Watertown church gets jiggy with Bible verse and fires long-time Sunday School teacher

Mary Lambert taught Sunday School at the First Baptist Church of Watertown, New York for fifty-four years, and was prepared to go on teaching it until she was fired this month by the minister, Rev. Timothy Labouf. Labouf, who is also a member of the Watertown City Council, dismissed Lambert because the church suddenly decided to get really serious about the first epistle to Timothy: "I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent."

Just like that. "I believe that a woman can perform any job and fulfill any responsibility that she desires to," as long as it is outside the church, Labouf "explains." The church's board of directors maintains there were other, more significant, issues behind the Lambert's dismissal, but no one has stepped forward to name any of them, ostensibly to be "polite." But if saying something derogatory about Lambert would insult (and it would not insult, if it were true) her, telling the world that women cannot teach in the church insults millions of women.

Labouf seems bent out of shape that the community is actually discussing his action:

"I want you to know that my desire is to not hurt anyone or to belittle anyone but only to ensure that the scripture is upheld in our church and not compromised. Now having said all of this I am heartbroken that this situation has created pain in the lives of many in our community and I am truly sorry for that."

Labouf has been the pastor of First Baptist for a while, so one has to wonder how the church carried on so long without upholding scripture. On August 6, Labouf told his congregation that Jesus said not using one's God-given abilities was a sign of laziness. Oh, this dogma is so confusing!

Since Labouf obviously wants to put this issue behind him, you may be tempted to email him: tklabouf@msn.com.