LANSING, Mich. — The Central United Methodist Church in Lansing is going against a national ruling banning same-sex marriages at United Methodist Churches.
The pastor told FOX 47 News's Alani Letang he's willing to lose his job over it.
The pastor said it's worth the punishment because he is following what he believes to be true about his faith.
"It's not for me to be able to say who God loves and who God doesn't. If I'm going to make a mistake I'd rather make a mistake and saying God loves everyone," said Pastor Mark Thompson, Central United Methodist Church in Lansing.
Pastor Mark Thompson said he'd feel like a hypocrite if he followed the policy.
Taking that stand will cost him a year leave with no pay if he performs same-sex marriage.
If the pastor performs it a second time he loses his credentials as a United Methodist pastor, no questions asked he told us.
However, he said it's worth it.
"If I were to say no to the same gender person then I would need to say no to a straight couple because I firmly believe not only what the scripture teaches but also just the way of God is that we live out unconditional love," said Thompson.
The United Methodist made the new policy at a special session set up just to address homosexuality in February 2019.
Pastor Thompson was under the assumption it would be left up to individual churches to decide what was best for them.
"And then when the vote came out that, no that was not going to be allowed, I was devastated, I was devastated," said Thompson.
Members of the congregation share that heartbreak.
"I've never been able to understand how people can define loving someone, really mutual love, consensual love as a sin," said Susan Grettenberger, Central United Methodist Church Member.
Church leaders anticipated this kind of a response when the decision was made and asked congregations to slow down.
"Some of you may feel like you're just done with the church today, and that's an understandable feeling. I would ask that you breathe, take a couple of steps back and engage your thinking as well as your feeling," said David Bard, Michigan United Methodist Bishop.
Delegates to the United Methodist Church meeting voted to make the change by a 438 to 384 margin. Many of them were from congregations in Africa, where there is much stronger opposition to same-sex marriage. The United Methodist Church is the second-largest protestant denomination in the United States.
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