Saturday, January 13, 2001
Dallas church ready to accept
new minister
By Ken Ellsworth
Reporter-News Staff Writer
DALLAS — James Simmons, a husband and
father who disappeared 16 years ago near Abilene, will preach
his first sermon Jan. 21 as senior pastor of a predominantly gay
congregation here despite the controversy and questions swirling
around him.
Simmons, who was known as Wesley Barrett
“Barre” Cox when he vanished in Jones County in July
1984, has become the focus of intense media scrutiny since he
publicly resurfaced earlier this week.
His tale of losing his memory of the first
33 years of his life after a vicious beating have generally sparked
two reactions: a hailing of his miraculous return and a questioning
of whether his disappearance was staged to start a new life.
Among the revelations unearthed Thursday
was that he has been tabbed to lead White Rock Community Church,
whose mission is to minister to the gay and lesbian community.
The church also has heterosexual employees and members. Also Thursday,
a San Antonio newspaper printed a Panhandle rancher’s accusations
that Cox had stolen his identity.
White Rock deacon Jeffrey Brown said the
church’s congregation remains fully behind Cox and his version
of the story.
“Nothing has been raised so far that
I don’t think can be resolved,” he said Friday.
The church organized a press conference
Friday to answer questions about Simmons.
Brown, a member of the church committee
that sought a new pastor, told reporters that Simmons, who earned
two divinity degrees since disappearing, responded to an Internet
advertisement about the church’s pastor vacancy. After preaching
at the church Dec. 10, he told church members during a question-and-answer
session that he had no memory of his prior life because of the
amnesia sustained during a beating.
Simmons said his earliest memory was waking
up in a hospital bed in Memphis, Tenn., in late July 1984, Brown
said. At that point, a member of the congregation recognized that
Simmons was the missing Barre (pronounced “Barry”) Cox.
The church member had been a resident of Canyon, where Cox was
raised, Brown said.
Memphis police and hospital officials say
they can find no evidence to verify Simmons’ story.
The recognition of Cox led to a reunion
in the East Texas town of Frankston Jan. 1 between Cox, his brother
and mother. Brown said he attended the reunion in which Cox apparently
didn’t recognize his family.
Cox’s family and his new church members
acknowledge that Cox used the Panhandle rancher’s Social
Security number as a necessity to work and did that for only a
few years. They also claim Cox filed his fingerprints and other
documents with the FBI to receive a new Social Security number
and so the search for his true identity could continue.
Federal law officers have declined to comment
about possible investigation concerning the theft of the rancher’s
Social Security number. An FBI spokeswoman in Dallas said that
while theft of a Social Security number is a federal crime, the
FBI investigates only if the victim suffered a financial loss.
Dean Bishop, White Rock’s interim pastor,
said he was “blindsided” by the revelations about Simmons.
But he added: “I don’t believe everything I read…
I intend to give him the benefit of the doubt.’’
In the meantime, parishioners at Sunday’s
service will be given more information about their new pastor.
“They will be further informed,’’
Bishop said, “because we have nothing to hide.’’
Brown said Simmons is driving to Dallas
from California. He is expected to arrive next week. He has not
spoken to the media since the story of his resurfacing was told
Monday by officials at Abilene Christian University, where he
worked for a short time.
“We wish him a safe journey to Dallas
and to life in the church with great warmth and acceptance,”
Brown said.
Of Simmons’ reaction to the controversy
and surrounding publicity, he added, “James is remaining
strong and prayerful.’’
Staff writers Jerry Reed and John Starbuck
contributed to this report.
Contact staff writer Ken Ellsworth at
676-6777 or ellsworthk@abinews.com.
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Copyright ©2001,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps. Publications
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