Marion church members react to pastor?s arrest in prostitution sting

CEDAR RAPIDS (AP) ? A Cedar Rapids minister who was arrested in a prostitution sting in Marion has resigned but some members of his church want him back.

The Rev. Jonathan Offt, 41, was among nine men arrested Oct. 15 after police said they responded to an online advertisement and offered money to an undercover female officer posing as a prostitute.

Offt had been the senior pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church since 2003. He was not in church the day after his arrest. Members were later told he resigned for personal reasons.

Parishioner Carol Kiesling said several members want Offt to return to the church.

?If he was delivering a sermon, comforting someone in grief, baptizing a baby or any one of the hundreds of things he did in his daily life, you could tell by the light in his eyes that he was where he belonged,? Kiesling wrote in an email to The Gazette.

Another member, Jeannette Kellerman, told the Cedar Rapids newspaper that Offt was a joyful and compassionate person during his time leading the church.

?He was so well-liked,? Kellerman said. ?He helped a lot of people.?

Kellerman said a prayer service was held for Offt and his family. Offt is married and a father of three girls. She said the church was full.

?It?s very shocking,? Kellerman said. ?The whole church and even people outside of the church are very distraught.?

Police described Offt as surprised, and then sullen when he learned he had been caught in the sting. They said his occupation came up during standard questioning as part of the arrest process.

?He didn?t try to hide it,? Sgt. Lance Miller said. ?Certainly, he wasn?t proud of it. None of them were.?

The nine men were charged with one count of prostitution, a serious misdemeanor.