Former Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston returned to the pulpit on Sunday after completing a prison term for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Caldwell, who pastored Windsor Village for decades and who served as a spiritual advisor for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, was indicted in 2018 after being accused of defrauding investors out of nearly $3.6 million.
The investments were Chinese bonds issued by the former Republic of China, which lost power to the Communist party in 1949. The current Chinese government does not recognize the bonds as legitimate, rendering them worthless.
Caldwell maintained his innocence after being indicted, but he pleaded guilty in 2020. In 2021, he was sentenced to six years in prison.
In September 2024, Caldwell was released to home confinement.
On Sunday (Aug. 10), Caldwell made his return to Windsor Village. As he took the stage, Caldwell received a standing ovation.
While Caldwell said that the United Methodist Church had reappointed his wife, Suzette Caldwell, as the senior pastor of Windsor Village, Caldwell himself, who surrendered his ministerial credentials after being indicted, had already passed the denomination’s mandatory retirement age and would not be reinstated.
“So even if I wanted to bogard my way back up in here as a senior pastor, I couldn’t,” said Caldwell. He nevertheless was onstage to preach that morning.
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Referring to rumors about his reinstatement as senior pastor that circulated online, Caldwell said, “It’s amazing to me how when folks say something bad about you, and it’s not true, nobody wants to fix that. Let that ride.”
