- December 4, 2025
Patricia Redman joins the protestors at the entrance of Riverbend Community Church located at 2080 W. Granada Blvd. to stand in support of victims who reported abuse by certain leaders of the church. Photo by Michele Meyers
Patricia Redman joins the protestors at the entrance of Riverbend Community Church located at 2080 W. Granada Blvd. to stand in support of victims who reported abuse by certain leaders of the church. Photo by Michele Meyers
Protestors bring signs to the entrance of Riverbend Community Church located at 2080 W. Granada Blvd. to stand in support of victims who reported abuse by certain leaders of the church. Photo by Michele Meyers
Protestors bring signs to the entrance of Riverbend Community Church located at 2080 W. Granada Blvd. to stand in support of victims who reported abuse by certain leaders of the church. Photo by Michele Meyers
Protestors bring signs to the entrance of Riverbend Community Church located at 2080 W. Granada Blvd. to stand in support of victims who reported abuse by certain leaders of the church. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach police officer John Lyster (right) asks protestors to move back from the edge of the road for safety reasons. Photo by Michele Meyers
Patricia Redman joins the protestors at the entrance of Riverbend Community Church located at 2080 W. Granada Blvd. to stand in support of victims who reported abuse by certain leaders of the church. Photo by Michele Meyers
Protestors gather close to the entrance of the Riverbend Community Church on W. Granada Blvd. to stand in support of victims who reported abuse by certain leaders of the church. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas High School student Makayla Hamrick protests against Riverbend Church where victims have reported abuse by some of its leaders. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas High School student Alaina Hamrick protests against Riverbend Church where victims have reported abuse by some of its leaders. Photo by Michele Meyers
Matanzas High School students and siblings Alaina (left) and Makayla Hamrick (right) join their mom Patricia Redman in the protest at the entrance of the Riverbend Community Church property on W. Granada Blvd. Photo by Michele Meyers
Protestors met on a small strip of land between the entrance to the Riverbend Community Church and Old Tomoka Farm Road on Sunday, Sep. 7, to show support for victims who recently accused church leaders of sexual and psychological abuse, some of it dating back 20 years.
The protestors also opposed the ideologies on women and children by the church and Riverbend Academy, which are located at 2080 W. Granada Blvd.
Ormond Beach Police opened an investigation into Riverbend on Aug. 18, after receiving a tip concerning sexual allegations dating back to the early 2000s involving the church.
On Aug. 21, an anonymous letter was published on Substack, a media platform, sharing accounts of the abuse victims say took place at the church by members in positions of authority. The letter, which included statistics from a survey of 63 women within the church community, stated that 66.7% of them said they were actively discouraged by church leadership from pursuing higher education. A majority, 77.8%, reported feeling inferior to men because "they had been taught it was their 'biblical role,'" according to the letter.
Men should learn how to stand up and be protective and not suppress women and children in order for them to feel masculine. That is not masculinity and it’s not biblical masculinity. That’s actually abuse." — PATRICIA REDMAN, owner of Haute Mess Beauty & Wellness
One worship leader at the church has since been removed from his position due to the allegations. Pastor Josh Brown told members in a meeting on Aug. 13 that the church was "exploring a third-party organization to potentially do an evaluation to determine where there is any truth, where there is any falsehood, to seek to exonerate any names that are accused, and as well as know how we can improve overall, our church as an organization."
The protest's organizers requested to remain anonymous, in consideration of community members and fear of retribution. Patricia Redman, the owner of Haute Mess Beauty & Wellness in Ormond Beach, was joined by her daughters Alaina and Makayla Hamrick.
Redman, whose sons attended Riverbend Academy, said she was there to stand up for all the women that have said they were sexually abused when they were minors by church staff and people in leadership positions.
She also questioned the academy's viewpoint on women.
“No person’s value is found in a man,” she said. “A person’s value is found in Jesus Christ. Self-worth is not based on whether you’re married, can have children or choose to have children or even choose to be married. A person’s value is not found in any other individual, let alone, a suppressive man. Men should learn how to stand up and be protective and not suppress women and children in order for them to feel masculine. That is not masculinity and it’s not biblical masculinity. That’s actually abuse.”
The Observer reached out to Riverbend Community Church for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Managing Editor Jarleene Almenas contributed to this story.
