February 03, 2005

Church wants Gilpin to stay

MANATEE (FL)
Bradenton Herald

RICHARD DYMOND
Herald Staff Writer

MANATEE - Fellow church members of a man accused of molesting two boys in the 1960s have offered their public support to him and will not ask him to resign from the church's vestry.

Christ Episcopal Church officials cited Joseph Gilpin's service to the church, including teaching a sexual molestation awareness course for adults called "Safeguarding God's Children."

Gilpin's decades of service prompted the church to back him amid the allegations made public last week, said the Rev. Kerry Robb, the interim rector of Christ Episcopal Church on Manatee Avenue West.

"I have received letters from church members saying the allegations against him are unproven and we should support him," Robb said. "And that is our posture. We are going to continue to support him."

Posted by kshaw at February 3, 2005 07:28 AM