Complaint against Northaven UMC resolved

A complaint filed by a retired pastor against Northaven United Methodist Church and the Rev. Eric Folkerth has been resolved.
The Rev. Ben Marshall, who retired in 2000, officiated at the wedding of Northaven members Mike House and Cody McMahan at the church on April 22. The Rev. Fred Durham, also retired, filed the complaint against Marshall and Folkerth, senior pastor of the church, who did not participate in the wedding.
The Methodist Church still does not recognize same-sex weddings and does not allow them in their churches. Pastors are banned from performing weddings for same-sex couples and churches are prevented from hosting weddings.
Marshall and Folkerth issued a joint statement that they are “sorry for any harm … caused to those who disagree with [their] understanding of [their] pastoral calling and covenant,” according to United Methodist News. Contacted by phone, Folkerth declined to comment on the case but said he is glad it was resolved and apologized to anyone who felt harmed by the wedding.
Northaven UMC is a Black Tie Dinner beneficiary. LGBT members serve in Northaven leadership positions and form a large portion of the congregation.
The General Conference of the Methodist Church formed the Commission on a Way Forward to work through the impasse in the church on the issues of same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBT clergy. Currently, any member of the Methodist Church may file charges against a pastor for performing a same-sex wedding, even if that person is not related to that pastor’s church.

— David Taffet