NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Church officials have defrocked a United Methodist pastor from central Pennsylvania who officiated his son’s gay wedding in Massachusetts.
The Rev. Frank Schaefer of Lebanon had already been suspended. On Thursday, he met with church officials to determine whether he would continue as a pastor.
Schaefer was told to resign from the clergy by Thursday if he could not follow the denomination’s Book of Discipline. But Schaefer says the book discriminates against gay people and says he wouldn’t voluntarily surrender his credentials.
Church spokesman John Coleman says officials decided to defrock him.
Schaefer left the short meeting with church officials without commenting but planned to address the matter later Thursday.
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