The Servants of the Word

Ed Conlin allegedly abused women and girls in Belfast in the 1990s. He later worked as a substance abuse counselor in Detroit, and the brotherhood didn’t disclose the boundaries around young people he was to follow.

How the all-male, Christian religious order called The Servants of the Word has come under scrutiny after sex abuse accusations and convictions among its members. Also, a group of Pontiac residents banded together to help immigrants in their community as ICE presence persists. Plus, how Mid-Michigan authors are writing about their own region from the ground up, creating a regional guide inspired by the Federal Writers’ Project.

Sexual assault survivors file lawsuits against Servants of the Word, a rock-hunting rehab center, and how Alisa Alousi's Iraqi heritage shaped new poem book.

The survivors outlined a handful of civil lawsuits against the Michigan-based ecumenical society The Servants of the Word and its umbrella organization, The Sword of the Spirit.

Back in January, Michigan Radio shared the story of how a man escaped prosecution after multiple families accused him of sexually abusing their kids.…

About 60 celibate men make up a Christian brotherhood called The Servants of the Word — “living single for the Lord,” as they put it. They live communally, sharing money and possessions. The home base is near Chelsea, Michigan but the group has houses all over the world.