Frank Schaefer

FRANK SCHAEFER

United Methodist

Pennsylvania

Frank Schaefer is a former ordained minister of the United Methodist Church (Eastern PA) where he ministered for more than 20 years until December 2013. He is married to Brigitte and has four children. He was educated at Princeton Theological Seminary and also earned a CPE degree at Hershey Medical Center’s residency program for chaplains.

In 2013, Frank Schaefer was tried by a United Methodist court for officiating his son’s same-sex marriage in 2007 and was defrocked over his refusal to uphold the Book of Discipline in its entirety because it contains discriminatory laws and language toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer persons. Now a United Methodist lay person, speaker, and activist, he continues to advocate for human rights.

Frank donated his stole during a series of events at First United Methodist Church of Germantown, PA. Events included an exhibit of the Shower of Stoles Project and a demonstration against the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church and it's decision to defrock Frank.
 
The back of the stole contains heartfelt, hand-written messages from his colleagues and supporters: “God made you a prophet.” “Thank you for your strong stance for integrity in the church.” “Frank, ordained in the spirit—an ordination that can never be taken away.” “Thank you for your witness with a father’s love.” “We are greater today because we have been blessed by your courage.”