WATERLOO - A retired minister man has been arrested for making sexual advances to an elderly woman at a care facility.

Waterloo police arrested the Rev. Galen Ermil Peckham, 71, of 15 Bluff St., La Porte City, Tuesday morning for indecent exposure, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse and two counts of simple assault.

He was booked at the Black Hawk County Jail and let out an hour or so later on pretrial release.

According to police and court records, Peckham is a visiting minister and was paying a visit to a 93-year-old woman at Manor Care in November when the incident happened.

Peckham kissed the woman on the mouth, touched her breast and exposed his genitals, records state.

Officials with the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church said Peckham resigned his position as visitation minister at First United Methodist of Waterloo where he had been on staff since 2001.

The Iowa bishop also asked him to refrain from exercising his ministerial credentials until the matter is resolved, said Arthur McClanahan, communications director for the conference.

He said both Peckham's resignation and his shelving of ministerial duties are related to the allegations.

"The United Methodist Church in Iowa expects its clergy to live by the highest standards of ethical and moral conduct and works to ensure to the aging the respect and dignity that is their right as senior members of the human community," McClanahan said.

Before coming to First United Methodist Church of Waterloo, Peckham had served with distinction in churches throughout the Iowa Conference, he said.

Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.