1 Florida United Methodist Review Online

Two pastors arrested, surrender credentials

By Michael Wacht

TAMPA — Two pastors from the Tampa District were arrested within two weeks of each other last month on unrelated sex charges. Both have surrendered their ministry credentials to Tampa District Superintendent David Brazelton.

Lawrence W. Kilbourn, 43, former pastor of Forest Hills United Methodist Church, was arrested by federal authorities Oct. 21 on one count of receiving child pornography via his computer after voluntarily turning himself in to police. He surrendered his credentials as an ordained elder Oct. 15.

James D. Hug, 29, former pastor of Cork United Methodist Church, was arrested Oct. 26 on one count of sexual battery and 12 counts of lewd and lascivious behavior. He surrendered his credentials as an ordained deacon and probationary member Oct. 27.

Brazelton said members of both churches were shocked at the allegations, but are beginning to work through their feelings.

The churches are now being served by interim pastors. The Rev. Kathleen Phillippsborn, who served as an intern at Forest Hills while attending Wesley Theological Seminary, is now providing pastoral leadership there. The Rev. Bill Fisakerly III is interim pastor at Cork, where he served for three years after his retirement in 1994.

While he hopes to have new pastors appointed to the churches by the end of the year, Brazelton said the interim pastors agreed to serve until June.

“We are doing everything we can to find the best possible pastors for them,” he said.

Church responds with healing

While the events in Tampa have brought sadness, there is also compassion and offers of help to the churches, potential victims and their families, according to a statement from the Florida Conference episcopal office.

“There is ongoing ministry…through the office of the district superintendent, as well as the sensitive ministry of the interim pastors assigned to the two congregations,” the statement said. “There is prayer for the former pastors…support of their families.”

Brazelton has hired professional counselors to work with church members and is planning workshops, two at Forest Hills and one at Cork, to help church members express and deal with their feelings.

“The workshops will help people deal with the lack of trust that has developed,” he said. “The most important thing a pastor has going for him or her is trust.”

At Faith United Methodist Church in Bradenton, where Kilbourn was the founding pastor and served from 1986 to 1995, the Rev. Doug Pareti held a special prayer service Oct. 27. Pareti invited pastors from local churches and local professional counselors, some of whom attend the church, to present a brief message and prayer to the congregation. On the back of the service’s bulletin, he listed local counselors who have offered to help affected church members.

The Florida Conference has also offered to assist anyone who might be a victim of child pornography or sexual or child abuse arising out of any relationship with either Kilbourn or Hug, according to Paul Butler, the conference’s chancellor.

The conference authorized district superintendents to pay for counseling with a licensed psychologist or psychotherapist for potential victims. District superintendents have also been asked to make referrals to qualified local counselors.

“The funds are being made available…on an emergency basis out of concern for those who may be affected,” Butler said.

Screening process designed to develop pastors, protect people

While a search is now on for “the best possible pastors” for the two Tampa area churches, the Rev. David Dodge, executive director of the Board of Ordained Ministry of the Florida Annual Conference, says the board is constantly and prayerfully working to provide conference churches with qualified ministers.

Every person who wants to become an ordained or licensed pastor in the conference must go through a series of steps by which the conference determines that person’s competency for ministry, according to Dodge.

“The process is two-fold,” Dodge said. “It is designed to find candidates for ministry and assist them in their growth toward reaching the status for which they have applied. It is also designed to protect members of congregations and the community from individuals who want to use the church to live out inappropriate behavior.”

Each candidate goes through a psychological assessment, a police background check, and a series of interviews at the district and conference levels; provides four confidential references; and is assigned a mentor who helps assess his or her fitness for ministry.

Once ordained, new ministers are required to attend an orientation within the first year of ministry, which includes an extensive training component on preventing sexual misconduct.

“There are several kinds of nets in place through which a person must pass,” Dodge said. “It’s a process steeped in prayer. When the Board has a tough decision to make about a candidate, they discern what needs to be done, and they do it prayerfully. They wrestle with that decision, but they never shy away from it.”

The episcopal office said the conference continues in its efforts to “offer our children and youth safe, secure sanctuaries in which to grow ‘in wisdom and in stature and in divine and human favor.’ ” It also called on congregations to be certain that everyone involved in ministry to youth and children is “of the highest caliber.”

“Even while deeply perplexed by the events of these past few days, we move forward in our witness for Jesus Christ,” the statement said. “We redouble our efforts to let the little children know that Jesus loves them.”