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By Erik Alsgaard
UMConnection Staff

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The Rev. Frank Schaefer, the United Methodist pastor found guilty Nov. 18 of disobeying church teaching on same-gender unions, has until Dec. 19 to decide if he is able to uphold The United Methodist Church’s Book of Discipline “in its entirety” or surrender his credentials.

The all-clergy jury, which found Schaefer, pastor of Zion UMC in Lebanon, Pa., guilty of performing the same-gender wedding for his son Tim in 2007, and disobedience to the order and discipline of the United Methodist Church, said that if Schaefer violates any of the provisions of the Discipline during that 30-day period, he will immediately be asked to surrender his credentials.

During the 30-day period, Schaefer is to engage in reflection about his calling to the GLBTQ community. If he determines at the end of that period that he cannot uphold the Book of Discipline in whole, he is to turn in his credentials, thus removing himself from the pastoral office.

Schaefer’s district superintendent, the Rev. James Todd, will be responsible for supervising the implementation of the verdict. At the end of the 30-day period, Schaefer is to meet with the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry to report on the results of his period of discernment.

The counsel for the church, the Rev. Christopher Fisher, said that he believed the penalty to be “gracious” because it places the responsibility of determining the outcome ultimately upon Schaefer.

He said the trial will send a message to other clergy considering performing same-gender ceremonies.

“When we make our vow as ministers, we promise to uphold the discipline of our church,” said Fisher at a press conference after the trial. ”If we’re not willing to keep those promises, then there’s a judicial procedure.”

At that same press conference, Schaefer said he was still trying to sort out what the penalty meant, but grateful to still be ordained, at one point holding up his name tag that had “Rev.” written on it. “It’s still there,” he said.

“When I addressed the jury tonight, I gave them every excuse in the book to defrock me immediately. But that did not happen. Now, I’m still wondering what that means, the conditions they’ve set. But I told them clearly that I could no longer be a silent supporter, but now I feel I have to be an advocate, an outspoken advocate for all lesbian, gay, transgender and bi-sexual people.

“And I also told them that I would not refuse ministry to anybody regardless of gender, race, nationality, socio-economic status or sexual orientation. They came back and didn’t defrock me. They gave me 30 days, basically, to change my mind. That’s how I see it right now. I’m here to tell you that I will not change my mind. What I said tonight is the truth and the full truth, and so we’ll see how the church is going to deal with it in 30 days.”

During the penalty phase testimony, jurors heard from Tim Schaefer, Frank Schaefer’s son. He testified that he struggled for years with his sexual orientation, and at times was suicidal. After coming out to high school friends, Tim said, he thinks a friend’s mother called his dad to tell him of his suicidal thoughts. It was then that his parents asked him about it.

“I knew my dad loved me unconditonally, but I was afraid,” Tim Schaefer said. “I had seen others come out to their parents and be thrown out of the house. My parents hugged me and said they loved me.”

Tim Schaefer said that he was 99.9 percent sure his father would say “yes” to doing the wedding. “Saying ‘no’ would have hurt, but I would have understood,” he said.

Frank Schaefer also took the stand, and, in a powerful moment, donned the multi-colored stole signifying affirmation of full inclusion for homosexuals in the church. As he put on the stole, he made a covenant: “From this day forward,” he said, “I vow never to be silent, and to be a visible symbol. This is what I have to do from now on.”

Counsel for the church, the Rev. Christopher Fisher, asked Schaefer under cross examination if he was willing to repent of his actions.

“I cannot,” was Schaefer’s reply.

Fisher then asked if, going forward, he would be obedient to the Book of Discipline. Schaefer replied, “I cannot make that statement.”

“I feel called to minister to everybody,” Schaefer said earlier in his testimony. “This experience has transformed me. I am now an advocate, a spokesperson for a cause.”

Schaefer said that he has embraced this role as a new calling from God.

The jury also heard from four members of Zion UMC of Iona, located in Lebannon, Pa., where Schaefer served as the pastor for the past 11 years. These members testified how Schaefer’s actions drove them away from the church.

William Bailey, who has been a member since 1977 and said he had held virtually every office at the church, said that after he learned of his pastor’s actions, he and his family could no longer attend church.

“And the sad part,” Schaefer said, “was that they took their wallets with them.”

Bailey said that the church is no longer able to pay its apportionments, which is a change from the previous three years when they had paid 100 percent.

“If I violate a rule,” Bailey said, “I expect to be punished. I expect nothing less from my church.”

A newer member of the church, Christina Watson, next took the stand and testified that at first Schaefer was very welcoming to them when they arrived at the church five years ago. A retired member of the Air Force, Watson said that during a time of personal struggle, Schaefer, for some reason, “wouldn’t or couldn’t get close to me. It was painful not having a minister minister to me.”

Watson said that when she found out about the wedding, she was in shock. “My daughter is a young believer,” she said. “And then she was seeing a pastor violate the rules. She helped me conclude that we needed to not be subjected to the teachings of Rev. Schaefer.”

The Counsel for the respondent, the Rev. Robert Coombe, called two witnesses from Zion UMC who support Schaefer’s ministry.

Dr. John Schlegel has been attending Zion UMC since 1979. He said the church grew under Schaefer’s leadership.

“The faithful are still here,” he said “We are looking forward to his return. A lot of parishoners will feel deprived if he’s removed now, especially with the holiday season coming.”

Drew Gingrich, 21, said that he was born and raised at Zion UMC and has been active in the church’s youth group.

“Pastor Frank conveys the unconditional love of Christ,” he said. “It’s evident anytime you see him speak.”

Gingrich said that Schaefer invites everyone to the table, even those whom others might reject. “He is the embodiment of Christ. I could not be more honored to call him my mentor, my hero, my pastor.”

The Counsel for the church also called as a witness the Rev. James Todd, superintndent of the Southwest District of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. He testified that he was Schaefer’s superintendent when Schaefer submitted a ministerial profile in 2006, writing that he was going to perform his son’s same-sex wedding.

Todd said that after receiving profiles from all the clergy in his district, he only reviewed those whom the Cabinet thought might be up for a new appointment. Since Schaefer wasn’t on that list, he didn’t read his profile.

Todd also said that Schaefer conducting the wedding was not the only source of conflict at the Lebanon church, adding at one point that most of the criticism had to do with his handling of the choir director situation. The choir director at the time was Deb Boger; she was asked to resign shortly before the charges were filed. Her son, Jon Boger, is the person who filed the complaint.

The jury also heard expert testimony from the Revs. Paul Stallsworth, Janet Wolf, Leister Longden, Thomas Frank, and Keith Boyette.