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Gateway removes 4 elders, says they had information about Morris abuse allegations

Gateway removes 4 elders, says they had information about Morris abuse allegations

Church’s leaders say the men had knowledge of the accusations against John B. Morris, a former youth leader now charged with child sexual assault

Leaders of Gateway Church removed four elders from their positions on Tuesday after learning that they had information about child sexual abuse allegations against a former youth leader but did not report it to authorities or church leaders.

The elders are accused of violating the church’s mandatory reporting policy, which requires employees and volunteers to immediately report allegations of child sexual abuse to the authorities and their supervisor.

The allegations against the elders have not been proven.

In a statement, the church said it removed the elders after receiving information from a “third party” about their knowledge of the allegations against John B. Morris, who was arrested in January and charged with sexual assault of a child.

The church said it has reported the allegations to the authorities and is cooperating with their investigation.

“We are deeply disappointed that these elders did not follow our mandatory reporting policy,” the church said in a statement. “We are committed to creating a safe environment for all children in our church, and we will not tolerate any violation of our mandatory reporting policy.”

The church did not identify the elders who were removed.

Morris was a youth leader at Gateway Church for more than 20 years.

He was arrested in January after a former student accused him of sexually abusing her in the early 2000s.

Morris has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The allegations against Morris have shocked the Gateway Church community.

The church has said it is “deeply sorry for the pain and suffering that this has caused” to the victims and their families.

The church has also said it is “committed to learning from this experience” and making sure that such a thing never happens again.

The removal of the elders is part of the church’s ongoing investigation into the allegations against Morris.

The church has said it is also reviewing its mandatory reporting policy and training procedures.

The Gateway Church child sexual abuse scandal is a reminder that no institution is immune to the problem of child sexual abuse.

It is also a reminder that all adults have a responsibility to report any suspicion of child abuse to the authorities.