Grace Episcopal Church Of Virginia

Misused memorial funds at the direction of rector Bob Malm. Bob also has engaged in a campaign of harrassment against me and my family in retribution for complaining about questionable HR, cash management, financial reporting, and governance issues. So caveat emptor--before you make a pledge to this parish, consider that you are one falling out with the rector away from losing your investment in the parish. And do you really want to support clergy and staff who bully?

While our funds eventually were returned, it took seven months, filing a complaint with the Fairfax County Office of Consumer Protection, and threats of a lawsuit to obtain this result.

And this is supposed to be a church? It is more like a country club or the rector's Chapel Hill fraternity, versus a religious organization.

This is a church that has next to no concept of financial controls or nonprofit governance. When a family member of mine complained about questionable HR, financial, and governance practices, the rector, Bob Malm, tried to force him out of the parish.

Even worse, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia thus far has not only turned a blind eye to Malm's behavior--it has said that it has no problem with his behavior!

Ironic, given the diocese's strident declarations in the recent litigation that vestry members are fiduciaries. Just don't expect the diocese to protect you if you actually act as a fiduciary.

The rector apparently instructed staff to misuse memorial donations given in memory of my family members, to ostracize me and family members, to prevent our names from appearing in the church bulletin (even when I was in the hospital), to remove our names from church records, to interfere with our church email, and to interfere with our ability to participate in the life of the parish.

After a number of unsuccessful requests for our money back, we asked the Fairfax County Office of Consumer Protection for help. We got our money back, with a non-apology from Amy Medrick, the parish administrator, saying that the money had been "misclassified." But it never was "misclassified;" it was solicited for one purpose, and used for another purpose.