City Church founder denies molesting teenager 40 years ago

By Leonardo BlairSenior Reporter Monday, 23 September 2024

The founder of the City Church in Batavia, New York, Pastor Marty MacDonald, has denied allegations that he sexually abused a woman 40 years ago when she was just 12 years old.

The story of the woman, identified by The Wartburg Watch as Melissa Hobson, bears similarities to that of 54-year-old Cindy Clemishire, who in June accused Gateway Church founder Robert Morris of sexually abusing her in the 1980s when she was 12. The allegation prompted Morris' resignation.

Through his attorney Anjan Ganguly, MacDonald denied Hobson's allegations in a statement to The Batavian.

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“These allegations simply repeat decades-old allegations made by a woman who claims she was sexually abused by Pastor Marty when she was a minor some 40 years ago. Pastor Marty absolutely denies sexually abusing this person. He absolutely denies ever sexually abusing anyone, especially a child,” Ganguly said.

“It must be emphasized that these are allegations and not proven facts. There would have been ample opportunity to take these allegations to court where Pastor Marty would have had the opportunity to justify himself. Instead, the allegations are being made on the internet and, worse, from the pulpit,” Ganguly's statement continued. “It must also be emphasized that the alleged misconduct is not associated with City Church or any of its affiliated ministries. The alleged misconduct is said to have taken place in another church long before City Church was established.”

City Church is a member of the Association of Related Churches but is not currently listed in the website church directory.

According to The Batavian, Hobson had previously shared her allegations against MacDonald with a reporter in Batavia more than two decades ago, but had not made it official. She reportedly decided to speak publicly about it with The Wartburg Watch at Clemishire's encouragement.

Hobson claimed she and her family moved from Olathe, Kansas, to Batavia in 1983, when she was 12 years old. Her father became a pastor at New Hope Ministries at 8020 Bank Street Road. Macdonald was already an assistant pastor at the church, and her family quickly became friends with his family.

Hobson said she began babysitting MacDonald's two sons in 1983, and over time she noticed that he was behaving inappropriately around her.

Hobson said MacDonald, then a farmer, once came home from the farm while she was preparing lunch for his sons and took off his overalls in front of her. She said he also came out of the shower with only a towel wrapped around his bottom.

She remembered that he was kind to her and hugged her often, which boosted her self-esteem. She claimed that her relationship with MacDonald developed to the point that by the time she was 14, she felt she was in a romantic relationship with him.

“I remember staying at the MacDonalds' when my parents were out of town preaching,” Hobson's sister told the Wartburg Watch. “Melissa and I slept together. When I woke up, MacDonald was kneeling in bed next to my sister. He told me that Melissa was sick and would not be going to school. I remember being irritated because she often stayed home sick. Sometimes I was even jealous of all the attention MacDonald gave her.”

Hobson claimed MacDonald groped her while he drove her home after babysitting. She said there were times when he parked his car and made out with her. She claims she was digitally penetrated.

Hobson also claims that MacDonald asked her not to say anything about her actions because it would “destroy her parents' office.”

She says when she turned 18 in 1989, she ended her intimate relationship with MacDonald, became a children's pastor at her father's church and married her husband in 1992.

In 2000, Hobson finally confessed to her parents what had happened between her and MacDonald. Two church overseers were called in to discuss the situation, and MacDonald reportedly made a confession.

Paul Doyle, pastor of Cornerstone Church in Batavia, who called on MacDonald to repent, told The Batvian that he attended a meeting where Hobson's father, Pastor Robert Smith, confronted him about abusing his daughter.

“He was overwhelmed with guilt. I had no doubt he was guilty,” Doyle said, noting that Macdonald never denied the accusation. “He pulled himself together and accepted his punishment. The cover-up was obvious. Nobody cared because it was Marty.”