Jury to hear case of woman suing pastor for fall during prayer

 

 

Jury to hear case of woman suing pastor for fall during prayerMount Hope also named defendant

Kathleen Lavey
Lansing State Journal

A woman who struck her head while praying fervently at Mount Hope Church in 2002 will pursue her case against Pastor Dave Williams and the church at an Eaton County jury trial set for Monday.

In a July 2005 complaint, Judith Dadd claims she answered a call to the altar, where church members often "are overcome by the Spirit of the Lord" - they sway, move or collapse to the floor while praying.

Dadd claims that on previous altar calls, trained ushers were available to catch those who fell to the ground. When she fell in 2002, she says, no one caught her.

Dadd also claims in the suit that immediately after her injury, Williams and the church, where she was a 12-year member and involved in the women's ministry, ignored her need for first aid, comfort from the trauma and shock and spiritual support and fellowship.

The trial is scheduled before Eaton County Circuit Judge Calvin Osterhaven.

Dadd, of Lansing, seeks damages exceeding $25,000 for the July 18, 2002 incident at a church leadership conference.

Randolph Bodwin, an East Lansing attorney for the defendants reached Thursday evening, said the court issued an order prohibiting all parties from discussing the case with the media.

Dadd's lawyer, Kristen Krol, did not return calls for comment.

Dadd originally filed her lawsuit in July 2005, and amended it in August 2006 to include claims of libel and slander against Williams.

Dadd claims that Williams slandered her by discussing her case with other church members at a leadership rally on July 21, 2005, and that he referred to the case in a letter sent that fall to some members of the congregation.

"The Bible, uh, ethics and God's word says that Christians are not to sue Christians," the suit quotes Williams as saying at the rally, " ... and so we have to assume that if that's the case, that she must have renounced the faith, and that's what I am very concerned about, that she has renounced her faith in Jesus, just for the sake of, uh, you know, mammon."

The suit also claims a letter sent by Williams to some congregation members in October 2005 contained "defamatory material" about her.

The suit cites emotional and physical issues including head trauma, scalp lacerations, post-concussion syndrome, chronic daily headaches and tinnitus, or ringing in the ears. The suit also claims she suffers from features of depression, including chronic fatigue, memory loss and loss of concentration.

In a 2001 article, Christianity Today magazine listed the top 10 legal threats for churches. Among them: Negligence suits filed by church members and negligence suits filed by members of the public.

Mount Hope Church, affiliated with the Assemblies of God, has more than 4,000 members. Its 43-acre complex on Creyts Road includes a worship facility with a 3,000-seat auditorium and a healing center. It conducts a variety of ministries, and its past outreach efforts have included mass distribution of books and DVDs and paid television programs broadcasting the church's message.