Church to Pay for Sermon ‘Humiliation’

SPARTA, N.J. —  An Episcopal church has agreed to pay $42,500 to a woman who accused a pastor of humiliating her and her family when he gave sermons urging tolerance of her gay ex-husband.

Karen Scott of Sparta sued St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and its former pastor, the Rev. John Nieman, for his public chastising of parishioners who wanted Scott’s former husband, the church’s choirmaster, to be more discreet about his homosexuality.

Scott’s ex-husband was hired by St. Mary’s in 1982. The couple divorced in 1992 after the husband admitted he was actively homosexual, according to the lawsuit.

The former husband then invited his male companion to attend services at the church, distressing the Scotts’ 15-year-old son, according to the complaint.

A former church rector persuaded the choirmaster to use “proper discretion” in church. But after Nieman arrived in 1994, Scott’s former husband again brought his companion to services.

During this time Nieman took to the pulpit before the congregation and, using the names of the people involved, criticized those in his flock who wanted the choirmaster to be discreet.

In settling the lawsuit, the church admitted no wrongdoing.