The openly gay pastor of the oldest Lutheran church in Atlanta, USA was removed from his position, officials have announced.
The decision from the Committee on Appeals of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is final but the Rev. Bradley Schmeling, who told St. John's Lutheran congregation last year that he was in a same-sex relationship, doesn't plan to leave the pulpit.
He said on Thursday that he plans to remain minister of St. John's.
"The congregation issued a call to me in 2000 and as far as we are concerned, that hasn't changed," affirmed Schmeling, who said he was deeply disappointed but not surprised. "I plan to continue to follow my call in ministry at St. John's and to pray for the day when all God's children are equally welcomed into the Lutheran church."
"Change has always proven difficult for the church. I continue to hope that the church will be centered in God's message of love, compassion and justice, rather than in the enforcement of discriminatory policies," he said.
ELCA, the largest Lutheran body in the United States, allows gay pastors, but only if they remain celibate.
Schmeling had told the 350-member congregation and his bishop, Ronald Warren, that he is gay before he was chosen as pastor in 2000. When he announced that he had found a lifelong companion, Warren asked the pastor to resign. Schmeling refused and Warren started disciplinary proceedings against him.
