Pastor Bradley Schmeling of Atlanta’s St. John’s Lutheran Church made international headlines when he faced a church trial for violating the denomination’s policy banning LGBT people in relationships from ordained ministry.
The church knew Schmeling was gay when he became pastor in 2000, and embraced his relationship with Rev. Darin Easler. The congregation stood by Schmeling and Easler through a journey that began with formal charges filed in 2006, and continued through 2009, when the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to allow clergy in committed, monogamous same-sex relationships.
Easler and Schmeling, who had remained at the helm of St. John’s throughout the struggle, were officially restored to the ELCA clergy roster in 2010. On March 24, Schmeling announced he is leaving St. John’s to become senior pastor of the 2,300-member Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minn. He will preach his last sermon at St. John’s on Sunday, May 6.