Rev. Mark Ostgarden
Claims to fame: Former associate pastor, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Valley City, North Dakota (Eastern North Dakota Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America); husband; adulterer; john; schmuck
Moral apex: For three years, paid “exotic dancer” Bunny Byington (whom he found through a classified ad) for sex, until Byington suggested he stop paying her, and they just consider their relationship a good, old-fashioned sex affair instead. So he stopped — until Byington realized she missed the money, and started blackmailing him: Fork over seven grand, or she’d expose their “affair” to his wife, and to his church.
Ostgarden ponied up in two installments, but Byington wanted more. He didn’t have it, so she followed through with her threat. In addition to squealing, Byington “also sent the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America bishop a photo of the pastor on a bed wearing only his underwear and a T-shirt, according to charges filed against Byington … in Clay County District Court.” (Star Tribune, July 8, 2009)
Ostgarden called police — after Byington blew the whistle, but not while he was paying her off (funny that!) — and resigned from the church.
As for “Bunny”: In September, 2009, she copped a plea to felony coercion, and was sentenced to 90 days, and ordered to repay the $7,000 to Ostgarden.
Suggested Bible reading for Rev. Ostgarden:
I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.— Hosea 6:10
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