Media portrayed Gloriavale members as ‘mindless robots’ – resident

February 17, 2023: 1 News | The founder of Gloriavale would never have been convicted of sexual abuse if commune members hadn’t been portrayed as “mindless robots”, according to a senior resident. Faithful Pilgrim is giving evidence at the Employment Court, which is deciding whether six women were employees or volunteers and subject…

Former Glorivale leader takes stand in Employment Court dispute

February 16, 2023: by Caley Callahan | Newshub | Gloriavale’s Overseeing Shepherd Howard Temple was in court on Thursday – not to give evidence but to support one of his former leaders. Faithful Pilgrim took the stand in the Employment Court defending the role of women at the West Coast commune. “The plaintiffs…

1News: Two classes of people in Gloriavale – court hears

October 1, 2022: By Ryan Boswell | 1News | It’s been alleged there are two classes of people living inside the West Coast commune of Gloriavale. Former resident Pearl Valor told the Employment Court that there are different classes depending on who your parents are, and that normally meant “not interacting with low-class…

Newshub: Former Glorivale member says daughter with brain damage suffered injuries due to work conditions

September 22, 2022: By Juliet Speedy | Newshub | A Gloriavale leaver told the Employment Court the plight of women who remain in the community is of serious concern to him, both because of unwanted touching and an unsustainable workload with pressure from the leaders. John Ready said if the women stopped working,…

1News – Brutal work conditions inside Gloriavale laid bare in court

September 8, 2022: By Ryan Boswell – 1News – 08/09/2022 Brutal work conditions inside Gloriavale have been the focus of evidence at the Employment Court in Christchurch. Rebekah Kempf was born at the commune and left with her family in 2015. She is the great granddaughter of Gloriavale’s founder, Hopeful Christian, and told…

Newshub – Former Gloriavale members say they were called ‘too fat’, ‘talentless’ by leaders

September 7, 2022: By Kaysha Brownlie – Newshub – 07/09/2022 “No talent” and “too fat” to be a Christian – this is what a former Gloriavale member says leaders told her. Rebekah Kempf was giving evidence at the Employment Court case in Christchurch, where current members deny the work is not forced. “I…