Pastor Defrocked After Officiating Son's Gay Wedding Mulls New Job Offer

Story by the Associated Press; curated by Dave Urbanski

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A United Methodist pastor from central Pennsylvania who was defrocked after officiating his son's gay wedding has been invited by a California Methodist bishop to serve in her region.

FILE - This Sept. 2013 photo provided by The Rev. Frank Schaefer shows Schaefer, right, and his son Tim. (Image source: AP/Schaefer Family, File)

Frank Schaefer says he is deciding whether to accept the offer from Bishop Minerva G. Carcano to join the California-Pacific Annual Conference. The region includes California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands.

Carcano does not have the authority to restore his credentials but he says he would have the same rights.

Schaefer on Friday appealed the decision of the church's regional Board of Ordained Ministry to defrock him.

Former United Methodist pastor Frank Schaefer speaks during a news conference, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013, at First United Methodist Church of Germantown in Philadelphia. United Methodist church officials have defrocked Schaefer, who officiated his son's gay wedding in Massachusetts. (Image source: AP/Matt Rourke)

A church jury suspended him for 30 days last month and told him to decide whether he would uphold the church's Book of Discipline or resign. Schaefer refused to surrender his credentials.

Here's a report from CBS This Morning that precedes Schaefer's new job offer:

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