Pastor who helped flock rebuild facing charges Ex-partners claim Oak Island preacher falsified records in an alleged scheme PASTOR: Resident of Liberty has run for office, always unsuccessfully

Reprint Courtesy Cindy Horswell and CHRON - Wed 06/03/2009 Houston Chronicle

The pastor of Oak Island Baptist Church, Eddie Shauberger, was a charismatic force when he preached his first sermon after Hurricane Ike had ravaged the fishing village overlooking Trinity Bay in Chambers County. He told his small congregation seated on a concrete slab how to envision healing rather than the destruction engulfing them.

He quickly became a voice for the 300 families there, who had lost nearly everything, including boats used to catch the blue crabs that provided their livelihood. Their church was left a muddy, water-soaked shell with blown-out windows. Donations began to pour in.

But this past Sunday, Shauberger had to speak from the pulpit after being released on $10,000 bond from a Liberty County jail. His sermon made no mention that he now faces felony charges that accuse him of tampering with government records in an alleged scheme to defraud his former partners in a home health care business.

Shauberger and two brothers, Albert and Robert Palmarez, were jointly operating Immanuel Home Health Care Inc. in Liberty when Shauberger accepted the preaching position in Oak Island three years ago. The brothers have since accused Shauberger in a pending civil lawsuit of using falsified documents to embezzle thousands of dollars from them, their attorney John Falson said.

The recent felony charges involve the same documents that Falson said were being used to seize the health care business without the Palmarez brothers' knowledge: a change of ownership form signed by Shauberger and submitted to the Texas Department of Aging and Disability, and articles of dissolution filed by Shauberger with the Texas secretary of state.

About 20 left church

Today, some church members continue to praise Shauberger for his compassion and dedication in soliciting donations to restore Oak Island.

Yet others view Shauberger as more of an opportunist than their savior. About 20 of his critics have left the church and called upon him to resign - complaining of inadequate financial oversight and worrying that his arrest will stymie future contributions.

Shauberger, however, has no intention of relinquishing the pulpit: "The charges against me are absolutely false. All I can tell you is that I'm pleading not guilty."

While Shauberger denies any wrongdoing, he also points to a complaint he filed last year in Denton County. It resulted in Robert Palmarez being charged with forging Shauberger's name to withdraw money from the home health care business. Palmarez's civil attorney said he has evidence the money was used to pay outstanding obligations. A trial is set for Aug. 9.

Although he has no seminary training and his only experience was as a deacon, 54-year-old Shauberger was picked over other candidates to become Oak Island's pastor because of his stirring oratory, members said. At first, Shauberger served as interim pastor, then preached Sundays while still operating the health care business, and finally took over full time after Ike struck in September. The business provided medical workers to assist elderly patients in their homes.

Shauberger continues to commute to the church from Liberty, where he raised his seven children and ran for public office a dozen times. He lost each election - including his last one in 2002 for state representative - but never let that discourage him.

Since being released on bond, he said he has met informally with church leaders, and they want him to stay. He declined to name who was present except one area farmer, Floyd Edmond.

"I don't know about these indictments," Edmond said. "But Shauberger is a man of God. He's helped everybody down here."

Another member who drives the church bus, Kenneth Standley, agreed: "We've talked amongst ourselves and all feel we want to see the real truth or evidence. He's not been proven guilty yet."

Fund use questioned

But Theresa Barrett, the managing editor of the local newspaper and who also lost her home in Oak Island, thinks Shauberger should step aside until the charges against him are resolved.

Mark Pagels, who was the Oak Island Baptist Church music director, and his wife, Darlene, who played the piano, are among those who left the church. The Pagels expressed concern about lax safeguards of incoming donations. They questioned whether a Hurricane Ike recovery fund managed by the church should be used to increase Shauberger's salary from $1,000 to $3,000 a month and pay his wife $10 an hour.

Shuaberger bristled at these accusations, saying no audit has been done but a church treasurer keeps track of all the funds. The treasurer, Kathy Kisner, declined to return phone calls.

The dispute has intensified to the point that it has resulted in personal attacks and inflammatory writings on Internet blogs.

Sue Hawthorne, a church member and councilwoman of a nearby town, wants to see the fighting stop. "I don't believe that will happen until Shauberger is gone," she said.

cindy.horswell@chron.com