Defrocked Gay Pastor Appeals Lutheran Church Decision
By Giovanna Dell\'Orto
Associated Press Writer
Tue, Mar. 13 2007

ATLANTA (AP) - The pastor of Atlanta's oldest Lutheran church has appealed the decision by an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America disciplinary committee to defrock him because he's in a same-sex relationship.

The Rev. Bradley Schmeling, who was ordered last month to leave the pulpit of St. John's Lutheran Church on Aug. 15, has appealed that decision in an effort to prompt the church to change its rules on gay clergy, his spokeswoman said in a statement Monday.

The appeals committee, which consists of 12 lay and clergy members, will take at least two months to reach a decision, said ELCA spokesman John Brooks. He said Bishop Ronald Warren of the ECLA's Southeastern Synod also had appealed a portion of the ruling deemed unfavorable to the synod, and that appeal would also be heard by the appeals committee. the rest