Local Congregation Locks Pastor Out

One local church changes the locks on their pastor after they say he drowned the church in debt.

Reverend William McKinley Holloway helped found New United Church back in 1985. But now we're told that 95 percent of his congregation want him out as soon as possible.

"We believe in rest as a physical happening rather than a spiritual happening," Rev. William McKinley preaches.

On any normal Wednesday night you'll find Reverend William McKinley Holloway preaching at the New United Church, but this is not a normal night.

"Well as far as a majority the congregation is concerned he is no longer a member of this church," New United member Jimmy Anderson says of McKinley.

New United member Jimmy Anderson says that's because Holloway practically bankrupted the church.

"And so we said enough is enough, we're not leaving this church, Holloway has to leave and you notice that I call him Holloway because I can't call him pastor anymore," Anderson says.

Anderson says three years ago the Church had $1.8 million dollars in the bank, but says that Holloway turned that money into debt. Anderson says besides the Pastor's salary of $3,120 a week, Holloway also used church money on unnecessary salaries, two credit cards, three cells phones, memberships at the Walden Club and the Valley Brook Golf Club, and spent $49,000 dollars at a local men's clothing store.

"He was the first pastor called to preach at this church and he has just for lack of a better word just raped the people," Anderson says.

And Anderson says the breaking point came when Holloway sold 173 acres of church property.

"He sold that property after the church met and said we don't want you to sell that property, don't sell it time and time again, don't sell it, he sold it anyway," Anderson says.

Court Documents show that Holloway signed the property away for $655,000, but Anderson says the real value is more like $3 million, and they haven't seen a cent. And even after members have changed the locks, Holloway continues to show for services, so we tried to ask him for an explanation.

"Judge Williams you can speak to him back there on my behalf please," Anderson tells us referring to former Judge Walter Williams. "Okay you don't want to say anything?" We ask. "No, sir I do not want to say anything."

But while Holloway wouldn't talk to us, he did preach tonight to the members who would listen, while the rest share a vision without Holloway in front of the pulpit.

And Church members say they plan to start looking for a new preacher as soon as possible and they also say that they plan to proceed with legal action if Holloway doesn't give the church the money that he made on the property he sold.