Date: Fri 14-Jul-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

a3-Trinity-Carlson-Bancroft-

Full Text:

Trinity Named In Lawsuit

Trinity Church and its former rector Greg Carlson-Bancroft have been named in

a civil suit along with St Christopher Episcopal Church in Roseville, Minn.,

according to a July 5 letter sent to the Newtown parish by Interim Rector

Charles Huffman.

The letter states, "The complaint against Trinity is negligence and vicarious

liability concerning some incidents that the Plaintiff alleges accurred

between herself and Greg, while she was visiting Trinity in October, 1993. He

had invited her to come here from his previous parish in Minnesota to lead a

one-day Youth Ministry Workshop."

The matter is being handled by the diocese and the insurance company. "I have

been assured that we have no financial exposure and that they will do

everything that needs to be done to answer the complaint," said Father Huffman

in the letter.

In June, 1994, Mr Carlson-Bancroft was asked to resign from his position at

Trinity by the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut due to "an

inappropriate crossing of pastoral boundaries, an abuse of priestly power." On

April 20, 1995, the bishop deposed the former rector.

Although the past year has been difficult for the parish, Father Huffman hopes

the distress caused by the incident is behind them.

"In a sense, the matter will never be over, and has already become a part of

the history of Trinity," he stated. "The Good News is that Christ will redeem

any human mistake or sin, and what happened here will be no exception."