Unitarian church sold, to become comedy club

Meriden, Conn. To some parishioners, the sale of the local Unitarian Universalist Church to become a comedy club is no laughing matter.

Two local mortgage brokers, now nightclub developers, bought the church building to convert it into an upstairs comedy club called “God, That’s Funny” and a downstairs rock club, “Rock Sanctuary,” both opening in August.

The Rev. Lucy Ijams and parishioners say they are at the least ambivalent about leaving their 108-year-old brownstone, but relieved at finding a buyer willing to pay $525,000.

The church will worship in temporary quarters until a new building is erected.

Wisconsin pastor fined for taunting woman

Madison, Wis. A minister who has led protests against the Mazomanie nude beach on the Wisconsin River has been fined $1,000 for taunting a woman in a parking lot near the beach last year.

A county judge said Ralph Ovadal’s name-calling of beach-goer Nancy Erickson crossed the line from constitutionally protected preaching to intimidation.

“Before coming in, I had considered placing you in jail,” the judge told Ovadal during sentencing. “But that will only create more of a martyr out of you, and I’m not going to do that.”

Ovadal, pastor of Christ the King Church, was earlier convicted of disorderly conduct after he and other nude beach protesters confronted Erickson in the parking lot.