Reassuring a congregation

For two years Newport Harbor Lutheran Church leaders were able to keep quiet about the police investigation surrounding their finances. Detectives told them the more people who knew, the more likely the suspects would be tipped off.

But when Cheryl Granger, who goes by her middle name Lean (“Lee-Ann”), was flown from her New Hampshire home back to Orange County last week to face charges of embezzling $320,000 from the church, there was no fighting it any longer, church leaders said.

“We knew there were some bills that hadn’t been paid. But we didn’t connect it. We didn’t want to believe anything like this could happen,” said Virginia Hawker, a member of the congregation. “It just didn’t seem real.”

Church officials said they have been on the phones since Monday calling worshipers to explain what Granger is accused of, and why they couldn’t mention it before.

Granger pleaded not guilty Monday to eight felony charges with multiple sentencing enhancements related to her 3 ½-year stint as the office manager and bookkeeper at the church. She could be sentenced for up to nine years and eight months if convicted.

Prosecutors say between September 2002 and February 2006 Granger addressed more than 170 checks to her husband, Richard Granger Jr., their business, her credit card and herself by forging officials’ signatures.

Efforts to reach Richard Granger in New Hampshire and Cheryl Granger’s lawyer were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Richard Granger Jr. is also being investigated, but no charges have been filed, Newport Beach Sgt. Evan Sailor said.

Pastor John Embree said the church is working with the government during the investigation and is also trying to reassure the congregation to have faith in the church.

“What you’re talking about is trust. It really shakes congregations. Congregations are living entities. If one part gets hurt, it’ll affect the whole,” Embree said. “When the trust level gets corrupted then some people are sensing something isn’t right, others aren’t listening because they’re focused elsewhere. We’ve had members leave.”

The church has about 200 members, down significantly from the early ’90s, Embree said.

Newport Harbor Lutheran has been in transition for some time, Embree said.

A few years after the Rev. David Monge took over as pastor in the late ’90s, he died from brain cancer.

The interim pastor stayed for a few years until Embree arrived in 2006. Embree said he is trained in working congregations through troubled times.

“It is no longer our issue with [Granger] because she’s not being tried by the Newport Harbor Lutheran Church. She’s being tried for offenses against the State of California,” Embree said. “Our job is to refocus on who we are and what we do.”

A majority of the money missing was supposed to pay taxes, Embree said. The government has been understanding, and the church is not in danger of closing, Embree said.

“We will survive. I think God needs a church and a ministry here,” he said.

For now, officials continue to update the congregation. The district attorney, police and church officials plan to meet with worshipers to answer any of the congregation’s questions sometime soon, Embree said. He expects a lot of questions.

“Every day you open up the paper and you’re shocked at what you see,” Hawker said.

NEWPORT HARBOR LUTHERAN CHURCH

 The church, at 798 Dover Drive in Newport Beach, has a small congregation of about 200 people.

 It started in 1945 and moved to its current location in 1970.

 Services are generally every Sunday at 9:15 a.m. and Holy Communion services on Wednesdays at 7 a.m.

 The church also houses a preschool, which helps the church remain financially solvent.

 Church officials are currently working toward hiring a new full-time pastor. Pastor John Embree is serving as interim.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.