Formal complaint filed against NC pastor for officiating same-sex wedding

The United Methodist Church confirmed this week that it was investigating a formal complaint against at least one North Carolina pastor for officiating same-sex weddings.

In response to North Carolina's HB2 law against transgender bathroom rights, Bishop Melvin G. Talbert and Rev. Val Rosenquist conducted a same-sex wedding at the First United Methodist Church of Charlotte, NC on Saturday.

The Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church revealed this week that an anonymous formal complaint had been filed against Rosenquist.

"Multiple media outlets have reported that Rev. Dr. Val Rosenquist at First United Methodist Church in Charlotte performed a same sex wedding, which would be in violation of Paragraph 341.6 in The 2012 Book of Discipline, and that Bishop Melvin Talbert was in attendance at the service," the statement said.

"A formal complaint was filed with Bishop Goodpaster over the weekend, after the press deadlines for Monday’s paper," a statement from the conference said. "In response to the filed complaint, Bishop Goodpaster has begun the process outlined in paragraph 363 of The 2012 Book of Discipline."

It was not clear if a complaint had also been filed against Talbert, who came under fire from the church in 2013 for officiating a same-sex wedding at a church in Georgia.

A ruled added to the church's Book of Discipline in 1972 states that homosexuality “is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

The United Methodist General Conference meeting in May is expected to consider how the church will address the issue of human sexuality going forward. Church members are reportedly split on adopting a platform of LGBT inclusiveness.

Watch video of the wedding ceremony below.