Pro-LGBT Church Sign Vandalized

From the Marin Journal:

“Jesus had two dads and he turned out just fine,” read the sign outside Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church in Mill Valley — at least, until it was vandalized, with the words “two dads” and “Church” painted over with white paint. “We put it up on the day of the argument about marriage equality with the Supreme Court,” said Kim Smith, pastor of the church, referring to the arguments conducted the last week of April with regard to same-sex marriage. Days later, on Sunday night, the sign was vandalized. The pastor noted that the message wasn’t original; another Methodist church in a different part of the country came up with it, she said. “As a reconciling church we are proud to accept members of all beliefs. Unfortunately, even in Marin and Mill Valley, bigotry can raise its ugly head,” said Chris Hubbard, a member of the church.

Smith says she's gotten over 150 messages of support for the sign since it was vandalized. The paint was scrubbed off within hours by a "Boy Scout family" that belongs to the church. (Tipped by JMG reader Bob)

Hate Group Has United Methodist Sadz

"No one today seriously argues that sex outside of man-woman marriage is consistent with the historic, core doctrinal standards United Methodist clergy vow at their ordinations to uphold. But a vocal minority now bizarrely brag about not keeping their word. By refusing to fulfill his basic responsibilities as bishop to uphold our standards, Bishop McLee is demonstrating a profound lack of integrity, breaking his own word to God and the church, and is further undermining trust in bishops throughout our denomination. Bishop McLee has effectively declared that he will run his conference as if it is independent from the rest of our global denomination. Bishop McLee has ensured a prolonging and an intensification of our denomination's internal conflicts. No wonder his region is losing members so rapidly. Despite their professed concern for church unity, this minority faction is determined to lead 'United' Methodists down the same liberalizing road that has split other oldline Protestant denominations." - John Lomperis, United Methodist Action Director for the Institute On Religion & Democracy, reacting to today's news.

United Methodist Bishop: No More Trials For Pro-Gay Marriage Pastors

Via press release:

At a joint press conference today, United Methodist Bishop Martin McLee and Rev. Dr. Thomas W. Ogletree announced that the church was dropping the case against Dr. Ogletree for officiating at his son’s wedding. In a huge victory for the Methodist movement that is organizing ministry to all couples on an equal basis in open defiance of church law, the bishop dropped the case without any conditions. Furthermore, Bishop McLee said in his statement “I call for and commit to cessation of trials,” the first time ever a sitting United Methodist bishop has categorically declared he will not prosecute pastors for ministering to LGBTQ people. “I am grateful that Bishop McLee has withdrawn this case and the church is no longer prosecuting me for an act of pastoral faithfulness and fatherly love,” said Dr. Ogletree. “But I am even more grateful that he is vowing not to prosecute others who have been likewise faithful in ministry to LGBTQ people. May our bishop’s commitment to cease such prosecutions be the beginning of the end of the United Methodist Church’s misguided era of discriminating against LGBTQ people.” 

There's gonna be a big ole pile of sadz about this.

TEXAS: Gay Couple Marries In United Methodist Church After 53 Years Together

NBC News in Dallas reports:

It was a wedding 53 years in the making. Jack Evans and George Harris made their relationship official in the eyes of at least one church. "The marriage of George and Jack is a sign of God's love and their love for each other and our love for one another," said Rev. Bill McElvaney, the minister officiating the marriage. Evans and Harris are in their 80's. They asked several churches to perform the ceremony. Northaven United Methodist Church in North Dallas was the first to say yes. "We're celebrating 53 years and finally saying let's make this... let's call it what it is... what it has been for a half a century," said minister Arthur Stewart. Hundreds of people witnessed the ceremony.

The above-linked article closes with this: "For now, the marriage will only stand in this church."

Methodist Church Defrocks Unrepentant Pastor Who Officiated At Son's Wedding

Last month the United Methodist Church "convicted" a Pennsylvania minister of performing a same-sex wedding for his son. Yesterday they defrocked him for refusing to say that he'll never perform another gay wedding.

The fate of Reverend Frank Schaefer, pastor of the Zion United Methodist Church in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was decided by a United Methodist church board in a closed-door session in a church office located in a suburban Philadelphia office park. "He no longer holds the ministerial office in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference by virtue of his decision," Bishop Peggy Johnson said in a statement. Schaefer left the site without comment but scheduled a press conference for Thursday afternoon. Schaefer was defrocked less than a month after he was found guilty in a church trial of violating church law by performing the ceremony for his son, Tim, in 2007.

Methodist Pastor Gets 30-Day Suspension For Officiating Son's Same-Sex Wedding

Earlier this week a United Methodist minister in Pennsylvania was found "guilty" of officiating at his son's wedding to a man. Now he's been sentenced by the church to a 30-day suspension.

Frank Schaefer, 51, the pastor at Zion United Methodist Church of Iona in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was found guilty by a jury of 13 ordained clergy members on two counts: officiating a same-sex wedding and being disobedient to the discipline and order of the church, according to Cathy Husid-Shamir, a Schaefer family spokesperson. Schaefer received a concurrent 30-day suspension for both counts. If he does not uphold the church's discipline after the suspension, he must surrender his credentials, according to Husid-Shamir. The jury had full power in determining Schaefer's penalty, which could have ranged from a reprimand to a full defrocking. "I'm obviously relieved to receive a lighter penalty than defrocking," Schaefer said in a statement to CNN after receiving his sentence. "I gave the jury every excuse to take my credentials when I was honest with them and said that I must continue to serve all people -- no exceptions."

The church had told Schaefer he could avoid a trial entirely if he'd just promise to never conduct another gay wedding. He refused.

Methodist Church "Convicts" Pastor Of Performing Wedding For Gay Son

Yesterday the United Methodist church "convicted" a Pennsylvania minister of performing a same-sex wedding for his son.

A jury of his pastoral peers convicted the Rev. Frank Schaefer on Monday of breaking his vows by officiating at the 2007 ceremony in Massachusetts after a trial that has rekindled debate over the denomination’s policies on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. The jury reconvened Tuesday morning for the penalty phase, at which both sides will present witnesses. Schaefer could face punishment ranging from a reprimand to a suspension to losing his minister’s credentials. “Obviously I’m very saddened. What we’re hoping for tomorrow is a light sentence,” Schaefer’s son, Tim Schaefer, 29, whose wedding led to the charges, said after the verdict Monday night. Frank Schaefer didn’t deny that he performed his son’s wedding, but said he did it out of love, not a desire to flout church teaching on homosexuality.

The Washington Post notes the the church's only witness against Schaeffer was a man whose mother, the church's choir director, has been feuding with Schaefer.

Coalition Of Christian Groups Sign Joint Letter Urging Scouts To Maintain Gay Ban

Over fifty Christian leaders representing dozens of groups have signed a joint letter urging the Boy Scouts to maintain their ban on gay members.

We strongly support the Boy Scouts of America current prohibition on open homosexuality and retaining it without revision. Nearly 70 percent of BSA troops are hosted by churches and religious institutions. Upholding traditional morality is vital for sustaining this partnership, for protecting Scout members, and for ensuring BSA has a strong future. A proposal from the BSA board to prohibit “discrimination” based on “sexual orientation or preference” for BSA members potentially would open the Scouts to a wide range of open sexual expressions. In our current culture, it is more important than ever for our churches to protect and provide moral nurture for young people and for the Scouts. We implore members of the upcoming BSA Council to affirm the BSA’s present policy, which the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed, and which has served BSA well.

Among those signing the letter are the Southern Baptist Convention, United Pentecostal Church International,  North American Lutheran Church, Anglican Church in North America, United Methodists, and Assemblies of God.

Methodist Minister Faces Sanctions For Officiating Son's Same-Sex Marriage

United Methodist minister Thomas Ogletree is facing church sanctions for presiding over the wedding of his son and another man.

Dr. Ogletree, 79, is now facing a possible canonical trial for his action, accused by several New York United Methodist ministers of violating church rules. While he would not be the first United Methodist minister to face discipline for performing a same-sex wedding, he could well be the one with the highest profile. He is a retired dean of Yale Divinity School, a veteran of the nation’s civil rights struggles and a scholar of the very type of ethical issues he is now confronting. “Sometimes, when what is officially the law is wrong, you try to get the law changed,” Dr. Ogletree, a native of Birmingham, Ala., said in a courtly Southern drawl over a recent lunch at Yale, where he remains an emeritus professor of theological ethics. “But if you can’t, you break it.”

Ogletree says he was "inspired" by his son's request, adding, "I actually wasn’t thinking of this as an act of civil disobedience or church disobedience. I was thinking of it as a response to my son."  According to the above-linked article, over 200 New York-area Methodist ministers have said they would perform a same-sex wedding.