Grace Cathedral, former minister face off over sordid accusations

The Rev. Ernest Angley and his supporters at Grace Cathedral deny the accusations that he sexually abused and harassed a former associate pastor at the church for many years.

They claim Brock Miller concocted the allegations and sued the Cuyahoga Falls church because he wanted to oust the internationally known televangelist and replace him or – at the very least – force a big payoff.

Miller, on the other hand, maintains that his claims, which are the subject of a countersuit by the church, are true. He said he stepped forward to try to prevent a repeat of what happened to him.

The two sides will sit down in a private mediation in Summit County Common Pleas Court Friday to see if they can reach an agreement to end a dispute that has fractured the church, pitted family members against each other and continued the public scrutiny of Grace Cathedral and its practices.

Attorneys for the church and Miller declined to speak to the Beacon Journal prior to the mediation, but hundreds of pages of depositions and court filings provide insight into the colorful conflict. Several of the depositions were downloaded by the Beacon Journal and were later sealed by the judge.

Miller, who previously spoke to the Beacon Journal, declined to this time but provided a brief, written statement.

"I try every single day to see some light shine on the horrible sexual abuse I endured and, even if I never get justice for myself, maybe the truth and my story can impact someone else and save them from the same hell I lived," Miller said.

Miller, a minister with Grace Cathedral for 10 years who resigned in 2014, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Angley and Grace Cathedral in August 2018. He is seeking full back pay and benefits and reinstatement to the position he "would have obtained in the absence of discrimination" or front pay; compensatory and punitive damages; and attorney's fees.

Grace Cathedral filed a counter claim against Miller in November 2018, accusing him of false and defamatory allegations that undermined and harmed Angley and the church. The church is requesting monetary damages and punitive damages and attorney's fees.

A trial was scheduled to begin Monday in Judge Kelly McLaughlin's courtroom but was delayed by a murder trial. If the mediation isn't successful, a new trial date may be set.

So far, attorneys from both sides have agreed the pastor at the center of the feud won't be questioned, regardless of whether the case goes to trial. Angley, who is now 98, suffers from "age-related maladies" and won't be required to answer questions in a deposition or on the stand, according to court documents.

Miller's claims

Miller, who grew up in the church and whose mother worked there, claims his mistreatment started with his employment in 2004.

Miller, who was then 18 and is now 34, said he asked Angley for advice because of his impending marriage. He said Angley told him he needed to see Miller masturbate in front of him to make sure he ejaculated correctly.

Afterward, Miller said Angley asked him not to tell anyone about what happened.

In the fall of 2006, Miller said Angley summoned him to his home for a "special anointing" in which Angley had Miller strip and lie on a circular bed while Angley massaged him.

Miller said these "anointing" sessions happened at least a dozen times, with the final one in November 2012. In this session, Miller said Angley told him he wanted to teach him how to give a good "tongue sandwich," the pastor's term for French kissing. Miller said he refused and then declined Angley's invitations for further sessions.

For the 10 years of his employment, Miller said Angley also repeatedly asked him questions about his sex life.

Miller claims in the lawsuit that the church knew or should have known about Angley's behavior and failed to protect him. He said he suffered "severe and permanent injuries, great pain of body and mind, mental anguish, and required physical and mental treatment."

William Chris, Angley's Akron attorney, asked Miller in a deposition why he didn't put a stop to the alleged abuse sooner.

"I knew that if I said no to him and refused to come over, that he could take away my job, my house, my car, turn my family and my friends against me and I would lose absolutely everything," Miller said.

"That's not very man of God-ish, is it?" Chris asked.

"Not at all," Miller agreed.

Miller said he had seen others who went against Angley in the past "face repercussions."

Miller said he told his family, his now ex-wife and the Rev. Chris Machamer, a long-time pastor at Grace Cathedral, about what had happened between him and Angley in June 2014. He resigned shortly after on July 4, 2014.

Miller denied the church's accusations about his ulterior motives.

Miller said many of the things he feared might happen occurred after his resignation. He currently lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with his fiancee and works for a payroll company.

"The journey hasn't been easy for me or my loved ones," Miller said in his statement to the Beacon Journal. "However, somehow through all the hell I endured for so long, I found that maybe it is my purpose to embark on this journey and bring the truth about Ernest Angley and Grace Cathedral to everyone else's ears."

Church's response

Angley and the church's leaders contend that Miller is spreading lies.

Five of the church's leaders, employees and members said in depositions that they believe and support Angley.

Machamer, a pastor at the church since 1996, said he talked to Angley about the allegations and Angley shook his head in shock and disbelief and said, "No."

Machamer said he was told Miller wanted to force Angley to resign, take control of the church, sell many of the assets and downsize or – if this wasn't successful – get a big chunk of cash.

"I just considered it a power grab and a blackmail scheme," Machamer said.

Robert Pecchio, Miller's Twinsburg attorney, asked Machamer in his deposition if he ever heard Angley use the term "tongue sandwich."

Machamer said this is Angley's term for French kissing.

"Let me ask you this: Why do you think Brock would fabricate such a detailed and personally embarrassing story?" Pecchio asked.

"You have to ask him," Machamer said. "I ain't in his head."

Machamer said a board is currently in control of the church and has been since February 2019, when Angley's health deteriorated.

Catherine Shupe, the finance manager of Grace Cathedral and Winston Broadcasting Network Inc., said in her deposition that the church's membership and finances are down compared to 10 years ago. She said Miller defamed the church "by bringing out allegations and by causing problems for the church by doing so."

Michael Kish, a long-time church member and usher, said he found Miller's claims to be baseless, though he never actually spoke to Miller. He, Angley and Machamer spoke out against Miller in a church service after Miller's resignation. Kish said in the service, "You're fighting the devil himself, straight from the pits of hell."

Kish's support of Angley caused a rift between Kish and his daughter, who is a good friend of Miller's.

Steven Millar, a Grace pastor since 2010, also said he believes Angley over Miller.

"When you have two people saying two separate things, you have to make a choice," Millar said in his deposition.

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705, swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.

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