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	Church Rocked by Sex Scandal to Close By Patrick Maloney London Free Press November 9, 2007 http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/CityandRegion/2007/11/09/4642088-sun.html A London church, rocked two years ago by charges of sex abuse, is closing. Members of Ambassador Baptist Church gathered Sunday morning, their expected service cancelled, and were told the congregation was being disbanded, 25 years after it began. "It was like a funeral, people crying and upset," said Mildred Arrand, a six-year member of the church who attended the meeting. The announcement, which Arrand said "blindsided" her, came just two days after head pastor Roy Wood resigned from the church. Brian Fast, another pastor, declined comment on Wood's move. It's been two years since accusations of sex assault and abuse hammered the church in the fall of 2005, landing four of its leaders in hot water and facing a raft of charges. Two of the men were ultimately cleared -- William Fletcher, a deacon, was acquitted and the charge against Fast was withdrawn. But Russell Wilson, a congregation member, was found guilty of sexual assault and sexual interference. Wood is due in court on Dec. 10 on charges of assault with a weapon, sexual assault and sexual interference. He has fired his lawyer and will represent himself. Contacted by The Free Press, Wood said work stress caused him to resign. While it's unclear what led to the decision to close the church, the controversies that have battered the Adelaide Street church have left a splintered congregation. Some, like Arrand, were shaken by the announcement. Others expressed relief. "All of those people . . . I'm going to miss them and I love them all," Arrand said. "It's a total loss, losing all those friends. "It's a lot of sadness, a lot of hurt, a lot of pain." But one man who was also at the Sunday meeting said some churchgoers see this as an inevitable step. "The church is divided," the man said. "Some people understand why it's closing, others don't" But Tom Hudson, also in attendance, said "no one wants to take (the church) over," and he's relieved it's closing. First started in 1982, Ambassador Baptist Church drew up to 200 people to service each Sunday. For many years, it also ran an outreach program to children, drawing between 50 and 100 young people, including many teens.
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