Posted: Oct. 21, 2014
The Rev. Frank Schaefer was just trying to be a good father and pastor when he officiated at the wedding of his gay son.
For the supposed "crime" of loving his son and helping him to make a lifelong commitment, Schaefer was put on trial and defrocked. A church panel voted to reinstate him, but his bishop filed an appeal.
Tomorrow is Schaefer's final hearing before the highest judicial body in the United Methodist Church. The resulting decision could be a turning point for the country's largest mainline protestant denomination.
Countless Methodists have spent decades working for a church that welcomes and affirms LGBT people. But powerful conservatives want to make an example out of Frank Schaefer -- using this case to send a warning to other pastors who would disregard the denomination's official anti-gay rules.
Let's show the United Methodist Judicial Council that tens of thousands of Christians are standing with Frank Schaefer, and praying that they'll do the right thing.
Sign the petition:
Love thy neighbor.