Why? He’s admitted to molesting a teen aged boy 25 years ago and stands accused of a long history of harassment (of the victim). His church suspended him for 3 years, but he can reapply for his position once the suspension is up. This case violates my first rule for stopping clergy sexual abuse – never let an offender back in the pulpit – ever! But I guess the UCC plays nice. I wonder if they have a union?
Sexual abuse of a teenage boy three decades ago and long-running harassment of the victim were the reasons for the suspension in July of Rev. William “Mac” Bigelow as pastor of the United Church of Christ (UCC) of Northeast Harbor and Seal Harbor, according to a church review panel’s report.
The committee on ministry of the Hancock-Waldo Association of the Maine Conference of the UCC determined that Rev. Bigelow, who was minister of the church for 32 years, was “unfit for ministry at this time” and suspended him for a minimum of three years.
Oh – and the bow tie. I have a morbid fear of pastors in bow ties
