Former church official seeks bank job

January 12, 1998

A key member of the troubled Rhema Worship Center is seeking work at a Phoenix bank, touting her experience as financial officer of the church.

A manager from the business banking section at Bank of America in Phoenix called the Journal Sentinel seeking information about Phoebe Humphries.

He asked for several stories the paper has published detailing the fund raising and spending habits of the Rev. Chuckie Burris.

Humphries, along with Burris and his wife, Alethea, make up the three-member board of Rhema Worship Center, according to state records.

Burris and the church are under investigation by the FBI.

The bureau in Milwaukee is investigating Burris and Rhema on suspicion of wire fraud, money laundering and theft. They stress that no wrongdoing has been proved on the part of Burris.

"Her resume shows that she was the financial officer for Rhema Worship Center," said Tony Peterson, who works in the business banking section for Bank of America.

Peterson added that when he called Humphries' references, they referred him to the newspaper.

Former congregation members say Burris aggressively sought cash from churchgoers, in part to buy the building where they held services at 2415 W. Mequon Road, Mequon. In three years, he raised about $1.5 million.

But Burris, who records show purchased such luxury automobiles as a Rolls-Royce and a Porsche 911, put the church up for sale and, allegedly using church funds, sought to buy a $528,000 home in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he now resides.

The Mequon church remains on the market with an asking price of $410,000.

Firstar Bank Milwaukee, where Humphries once worked, has begun foreclosure proceedings on the church. And Channel 6, where Burris broadcast his preaching, is now seeking about $40,000 it says the pastor owes.

Burris' show no longer appears in Phoenix, where he had bought time on the local CBS affiliate. A station manager has said Burris, 40, will not return.

Burris and his wife have declined to respond to several requests for interviews. The newspaper has not been able to reach Humphries for comment.