
First Covenant Church is shown June 29, 2019, in downtown Minneapolis. Leaders of the Evangelical Covenant Church voted June 28, to expel First Covenant and defrock its lead pastor, the Rev. Dan Collison, for permitting gay marriage. First Covenant was a founding member of the 134-year-old denomination.
The Rev. Dan Collison had his credentials removed by a 77% vote at the Evangelical Covenant Church's annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday night.
Leaders also voted to expel Collison's First Covenant Church, a founding member of the 134-year-old denomination.
Collison, who became a pastor at First Covenant in downtown Minneapolis in 2009, told the Star Tribune he was "not surprised" but "saddened" after he was voted out.
"I feel grounded in the path we have chosen. I feel grateful for the pastors and churches who stood up for us. I feel compassion to those caught in the middle," Collison said.
The ECC says First Covenant is free to keep operating as a church and can keep its church building. First Covenant says Collison will continue serving as lead pastor.














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