PA Church Fires Pastor After Gay Wedding

The congregation of a Pennsylvania church has fired Pastor Ken Smeltzer after he officiated at a same-sex wedding in Montgomery County.

Smeltzer was pastor for a local Church of the Brethren parish, which he has not identified since performing the marriage, because his beliefs differ from the congregation’s. Smeltzer said Monday that “a few things have to play out” before he can speak more about the situation. “It’s true, but I can’t give out any more information,” he said. Smeltzer married Pike County couple Joseph Davis and Gregory Scalzo on Aug. 19 at the home of State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham.

Goreham says that she would have performed the wedding herself, but had been told it would violate her oath of office to uphold the law. She then called Smeltzer.