#United States #Pasadena #Faith Presbyterian #Apollo Prayer League #Rev. John Stout

A Small Church Struggles for Justice in Texas

In a compelling saga of faith and justice, the Faith Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, Texas, is embroiled in a legal battle against the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). Central to this issue are claims that the church's assets were wrongfully confiscated, including precious items held in connection with the Apollo space missions. Members of the church, led by their tenacious Elder Betty Duke, have banded together to protest what they perceive as gross mismanagement and overreach by the state.

The story unfolds around the figure of Rev. John Stout, a former NASA scientist and chaplain who played a pivotal role in the historic Apollo missions aimed at landing the first Bible on the moon. His leadership of the Apollo Prayer League, a nonprofit organization uniting NASA employees and supporters globally, is the background against which this conflict plays out. The League was not only about spiritual support but also about ensuring a historic religious artifact—the King James Bible—made it to lunar soil, something Stout was profoundly passionate about.

Background of the Conflict

In late 2010, DADS seized Stout's assets based on dubious claims by his adopted son, suggesting that the elderly couple, Stout and his wife Helen, were incapable of managing their belongings. This assertion led to the couple being designated as wards of the state, effectively stripping them of their autonomy and placing them in a nursing home to receive federally supported Medicaid care. The actions taken by the state have been labeled as elder abuse by church leaders and allies who emphasized that Stout was neither incapacitated nor needing protection from his own church community.

Among the items taken were multiple lunar bibles—pocket-sized versions of the scriptures that had either graced the moon’s surface or orbited it due to the efforts of the Apollo team. According to reports, one such Bible was auctioned for an astonishing $75,000, yet the Stout's possessions remained locked away, fuelling the church's frustrations and legal challenges.

The harsh realities of this situation came to light when Duke and her fellow parishioners attempted to visit Rev. Stout. Access was denied by the nursing home's administration, prompting Duke to pen letters to DADS, questioning the legality of Stout's seclusion. Her powerful rebuttal directly addressed state officials, asking them hard questions about the morality of their decisions regarding Stout’s welfare.

A Community’s Response and Outcry

The isolation of Rev. Stout and the neglect of their assets eventually captured the attention of national media, uplifting the church's plight to a larger audience. After a prolonged four-year battle, public scrutiny seemed to prompt some action from DADS, leading to the closure of Stout's case in 2017. However, it was a bittersweet resolution as both Stout and his wife had passed away during their fight against state action. Their isolation had deprived them not just of possessions, but of connections to their community and the outside world.

Betty Duke, as a representative of the church, has consistently been outspoken regarding these injustices, revealing the deep bonds that the church community shares and their commitment to Rev. Stout’s legacy. Her activism reflects a fierce sense of duty towards elder rights—with emphasis on never letting voices diminish even in the twilight of life.

Legal and Emotional Legacy

Today, the court battles continue over the rightful ownership of a trove of aerospace memorabilia, with the case lingering in probate court for more than 16 years, often without significant progress. This unfortunate state of affairs raises questions about the accountability of state agencies; whether they are acting in the best interests of those they are supposed to protect or overstepping their authority.

As the congregation continues to advocate for the return of their beloved assets and a rightful tribute to Rev. Stout, they hope to not just reclaim material things but also restore dignity, respect, and memorialize a man who helped put the Bible on the moon.

This ongoing saga stands as a reminder of the complexities of elder rights, community support, and the mismatches between state oversight and the needs of individuals. Whether the church will retrieve its assets remains uncertain, but the faith-driven perseverance displayed by its members continues to inspire many.