Yes, we are planning to meet with him.
I don't know why, but it really surprised me that DHS even came out over that. I didn't have a lot of time to talk to the social worker, so we're supposed to set up a time to do that and then I'll find out more. Of course the standard reply was given that "we are required to investigate every single call."
Leaving...I'm not big on just leaving somewhere I made a commitment to, but it is a major thought. I've already been going elsewhere to get "fed" on a different day, which has been a real blessing, although we rarely get to go. After all this started, I looked at attending this crazy one as more of a mission type thing where I could do some stuff and serve, because although the preacher is awesome, it's really hard to soak it in when one feels negativity around them.
On the other hand, there's been enough crud to make me wonder if it's destroying my testimony in the community to be a member and if that's okay with God. However, this stuff happens to people in a number of churches, and I don't think it's right to not go at all. Tempting at this point, but not right.
We'll just have to wait and see how it all pans out after I have further discussion with the social worker and with the pastor.
What really gets me is that if the caller and DHS understood mental illness, they'd know that what they did was very harmful to the one child especially, who has meltdowns and nightmares when schedules get disrupted, especially by things that seem threatening. This may end up meaning heightened therapy for a while which means missing more of school and more disruptions or depending on how things are going, could mean making a trip to the hospital, which turned into a long stay the last time a meltdown was triggered.
Trying not to be really angry that my two oldest contribute a LOT to the church and tempted to take that away from the church. With all the time and effort it takes to raise the kids that have the mental health issues, it takes away from my time with the other ones, so if they're not so busy working for the same place that started this hurtful gossip, I might have more time with them.
But I have to try to stay nice. I wish that wasn't in the Bible. I'd rather be mean. Unlike politics though, there are no loopholes to that rule. Maybe I'll just go kick a rock around for a while. And no, not the one that's the cornerstone of the church's fancy new building. (although I *do* live really close and could just run back home after

)