Aug. 14, 2025 7p
(WGTD)---A Kenosha pastor who has taken the lead in advocating for various social and environmental causes is stepping down from the pulpit in order to avoid a conflict with his church.
In a Facebook post, Jonathan Barker said he's resigning from Grace Lutheran Church and is asking that his name be removed from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America clergy roster.
Barker had wanted to endorse a candidate for president in a sermon planned for Sunday. When the ELCA got wind of the move, the synod threatened to pull the church's tax exempt status, even though the Trump administration's Internal Revenue Service announced a change in rules that now allow churches to endorse candidates without fearing a loss of tax exempt status.
Barker believes that the ELCA should embrace the change, like some conservative churches have, and start endorsing what he termed "progressive, love your neighbor candidates."
In his post, Barker said he's searching for a new venue to preach this Sunday in order to formally endorse for president U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.
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