Methodist pastor appeals removal for refusal to admit gay parishioner

[kweerwolf]

A Methodist minister who allegedly refused to admit a gay parishioner to his rural church is appealing after church leaders banished him from the ministry for one year.

The Rev. Edward Johnson, former pastor of South Hill United Methodist Church, is scheduled to go before the Judicial Council in Houston in late October, according to a docket.

The council — the church's equivalent of the Supreme Court — will have the final say on whether a June 13 decision removing the pastor was valid, said the Rev. W. Anthony Layman, retired district superintendent for Johnson's region in rural Southside Virginia.

Layman said the punishment stemmed from Johnson's actions in December, in which he turned away a gay man who had been attempting to join South Hill's congregation. Layman would not specify the person's name or gender, but published reports have identified the would-be church member as a man.

http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=1813

[kbm8795]

1. Seems to me the best punishment

would be for the good "reverend" to be denied access to join another congregation himself.

Satan has a few churches around for him, doesn't He?

[swimboy]

2. His presiding Bishop has really handled this with integrity.

I really like what I am hearing about her.

[kweerwolf]

3. True, especially considering he's in the southeastern conference ...

... which is probably the most conservative of the conferences that comprimise the United Methodist Church in the U.S. This was the same conference that led the movement to split the church over the issue of gay clergy at the quadrennial conference a few years ago.

[arwalden]

4. Great News! I Hope The Punishment Is Allowed To Stand.