On November 27, WCU received the attached letter from Mary Jensen, a New Richmond language arts class teacher whose students have learning disabilities. Jensen had obviously gotten her class together, preached a bit about the "hateful way" of Pastor Ralph Ovadal, and then wrote the letter. Upon reading the letter, Pastor Ovadal called the New Richmond School District office and spoke with Principal Mary Donaldson about the impropriety of one of her teachers using school time and tax dollars to poison the minds of other people's children against Christians and the Word of God. Principal Donaldson informed Pastor Ovadal that she saw nothing wrong with Jensen's tax-funded proselytizing and attack upon a Christian pastor. Donaldson instructed Pastor Ovadal that he should make better use of his time, and she made it clear that she too believes that WCU's ministry is hateful! She also claimed that the students of her school had become physically ill by WCU's banners which read, "Homosexuality is sin," and, "Repent ye and believe the gospel. Mark 1:15." Pastor Ovadal then spoke with Mary Jensen who likewise insisted her actions were proper and WCU's hateful and wrong. At that point, Pastor informed both Donaldson and Jensen that if he did not receive an apology from the school district regarding the use of public resources, time, and school children to attack Christians for preaching the gospel, that he would lit drop copies of Jensen's letter throughout the New Richmond School District, stage a series of ministry events in town, and also look into suing the New Richmond School District. Several hours later, Mary Jensen faxed the attached apology.

"Mary Jensen should be ashamed of herself for preaching hate to her class of learning disabled children. The New Richmond School District administration is obviously a bit worried, or Mary would not have written her half-hearted apology. Since the letter makes light of the misuse of taxpayer money to indoctrinate children against Christians and God's Word, WCU will be returning to New Richmond in the near future to spend the day spreading the gospel, including to the students at the high school and middle school. We will also let taxpayers know how their education dollar is being spent and parents know the sort of education their children are being exposed to, especially in Mary Jensen's class." 
        Pastor Ralph Ovadal, Director, Wisconsin Christians United

November 19, 2002
306 South Pierson Ave.
New Richmond, WI 54017 

TO: 
Wisconsin Christians United 
P.O. Box 771
Monroe, WI 53566

Attention: Pastor Ralph Ovadal: 

We are writing to you because of your recent visit to New Richmond in Northwestern Wisconsin. We are a small community of about 6000 people. My students and I are concerned about your reasons for coming to our community and why you were standing on our main street with signs saying, "Homosexuality is a Sin". On Tuesday, November 12, we had a speaker in our school "The Scary Guy", who addressed our kids about ending prejudice, hatred and violence in our country. He had all the kids in New Richmond Middle School take a seven-day pledge to stop name-calling and hurt toward other people. The kids were urged to accept others as they are and not to label or put other people into negative groups through prejudice. The next day, they came out of school to find you people on the comer just one block from the middle school. They were confronted with a group of adults doing exactly what we had just taught them not to do. How disappointing for them and for our community. 

My Language Arts class wanted to write this letter to let you know that they do not agree with the way you go around the country with your signs. They wanted to tell you that being a homosexual is not a sin, but what you do with acting upon that could be construed as the sin. You will have to have a sign that says, "Heterosexuality is a Sin" to keep it true!! Many more sins are committed dealing with the opposite sex than with the same sex. Why are you only centering in on one group of people, there are enough to go around. The kids wanted to tell you that "Judging others" is the sin. Only God should be the judge. 

New Richmond is a community that has basically ignored calling others names and building prejudice in our children. People are able to live in peace and quiet here without anyone coming in and starting a hate group against homosexuals. We believe they have enough problems to deal with in their lives that we don't need people from other towns coming in and telling people to look on them as sinners. Have they hurt you some how that you have this vendetta against this whole group? Does your message have a purpose? Do you really think that stirring up hatred and prejudice toward one group of people is the way to change the world? 

We also read your flyer. The kids think that you need to read your whole bible and keep it in context instead of pulling out just parts of sentences to justify your actions. A tactician uses numbers to prove a point; you can use numbers or words from the bible to prove any point. There are many stories in the Bible that illustrate life at that time. I'm thankful that we do not live like that anymore. I hope that you will discontinue quoting from a time that was extremely different from our lives today. Do we accept all actions from the bible as being correct? It seems to me that we have come a long way in civilization and need to continue to be civilized and stop putting down other groups in God's name. Let God alone be the judge. Start living in peace and accept others as they are. Too many innocent people are being punished in God's name - I wonder what God would think about this? 

My students and I would like to acknowledge that you visited New Richmond and that you found our small town to be acceptable and welcoming. I'm wondering if anyone confronted you or ran you out of town because of what you were doing. It would be very helpful if you could respond to our letter and help my students to understand how you can hide behind your religion to join in such a hateful way of dealing with a group of human beings that you call homosexuals. 

Sincerely,

(signature)

Language Arts Class and teacher Mary Jensen
306 South Pierson Ave. 
New Richmond, WI 54017 

TO: Pastor Ovadal 
FROM: Mary Jensen 
RE: Letter from Language Arts Class 

Please accept my apology for personally attacking you with my words. I understand you have a job to do as a minister and that you are doing what you need to do by preaching the bible through your signs and messages. 

I further understand your concern about tax-payers money by using a school envelope and stamp, but I believe my students have learned from this experience and that is what education is all about - experiences. I will make a donation of fifty cents to a charity in your spirit. 

I appreciated talking to you by phone and wish you the best. My students and I will continue to dialogue about this and I will relay your message to them. You truly believe in your quest and I admire that in a person. 

Thank you for your time on the phone, 

Sincerely, 

(signature)

Mary Jensen

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