Former pastor at Oakville megachurch faces new sexual abuse allegations
Published August 15, 2022 at 12:41 pm
An Oakville megachurch says it has “substantiated” additional allegations of sexual abuse and another allegation as sexual misconduct, including one case that involved a minor, against former pastor Bruxy Cavey.
In a video released this weekend by the Meeting House, co-chair of the Overseers Board Bruce Miller revealed that an investigation by the church had substantiated two additional allegations of sexual abuse against Cavey, while a third allegation was substantiated as sexual misconduct.
Cavey, 57, was previously charged with sexual abuse by Hamilton police in June for his alleged abuse of a churchgoer.
The pastor, who had been with the church since 1997, was placed on leave of absence in December 2021 and then resigned in early March after a church investigation into those allegations found that he had abused his power and authority as a pastor and that his actions amounted to sexual harassment.
Cavey would say in a blog that the allegations were “an extramarital affair.”
“In this second investigation, two sets of claims of sexual abuse by a church leader have been substantiated,” said Miller in the video. ” In a third, his actions have been found to be substantiated of sexual misconduct. In one case, the victim was underaged when the abuse took place.”
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The church also said that it had substantiated an allegation of sexual abuse made against former senior pastor Tim Day.
Day has not been criminally charged.
“He chose not to participate in the investigation and was provided with multiple opportunities to do so,” said Miller. “With respect to the victim’s allegations against Tim Day, sexual abuse by a church leader was also substantiated.”
One of Canada’s largest churches, drawing nearly 5,000 people at 19 campuses in the Toronto metropolitan area, the Meeting House has received numerous allegations relating to sexual misconduct, abuse and harassment.
Former pastors Dave Churchill and Kie Naidoo faced previous criminal charges.
“In all cases, the victims have suffered great harm, including psychologically, emotionally and spiritually,” said Miller. “We grieve deeply to the harm that was done to individuals in our church. We also acknowledge the courage of those who stepped forward and we are grateful for their bravery and willingness to be vulnerable.
“As a church leadership, we humbly and profoundly apologize to them for the pain they have experienced at the hand of the Meeting House pastors whom they and we trusted.”
The Meeting House hosted a Town Hall in Oakville on Sunday night.
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