Ratted Out at the Club

OK, maybe it was kind of a stretch.

The Detroit Athletic Club has a special membership category for clergy. My good friend has wanted me to join for years. "It will be way cheaper for you," he always said. Until recently I hesitated because I'm not really a joiner--I have a hard time getting all enthused about "exclusive" groups. I want to be known as a person with talents, skills, family, achievements, and a loving generous heart, not the person defined by his affiliations and involvements.

But, lately I've been missing the social side of work I lost when I left American Laser Centers. For nearly eight years I enjoyed the comradery of working with a group of high-powered, kind of crazy, always interesting men. As a "team of one" in my consulting business, it's just not the same.

So, for me DAC membership became interesting as a place where I could make some new friendships and enjoy the company of professional, athletically inclined men. And, since they offered a special price for clergy--and, as you know, I am a clergyman, I thought, why not? I spent many long years earning my clergy credentials and if the DAC wants to honor that, I'll gladly oblige.

When I first contacted the club about clergy membership, I was told there was a waiting list (only 125 members at a time can be in this category), but that I should put my membership application in anyway. "To be ready when a space opens," the cheerful club represenative told me.

So I submitted my membership application. My friend helped me gather required recommendations from exisitng members, and I waited.

In March, out of the blue, the club called and told me that a clergy spot had opened and they wondered whether I was still interesed in membership. I said, "sure" and the representative quickly scheduled me to meet with the club's Board of Directors. All prospective members must meet with Board representatives who then vote on all new club members.

Around noon on Wednesday the next week, I and several other potential club members visited with Board members. I even sat privately with a member who officially interviewed me. Later that day I was telephoned by the club representative who I had been talking to about membership all along. "Rev. Piecuch," she said, "I have wonderful news." "Really?" I replied." "Yes, the Board has approved your membership application." "Great," I responded. And my first thought was, "I wonder how much this is going to cost me?"

In the weeks since I was voted in, I have enjoyed using the club's facilities and eating in their wonderful dining rooms. I've even met a few other members. The decision to join has seemed so right . . . up until Friday.

That afternoon I was working at the Novi Expo Center representing my PhotoTheric business (that's another story), when my cell phone started ringing. Not recognizing the number I answered, "Kevin Piecuch."

"This is Mary from the DAC." Oh yes, the friendly club representative who weeks earlier sounded overjoyed in welcoming me first as a newly elected member. The voice sounded less chipper, but I was in a noisy place.

"Umm, we have a problem with your membership. There's been a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" I asked.

"Yes," she said. "It's come to our attention that you have a consulting business."

"Yes," I said, a little incredulous.

"Well clergy members of the club must spend all their time doing clergy work. Otherwise they do not qualify for that membership category," she explained, sounding more like my grade school principal than the person who encouraged me to submit my application as quickly as possible.

"I've been upfront with everyone about my work," I said. "I never hid from anyone that I was not serving a congregation at the moment."

"Well perhaps your sponsor didn't know that you did not fit the clergy membership criteria. And we're not suggesting that you tried to hide something. It's just that there are many other club members in your situation."

"There are?" I said even more incredulous.

"Oh yes, many of our members are deacons and active in their churches."

"But I'm a seminary trained ordained clergyman. A deacon is not the same thing."

"Well," she said, "there are attorneys in the club who are also ordained, and they are resident members."

"Really?" I responded, wondering who they were.

"Yes. So, what do you want to do now?"

"What do I want to do?" I asked. "What are my options?"

"Well to move to Resident Member status you'll have to make an additional entrance payment and your monthly dues will increase."

"Let me talk to my wife," I said. "I'll get back to you."

"Yes," she said rather clipped. "I'll send you the portion of the our Bylaws that talks about membership categories. It's all very clear in the Bylaws."

Later I received an email from Mary. Whereas all previous communications from her had been sent to "Rev. Piecuch," now in the greeting she wrote, "Dear Mr. Piecuch." I guess I'm no longer clergy in her mind.

And there it was in black and white. In Section 7 of Article 1 of the DAC Bylaws, it says, "An unretired commissioned officer in full time active duty in the military service of the United States or a member of the clergy serving full time and exclusively as such . . . may be elected to membership in the manner prescribed." The article continues, "Such membership is to terminate upon the removal of said member from the aforesaid prescribed area, or whenever the Board is advised that the member is no longer serving full time and exclusively as a military or clergy person."

Then it hit me: somebody "advised the Board" that I was not working full time as clergy. How the Board didn't know that before I was elected as a member is mysterious to me. Every Board member I met the day I was elected I told that I was also an attorney who works with various clients. They didn't bat an eye--and in fact elected me as a clergy member. But, apparently somebody else in the club felt differently.

Perhaps one of those deacons saw my name on the new member list, or that mysterious attorney who also went to seminary, and ratted me out. Or, maybe some other member aware of my employment status, thought I was trying to "get one over" on the club and called the membership office.

I am guilty of not reading the Bylaws before joining the DAC. However, I am innocent of fraud. As a fully licensed minister of the Word and Sacrament, I believed (as did many others) that I qualified to join the club as a clergy member. Now, I'm told, I have to pay up or walk away.

While I typically don't like to join clubs, I like even less being thrown out of an establishment before I'm ready to leave. I was not ready to leave American Laser Centers the day I was told to pack up my office. I'm not ready to leave the DAC, not just yet.

However, as I think about this little snafu, I feel perplexed. I try to keep a low profile in life and I believe I'm well liked by those who know me. Every time I find out differently I get surprised. Somebody was bothered enough about my membership that he/she called the DAC office to "tell on me." Who would do that, especially since I was so open about my employment? And, really, who rats out a clergy man, even one like me who earns income outside the church?