DECATUR, IL — An internal audit at Cornerstone Community Church has confirmed the existence of two fully active checking accounts opened under the church’s name, both maintained continuously since 1987, by two different men who each believed himself to be the church’s treasurer.

The discovery was made in February when an incoming associate pastor cross-referenced the church’s tax filings with its bank statements and noticed that monthly utility payments were being drafted from an account nobody on the current finance committee recognized. Further investigation revealed that Gerald Foss, 74, and Dennis Albright, 71, had each been faithfully reconciling their respective ledgers, submitting separate year-end reports to separate church committees, and attending separate quarterly finance meetings that neither knew the other was holding.

“I’ve been treasurer since Pastor Hendricks asked me after the 1986 fall retreat,” Foss said. “Forty years. Never missed a month.”

Albright said the same thing, almost word for word, including the fall retreat.

“Between the two of them, every bill has been paid on time for thirty-nine years. Theologically, I’m not sure what to do with that.” — Rev. Carl Hutchins, 58, Senior Pastor

The combined accounts hold a total of $31,400. The finance committee has convened to determine which account is official, which treasurer is official, and whether either question needs to be answered before the spring building fund drive.

Both men have declined to resign. Both men have offered to train their replacement.

At press time, a third man named Ron had come forward saying he thought he was the treasurer, having also been asked after a fall retreat, in 1994.