Rev. Stephanie L. Remington Suspended Amid Allegations of Involvement with Jeffrey Epstein: Missouri Conference Takes Action
A former pastor from North Kansas City and Lee’s Summit, Rev. Stephanie L. Remington, has been suspended after her involvement in managing Jeffrey Epstein’s private island was revealed. Bishop Robert Farr of The United Methodist Church in Missouri placed her on leave pending further investigation. Remington worked as Epstein’s administrative assistant and property manager on Little Saint James Island from August 2018 to May 2019. Despite her close association with Epstein, she claims she never witnessed any abuse on the island. However, her name appears in around 1,800 documents related to Epstein's files on the U.S. Department of Justice website, mainly discussing her work operations.
Remington has not been accused of any crime, and her suspension is temporary for 90 days. The Missouri Conference was unaware of her ties to Epstein and did not know about her previous employment. Before her involvement with Epstein, Remington served as a pastor at various churches in Missouri. She claimed to have been involved in extension ministry through the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary during her time with Epstein, but it was later discovered that she had only worked there as a part-time contractor in 2017 and 2018. This discrepancy, along with her association with Epstein, led to her suspension.
The Missouri Conference emphasized the importance of upholding high standards of spiritual and moral leadership among clergy. They expressed concern for the survivors of Epstein’s crimes and stated that they are committed to a thorough review of the situation. The suspension of Rev. Stephanie L. Remington serves as a response to the serious nature of the allegations and the need for accountability in the church community.