Ky. Church to Ordain Registered Sex Offender
A church in Louisville, Ky., plans to ordain a registered sex offender this coming Sunday though they won't allow him to have unsupervised contact with children.
About ten years ago, Mark Hourigan was charged with sodomizing, sexually abusing and intimidating an 11-year-old boy and ended up serving time in prison.
Since then, Hourigan has been released from prison, completed his probation time, and joined the City of Refuge Worship Center, where he now leads praise and worship.
Though some congregants have expressed concerns regarding Hourgian's ordination, Pastor Randy Meadows told a local ABC affiliate that the Lord touched Hourigan's heart.
Furthermore, Hourigan will be signing agreement not to minister to children.
Despite the reassurances, the Pentecostal church's plan to ordain a sex offender has resulted in the departure of some of the church congregants who are concerned that he will re-offend.
Notably, City of Refuge boasts itself as being "a GLBT affirming church" that accepts and welcomes "everyone regardless of race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and/or social-economic status" and "are here to love and support all of our brothers and sisters in the Lord."
