Pastor Calvin Kemp of the Williamstown Lutheran Church.
The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is taking disciplinary action against Pastor Calvin Kemp for alleged sexual misconduct, though he remains an ordained pastor at the Williamstown Lutheran Church.
Kemp has been been accused of sexual coercion that his former assistant said occurred when he was head chaplain at the Vermont Air National Guard. The synod began an investigation of Kemp shortly after VTDigger published a story about the former chaplain’s alleged sexual coercion of a subordinate.
The former assistant, Heather King, told VTDigger last year that Kemp coerced her into a sexual relationship that lasted from approximately 2005 to 2008.
“At work, [Kemp] kept saying how easy it was to fire a chaplain assistant. He made this point lots of times, at random times, reminding me that my job was hinging on him,” King said. “I knew I couldn’t report it; I thought nothing would happen and I’d lose my job and I loved my job.”
Rev. Timothy Yeadon, the supervising church authority over the Williamstown Lutheran Church, said he was barred from disclosing the penalty leveled at Kemp, but said that the pastor has been put on “restricted status,” which imposes new oversight of his work. Kemp is also barred from taking another position in the church.
“The option of removing Kemp from the church roster was always there,” Yeadon said. “We all ponder the right course of action to take. I hope that what we came up with is the right decision, and has God’s blessing.”
“It’s a tough scenario,” Yeadon added. “I wish all those involved the Peace of the Lord.”
Kemp, who may appeal the sanctions according to church bylaws, declined to speak with VTDigger for this story. In response to interview requests, Kemp responded in an email that said “you really have some nerve.”
“I was a little disappointed by the results of the investigation, but not surprised in the least,” King said in an interview. “Given the nature of the clergy, they tend to be very forgiving.”
King said that Yeadon had told her that during the investigation “Kemp admitted to a couple allegations, but flat-out denied the rest.” King said Yeadon would not detail what allegations Kemp admitted to, only that Kemp would be provided therapy and other support services.
Rev. Timothy Yeadon delivers a sermon in January 2016, in a video posted to Youtube.
A former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, Kemp has served at the Williamstown church since August 1995, first as a vicar, then as a pastor.
He retired from the Guard in 2014 following an investigation into King’s allegations. After the findings of that investigation were presented to the Vermont Guard’s Administrative Discharge Board, the board decided to administratively discharge Kemp.
However, as the decision went up the military chain, it was deemed “legally insufficient” by the Air Force’s Judge Advocate, and sent back to Vermont headquarters. With the case stalled, Kemp was able to retire with full benefits and the rank of colonel, according to two former Guard members.
Lt. Col. Jeff Rector, the Guard’s sexual assault response coordinator at the time, told VTDigger that “Guard leadership allowed Kemp to ride off into the sunset even though command had the authority and ability to stop his separation and finish the investigation. They just chose not to.”
King said that Yeadon “seemed genuine and caring, but I knew right off the bat that the investigation wasn’t going to amount to a whole lot.”
“I found the fact that they weren’t removing him from his post, even temporarily, highly disappointing,” King said. “He’s having nothing really taken away from him that he can’t gain back.”
King said Yeadon acknowledged to her that he wasn’t formally trained in investigating sexual misconduct. She also said his discussion of the investigation lacked clarity.
“I’m grateful that Kemp is required to get help, but I wish I knew more about the parameters of that help,” King said. “Is that with an actual substance abuse counselor, a therapist, a church person? And when the main body is in Connecticut, what does ‘watched over’ mean? These are the kind of details I thought I was owed. It left me feeling a bit unsure about the whole thing. “
King said the results of the investigation have “left me feeling very unsettled.”
“It triggered something,” she said. “I was hoping for closure, but I didn’t get it. And I start having nightmares again. I guess I have to create my own closure. I just want to move on.”
Read the story on VTDigger here: Former Vermont National Guard chaplain sanctioned by Lutheran Church.