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Best of the Best 2022 The Medford City Attorney has found no evidence Set Free church has discriminated against LGBTQ+ people, and recommends the city lift its pause of an ,550 grant to the nonprofit.
Medford City Attorney Eric Mitton’s 25-page report, released Friday, details the city’s investigation into Set Free Services, Set Free Christian Fellowship and Chad McComas, the founder of the organizations, following allegations that surfaced last month of the nonprofits’ endorsement of controversial gay conversion therapy.
The city investigation was sparked by a June 9 report by two nonprofits, Siskiyou Abolition Project and Siskiyou Rising Tide, which claimed Celebrate Recovery meetings held at Set Free, 1032 W.
Main St., endorsed gay conversion therapy as recently as 2018 and distributed copies of a pamphlet titled “Same Sex Attraction: The Problem and Solution for Men.” McComas also is the founder of Rogue Retreat, which provides numerous services for homeless people, but the city claims the Siskiyou report “conflates Set Free with Rogue Retreat” and notes they have separate headquarters at different locations. “Even more importantly, Rogue Retreat has a 14-member Board of Directors that represent a wide variety of community organizations and community perspectives,” McComas wrote, listing a board that includes defense attorneys, educators, social workers and bank executives, among others.
The city report notes McComas was asked on camera whether he believed same-sex attraction was a sin in a June 9 interview by a local TV station. “I do believe that, but that isn’t going to change how I treat people,” McComas reportedly said on camera.
The investigation determined the pamphlet was distributed as part of Set Free Christian Fellowship’s “quasi-franchise relationship” with the Celebrate Recovery 12-step program based out of Saddleback, California.
The city determined the pamphlet was one of many pamphlets provided as a package.
The pamphlet directed people to future Celebrate Recovery meetings, which touched on a variety of matters, such as addiction, anger, co-dependency and problem gambling. “This is not to say that Celebrate Recovery did not have such a (conversion therapy) module in 2018 , Celebrate Recovery clearly did , but it does corroborate the concept that Celebrate Recovery materials were obtained by [Set Free Christian Fellowship] as a package deal, the ‘Same Sex Attraction’ pamphlet was one of many pamphlets provided as part of that package deal, and that specific pamphlet was not sought out specifically by SFCF,” Mitton wrote The city delineated Set Free Christian Fellowship as legally separate from city grant recipient Set Free Services, which last year was granted ,550 by the city for emergency food supplies, supplies for a shower and laundry trailer, and supplies for a clothing trailer.
Set Free Services provided equity statements with its 2021 grant application stating the nonprofit “does not discriminate in any of its activities based on age, race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, veteran status, disability or marital status.” Mitton stated in the report’s conclusion that the city takes such statements seriously, and that it expects programs supported by city grants to be available to all, “including members of the LGBTQIA+ community. “To members of that community reading this report: You are welcome to engage in the grant-supported services at Set Free Services, and you do not need to hide who you are to do so.
You will not be required to engage in any religious practices in order to do so,” Mitton wrote. “Your equality matters to us, and we will defend your equal access to all city services and to all services supported by city grant funding.” The city report recommended some minor policy revisions , such as adding signs assuring homeless people that shower, laundry and food services from Set Free are available to all.
Reach Mail Tribune web editor Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or nmorgan@rosebudmedia.com.