A Texas jury has ordered the de-frocked pastor of one of the nation's largest United Methodist churches to pay $3.7 million in sexual misconduct damages. Jurors on January 17 instructed Barry Bailey, former pastor of the 10,500-member First UMC of Fort Worth, to pay the money to seven women and one woman's husband.

During the first of three pending sexual misconduct civil trials against Bailey, three plaintiffs testified that they had sexual relations with the former minister. Five other plaintiffs, most of whom were affiliated with the church, said Bailey had fondled them and made lewd comments and other inappropriate advances. The one husband argued that Bailey's behaviour had damaged his marriage.

Bailey, 70, has denied the charges, asserting that he did not abuse his position as a counselor and a clergyman. However, a Fort Worth jury found him guilty of inflicting emotional distress on the women, invading their privacy and breaching the trust relationship between counselor and patient. In 1994 the allegations forced Bailey's departure from First UMC, the third-largest Methodist church in the country.