-year-old Vivian Renee Flores, both students at Iowa State University who were at the church Thursday night for a worship service with The Salt Company, the church's university ministry. It's bad enough these letters don't mention the victim, and that the last onesidesteps James Moore's admission to aClass C felony. Death will be no more.. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. But it is deeply disturbingthat anyone could suggestgoing to church or giving to charity could cancel outmolesting a child, or otherwise, try to normalize such aberrantbehavior. The Story County Sheriff's Office says three people died in a shooting outside of Cornerstone Church on the eastern edge of Ames on Thursday night. Working at Cornerstone is challenging and rewarding. Give. After a few more formalities, the judge, who wasappointed just last month by Gov. The 33-year-old alleged shooter died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Register. Explore biblical framework for disabilities, including the image and sovereignty of God. When God asks me to do something, I say, 'OK, I'm gonna do that.'". The Salt Company's website says that about 1,300 students gather to worship at Cornerstone every Thursday night during the school year. You can also sign up for the newsletter to stay in the loop. Contact: rbasu@dmreg.com Follow her on Twitter@RekhaBasuand atFacebook.com/ColumnistRekha. And then there is the statute of limitations, which requires criminal charges in child sex-abuse cases to be brought within 10 years after the victim turns 18. The lawsuit recounts a 2008 incident wherethe boy, then age 11, was watching a movie at Mitchell's apartment andthe man began touching the boy inappropriately. Facebook-f Instagram Video Itunes-note Spotify . Psalm 34:18 says that God is near to the brokenhearted, Vance said. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the Apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.". Join us for services on Sundays at 8:45a & 10:45a! We can all agree to vigorously defend our church, while still deeply caring about this young mans life," Davis said. Cornerstone Church had its first service in August of 1994. Heaven will be diverse. Want to help your child build lasting, meaningful friendships? We have policies in place to ensure the protection of our children, and those policies were in place and followed during the time of the abuse that is the subject of this lawsuit. [12] An online sermon from Veritas Church in Iowa City, a plant from Cornerstone Church in Ames,[15] argued that homosexual behavior in animals goes against the original nature that God gave us, ultimately describing same-sex sexual attraction and behavior as desires that are wrong. "It should be about the power of Jesus. The Ames shooting follows mass shootings across the nation in recent weeks that have roiled the country. Pray frequently. Maybe, we are looking at ourselves in the flesh too much, he said. At both places, we spent hours with hundreds of family members who were broken and whose lives will never be the same, hesaid. But for now, Beard and Ledbetter savor a gutsy 9-year-old's victory astheir own. Cornerstone Church took part in one of several suits against the State of California and Governor Newsom over religious freedom and forced closures during the height of the pandemic. The person who perpetrated the abuse was tried and convicted in court for his crimes, and he is now in prison. Find ways to get connected here. Ledbetter's mother also attended James Moore's plea agreement hearing and sentencing, sitting on Chris Moore's family's side of the aisle. "Well, because of our case and several other courageous pastors, churches now will know that they're going to be open," said Pastor Franklin. Shetold police that began when she was about 8 and lasted till she was 12, and that it included removing her clothes and touching her vagina and putting his penis in her hands. June 3, 2022, at 10 AM, at Cornerstone Church of Ames, 56829 US HWY 30, Ames, IA, 50010. I am so thankful they decided to put all their sermons into podcasts. Log In. Church staff paired the boy with Mitchell despite his prior misdemeanor conviction of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the court document says. The lawsuit references incidents that span 2007 and 2008. She was the life of the party. The Church is the Body of Jesus and those who are part of it consider themselves to be members of one another, he said. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Third, it can be us. Gifted with land on the northeast corner of Interstate 35 and Highway 30, Cornerstones first permanent facility (now the South Auditorium) opened in the fall of 1999. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Why so much outrage over the burning of an LGBT Pride flag? Follow the 10:02 Bible Plan: Download Here, Browse the Equipping Archive: Listen Here . Eden Montang and Vivian Flores were both going to attend a college ministry event Thursday. "It's so ugly. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. Kim Reynolds said the shooting was an "act of senseless violence. A Des Moines Register investigation found an Iowa law mandating prison time for some people convicted of sex crimes against children is not being followed. Meanwhile, never, evermake excuses for people who prey sexually on children, no matter how much they may pray in church. Salt Company (Feb 23) is canceled due to weather. Had the Iowa Legislature done the right thing last year,other women could have had their day in court. That's for the services of the church that go out and help the hurting during times like this.". Copyright 2023 KFSN-TV. Maybe this young girl and her parents will serve as examples andbeacons of hope to other children and their families to speak up, believe and support yourkids, and protect other people'sbyreporting abuses to police. Vivan was one of the good ones. Church leaders did not identify the women who were killed, citing the ongoing investigation. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. You feel so much shame your entire life," she said. Community members gathered at Ames' Cornerstone Church Friday morning to try to come to grips withthe shooting deaths of three people inthe churchs parking lot. The Stories of Cornerstone series is dedicated to showing how God is moving in the lives of members. All Film. Eden Monang's family wrote: "Eden was unique and gifted in her ability to be both strong and tender, creative and conservative and was unmatched in her generosity and empathy.She was a daughter, sister, aunt and a dedicated Christian woman that loved learning about the love and wonders of our Heavenly Father.She was unrelenting in her values and strong sense of right and wrong. Since this college ministry, The Salt Company, was becoming larger than the church's congregation, Grand Avenue Baptist Church gave approval for the leaders of The Salt Company to found a new organization that was named Cornerstone Church. She was the life of the party. Be informed. Hes wrong. The church started meeting on Sunday evenings at Grand Avenue, and eventually grew into increasingly larger rented spaces around Ames. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The suspected shooter, identified Friday morning asJohnathan Lee Whitlatch, appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound,Story County SheriffPaul Fitzgerald said. Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald called the shooting a targeted attack by Whitlatch he and Montang had a relationship that had recently ended. Strong willed and determined, ambitious and kind . The victim claims someone on the youth staff at Cornerstone Church abused him for years. Her story will not end there. Kim Reynolds,caught everyone by surprise,overriding the pleaagreement and imposing an actualsentence of up to 10 years. Subscribe to our "Sermon" and "Equip" podcasts on iTunes and Spotify and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Across the street from the church is the 3ts All Star Sports Academy. "It is widely known or should be known among those who undertake a duty to care for minor children that individuals who sexually abuse children tend to prey upon weak, vulnerable, and/or insecure children," the lawsuit states. The catalyst was when U.S. Supreme Court made multiple rulings striking down California's coronavirus public health mandates in Tandon vs.Newsom. No court date has been set for the lawsuit andno response has been filed. Cornerstone Church, a megachurch with dozens of staff, is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and Interstate 35 in Ames. A devout Christian, lover of music and dancing, beloved daughter, sister and friend. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KCCI-TV. "Child sexual abuse is so horrific, it changes who people are and the course of their lives,"she said, adding that based on her experience in three Iowa counties, it is rampant and vastly under-reported. Her mother, Carmen, is Colette's sister. To its west, on the other side of I-35, are DMACC Career Academy and Durham School Services, as well as a handful of businesses. The two Iowa State students had been walking to the church when the shooter pulled up in a pickup truck to Montang, Flores and another woman just before 7 p.m. Thursday outside Cornerstone Church and began shooting with a 9 mm handgun, investigators said Friday. Investigators said they found in his truck 9 mm ammunition and a receipt from a West Des Moines store that showed he bought the ammunition an hour before the shooting. During the service, Troy Nesbitt, Cornerstones founding pastor, read from several Bible verses about grieving, including John 11:35, which reads simply, Jesus wept. He also read a familiar passage from the Book of Revelation, often read at funerals. He asked if the Holy Spirit had changed, or had He lost some power? They spoke of the depression and post-traumatic stress that have had her in therapy for about 10 months. Thecourt document alleges that church staff appointed Brian L. Mitchell to be the boys mentor despite his prior criminal history and allowed them to be alone together, which went against church policy. "We believe that the lawsuit speaks for itself," Herzfeld said. All rights reserved. On Thursday night, hours before the shooting in Iowa, President Joe Biden addressed gun violence in the nation, recalling his visits to Buffalo and Uvalde in the wake of the shootings there. See more of Cornerstone Church of Ames on Facebook. As of 22 May 2019, the church noted on its website that While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of elder is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. 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