UCC Minister in Church/State controversy in Connecticut

June 26, 2006

Scott MacLean, an ordained United Church of Christ (UCC) minister and the early morning Newscast Director at WFSB-TV, Channel 3 in Hartford, Connecticut, is running for the Republican nomination as the U.S. Representative in the Connecticut first district, and according to an email sent by MacLean to Republicans in Connecticut, MacLean has been using First Church in Hartland Congregational UCC to hold campaign meetings. In the email, MacLean claims that "the good folks from the First Church in Hartland-Congregational (my home church) have graciously let me use the Parish Hall for campaign meetings".

This is the second church/state issue in Connecticut in the last month involving the United Church of Christ. Americans United for Separation of Church and State is investigating a deal between the Governor of Connecticut, the UCC and the Hartford Civic Center to keep the UCC General Synod in Connecticut. According to a report in the June, 3, 2006 Hartford Courant, the state is "taking care of the $100,000 fee for the Civic Center" for the UCC's General Synod next July.

The MacLean controversy also comes on the heels of a controversy in Ohio where two mega-churches are being accused of illegal political activities for their support of Republican candidate for Governor, Ken Blackwell. A group of Columbus clergy, headed by UCC minister Eric Williams, has filed a complaint with the IRS questioning the tax-exempt status of the churches. The complaint alleges that the mega churches have used their facilities for partisan politics.