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WAVENEY ANN MOORESuncoast Cathedral's congregation is further roiled as members sign petitions calling for the elders to go instead.
ST. PETERSBURG - The Rev. Deon Lett, whose sudden resignation as pastor of Suncoast Cathedral shocked supporters and detractors alike, has been asked to leave his position earlier than he had planned.
The announcement was made Sunday night, a week after Lett said he was leaving the Assemblies of God church, one of the largest in the area. The circumstances surrounding his departure have put the congregation in a tailspin.
Church leaders have scheduled an informational session this Sunday to which Lett has been invited. It will be open to those who currently worship at Suncoast Cathedral as well as former members who left because of Lett. The Rev. Terry Raburn, superintendent of the Peninsular Florida District Council of the Assemblies of God in Lakeland, will moderate the meeting.
"My hope is that if we get all of the information out to the people, we can come to a unified conclusion," he said. "That is my sincere hope and prayer."
When he announced his resignation a week ago, Lett, 40, had said he would leave after the last Sunday in August. That plan, though, was put on the fast track and he will lead no more services.
"Due to the confusion and unrest, the board of elders just asked him to remove himself from the administrative process of the church and he agreed to do that," Raburn said.
And to do so quietly.
"I met with him last Thursday in his office and he agreed to promote peace and cooperation in the church," the superintendent said.
But things haven't gone exactly as planned. Raburn said he and Lett worked out an agreement that after last Sunday morning's service the superintendent would make a positive statement about the church and about the Letts "to allow them a positive and blessed exit." Lett also was to make a positive statement, asking for unity in the congregation. Sunday, however, after Raburn made his statement, Lett dismissed the congregation and invited people to the altar for prayer.
In the days since his Aug. 1 resignation at the church where about 850 worship on Sundays, supporters have been hoping that Lett would return. Last Wednesday, people stood in long lines to sign petitions calling for the dismissal of the church's board of elders.
Linda Brinton, who has been attending Suncoast Cathedral since December, said she is upset to see Lett and his wife, Carmen, also a licensed minister, leave.
"I think everybody is just very deeply, deeply upset over this. We really don't know what is the real reason why these people are not there anymore," she said.
"We are still hoping and praying that these pastors are restored to the church. If they are assigned to a local church here in the St. Pete area, I will join their ministry and so will a lot of people."
In coming days, the board likely will appoint an interim pastor, Raburn said.
Lett was hired about two years ago to revive an aging congregation. His aim, Lett said then, was to build a multicultural, multiracial, multidenominational congregation. But his methods alienated some longtime members, who said he was unapproachable and vindictive. They said he ran off older members who had faithfully tithed and worked in the church. Some questioned his financial accountability at a church they said had been debt-free when he arrived. They also complained about the music he introduced, saying it was too loud.
But Lett has his defenders.
"We understand that there are some people who are disgruntled at the church because our worship is very spirit-filled and Pastor Lett has let people dance in the aisles and he has let people carry flags bearing Jesus' name," Brinton said.
"He lets us sing loudly and wave our hands, and he has music that leads us into a beautiful presence of the Lord. There are people who are intimidated by that, I think out of fear. The pastor is just a praying man. And another thing that offends people is he calls forward people who need healing, people who need a fresh touch of God. . . . I believe we were on the verge of revival."
Raburn, who agreed that Lett has many supporters, said Suncoast Cathedral elders had asked the district council to mediate the controversy at the church. Lett, however, resigned before the process was complete, he said.
He hopes Sunday night's forum will help heal the rift, Raburn said.