[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/gay-united-methodist-pastor-says-he-will-officiate-same-sex-weddings\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/gay-united-methodist-pastor-says-he-will-officiate-same-sex-weddings\/","headline":"Gay United Methodist pastor says he will officiate same-sex weddings","name":"Gay United Methodist pastor says he will officiate same-sex weddings","description":"Openly gay United Methodist pastor Mark Thompson plans to officiate same-sex weddings despite the penalties for clergy who do so.","datePublished":"2019-03-06","dateModified":"2019-03-05","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/alainaleary\/#Person","name":"Fin Leary","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/alainaleary\/","identifier":6376,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2d51014ed1230c3de5b543787b5bebf7ad45072e559a4cdb76347a56854d47a4?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2d51014ed1230c3de5b543787b5bebf7ad45072e559a4cdb76347a56854d47a4?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Screen-Shot-2019-03-05-at-1.36.32-PM.png","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Screen-Shot-2019-03-05-at-1.36.32-PM.png","height":904,"width":1340},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/gay-united-methodist-pastor-says-he-will-officiate-same-sex-weddings\/","about":["Marriage Equality News","News"],"wordCount":166,"keywords":["gay pastor","gay wedding","LGBT weddings","Mark Thompson","Methodist","Michigan","officiant","officiate","pastor","same-sex wedding","UMC","United Methodist","United Methodist Church"],"articleBody":"Openly gay United Methodist pastor Mark Thompson from Lansing, Michigan, plans to officiate same-sex weddings despite the penalties that clergy will face for doing so, according to WKAR.Thompson, 61, is a minister at Central United Methodist Church in Lansing and he says he’s been out as gay for 10 years. Church rules prohibit him from being in a same-sex relationship.RELATED: WE’RE WORTHY OF GOD’S LOVE: A QUEER METHODIST ON THE ANTI-LGBTQ+ POLICYThe United Methodist Church recently approved harsher penalties for clergy who officiate same-sex marriages or have same-sex relationships, but Thompson says he’s going to perform ceremonies regardless of the rule.\u201cI need to do that because I need to be able to treat people with equity. I do that in every other part of my life,” he tells WKAR. He plans to retire next year and pursue a romantic relationship then.The Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church will vote on the constitutionality of the new plan in April."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Gay United Methodist pastor says he will officiate same-sex weddings","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/gay-united-methodist-pastor-says-he-will-officiate-same-sex-weddings\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]