According to the United Methodist Book of Discipline "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church." According to lots of church leaders at all levels, especially those hiring church musicians, this phrase has always been interpreted to refer to only clergy.
But the interim pastor of a United Methodist Church in Alexandria, Indiana took the "appointed to serve" phrase to mean all people in local church leadership. His District Superintendent backed him up. So a beloved choir director was not rehired (the history of the situation is convoluted enough that I won't go into why rehiring was necessary). The dispute also forced out an intermediary (it isn't clear which official church position he held).
The result: 80% of the congregation stopped attending.
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