Rector's Note: Pay attention to that little questioning voice - 12.18.25

The phishing scammers are in full force this holiday season, more aggressive than ever.  For the last two weeks I’ve been receiving a steady stream of emails and phone calls alerting me to the fact that someone using my name and title is asking parishioners for several hundred dollars worth of Target gift cards to help those in need. Those that respond get pulled into a back-and-forth email conversation that gets more demanding with each reply, ultimately being asked to send the Target cards’ numbers over email to the bad actors running the scam.

              I’ve sent out two parish e-blasts this week and last explaining how the phishing scam works and how to report it to Gmail, and there is also information in this newsletter if one of these scams hits your email in-box.

              Even though these types of scams are perennial, and they hit churches and universities and other caring organizations all the time, I still find them personally alarming.  Someone has taken my name, appealed to my parishioners to respond, used prayer and religious language to appeal to their generous natures, and then has been insistent and demanding, and has tried to take their money.

 It makes me a little sick to think about that exchange between bad actors and my kindhearted parishioners. Especially because the flow of messages looks a lot like the grooming behavior that should raise red flags in church settings – the offer of personal compliments, the request for secrecy.

And these scams often surface just when we’re legitimately trying to encourage people to invest in the poor, or in the parish, or in care for others. How can you sort out what is real from what is a scam?

              One of the consistent things that I’m told when people alert me to these emails is that they thought that something seemed off, that it didn’t sound quite right. It’s this little voice that I want to focus on with this reflection, because it is an essential voice to pay attention to, not just with email scams but with all authority, including religious leaders.  My first spiritual director called it “paying attention to the little uncomfortables.” Sometimes they are God speaking, as well as reason.

              When a religious leader makes a request, it can be hard to say no. The office itself exudes a lot of power. I was both deeply touched and deeply troubled to learn that some of the people who received these phishing emails bought gift cards and were well on their way to delivering them. I was touched at the quick generosity of our people, at the willingness to drop everything and help the “rector” when asked.  And I was deeply troubled at how vulnerable we are, and how damaging the power of my position as rector can be.

              That first inclination to question a strange request can be overcome with the desire to find a reasonable explanation for the unusual language or atypical expectation – the odd email address could be a personal one; the urgent tone could come with the hectic schedule; the over-the-top religious language could just be a talk of the trade. It’s understandable. I do it too.

              This may seem strange coming from the rector, but I want to encourage you to take a big, long pause before reasoning away this kind of discomfort, especially when it’s at the hands of religious authority, mine or anyone else’s. It’s worth asking, what is strange or off-putting about this request? How might I check this out, or express my doubts before following through on it?

              In my profession, unquestioned authority has given clergy the power to manipulate vulnerable members -- sexually, economically, or emotionally. It has allowed them to bully others into getting what they want, creating an environment of fear and resentment. It has empowered religious leaders to distort Scripture, become cult-like, or spread hateful views that go far afield of the gospel.  Perhaps that’s why these phishing scams fill me with such alarm and make me feel so sick– so much damage can be done to people who turn to us in vulnerability and in trust.

              So if a message from me or anyone in religious authority seems off-base, over the top or out of line, please push back, express discomfort, say no, or simply ask – is this really you? Contact me through my official St. Peter’s email – stpeter654rector@gmail.com or call the parish office or my parish cell phone number – 215-702-6073.

              And if it’s a phishing scam, please report it to your email provider. Instructions on reporting gmail scams can be found here. 

There will be no notes for the next two weeks. The Rector's Note will return January 8.