Southern U.S. church ousts anti-Bush members 2005-05-08 03:14:39 Associated Press
WAYNESVILLE, N.C. -- A pastor who led a charge to kick out nine church members who refused to support U.S. President George W. Bush was the talk of the town yesterday in this mountain hamlet, with ousted congregants considering hiring a lawyer.
Pastor Chan Chandler greeted people at the door of tiny East Waynesville Baptist church yesterday as the church choir practised and even welcomed them to attend services this morning -- if there's room inside. But he was not prepared to talk about his mixing of religion and politics.
"On the advice of counsel, I've been advised not to have any comment at this time," Chandler said.
"We will have a statement later."
Members of the congregation said Chandler told them during last year's presidential campaign anyone who planned to vote for Democratic nominee John Kerry should leave the church.
Longtime member Selma Morris, who was treasurer at the church, said Chandler's sermons remained political after Bush won re-election. This past week, his comments turned to politics again at a church gathering that ended with nine members voted out.
Morris said yesterday some of the ousted members plan to meet with a lawyer tomorrow to discuss their options.
"We're hoping he (the lawyer) will make him leave so that the church members can come back," she said.
"This is very disturbing," said Pastor Robert Prince, who leads the congregation at the nearby First Baptist church.
"I've been a pastor for more than 25 years and I have never seen church members voted out for something like this."
Those who are still members did not know if the church would be open for services today or if Chandler would be in the pulpit to preach.
In the days since the nine members were ousted, many more members are reported to have left the church in protest.
"He went on and on about how he's going to bring politics up and if we didn't agree with him, we should leave," Isaac Sutton told the News and Observer newspaper of Raleigh.
"I think I deserve the right to vote for who I want to."
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