This is really good news. Pastor Frank Schaefer who was defrocked after a parishioner complained about him officiating at his son's gay wedding months earlier has been reinstated. The panel said it could not hold Pastor Frank accountable for what he might do in the future and that he should have only been suspended for 30 days. The marriage took place way back in 2007 but some busy body at his church found out about it in April of 2013 and ratted him out to the church. So Pastor Frank will receive back pay starting from the end of the 30 day suspension. "I've devoted my life to this church, to serving this church, and to be restored and to be able to call myself a reverend again and to speak with this voice means so much to me," an exultant Pastor Schaefer told The Associated Press, adding he intends to work for gay rights "with an even stronger voice from within the United Methodist Church."
Pastor Schaefer appealed the decision arguing that the decision was wrong based on an assumption that he would break church law in the future.
The jury's punishment was illegal under church law, the appeals panel concluded, writing in its decision that "revoking his credentials cannot be squared with the well-established principle that our clergy can only be punished for what they have been convicted of doing in the past, not for what they may or may not do in the future."
Pastor Frank is being moved to a new church in Southern California. I sure hope he is happy down there. Good Luck Pastor Frank.
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