An Act of Love

The conflict within the United Methodist Church over the issue of same-sex marriage is treated with sensitivity in Scott Sheppard's documentary. An Act of Love focuses on minister Frank Schaefer, who was serving at the Zion UMC of Iona, PA, when he was defrocked in 2013 for officiating at his gay son's wedding some years before. Schaefer mounted an appeal that attracted widespread news coverage and eventually led to his reinstatement in the clergy and appointment to a congregation in California, although the underlying issue continues to be debated by the larger church's governing body. The story is told primarily from the perspective of Schaefer and his supporters through footage following the congregation's quasi-legal proceedings, combined with interviews of Schaefer, his wife, and children (including Tim, whose marriage initiated the dispute). A couple of opposing members are interviewed as well, but hardly presented in the best light. Sheppard also notes incidents preceding the Schaefer case—one involving another minister who had performed a same-sex wedding ceremony, and another concerning a female minister whose credentials were revoked after she came out to her congregation. In the end, however, it is the Schaefer family that remains center stage, and the film celebrates their love and support for one another as they grow ever more vocal in the movement for equality for the LGBTQ community in the UMC. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)