Former HPUMC Minister Arrested

A former executive minister at Highland Park United Methodist Church turned himself in to law enforcement on Oct. 31 on a warrant for solicitation of prostitution, according to court documents obtained by The Roys Report.

The Roys Report story was posted on Jan. 23, according to the website. The Rev. Paul Rasmussen, HPUMC’s senior minister, sent an email to the church on Jan. 24.

“You may have come across a recent article regarding John Fiedler and his departure from HPUMC,” Rasmussen wrote. “I want to address it directly and clarify a few key points, as the article contains some inaccuracies.”

John Fiedler’s arrest came three weeks after his resignation from HPUMC, and the church was unaware of Fiedler’s legal troubles at the time of his resignation, Rasmussen said.

“John’s official last day with HPUMC was October 8, 2024, when his daughter submitted his resignation, citing an ‘undiagnosed medical condition,'” Rasmussen wrote.

After turning himself in, Fiedler was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to documents from The Roys Report.

“The legal matter now pending is John’s and is entirely unrelated to his role at HPUMC,” Rasmussen wrote. “It stems from personal actions outside his responsibilities here.”

Rasmussen asked email recipients to pray for Fiedler and his family.

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