On Sunday, a congregation in West Manchester Township for a second time voted overwhelmingly to end its affiliation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
The vote comes nine months after the denomination approved a policy allowing non-celibate gay clergy in the pulpit -- a move conservatives say typifies a long, leftward drift by the church.
Sunday's was the second of two votes that St. Paul Lutheran Church needed to quit the ELCA, as required by denominational rules.
The vote was 148-11 in favor of leaving and joining the Michigan-based Lutheran body, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, said the Rev. Paul Gausmann, pastor.
Next, the council of the Lower Susquehanna Synod will consider whether to approve St. Paul's departure when it meets in September, Gausmann said.
Another local church, Christ Lutheran in Dallastown, plans its second vote for June 27.
In related news, Lutherans of the Lower Susquehanna Synod rejected a resolution during their annual assembly June 11 to propose a repeal of the gay clergy policy approved during last year's Churchwide Assembly. The vote was 311 to 190.
Farewell, godspeed haiku
Sad to see you go
Yet in Christ reversal comes
Friendship will return