Women Brawl During Communion at Tenn. Church
Police were forced to intervene when communion service was interrupted with a catfight at a Baptist church in Memphis, Tenn.
The fight at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church involved congregants Beverly Milam, Terry Bell and Bell’s daughter, Charra Lumpkin. The fight reportedly erupted shortly after Pastor Frank E. Ray left the pulpit during service on Sunday, Dec. 11.
According to local news station WMC-TV, tensions heightened the Wednesday before at a Bible study, when Milam, who is allegedly a grandmother, told Bell to “stop sleeping around with somebody.”
Then, on Sunday, Bell claims to have been walking away from the choir stand when Milam approached her, sparking the altercation.
There were mixed reports regarding who actually initiated the fight, but multiple sources say another woman named Angel got involved, allegedly hitting Milam in the face with an umbrella. Family members also reportedly got involved in the fight.
Another local new station, WREG, reported that a woman was grabbed by her hair and thrown to the ground.
According to news reports, no serious injuries were sustained. Bell and Lumpkin reportedly walked away with scratches, and Milam suffered a swollen, bloodshot eye.
The fight, dubbed by some as the "communion day catfight," has created a stir among readers.
“I know some pastors would say, ‘think how much worse it could be if they weren’t members of a church.’ Makes me wonder if the church is bearing fruit,” wrote a commenter named “onlinefellowship” on Tumblr.
Police were reportedly investigating the fight and questioning various church members regarding the brawl.
