BishopAccountability.org
	Teen's Suit Claims Church Failed to Stop Sexual Abuse By Aimee Green The Oregonian March 21, 2008 http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/120607174216560.xml&coll=7 A teenage boy is suing New Song Community Church for $2.1 million, claiming the church didn't do enough to stop a youth pastor who the lawsuit says sexually abused him on a camping trip. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court, claims that pastor Jeremey S. Thompson gained the trust of the boy, then 16, because of his position at the church. In late July 2006, Thompson took the boy and two others on an overnight camping trip to Bagby Hot Springs. The suit claims he forced the boy to undress, have his photo taken and engage in sexual games. Thompson, now 31, was convicted in August 2007 of attempted coercion as part of a plea agreement. He was sentenced to 10 days in jail and ordered to undergo a sex-offender evaluation, said attorney Randall Wolfe, who is representing the boy. Among other complaints, the suit claims that the church allowed Thompson to supervise teens "after it knew of his propensity to use his position as a pastor to engage in acts of sexual abuse." Chuck Lindholm, an associate pastor of the church on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Portland, said Thompson was hired as an interim youth pastor in the summer of 2006. Lindholm said church leaders knew Thompson was going on the outing with the boys, but it was on his own time and wasn't a church-sanctioned event. Thompson was asked to leave in September because of "questionable judgment and character," Lindholm said. At the time, Lindholm said the church was unaware of the sexual allegations against Thompson that later would lead to criminal charges. Lindholm said his church was shocked and horrified to learn of the charges, and it has offered the victims counseling. Aimee Green:503-294-5119; aimeegreen@news.oregonian.com
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.