Two women are suing multiple United Methodist Churches in Ohio, alleging the churches failed to report and prevent sexual abuse by a former music director despite knowing of his past convictions.



We’re all familiar with the highs and lows of church. It’s essential to our overall well-being, but its people often don’t act like our God. Not only that, but sometimes, important matters get swept under the rug rather than dealt with or brought to the surface. One thing many of us never ponder, however, is what happens when the church won’t take a stand for justice against federal crimes.

In Ohio, two women have filed a complaint against multiple United Methodist Churches, noting that they refused to file sexual abuse claims from a former church music leader. While the women are unnamed, we know that they are Ohio residents being legally represented by the Orlando, Florida-based Newsome Law, P.A., and the Cleveland, Ohio-based Spangenberg Shibley and Liber LLP.

According to the Christian Post, complaints were filed against the UMC General Council, the UMC West Ohio Conference, the UMC Great Miami River District, Christian UMC of Baltimore, Ohio, Parkview UMC of Plain City, Ohio, and the United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH Family Services). The victims note that they were abused as minors under the music director’s care, explaining that he was “a former cult member living in Venezuela.”

The perpetrator has been identified as John Slate, and research has shown that he was convicted of sexual conduct with a minor in 2017 and 2019. Despite this evidence, the two women have struggled to get the United Methodist Churches to take legal action.

As noted by their representative, “Defendants are liable to Plaintiffs for failing to prevent and stop sexual abuse of which they had actual and/or constructive knowledge; for authorizing, condoning, ratifying, and encouraging policies and practices that permitted abuse; and for creating and maintaining a culture and conditions at St. Andrew and Parkview that enabled Slate to repeatedly abuse Plaintiffs.”

So far, the UMC West Ohio Conference confirmed that a lawsuit has been filed, and they “take these complaints seriously.” While expressing this care, the records indicate that while Slate was working for St. Andrew UMC in 2014, “Defendants did not report Slate’s crime to the police” and “did not follow the Safe Sanctuaries Protocol of the United Methodist Church.” Not only did the Church allow Slate to keep his employment, but they also protected him by moving him to Parkview.

As justice is sought after, these women aren’t asking for much; they’re asking for what should’ve already taken place. Dustin Herman, partner at Spangenberg, notes, “because there was an injustice done and our clients are looking to get justice from those accountable.”

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