FreeState SheepGate

GOP Rep. Buyer Blasts Acting Dem Speaker: "This is why the People have Thrown you out..."

2010-11-30T17:55:00.000-05:00

Rev. John L. Wright, Pastor, FBCG, Dead

2010-02-06T12:22:00.023-05:00

Photo of Headstone taken by:
Rev. LED Dowell

Following many years of warning Rev. John L. Wright, Pastor, FBCG (Columbia, MD) that the Lord was displeased with his disobedience to God's will, he died on January 28, 2010, following the diagnosis of Melanoma.

I attended Rev. Wright's funeral on Friday, February 5, 2010, as a member of the Clergy . It was held at the St. John Baptist Church in Long Reach, Columbia, MD., where Rev. Robert Turner is the Pastor, simply because the FBCG is still meeting in a neighborhood school. Rev. Wright was laid to rest in the FBCG cemetery located not too far from where the church construction bones remain. It is still not completed after years of legal and spiritual conflicts. The Lord's prophetic Word to them was that, "because Wright refused to obey God's will in my life and regarding that church, then watch it die! The church is dead!"

Today, at most, FBCG remains but a shadow of its once notable self, because they deliberately refused -- utterly refused to believe God really speaks today and forever. Even after they conspired to put me out of the church for giving "Thus saith the Lord," many of the parishioners had died unexpectantly. On one Sunday, in particular, even Rev. Wright was taken out of the pulpit and carried to the hospital in an ambulance during the service, when he fell out. What's more, a lot of the parishioners left that church, because they knew Rev. Wright had not told the truth about me.

When Rev. Wright died on January 28, 2010, (the date of my late mother's birthday), the prophetic voice of God which I had delivered to Rev. Wright and the FBCG late 1980s to early 1990s was finally confirmed exactly the way the Lord said it would be, as per much valid prophetic documentation retained on file.

In 1992, Rev. Wright wanted to keep me from sending "What Thus Saith the Lord" to him and to the church body. In order to do that he and others in FBCG conspired together and filed false court documents against me. They had complained to both the Howard County Circuit and District Courts that I wrote a letter threatening his life. But, that never happened and they knew it was not true. Also, neither Rev. Wright nor any FBCG member-attorneys nor officers or members of that church ever presented any such letter whatsoever. And they could not, because Rev. Wright and the church body knew that it was a prophetic letter that the Lord had me to send, and I did send it -- even though Rev. Wright refused to discern it, believe it, or obey it.

In one such prophetic letter the Lord had me to send, the Lord said, "Sheila will see her father lying in his coffin." And, the Lord also said, "Lainie, stand alongside that coffin and see the man, Wright, in his suit of rest." And, among many more, I also wrote that word and delivered it to the Pastor and church in 1992. However, Rev. Wright and the church trustee board and deacon board saw it as a threat from me. However, many of the parishioners and officers who read it or heard about it saw it as a Godly warning and as being true. They had confirmed in their spirits that it was a word of warning sent from the Lord.

Nevertheless, the circuit court never called for their alleged written evidence FBCG said that they had to prove I had "threatened" Rev. Wright's life. Yet, they had never filed anything in court to be entered into the record, as I had petitioned them to do, in order to prove my innocence, which I had maintained throughout that ordeal and still do to this day. The falsely obtained injunction by FBCG to date has not been lifted by the HoCo circuit court since it was filed by the church on August 11, 1992, to keep me out of both the FBCG and the church cemetery (i.e., After Wright was funeralized ("in his suit of rest"), he was buried in the church cemetery on Friday, February 5, 2010), and I was standing there, also. It was a solemn occasion for me, because the hearts of the people still did not understand what had taken place and why.

Rev. Wright went to his grave without ever making any of that entire injustice right with me or with God. Those false charges Rev. Wright and the FBCG trustees conjured up and brought against me on Sunday, August 9, 1992, in the HoCo District Court was all political and their allegations resulted in my being arrested while I attended the church during that Sunday Communion-Worship Service (August 9, 1992). They called the police to the church and, inside of it while Wright was preaching from the podium, they charged me with "criminal trespassing on private property - (i.e., the FBCG)." Those charges were subsequently Nolle Prossed by the District Court of Howard County after many months and thousands of dollars to litigate.

Original court and church documentation are available upon request.

Those documents will substantiate that I was never "excommunicated" by FBCG, as some of the newspaper reports first stated. And all has been fully documented. That charge, too, was based on FBCG perjured court documents, which also prove Rev. Wright never held such a church meeting, as he also told the circuit court to obtain an injunction to keep me out of the church permanently. Rev. Wright had both political and church clout, but he allowed his mind to deceive him into believing that he could do whatever he chose instead of him stopping to hear God's will concerning a matter. Rev. Wright died in his disobedience just as God had said he would do.

The FBCG church died long ago before Rev. Wright because God took His hand away from the Pastor and congregation because of their disobedience and lack of repentance. Too many church people are playing with God and losing out on the fulness of God's blessings. The question is, What does the Lord God say about that church and the people who walk into it? In all things and in all ways, much has been proved true which the Lord has given me to proclaim.

"Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build and unless the Lord keep the city, the watchman lay awake in vain. . . ." Psalm 127:1a KJV

God is real. God is alive. God speaks today as He did yesterday and God shall continue to do so throughout all eternity. No one is exempt from hearing and obeying -- not even the Preacher.

Voice Ink Political News Commentary

2008-12-12T19:55:00.003-05:00

Voice Ink Political News Commentary
This is OBAMAWatch! political news commentary from the Christian p.o.v.

FBCG Confronts lawsuits - Columbia Flier

2008-09-04T11:40:00.015-04:00

UPDATE!!! Friday, September 5, 2008

News the local Maryland newspapers won't tell you!! So, I will!

As far back as January 1990, at the Church Meeting where the proposal was presented for discussion about constructing a new church, my "NAY" was the singular vote there to not recommend the approval of their proposal. The Pastor had also made the decision to not meet first with the Howard County (MD) Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) at that time, as I had suggested. I told Wright and those assembled that the DPZ plans for county development are made years in advance.

In that September 4, 2008, referenced article above, the reporter said Rev. John L. Wright, Pastor, refused to disclose what "issues" have hindered their church construction for so long. Wright also declined to mention that it was based on my ongoing legal fight against them in the courts since 2003, which has resulted in the hold up of legal church construction for all of these years.

Lawsuit ---

Rev. Lainie Dowell vs. Howard County, MD, et al.

My Pro se lawsuit and appeals against FBCG construction since 2003 to the present.

What's more, the church and DPZ have also ignored my complaints that the church was in court using the wrong name for their Resident Agent for all of these years. As a result, those lawsuits the contractors have filed against the FBCG were filed in the name and address of a dead man. In fact, he was the Pastor just before Rev. Wright became Pastor of the church in 1971, after the late Rev. Arbie D. Webb had left the church.

During that time, Rev. Webb had startled parishioners by leaping out of the pulpit before service, never to return. Later when asked, he said the Lord had spoken to him to get out of there and that he didn't hesitate. Rev. Arbie D. Webb had been Resident Agent but has been out of FBCG church and has been dead for years, which the church leaders knew but wouldn't change the name of Resident Agent.

Apparently neither the expensive lawyers of the contractors nor the newspaper reporter have conducted an adequate investigation into a whole lot about that church, because they served the lawsuit on Rev. Arbie D. Webb, at an address he hasn't lived in for decades. If they had done due diligence, they would have not ignored my ongoing warnings to them about Wright and his corrupt actions and have saved a lot of time, money, and resources.

When I had read that subject article, Thursday, I went right to the courthouse to retrieve copies of those court documents based on the news report that did not really tell the full story (see info below).

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GUILFORD (Columbia, MD) faces loss of 100+ year-old church property!!

I can say without flinching that Rev. John L. Wright was warned by the Lord, but Wright called me crazy for bringing the message(s) and he tried to convince our Clergy colleagues and parishioners of the same assessment. Nevertheless, everything I have said in the prophetic writings to Rev. Wright and FBCG officers and parishioners has happened and is confirmed with documentation. One of the court documents I have just retrieved quotes Wright as stating that he could use his status as NAACP head to make calls to speed up getting a building permit which was necessary.

I had filed many complaints about the church proceeding to build without first receiving from HoCo any building permit and about how Howard County officials ignored my complaints, did not even respond to my correspondence even though I was entitled to it by virtue of having filed my lawsuit against both the church and them.

CORRUPTION IS FINALLY ON THE WAY TO FULL EXPOSURE!

The Howard County (MD) closed my case even though it was still on appeal in the Annapolis, MD, Court of Special Appeals. What's more, the lower court NEVER notified me of the closure and have never given me any final order/decision/reason to this day (September 5, 2008). Yet, their records will show that is not their normal legal procedure. How does it work?

I have just retrieved a document from the court dated Thursday, August 17, 2006, in which Rev. Wright is quoted at a meeting saying: "My main concern is the building permit. We cannot do anything without the building permit. We can have all the meetings we want to have, all the discussions we want to have, but we cannot go forward until we get the building permit. . . . When can we get it?"

He went on further to say " . . . . I am familiar with all of the counties in the state of Maryland. I am the former President of NAACP and of the Maryland State Conference. I know how some of this work (sic), some of it is political. We might have to get in touch with the politicians to help us along the way. They have been very cordial; and my people and resources have been very cooperative. I want to make sure we cover all of our basics. (sic) So it is back to # One is the building permit, the building permit. - I cannot over empathized (sic) it is the building permit." quoted -Rev. John L. Wright, Minutes Re: Construction of New Church.

If that dialogue (quoted above) does not explain why my Pro se lawsuits against Wright and FBCG have been treated illegally as they have, then I don't know what would. And, to make matters worse, the current head of the Howard County NAACP is the FBCG Deacon who was hand picked by Wright for that political position. Wright has also held such powerful influential positions in the Baptist Church and denomination. Those high profile affiliations allowed him and his supporters to file false charges against me in 1992, which injunction still remains in place to keep me off church property. Then, even after all of that, I found out that Wright had secretly filed false arson charges against me, which I fought and stopped. (Documented).

The man is dangerous. He cannot be trusted. But who in this county is finally going to conduct an investigation into all of this corruption? The officers of the church and HoCo officials and others knew and have kept quiet in the midst of corruption, fraud, obstruction of justice, violation of my civil rights, defamation, slander, and perjury. And it was done with the help of church lawyers who were members of Wright's church. Isn't that against the law? Nevertheless, they know what they have done and I know they know God will not forgive nor forget it, because they did it in the name of the Lord. And they have still been unable to build. -revldowell

CONTRACTOR LAWSUITS --

Harbor View Contractors, Inc.
Filed Mechanics Liens against FBCG for lack of payments for work they've done. Court records reviewed show the company recently had the case dismissed and they plan to re-start the church project.

Gilford Construction Corp.
The court records reveal this company is currently pursuing a mechanic's lien, also, against the FBCG, for "Breach of Contract," etc. and the church is in danger of losing their church property. Court date scheduled early October.

What those companies fail to understand, however, is that the FBCG church - since 2003 - has proceeded to try to build on an illegal process, which they and the county know about and, also, know that I will continue to pursue the matter in court until a trial is scheduled on my 2004 appeal to stop construction. The matter will not be closed until justice is done.

I had also filed written complaints against the problems with the following architects retained by FBCG:

-SRR & Associates, PC
-Derrick Burnett, AEI

Court records reviewed show the arrogance of Wright and all the other people (including Howard County officials) who believed he was a true man of God with integrity and truth. However, court records show that Wright has recognized the political aspects of this matter (and everything else he has illegally pursued in Howard County and the state of Maryland, because of his prior positions as head of the local and state NAACP and the local and state Baptist denomination). He has abused his office to hurt so many people, including me. And, the only way he has gotten away with it is because of his political influence with the county and state officials and the court.

And even though the papers have yet to publish the facts about this church case, this account will remain as a testimonial, within context, for such time as it is all made public. Since they know the facts and law, they will not be able to say they were ignorant of what the church has done and continues to do. They all will pay the price of public humiliation once the law catches up to them one time or another as it always does.

Nevertheless, by refusing to believe this black, Godly woman preacher, they have prolonged the legal construction. So, keep in mind that everything I have reported can be substantiated by court documentation and other published reports, which anybody who cares about justice will be unable to legally and legitimately refute.

A Current News Article -----
Thursday, September 4, 2008.
Church confronts lawsuits as it builds new home. An article by Derek Simmonsen, in The Columbia Flier (MD),
Email: dsimmonsen@patuxent.com

I need this reporter to contact me, because I have all the answers to his questions about the FBCG construction history and ongoing issues that have halted the work. And this information I can provide will present an article for the public which is long overdue precisely because the Columbia Flier newspaper has repeatedly refused to tell my story about FBCG, Rev. Wright, and me. I have continued to call for an investigation into the ongoing corruption, fraud, obstruction of justice, perjury, violation of my civil rights, etc.

The Flier is our local newspaper and despite my many contacts with them, their refusal to follow through has created a horrible scenario which could have been averted long ago. As well, they could have had the scoop of all time about what was really going on with this widely believed to be the #1 church and pastor, Rev. John L. Wright, in Howard County, MD.

Even the two church contractors who are now in a position of having to go into court to get their money for work performed could have saved money and time and resources, if they had heeded my warnings to them via emails (not sent anonymously). They ignored my contacts and plowed ahead to tear up the church property. And, now it remains a gigantic hole in the ground where nobody can go onto the property to hold church services.

This is the newest information disclosed about the failed attempts of the First Baptist Church of Guilford to complete their new building project since they first proposed it in the 1990s, when I was an Associate Minister there.

All of my attempts to stop the FBCG construction have lasted from late 1990s to this date. As of now, I am awaiting a response to my renewed appeals by the MD Court of Special Appeals in Annapolis, because neither the Howard County (MD) Board of Appeals nor the HoCo Circuit Court nor the Court of Special Appeals has provided me with any Decision and/or Order, as mandated by law. The courts have never scheduled a trial to hear my case, de novo on the merits. And, in fact, they have ignored my many documented complaints about that.

On Wednesday, September 3, 2008, my mother-in-law brought to my attention that the FBCG church ad did not appear in the Afro-American Newspaper church section. I phoned the Afro advertising section to ask why the FBCG was not published there and I was told "We had to put it aside because they have not paid the bill."

It appears the FBCG ad may not have appeared for at least the past several months. I don't read the Afro, but I wonder how many parishioners know their church is in such dire financial straits.

I have accumulated hundreds of pages of documentation to show this ongoing political fight I am engaged in with the FBCG and the HoCo government's lawyers. And, while the Simmonsen article says there is only one lawsuit now filed against that church, that is not true.

I am possibly the only Howard County citizen who has enough knowledge and credibility to discuss this case from its inception in 1990 until now. I have copies of all the court documents, but Rev. John L. Wright, the parishioners, and county officials have scoffed at me and ignored all of my correspondence for them to investigate this matter. In context, this is a spiritual matter, because I had foretold that it is between Wright and God, because of the way he refused to hear and obey the will of the Lord for that church and in my life.

And, if anybody scoffs at that, then they need to talk to me and let me show them the actual proof, within context, that this is one church matter in which there can be no doubt that God is in total charge of everything.

If they had listened to me years ago, they would be in a new church with glory to God. Instead, they are looking at a literal hole in the ground and they are meeting but only for a little while longer in a county schoolroom. If all those FBCG parishioners knew what really happened and why, they would walk away and not look back and the pastor and officers know that.

True Christians who know God do not play with Him. They fear the Lord. They know that God will do exactly what He says and continues to do.

Email: revldowell-clergywomen@erols.com

First Baptist-Guilford UPDATE!

2008-06-27T21:57:00.000-04:00

Unbelievable! Howard County, Maryland, Department of Planning and Zoning and The First Baptist Church of Guilford, broke the law again. They were aided by the circuit court and the court of special appeals to deprive me of the right to a trial on the merit concerning the church's ongoing construction without a legal permit.

After four years pursuing them in the courts, including local and state levels, they dismissed my appeal because the county did not give me a final decision, written or oral. But it was necessary for me to proceed on appeal. There was nothing filed. There was nothing based on the facts and conclusion of law. Instead of the circuit court remanding the case for the county to comply with the law, the court granted the county summary judgement even while my case was pending appeal based on the circuit court's denying my motions (1) for change of venue and (2) for stay pending appeal.

The circuit court had never scheduled a trial on the merit of my lawsuit based on the church's unlawful construction. They had architects and a plumber working on the property who were not licensed to practice in Maryland or anywhere else and I had brought that to their attention. They ignored it and kept digging a great big hole in the ground --- without a building permit in hand and despite the church having been denied at least five (5) times on their conditional use application. The pastor, Rev. John L. Wright, lied (there's no other word besides perjury) when he filed papers early on stating they had not been denied an application within the past 24 months of their new application to build. The documentation proves he did not tell the truth and, if he had, he would never have been able to proceed with construction. But, of course, Howard County already knew that was the case and kept allowing the church to build.

The church subsequently moved to a local schoolhouse for their Sunday services, because the hole in the ground made it dangerous for anybody to come on the property. As it stands, the church obtained millions of dollars more from the bank just this year, without an approved building permit. They expanded the plans far beyond their original intent (which had not been approved) and kept submitting redline plans.

As of this date, the hole is still in the ground and they have not been able to continue to build -- for some reason. We know it is because they disobeyed God's prophetic word He had me to give them many years ago before the start of their plans. Now, whereas most churches start in schoolhouses and go on into their own church building --- this church has ended up from their church building into a schoolhouse with a hole in the center of their church property.

If you want to see that hole and the school service, turn to their site url at
First Baptist Church of Guilford.

I am still pursuing justice in this case.

HoCo-FBCG CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS

2007-12-30T17:43:00.004-05:00

Purpose of this note -- To inform the citizenry.
(not to garner sympathy or solicit advice)

Goals --
To expose the ambivalent workings of our laws and our legislators/ judiciary failure of objective followthrough.

To foster official accountabiity.

Synopsis of Persistent Illegal HoCo-FBCG Problems (1998-Present)

Those who followed this ongoing saga since 1998 realize the gravity of their noncompliance. Serious impacts on property owners rights to protect their interests and that of their neighbors to avert possible state and county zoning "takings" of their own land (by legislation) with impunity, when they least expect it.

From 1998-2003, FBCG had their conditional use, later, their special exception and variance applications, denied at least four (4) separate times by Board of Appeals, Hearing Examiner, Three (3) Ho.Co. Circuit Court Judges overturned on administrative appeal/judicial review. Once denied, an applicant cannot by law file another application for 24 months from denial or six (6) months if their application is not the same or substantially the same.

FBCG kept filing applications and HoCo allowed them to do so during each pending administrative review. On the last overturn by the court in 2003, FBCG filed another appeal with the Hearing Examiner who turned the case over again to the Board of Appeals who accepted their case one more time for de novo hearing. Problem -- It was "the same or substantially the same application" and not even 30 days had passed let alone six months or 24 months.

During December 2003, with ongoing HoCo County Council 10-year Comprehensive Plan session, FBCG approached the Council ex parte during their own pending scheduled Board of Appeals hearing (scheduled for February 2004)and the Council rezoned (spot zoned) the church property. In February 2004, FBCG postponed their appeal hearing and it was rescheduled for March 2004. Later in February, FBCG sent an email to "withdraw" their scheduled and pending Board of Appeals de novo hearing. BUT HoCo allowed FBCG to proceed with their same previously rejected application and newly rezoned property to move with it towards site development plan and building permit. Needless to say, I protested loud and long with each of those HoCo-FBCG illegitimate moves, including filing administrative appeal petition in the HoCo Circuit Court for judicial review with appeal to COSA following denial of my motions for stay and change of venue.
But the COSA did not dismiss my administrative appeal in its entirety, because HoCo has never scheduled a hearing/trial on the merits, which I am continuing to pursue.

I believe this is a serious matter and it needs to be taken as such, because Howard County Homeowners are suffering property rights loss, in many cases, not because they failed to prove their case but, in too many cases, because courts use minor technical "twists" of the law to throw their case(s) out of court. It is a timely and expensive process. And I believe the only way to keep the process honest and for justice to prevail is for sunlight to be poured over, under, through, and around the entire process from start to finish. Our newspapers will not tell these stories leaving individual onlookers to believe they are going through these injustices alone.

So, you see, it is not merely a matter of how much money you can raise to pursue your case or how many people you can get to sign a petition on behalf of your cause. Justice demands that honest and just officials be seated over those laws which are passed to ensure legal objectivity and mandatory compliance as opposed to somebody's arbitrary, capricious, and illegal abuse of process.

Columbia, MD
(Alas, it was a beautiful place to dwell. May it once again be so).

HoCo-FBCG CONSTRUCTION PROBLEMS

2007-12-30T17:43:00.001-05:00

Purpose of this note --
To inform the citizenry. (not to garner sympathy or solicit advice)

Goals --
To expose the ambivalent workings of our laws and our legislators/ judiciary failure of objective followthrough.

To foster official accountabiity.

Synopsis of Persistent Illegal HoCo-FBCG Problems (1998-Present)

Those who have followed this ongoing saga since 1998 realize the gravity of the HoCo-FBCG noncompliance. Serious impacts on property owners rights to protect their interests and that of their neighbors to avert possible state and county zoning "takings" of their own land (by legislation) with impunity, when they least expect it.

From 1998-2003, FBCG had their conditional use, later, their special exception and variance applications, denied at least four (4) separate times by Board of Appeals, Hearing Examiner, Three (3) Ho.Co. Circuit Court Judges overturned on administrative appeal/judicial review. HoCo zoning laws state that after denial, an applicant cannot by law file another application for 24 months from the denial or until after six (6) months, if their application "is not the same or substantially the same" as the denied application.

However, FBCG kept filing applications and HoCo allowed them to do so even though they knew there were administrative reviews pending in the HoCo Circuit Court. On the last overturn by the Hearing Examiner and the circuit court in late 2003, FBCG filed yet another appeal with the Hearing Examiner who then turned the case over again to the Board of Appeals who accepted the FBCG case one more time for de novo hearing. Problem -- It was "the same or substantially the same application" and not even 30 days had passed let alone six months or 24 months after denial.

Moreover, during December 2003, with the ongoing HoCo County Council 10-year Comprehensive Plan session, FBCG approached the Council ex parte during their own pending scheduled Board of Appeals hearing (scheduled for February 2004) and FBCG asked the Council to rezone (spot zone) the church property.

Early 2004, FBCG asked the Board of Appeals to postpone their February 2004, appeal hearing and the Board rescheduled it for March 2004. Then, later in February, FBCG sent an email to "withdraw" their scheduled, pending Board of Appeals de novo hearing. BUT the HoCo Council allowed FBCG to proceed with their same previously denied application and newly approved rezoned property to move with those documents towards the site development plan (SDP) and building permit stages. Needless to say, I protested loud and long with each of those HoCo-FBCG illegitimate moves, including the church commencing construction without any approved SDP or building permit or proper decision and order from the Board. And, I filed an administrative appeal petition in the HoCo Circuit Court for judicial review and then I filed an appeal to COSA following the HoCo Circuit Court denial of my preliminary motions for (1) stay and (2) change of venue (in 2004).

The COSA dismissed my appeal as premature and then remanded my case to the Circuit Court but the COSA did not dismiss my administrative appeal in its entirety, because HoCo had never scheduled a hearing/trial on the merits, which I am continuing to pursue. The COSA ruled that dismissal as premature an appellate review of those motion denials would not put the entire case out of court.

I believe this subject is a serious matter and it needs to be taken as such, because Howard County homeowners are suffering their property rights loss, in many cases not because they have failed to prove their cases; but, because in too many cases, our courts use minor technical "twists" of the law to throw their case(s) out of court. Appeals are a timely and expensive process. And I believe the only way to keep the zoning process honest and for justice to prevail is for sunlight to be poured over, under, through, and around the entire process from start to finish. Our newspapers will not tell these stories leaving individual onlookers to believe they are going through these injustices alone and on their own.

So, you see, it is not merely a matter of how much money you can raise to pursue your case or how many people you can get to sign a petition on behalf of your cause. Justice demands that honest and just officials be seated over those laws which are passed to ensure legal objectivity and mandatory compliance as opposed to somebody's arbitrary, capricious, and illegal abuse of process.

Columbia, MD
(Alas, it was a beautiful place to dwell. May it once again be so).

UPDATE - FBCOG ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION

2007-12-26T13:38:00.003-05:00

The First Baptist Church of Guilford, located in Howard County, Maryland, (Columbia) was legally denied approval to add on/renovate or build by (1) Board of Appeals, and (2) Hearing Examiner, and (3) Circuit Court Judges (three of them) on review of three separate administrative appeals of the church case. The court records show the church was denied each time and illegally went to the county council to spot zone (rezone) their property. The church continues to engage in illegal, corrupt process despite my numerous letters and legal case law cites to prove Rev. Wright and this county are noncompliant. My administrative appeal against this church is ongoing since 2004, and the county and church are continuing to do everything to use the full force of the law to keep them flaunting it. That is neither of God nor Godly and I cannot understand how any of those perpetrators can sleep at night.

Below is a current account of legal news that our newspapers have refused to report, I believe, because Rev. Wright is involved. Many of the First Baptist Church of Guilford parishioners do not know their church is acting illegally and that I have filed ongoing administrative appeals and judicial review suits against them since 2004, and I have not yet exhausted my right to appellate reviews. Where is the church money coming from and where is it going to? Isn't anybody calling for an objective financial audit of their chruch records, as they continue to rake in money for "construction"?

There is no progress when the ones who are in charge of keeping the law are, themselves, unlawful (based on the court records). And, unless anybody persists and perseveres for the cause of justice, there will be no justice.

Although my administrative appeal against the FBCG rezoning and construction is still ongoing since 2004, to date, no trial has been scheduled on the merits. In 2004, I appealed the circuit court's denial of my motion to grant a stay and motion to change venue during the outset of my petition. In September, the Court of Special Appeals (COSA) ruled my appeal (on the denied motions) was premature and dismissed that appeal. At the same time, the COSA did "Remand (my case to the Howard County Circuit Court) for further proceedings." Instead of doing that, the circuit court dismissed my entire case without taking action on the merits and closed the record even *before* the COSA issued its Mandate in October 2007. At the time, the COSA had *not* dismissed *my entire case* and even stated so in their Mandate.

The circuit court had also done the same thing as the Board of Appeals. Neither of them had provided for the files any mandated final written decision with memorandum of facts and conclusion of law; yet, they both allowed the FBCG to proceed with their illegal (confirmed by the record) zoning plans. Even worse, the circuit court not only had not provided for the file any proper, lawful written decision and order, they also have never notified me in any format that the circuit court had dismissed my administrative appeal and closed my record even while my judicial review in the COSA was still pending receipt of their Mandate. I found that out when I went to the courthouse and reviewed my case file.

*Bottom Line* --
The First Baptist Church of Guilford (Rev. John L. Wright, Pastor) continues with construction of a new church using an illegal process and, as a matter of law, they could be made to discontinue construction and even to tear their whole project down.

The Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning has allowed the church to continue to RedLine/update their same previously rejected 1998 plans even in late 2007! And those plans now reflect an entirely new and sprawling church beyond the originally rejected plans. This is outrageous. It is corrupt. It is fraudulent. It is time for the news to report what is going on; but, to date, even the newspapers have refused to do so. And, as a matter of law, the church and Howard County actions are based on an ongoing unlawful process with impunity and they must be stopped. They must all be held accountable by the courts for knowingly, willfully, and deliberately deceptive practices with regards to this church zoning case.

As of this date (Dec. 26, 2007), I am awaiting a response from the COSA on my Motion for Reconsideration to reverse, vacate, and remand my case to Howard County Circuit Court to comply with the COSA Mandate of October 17, 2006, "Remand for further proceedings." Regardless! They know the record will remain a testimony against them. They may ignore it but they also know that God Himself is not pleased with their disobedience.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2008!

DOWELL VS. FBCG & HoCo DPZ UPDATES

2007-07-19T13:22:00.000-04:00

As of today, this zoning case is still legally alive in the Maryland Court of Special Appeals (COSA). The First Baptist Church of Guilford (FBCG) has now moved into a county schoolhouse while their illegal construction continues. Their church members do not know this case is still in litigation -- Administrative Appeal/Judicial Review, which would terminate the church construction. The COSA has set my new appeals date for November 2007. Contact me for more background information. Also, read the story about my false arrest in 1992 by the same church. Stay tuned.

Allen, MI Church- 2007, Woman Arrested

2007-07-19T13:15:00.003-04:00

Church Member Arrested in Church, Allen, MI.

Inside churches, inside ministries, inside politics—if it’s happening, it’s here: 2007, More Turmoil in Allen, MI Church- Arrest Made. Charges dropped.

Law Makers or Law Breakers?Maryland Awareness!

2005-10-04T16:59:00.003-04:00

The Holy Spirit told me that "There can be no justice where the keepers of justice are, themselves, unjust." -Rev. L. Dowell.

What do we need? ACCOUNTABILITY, CREDIBILITY, RESPONSIBILITY -- Godly Leaders.

Cronyism, favoritism, and downright, outright evil intentions by perpetrators (i.e., especially in the legal and judicial professions) need not go unaddressed. Newspapers do not want to tell our stories. Family members are probably tired of listening to our complaints. Officials love to pass the buck and hurry us out of their offices. Perpetrators retaliate against us for complaining and label us as being sick, crazy, vindictive, or criminal, even as we work through the system to get justice based on the law and facts. (Don't get tired yet, read on).

Are you fed up with lying legal eagles and keepers of the law who, themselves, break the law? I am. This is for Maryland citizens and others who arrive at this site and understand how crucial it is for legislators to finally protect our rights of due process and equal protection under the law. Here and in all this nation (browse the Net), justice will still cry in pain without redress as long as officials continue to think they are above the law and continue abusing the process with impunity and a lack of accountability.

Most pro se litigants are not in court, because we want to be. For many of us, it comes down to either cracking the law books (mainly the statutes) or else walking away from an obvious abuse (i.e., to everybody but lawmakers who have the authority and expertise to correct it -- but who refuse to do so). We need a voice!

I am hereby announcing my intentions to not feel guilty about pursuing the arm of justice in Howard County, Maryland. Truth and court records give witness to the veracity of my claims of innocence . Truth will always remain true. And, because I know that truth will always surface no matter how long it might take, I have not slept my equitable right to achieve legal vindication.

To: Rev. John L. Wright, Charles L. Fuller, Esquire, Lillie Price-Wesley, Esquire, and other officers and members of The First Baptist Church of Guilford, Columbia, MD, who remain silent about their lying on me in the Howard County Circuit and District courts and "blaming the victim," (me); and to all those Maryland officials and lawmakers who know about and privately shield all of Wright's public wrongs and help him to use our courthouses to illegally back him up, one day, somebody is going to listen to this ongoing plea and investigate what you have done. When they do that, then justice will have been served.

Herein is my special invitation for any of you to disprove my allegations, in a court of law. And this time, you will be required to file substantiating documents, if you have any. You never gave any to me or to the courts. But, I stand ready knowing that hundreds of unaddressed court records to support my allegations will indict you. And no ethical, Godly, legal professional will dare place their reputation and job on the line to protect you perjurers who obstructed justice, as those aforementioned have done. Truth will not only get me in the door but it will also keep me there. From August 9, 1992 until the truth is fully exposed in this matter, I will continue to maintain my allegations are true, even if the newspapers will not print it and the officials will not investigate it.

Stay tuned.

DPZ Grants FBCG ANOTHER Extension!

2005-07-14T16:24:00.000-04:00

I just received another letter from HoCo DPZ granting FBCG an extension from July 20, 2005 to September 18, 2005, for the church to get in their SDP originals. This is about the 7th extension and each time DPZ warns that, if the church does not meet the extended deadline their application will be null and void and they will have to file a new application.

What does DPZ think "null and void" mean? The church continues to bluff their way through this process -- and they have not been all that discrete about it, either.

I am trusting in the true and living God to totally pull the covers off of all of this government corruption not only here but throughout this nation. Our local news won't print our stories so we have to continue to tell it ourselves every opportunity that God sends. What is happening in this state and county is outrageous.

But, thanks be to God who gives such peace in the midst of any storm.

Dowell Sues HoCoPo

2005-07-13T22:08:00.000-04:00

June 1, 2005, the Howard County (Md) Police Department phoned me because FBCG implicated me by name in a recent fire and other vandalism on their church property. Yet the police won't release the report to me that is about me. Thank God, I was not even in Columbia (Md) during the time that alleged "crime" against the church allegedly took place.

On Monday, July 11, 2005, I carried the summons for my lawsuit to the Sheriff's office for them to serve my pro se lawsuit on the hocopo. Has the whole world gone crazy? (rhetorical) Officials (elected and appointed and self-appointed) refuse to obey their own laws. Thanks be to God, I know how to read and to follow His orders.

If that alleged fire at the church is under investigation, then why haven't the hocopo released any information about the "crimes" via their press officers or placed it on their website, as they have done with other "crimes" they are investigating? It appears that every state and county employee needs to know they are getting paid to serve/help the citizens and not themselves and one another exclusively.

This is one Preacher who understands there is a time to practice the art of listening. And there is a time to stand up and speak out to CRY LOUD AND SPARE NOT!

Pending -- Zoning case - Administrative Review in Court of Special Appeals (MD) and Zoning case in the Circuit Court - Judicial Review (re: FBCG and HoCo).

This battle is being fought to the glory of God. He lives! He sees and oversees. He rules and super rules. He reigns and He rains down fire as surely as He is God who showers His beloved with love. God and one is a majority. God is the MAJORITY all by Himself. Take comfort, your battles are already won in Christ Jesus. Rejoice.

Thanking God for His blessed peace and power, in Jesus's name. Amen.

Alleged Vandalism at FBCG

2005-06-03T13:37:00.000-04:00

Has anybody heard about a reported vandalism on the FBCG property on Wednes., June 1, 2005? Please let me know.

This goes to show what lengths FBCG will go to in order to keep me quiet and to get me to stop my advocacy against their efforts to build. An Officer Frederick phoned me at home 4:30 p.m. on June 1, 2005, and asked for me. She asked if I had heard anything about a fire at the church? After I asked what church, she told me, First Baptist Church of Guilford. I told her I hadn't heard anything or seen anything on tv or radio or any news. Then I asked her what was on fire and she told me "A trash can." I asked her why she called me? Then I asked her if anybody at the church gave her my name. She was silent so I asked if it was Wright. She said, "No." Then I told her somebody down there must have given my name. I haven't stepped foot on that property since 1992. I told her Wright had lied on me before and this was an outrage. Somebody at that church has tried to once again lie and implicate me in whatever occurred at that church. I phoned the police department and was told the "Frederick" they had was "Nicole" in the police academy. Later I phoned again and found out from a Sgt. that a reported Dumpster (small fire) and the church van and church bus had windows broken out. Ofcr Frederick never mentioned anything about the windows to me.

I filed a complaint against FBCG (citing the applicable Section 16). To date, neither DPZ nor FBCG, nor the Ofc of Law has responded. In addition, DPZ continues to allow extensions on extensions for FBCG to submit the necessary information for completion of their application. That action is also against the law. However, I am still working on it.

Standing by and listening.

Pro se Administrative Appeal Continues

2005-04-12T03:12:00.000-04:00

Rev. Dowell's Pro se Administrative Appeals remain pending against Howard County and The First Baptist Church of Guilford (1) on Judicial Review in the Circuit Court of Howard County and (2) she has taken an immediate issue that is presently before the Court of Special Appeals in Annapolis, Md., staying the Judicial Review of Howard County's actions and their lack of appropriate action during their zoning proceedings.

Advocacy campaigns to affect change would benefit more people, if the news media were more responsive to report these events. It appears to be an attempt to keep like-minded people from knowing they are not alone in their same or similar fight. Moreover, people don't really become involved in a situation that could spillover in their life until it actually does knock on their front door. Until then, I believe they have the mindset that says, "Nothing can bother me so I won't bother nothing." Sound familiar?

The First Baptist Church of Guilford, as far as the citizenry and church members know, are just about ready to put the shovel in the dirt to dig up the foundation. Notice the flattering photograph of their "new building" they have prominantly displayed on their website. Not so. The administrative remedies have not been exhausted in this case. And the law has shown that developers proceed with construction at their own risk, because of the possibility of the zoning case being found invalid by the court. Needless waste of time, money, and energy, when officials and applicants try to circumvent the law and get caught.

Our elected and appointed leaders are not infallible. Unfortunately, I happen to live in a state and county where they act as if they were. Too many of those who are supposed to diligently work to protect, preserve, and defend their constituency are not living up to their assignment. Where they lack accountability, there will always be somebody to stand up for justice somewhere. And even one can make a difference.

I thank God I do not have to stand alone, because the Lord is my Supreme Court.

COSA Zoning Appeal Case Filed On Time!

2004-11-30T20:14:00.000-05:00

How do I know God is in this case? Because He is my law school! Praising God all the way.

The Lord sent me to get involved in this church zoning fight. By all means, this case should have been over. and the church should be in their new building by now. But they chose to do it their way and not God's. And they still do not understand that God is fighting this battle. The Lord took this case from being the neighborhood's fight (located near the church) to being His battle.

Since 1998, this case has gone from including many names on the complaint to:

JUDICIAL REVIEW --
Rev. Lainie Dowell vs First Baptist Church of Guilford
Howard County Board of Appeals
Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning
County Council - Howard County
County Executive - Howard County
Civil Appeal No. 13-C-04-057788AA
Circuit Court - Howard County (MD)

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL -
LAINIE DOWELL vs. HOWARD COUNTY et al.
Case No. 01020, September Term 2004
Court of Special Appeals, Annapolis, MD

Some years ago, on the night that the Lord first sent me to observe the church zoning board hearing, the pastor and church members went believing they were to witness the Board of Appeal's previously announced approval of their church permit application. But as I sat by and watched with a few others in opposition and many more times church members in support, the Board of Appeals members sat at a table stretched across the room in front of all of us and they deliberated about the church until about 11 p.m. Then we all watched as one by one they changed their minds (with the paper already in front of them ready for their signatures). Instead, one of the board members said, 'Take this back (approval order) and have them write a new order denying the application."

That was a stunner to all who witnessed it. People were so shocked that my voice was the only one that could be heard as I exhaled. It was an amazing moment! They all piled out of the room as if they had attended the saddest funeral in their lives -- from the pastor to the last person from that church. And they all looked at me with daggers, as they went out of the room. And it has continued like that with this case ever since. The church would get approved and then get denied on appeal. Twice two different judges have remanded that case to the Board with their decisions and orders to deny the case and dismiss it. Even when the Hearing Examiner held many hearings (it seems), in the final analysis of his 32-page decision and order, everything seemed positive for the church until the very last paragraph, where the Hearing Examiner wrote that the church application was denied and the variance application was dismissed. I had to reread it, because I wanted to find where there might have been a clue in earlier pages that the case was going to be denied. For a few minutes, I was thoroughly confused! lol

But, today (Tuesday, November 30th) was the last day for me to get my brief into the Court of Special Appeals (COSA), in Annapolis, Maryland, where I have an administrative appeal pending, pro se. I always rely on the Lord, because I do not know what to do with a blank sheet of paper. But, in the past two days, including this morning, it was done.

Today, before 10:30 a.m., I had completed fifteen (15) copies to file in Annapolis COSA, then by 11:30 a.m., I delivered one (1) copy to the Ellicott City Circuit Court, and I mailed copies to the attorneys of record. And my soul felt so calm. I just knew the angels accompanied me. Thanks to God, I met the deadline and I feel so free today. I am praising God every step of the way.

For doubters who told me that I could not stand a chance taking this case further on my own, (and I ignored their comments every time!) that church zoning case is all about putting trust in God and it is demonstrating to all in that dead church that God is really real. This is all for His glory and for a witness to onlookers to understand that our God lives and He can do whatever He wants. Including taking His hand away from a church, as He has done for FBCG. But I am so glad God taught me to trust and obey Him.

DPZ Advances FBCG SDP!

2004-11-27T12:11:00.001-05:00

On Friday, November 27, 2004, I received a copy of the November 22, 2004, comments that DPZ had made about the FBCG site development plan application (SDP).

Based on that report, it appears the combined deception continues. How so? The process DPZ is using still does not conform to their own rules, laws, and procedures. Yet, DPZ is allowing FBCG to proceed with their (DPZ's) specific instructions to the church on how to succeed towards getting signature approval on their SDP to commence construction at their church.

FBCG had not timely returned a completed application to DPZ and it is still not properly completed. The procedures state that incomplete applications are, by law, to be rejected and the applicant (FBCG) is supposed to start over with the whole process. But, once again, DPZ has disregarded that part of the procedure, also.

My pending Circuit Court Administrative Appeal for Judicial Review is stayed pending action on my Court of Special Appeals case against DPZ and FBCG and both are proceeding on schedule.

Look for more to come on this matter.

Dowell Appeals DPZ-FBCG Rulings

2004-10-29T16:46:00.000-04:00

This newsletter is designed to present a first-person update in the matter of the Howard County, Maryland, Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) and its administrative rulings on behalf of The First Baptist Church of Guilford property(FBCG).

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS FILED

This update may be of particular interest to readers. The Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) approved the First Baptist Church of Guilford (FBCG) plans to add on or build a larger structure and parking lot. However, the department regulations prove it was an illegal act. After the Board of Appeals had rejected my motion for reconsideration and before the time ran out, I filed an administrative appeal with the Howard County Circuit Court. I also filed a motion for stay to keep the church from proceeding with providing site development plans and, also, a motion for change of venue to remove the case from this county, because of the church's conflict of interest with the county council and the Howard County government officials. The Circuit Court denied both of those motions, and I appealed. However, the court had scheduled a trial date for January 2005.

I filed an administrative appeal with the Court of Special Appeals (COSA) in Annapolis, MD, for a ruling on the Circuit Court's denial of my two (2) motions. Then, on September 10, 2004, The Circuit Court ruled a stay on the lower court case pending a ruling by the COSA. The date scheduled for the COSA hearing is March 2005.

The DPZ has proceeded without the legal provisions of the church having to go through the public hearing process for its input. Meanwhile, FBCG has conducted a large groundbreaking ceremony. Included in the audience and participants were members of the county council.