“We are devastated.”
That is how Craig Ryan of 2|42 Church in Genoa Township describes the church’s reaction to one of its leaders admitting to hiding a video camera inside a bathroom in an “urgent news” alert; the message, sent on Saturday, was shared with The Livingston Post.
According to Ryan, chairman of the leadership advisory team, a staff member of the church reportedly found the camera inside a unisex restroom in the backstage area of the church’s Brighton campus, located at 7526 Grand River Ave., across from Trinity Health Medical Center – Brighton.
Ryan said Will Johnson, the church’s worship pastor director, was immediately terminated after he admitted to hiding the camera in the restroom; the church reported the incident to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, and Johnson was taken into custody.
“Church leadership are thoroughly searching all of our facilities today (Saturday), and next week will engage the services of a third-party professional out of an abundance of caution.”
In his message, Ryan said the sheriff’s office doesn’t have any indication that cameras were placed elsewhere in the facility.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by this situation as the protection, safety and privacy of every person who enters our church is our priority,” Ryan said. “Our commitment … is to be fully transparent and care for all victims of this crime.”
Livingston County Community Mental Health professionals will be on hand after Sunday’s services to “help us journey through this together.”
“Our desire and our consistent commitment is that the church should be the safest place in our community,” Ryan said.
2|42 Church has seven locations: Brighton, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Livonia, Monroe, Saginaw and Taylor.
