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	'Reconciliation' Brings Settlement for Church By Linda Leicht News-Leader June 11, 2006 http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060611/NEWS01/606110382/1007 Missouri United Methodists learned Saturday morning that the conference will have to pay less than a quarter of a $6 million lawsuit award issued a year ago. Teresa Norris and her husband, Sid Norris, sued the conference in 2002, alleging that the Rev. David Finestead raped her in 1998 when she was music minister and he was pastor at Campbell United Methodist Church. Finestead, who died shortly after the verdict, was not criminally charged in connection with the assault and did not testify. A suit against him was filed but has never gone to trial. Norris' suit against the conference claimed church officials had not responded adequately to complaints about Finestead, ultimately leaving her in danger. A Greene County jury agreed, ordering the conference to pay Norris $2 million in compensatory damages and $4 million in punitive damages. Judge J. Miles Sweeney later reduced the punitive damages to $1 million. During the state conference's annual meeting, it was announced that a settlement had been reached in the case for $1.475 million. "I'm pleased to have it resolved," said the Rev. Barry Freese after the announcement. Freese, who served several churches in the Springfield area until last year, is a clergy delegate for Broadway United Methodist Church in Kansas City. Church chancellor Larry Tucker spoke Saturday morning to an estimated 1,500 clergy and lay delegates. He explained that the conference had appealed the judgment. After posting a $2.7 million appeal bond and reviewing the 15-volume trial transcript, the conference began negotiations with the Norrises, who had appealed to have the original award reinstated, Tucker said. As negotiations appeared to go nowhere "there was a voice sounding in the ears of the legal advocates," said Tucker. "It was the voice of the bishop (Robert Schnase)." That voice was calling for "reconciliation," Tucker said. So the conference moved from legal negotiations to calling for mediation. In May, the parties met with a mediator in Springfield and ultimately agreed to the settlement, in which the conference admits no liability. "It was a good decision," said the Rev. Sherry Habben, associate pastor at Salem United Methodist Church in Ladue. She pointed especially to the effort to find "reconciliation." The conference will have to pay about $1 million of the settlement from its budget, said Tucker. Of the balance, insurance covers $300,000, and other United Methodists conferences will contribute $100,000. "Since the trial, other conferences have gone out of their way to offer support," said Tucker. Listing the offers from various conferences, the delegates broke into applause when he told them the Louisiana conference offered $30,000. The offers totaled $200,000, but Missouri accepted only half of the amount offered, he said. It was that part of the announcement that touched Richard Norris (no relation to Teresa or Sid Norris), a lay delegate for the Branson United Methodist Church. "Generally speaking, I'm very pleased with the settlement, especially learning that the other conferences were so generous and kind, reaching out financially and in prayer," he said. Steve Cox, director of connectional ministries for the conference, said budget cuts have been made since the May 2005 verdict. The parties to the suit are not allowed to speak to the media about the settlement, said Karen Gordy-Panhorst, spokeswoman for the conference. The agreement only allows the conference to inform its church members. The Norrises also declined to speak about the settlement because of the agreement. TASK FORCE ESTABLISHED In a separate response to the lawsuit, the conference established a task force to consider clergy accountability standards, especially in an effort to prevent sexual misconduct, abuse and harassment. Susan Marner-Sides, a member of the task force, presented its report, called "Highest Ideals," which summarizes changes to existing policies. "We've made a promise, a covenant ... but we haven't always kept it," Marner-Sides said of the clergy. "That has led to heartache ... and lawsuits." Among the changes are heightened expectations regarding background checks and other evaluations of incoming clergy, to be done at least every four years for existing clergy. Allegations of sexual misconduct, such as those made against Finestead, by church members and employees are to be investigated and appropriate corrective action taken. "This is a complete dedication of ourselves to the highest standards of Christian life," Marner-Sides said. Jill Catt of Springfield, a long-time member of Campbell United Methodist, testified for Norris at the trial. She called for the church to enact such a policy "so that this tragic event will not be repeated." Catt said she hoped the "United Methodist Conference would simply do the right thing," she said. "The Methodist church has taught me for many years that as Christians we are held to a high standard in how we treat all of God's children." "The Norris family deserves to be treated with the fairness, compassion and respect they deserve. The church must act in a manner in which it teaches and requires its people to act. The conference will continue through this afternoon. Information about the conference and "Highest Ideals" are available on the conference Web site, www.moumethodist.org.
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