Former Wichita pastor, school board member faces second sexual misconduct suit

The Rev. Tyrone D. Gordon, a former prominent Wichita pastor and school board member, faces a second sexual misconduct suit filed by a former member of Gordon’s church in Dallas.

The suit was filed Friday by former St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church musician Jeff Carson, 42. Carson alleges Gordon was sexually inappropriate with him while on two church trips and frequently tried to grope him during visits to the pastor’s office.

Carson resigned from St. Luke in 2007.

On Feb. 3, Gordon was sued by the Rev. Cameron Jerrod Greer, 26, who is now the pastor of another church in Dallas. He accused Gordon in the lawsuit of coercing men in his St. Luke congregation into engaging in “sexual acts and relationships for his own personal gratification.” The events allegedly occurred inside Gordon’s office from about 2003 to 2010.

Gordon, 55, announced his resignation from St. Luke in January; it took effect Feb. 15.

Through a spokesman, Gordon told the Dallas Morning News that he denied all charges.

He still hasn’t been served court process papers on the first suit. Marilynn Mayse, attorney for Greer and Carson, said Gordon is “dodging service.”

“I’ve had my process server out there sitting on him all night,” Mayse said, “and he won’t answer the door.”

Mayse said she plans to go to court and request an “alternative” service process.

Gordon had been at St. Luke since 2002. He left his position as pastor of Wichita’s St. Mark United Methodist Church in June of that year.

Married with two grown daughters, Gordon became a popular pastor in Wichita. Under his leadership over 14 years, St. Mark grew from 250 members to more than 2,500 to become the largest African-American church in Kansas and the state’s second-largest United Methodist Church at the time he left.

He served on the Wichita school board from 1990 to 1995.

When contacted by The Eagle after the first lawsuit, his colleagues expressed concern for Gordon and his family.

This story was originally published March 2, 2012 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Former Wichita pastor, school board member faces second sexual misconduct suit."