Robert DeBroux, senior warden of the church, wrote to parishioners about the matter on May 3 and Miller met with members of the congregation on May 7.

Englert's attorney, Michael Rehill of New Jersey, was to arrive in Madison today for a weekend of meetings with Grace Church employees and parishioners. Grace Church pastor barred during probe Photo by David Sandell/The Capital Times The Rev. Martha Ann Englert, rector of Grace Episcopal Church, has been barred from serving as a priest.

Englert, a former newspaper crime reporter in New England who grew up on a dairy farm and attended UW-Madison, came to the historic Grace Church in early 2004. The congregation, organized in 1838, has some of the city's wealthiest and most prestigious members and also provides space for a large and long-running shelter for homeless men.

Rehill called the investigation of Englert a "witch hunt" in an interview Thursday. He said that the complaint does not include specific statements of the accusations against her.

Englert did not return calls for comment.

An April 29 "presentment" from the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee states accusations about Englert's conduct, made by present and former parishioners and staff members of Grace Church.

If the allegations are substantiated, Englert, 52, is subject to discipline ranging from censure to removal from the priesthood.

Englert is accused of disclosing information about the sex lives, and marital, medical, family and financial issues of parishioners; the mental stability, family problems, parenting abilities and family grief of one parishioner; the incompetence of parish employees and volunteers; the adequacy of a parishioner's pledge; and who was forced out of the congregation or should be.

Englert is further accused of referring to communion as "hemlock" for specific parishioners; saying in frustration that congregation members should be "shot or poisoned"; having angry outbursts; using profane language, including in front of children; discussing her personal sex life; and telling sexual jokes in the sacristy.

"It doesn't tell us what the context was," Rehill said in response. "No one has ever, ever been charged with such vague allegations."

The complaint names people about whom Englert allegedly made inappropriate disclosures and people to whom the disclosures allegedly were made, but because it does not detail what she supposedly said to whom in what setting, "we don't know what the allegations are," Rehill said.

"I know she did not have a casual conversation about confidential matters," he said.

Because many of those who allegedly heard the confidential matters are or were Grace Church staff members, Rehill speculated that discussions of pastoral counseling needs of parishioners may be being misrepresented. "You can characterize that conduct in a way it sounds terrible," he said.

"One allegation is that she discussed her personal sex life with somebody - we don't know who. With a personal friend, someone who used to be a personal friend? A priest is a person," Rehill said, "and this particular priest has made a determination to be celibate."

Rehill, an experienced canonical attorney, said it was very unusual for a presentment to be brought on such charges and questioned why Englert was not called in by the bishop to discussed her alleged indiscreet behavior before charges were brought.

Rehill said that he received 260 e-mails this week from Grace Church parishioners asking questions and expressing support for Englert.

"The congregation is overwhelmingly supportive," he said.

He speculated that church members or former employees may be disgruntled with Englert's "rock solid leadership," under which the congregation grew by some 25 percent and changes in leadership posts occurred.

Miller said today that the church always tries to resolve disputes and difficulties in the congregation and that it is unusual but not uncommon to bring such matters to presentment.

The presentment is taken by the "standing committee," an elected board that hears the allegations and in this case determined the concerns were serious enough to refer the matter to trial, he said.

Miller said that at least six people in the Grace Church community lodged complaints against Englert, and that he is compelled to take seriously claims by church members that they are being harmed.

Prior to the allegations at issue, Miller said he "had heard both good and bad" about how Englert was doing at Grace Church.

He said that the diocese has provided all the information to Rehill required by canonical procedure, and that Englert did discuss the allegations against her with diocesan representatives before the presentment was issued.

Longtime congregation member and retired Capitol news reporter James Bartelt said today he is concerned that parishioners have not been given enough information about the charges, despite the well-attended assembly on May 7 where the bishop explained the Ecclesiastical Court process.

Miller told the group he could not give a more detailed account of the accusations, Bartelt said.

"Most of those who asked questions spoke favorably of Martha," he said. "I certainly never had any negative experiences with her."

Bartelt said that Englert brought in a group of younger people to an aging congregation, a positive development.

"People are upset," Bartelt said of parishioners' response to the canonical proceedings. "What's called for is patience, but it is difficult."

Bartelt said that Assistant Rector Roman Shemayev is doing a "superb job under the circumstances."

Shemayev, in a letter sent Monday to parishioners, said, "I firmly believe (Martha) will be fully exonerated of the allegations against her and that she will return to Grace Church."

Shemayev also urged parishioners to take care of each other during the difficult time of the canonical proceedings.

Rehill said he will work to ensure the congregation comes out of the ordeal unscathed.

"When this is over and Martha is exonerated and back with the congregation, I want to make sure the church is not damaged by this process," he said.

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