Gay pastor to speak at Lutheran church in North Versailles
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The Rev. Bradley Schmeling, the gay pastor whose ouster from the clergy led the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to permit local option on calling partnered gay pastors, will speak in Pittsburgh this weekend.
He and his partner were recently reinstated as pastors in the 4.6 million-member denomination. He had never stopped serving his congregation, St. John's Lutheran Church in Atlanta.
Rev. Schmeling "has been an example of faithful, vibrant ministry by an openly gay man in a congregation that welcomed him and his partner," said the Rev. Richard Krug, pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in North Versailles, which is hosting the Rev. Schmeling at 1 p.m. Saturday. He will also preach Sunday at 11 a.m. in St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Shadyside.
Saturday's event, "Let the Whole Church Sing: A Eucharistic Celebration Embracing Unity in Diversity," is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Chapter of Lutherans Concerned, which advocates for inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in all ministries. It's a delayed reaction to last year's decision permitting the call of clergy in committed, lifelong, monogamous same-sex relationships.
"Out of respect for the distress that this caused other people, we chose not to be very demonstrative in our embracing those decisions," Rev. Krug said. "We waited almost a year. But now we need to say that there are people who embrace these decisions as faithful to the gospel and as a matter of justice."
When the Atlanta congregation called Rev. Schmeling, they knew he was gay, but he had no partner. In 2006, when he told his bishop that he had found a life partner, there was a church trial. The church court called his faith and ministry exemplary, but said his clergy credentials must be revoked because church law required gay clergy to be celibate. Protests on his behalf led up to the 2009 change in policy.
While there have been headlines about people and congregations quitting the denomination due to that change, the opposite is also true, the Rev. Schmeling said.
"I've heard many stories of people coming back and of congregations that are experiencing growth because of the policy change," he said.
He remains hopeful that people who vigorously disagree over how to interpret biblical passages on homosexuality can nevertheless serve and worship in the same church.
"The Lutheran church should be able to be a model for how to have different perspectives on moral positions and still be united in a church that's grounded in the love of God," he said.
The denomination's Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod opposed the change on gay ordination, but Bishop Kurt Kusserow has tried to be neutral. He is a friend and seminary classmate of Rev. Schmeling, but noted that his visit isn't sponsored by the synod.
"Right now our church is living with differences of opinion. We are trusting that those who speak out of their convictions can do so with integrity," he said.
First Published June 24, 2010 12:00 am
