Women in clergy a growing trend

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: Nov. 30, 2018

Women in clergy a growing trend

By Nicholas Dettmann

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

WEST BEND — Cristy Schoob is grateful and blessed, maybe even a bit lucky, she got the message when she did.

At the end of her sophomore year in high school, she handed her yearbook to her pastor and asked him to sign it. He did so and left a note that set up the rest of her life: “What a minister you would make.”

That was in the mid-1970s, which at that time, a woman in clergy was rare.

In October, the Rev. Eileen R. Campbell-Reed, an academic entrepreneur, seminary professor, author, consultant and mentor/coach, released a 20-page report looking at the state of women in clergy, spanning 40 years (1977-2017). She has published several articles on the practice of ministry, women’s leadership and research method.

In the report, it said mainline denominations, including Unitarian Universalist, United Church of Christ, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and Assemblies of God, combined have 32 percent of their clergy women. UU and UCC have

either more women than men or are even. The clergy is 57 percent women in UU and it’s 50 percent in UCC.

In 1977, that was nowhere near the case.

The denomination with the most women in clergy at that time, according to the report, was Assemblies of God — 11 percent. With other mainline denominations, UU had 6 percent, UCC had 8 percent, Disciples had 9.5 percent. And, on the extreme low end, Episcopal, ELCA, Brethren and Free Methodist were less than 1 percent.

Combined it was 2.8 percent.

The report pointed out Roman Catholic and Southern Baptist don’t permit women in clergy. Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod are the same, but not noted in the report.

That didn’t bother Schoob — she was motivated and inspired. And it appeared she got the all-important message at the perfect time.

According to the report, women in clergy has been steadily increasing since the late 1970s. Schoob graduated from high school in 1976, putting her right

in the middle of a transition period when it appeared more acceptable for a woman to lead a church.

“I think, even for the people coming from mainline denominations, we remember we all go back to Catholic roots, that idea of Jesus being a single male; that was ingrained in people’s minds,” Schoob said. “For some people it was wrong; for others it was odd.”

Women got the right to vote with the 19th Amendment in 1920. Still, in the decades that followed, women struggled to separate themselves as valuable members of society. Schoob said women that pursued clergy in the 1950s and 1960s and plenty of battles for acceptance. Then there was the passing of Title IX, often referred to in sports as the gender equality law, in 1972.

Thus, that’s one reason she is grateful she was in the time period she was. Otherwise, clergy may not have been in her future.

“It was a fight, while I glided through,” Schoob said. “I wasn’t going into the ministry to prove that a woman could do it. I knew I wasn’t going in alone.”

As she worked through the schooling, she noticed women were sitting in faith education classes and that appeared to be OK, which was, in a way, refreshing.

“By the time I got to seminary in 1980, it was almost half of the people studying were female for the clergy,” Schoob said. “If it wasn’t half and half, it was probably 60-40.”

Schoob has been co-pastor Trinity Lutheran Church with her husband, David, for more than 20 years. Overall, she’s been in clergy for 34 years. She and David have been married for 40 years. Their first call was, she said, a “four-point” parish, serving four parishes in western Kansas. Those four parishes were in four towns, two time zones, four zip codes and four school systems.

“We were in the part of Kansas where we thought everything fell off the end of the world,” Schoob said with a smile. “That’s where we were.”

She grew up in Fox Point and religion was a part of her life, going to church when she and her family could. Going into ministry wasn’t something she considered for much of her youth.

“I knew I wanted to do something to help people,” Schoob said. She thought about being a veterinarian or a teacher.

When she reached her teen years, she went through youth ministry and confirmation classes. She remembered the pastor at her church, who was fresh out of seminary.

“He just jumped in with both feet and I saw him

make a huge difference,” Schoob said.

That, coupled with the message he left in her yearbook, Schoob had settled on a career path she hasn’t regretted.

“It felt right,” she said referring to her early studies in pursuit of leadership in faith.

“I’ve never regretted following the call,” Schoob said. “I love what I do. We’ve been blessed to end up in fabulous places, working with fabulous people.”

The report shed light on a growing trend, which Schoob said is a hopeful sign of the future with faith.

“The church is needing to change; we’re way behind,” she said. “It must be 30 years ago that a book came out called ‘The Frog in the Kettle,’ it talked about the Christian church in general being oblivious to the world changing around it and how to structures have to adapt and change.”

Schoob said, “Here the idea is that this is an important thing and we use our gifts to the best of our ability and we empower the people of our congregation to do that so that it is part of their central, who they are. Women and men both do that, but they come at it different ways and I think it’s good for people to hear both voices.”

Teen sentenced to prison for child enticement, blackmail

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: Nov. 27, 2018

Teen sentenced to prison for child enticement, blackmail

By Nicholas Dettmann

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

WEST BEND — Washington County Judge Andrew Gonring spent more than 20 minutes going over the juvenile criminal record of Braydin Michael Hay during a sentencing hearing Monday.

When finished, Gonring expressed disappointment in the 17-year-old’s inability to take previous penalties and warnings seriously.

“I don’t have sympathy for you,” Gonring said.

He also referred to an appearance in Gonring’s courtroom on Hay’s 17th birthday nearly a year ago, when Gonring warned him if the behavior didn’t stop, serious penalties awaited.

Gonring sentenced Hay to 14 years in the state prison system, four years of initial confinement and 10 years extended supervision.

Hay was charged with seven counts overall, three counts of sexual intercourse with a child and three counts of child enticement, as well as one count of misdemeanor bail jumping.

Hay was convicted and sentenced on one count of child enticement. The remaining charges were dismissed, but considered in sentencing.

The Hubertus teen set up false social media

accounts to coerce victims into sexual activities, then use it as blackmail. In unrelated cases, he impersonated a law enforcement officer and stole and used family credit cards.

Two members of the victim’s family — her grandmother and mother — read prepared statements to the court. The grandmother fighting through tears, said Hay’s actions have “created many sleepless nights” and their security has been compromised. The mother, also fighting tears, said the victim feels “humiliated” and “it breaks my heart” to see the victim struggle.

She also said “you’re a predator and you need to be stopped.”

Then, the victim read an emotional prepared statement to the court.

“Every day I wake up sick to my stomach,” the victim said. “I’m ashamed to look at my family. It has affected my relationships with my friends.”

During the readings, Hay didn’t make eye contact and looked straight ahead.

Letters of character were submitted for Hay, including by his mother, who was commended by the victim and the victim’s family for stepping up and reporting the behavior. Hay’s mother turned in her son once she learned of the behavior when she saw his cellphone.

Hay was given the chance to speak.

“I’m ashamed for my actions in this case,” he said.

He hoped the victim and the victim’s family can find it in their heart to forgive him.

“I realize now I need help,” Hay said. “I take full responsibility for my actions. I’m 17 and I have my whole life ahead of me.”

Hay’s age was a point of emphasis by his attorney, who attributed Hay’s actions to his lack of insight and understanding of their severity and argued for a lighter sentence based on his lack of an adult criminal record.

In the end, Gonring said he couldn’t ignore Hay’s behavior, which he called predatory.

He said in nearly 20 years on the bench, sending a 17year-old to prison isn’t easy. But, in this case, any punishment less than confinement was not realistic.

West Bend’s Carl Kuss field project gets $500K donation; construction to start soon

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)

Published: Nov. 14, 2018

Into scoring position

West Bend’s Carl Kuss field project gets $500K donation; construction to start soon

By Nicholas Dettmann

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

WEST BEND — When the last pitch was thrown in August at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field at Regner Park, it was believed the next pitch there would be on a new baseball diamond and facility.

Despite a lack of construction at the decades-old facility, everything is still on track to be ready for opening day of the WIAA high school baseball season in April.

“We’re still on the goal to have the field ready by the first home game by April 1 or thereabouts,” West Bend Baseball Association board member Craig Larsen said Tuesday. “We’re optimistic.”

On Monday night, the project received a $500,000 donation from West Bend Mutual Insurance Co. It was one of four monetary donations the company made, totaling about $2 million, as a kickoff to its 125th anniversary celebration. Also benefitting from the donations were The Museum of Wisconsin Art, the Historic Downtown West Bend Theater and the West Bend Riverwalk.

Larsen said about $1.4 million has been raised for the renovation of the cornerstone park and baseball field in the city. The projected cost is $2.4 million. The city, the baseball association, the West Bend School District and West Bend Mutual have all chipped in.

In baseball terms, Larsen said, the project is in scoring position and has rounded second base. He believes some other donations that haven’t been finalized should help get the project around third base and across home plate.

“There’s still a lot of excitement,” Larsen said. “Everyone wants to have it done now and see it done because spring baseball is coming up pretty fast. We’re four months away from spring

baseball. Everyone is itching to get something started.”

Some construction is hoped to start soon, work such as tearing up the field, removing the light poles, etc. But as far as tearing down the grandstand, that is to be determined, especially with Enchantment in the Park beginning Nov. 23.

The unknown in this project, Larsen said, will be the weather.

“Who knows what it’ll be like in January, February or March?” Larsen said.

Because of that, Dave Ross, facilities director for the West Bend School District, already has a Plan B if winter stretches into April, like it did this year.

If the field at Regner Park isn’t ready, the West Bend East and West high school baseball teams will play at the high school, next to the soccer complex, until Carl Kuss Memorial Field is ready.

Shortly before the end of last season, the WIAA, the state’s governing body for high school athletics, announced it was cutting summer baseball, citing a lack of participation, that forced East and West to move to spring baseball.

It was not a popular decision by the summer baseball advocates.

“Baseball is meant to be played outside when it’s nice outside,” Larsen said.

Because of that decision, Larsen said, the need to get the project going was accelerated.

Even though construction hasn’t started at the field, that doesn’t mean work hasn’t started, which is why Larsen believes the project is still within the projected timeline.

“The engineering and design work has started,” he said.

“I think you’ll start seeing some things in short order. You could start seeing some things coming down,” Larsen said.

The hope now is that weather will cooperate.

“You’re at the mercy of the weather, permitting, finishing the fundraising,” Larsen said.

Ross said, “It’s one of those projects that depends on the dollars to do it. It’s not like the dollars were set aside. It’s a nice partnership and (we’re) looking forward to getting started on it. We have to be patient.”

Man allegedly steals $50K from Holy Hill

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: Nov. 10, 2018

Man allegedly steals $50K from Holy Hill

Volunteered to count collections

By Nicholas Dettmann

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

WEST BEND — A 75-yearold man is in custody for allegedly stealing an estimated $50,000 — potentially more — from Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians in the town of Erin.

According to online court records, Pierre Valodine of Hubertus appeared in Washington County Court on Thursday in custody in front of Judge Todd Martens with attorney Wilfred de Junco of the state public defender's office. District Attorney Mark Bensen appeared for the state.

Valodine is charged with one count of theft-movable property greater than $10,000 and one count of theft-movable property $10,000-$100,000 — both felonies and each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or $25,000 fine.

The state requested a cash bond. A $10,000 signature bond was set, which included a stipulation for Valodine to have no contact with Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary.

Valodine is scheduled to be back in court Nov. 21.

According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 18, the Washington County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of theft at Holy Hill, which was captured on video surveillance Oct. 17.

A representative from Holy Hill told authorities the suspect, later identified as Valodine, stole more than $25,000 in cash in the last year. Suspicion grew amongst Holy Hill representatives when they noticed discrepancies in the collections, the complaint said.

On Oct. 19, authorities watched a three-hour video that allegedly showed Valodine taking money on 18 occasions.

On Oct. 24, a sting operation

was set up and the Sheriff's Office set up cameras. On that day, which was a collection counting day, Valodine allegedly emptied the collection box onto a table and stuffed the money into his jacket pocket at least four times, the complaint said.

When approached by authorities, it was allegedly noticed Valodine was palming money and he was told to put it on a table, which he did, the complaint said. Then he was asked to empty his pockets, which he did, and an estimated $1,250 was put on the table and another $200 was in his wallet.

The complaint said Valodine was taking the money to pay medical bills.

A Holy Hill representative told authorities there was a discrepancy of between $120,000-$142,000 since September 2017, which Valodine was a counter since that time.

Milwaukee man gets prison for burglarizing 3 county businesses

Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)
Published: Nov. 8, 2018

Milwaukee man gets prison for burglarizing 3 county businesses

He targeted places in six counties

By Nicholas Dettmann

ndettmann@conleynet.com 262-306-5043

WEST BEND — A Milwaukee man was sentenced Wednesday to four years in the Wisconsin prison system — two years confinement and two years extended supervision — for burglarizing three Washington County businesses.

The sentence comes after a long line of burglaries by Raymond B. Smith throughout

six counties in southeastern Wisconsin, with 23 convictions. Smith is due to be in prison until 2032 after Wednesday’s sentence. He also has a sentencing pending in January in Fond du Lac County for burglary.

Smith, 42, appeared in Washington County Court via video conference from the Oshkosh Correctional Institution. He was represented by attorney Alyssa Armbrust. Assistant District Attorney Sandra Giernoth appeared for the state.

Smith pleaded guilty to one of the three burglary charges he faced. The others were dismissed but were considered in sentencing by Judge Andrew Gonring.

During the sentencing, Gonring said three areas needed to be considered when considering an appropriate sentence — sending a deterring message to not only Smith but others participating in similar behavior, Smith’s character and the need to protect the community.

On the charge Smith pleaded to, according to the criminal complaint, on April 28, 2017, Smith broke a glass door at Cedar Creek Pet Resort in the town of Polk and stole $100 from a cash box. He was also charged with burglarizing the Beef Jerky Outlet in Richfield and Logan’s Pet Grooming & Day Care in Hartford.

Smith has also committed burglaries in Waukesha, Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Milwaukee and Racine counties.

In her sentence recommendation,

Giernoth said most commercial burglaries aren’t as serious as those of a home. Gonring agreed. However, Gonring said to consider the small-business owner(s) or the victims. Gonring said these are people trying to make ends meet and make a living, maintain a budget, a payroll and other business matters. The security of those establishments and those who either work there or patronize it have now been compromised, Gonring said.

Giernoth pointed to Smith’s extensive record. She said between 2007-2018, Smith has spent more than half that time in prison.

Smith, a father and a grandfather, pleaded to the court to have mercy and he apologized to the community and the victims for what he did.

Armbrust requested the court consider that small amounts of money were taken during the incidents to fuel a drug addiction. She also noted, as did Smith, a traumatic childhood, which included being sexually molested by an uncle when he was young.

Smith said he has struggled in dealing with the trauma and Armbrust said the necessary help for Smith is finally available.

While he acknowledged that childhood trauma, especially if it’s related to sexual assault, is a serious matter, Gonring said he struggled to have confidence in Smith’s ability to clean up his act, given his record.

“This will not be tolerated in our community,” Gonring said.