PERTH AMBOY – On behalf of the congregation of The Salvation Army-Perth Amboy Corps located at 433 State Street, Perth Amboy, NJ we are pleading your involvement as our Pastor is being retaliated against by The Salvation Army since he reported that he was sexually harassed. Instead of The Salvation Army protecting him they have mistreated him under the gender and sex discrimination clauses. He is a man of God, who is a great administrator and Pastor. He has been discriminated against because he is a single Pastor as The Salvation Army made it clear that they prefer married couples.

Our Pastor is getting youth, children, men and women alike off the streets into our shelters and in our church services. Drug addicts are no longer relapsing, and homeless men are now part of our daily ministries. Our Pastor is trustworthy, honest, and a man full of integrity. He is an answer to our prayers as the congregation prayed for a man like him; a man on fire for God and with a passion to serve all in the name of Jesus. Our congregation has grown from 10 to 100 in attendance in less than a year.

We are hurt as we have requested that the leaders of The Salvation Army come and speak to us concerning the retaliation of our Pastor as he is being prematurely moved to the Danbury, CT Corps. We were informed that he would be here by The Salvation Army for five years and now in less than one he is being ripped out our congregation in an ill manner.

Please know that his (Lt. Jose A, Santiago) function here is as the Senior Pastor and Administrator, but he is being demoted as an Assistant Pastor for no reason. The leaders of The Salvation Army have treated us as throw-a-ways; as insignificant people and have not even taken the time to hear our cares. They have made us feel that we do not have a voice, yet they want our tithes and offerings and our investments of time and faithfulness to the organization.

We are not understanding how an institution (a church) which is suppose to help people, hurt one of their Pastors and not protect him but instead harass, mistreat and retaliate against. As American citizens were are perplexed how in the United States of America there are laws that protect individuals from discrimination and harassment, but yet in this case because The Salvation Army says it is a church, the law will not protect our Pastor.

In any other organization this would not be tolerated, but because the church card is being played it is ok. Really? Does that make sense to you? How can a charitable organization that accepts government funding talk out of both sides of the mouth and saying that it is a church. From what we have seen it is more a Social Services Agency and lucrative business than a church, but will conveniently use the church card to their defense to hurt our Pastor.

Please help us support our Pastor as we support the one who has invested, enriched, and worked diligently for the struggling and diverse authenticity of the Perth Amboy Community since he has arrived.

May God bless you!

Sincerely,
The Salvation Army congregational members

Adrienne Benberry
arbenberry@gmail.com