McElvaney, seated, officiated the marriage of Jack Evans, 84, and George Harris, 80 in March.
The Rev. Bill McElvaney, an ardent LGBT ally who faced scrutiny for officiating same-sex marriages despite his denomination’s disapproval, has died.
In March McElvaney, the pastor emeritus at Northaven United Methodist Church, officiated the wedding of longtime congregants Jack Evans, 84, and George Harris, 80. The very public ceremony, which was covered by this publication and others, was not held at Northaven but instead the neighboring Midway Hills Christian Church. Later that month, he was suspended from the church.
At the time of his suspension, he told the Voice that given his age, he’d rather be on the right side of history. “I owe the Methodist church a lot, but what I do not owe the Methodist Church is my soul.”
He recently announced he would no longer undergo treatment for liver cancer after four years.
Follow the blog this week for more information.