Pastor Says Ouster a Misunderstanding ( The vote was a Misunderstanding LO

[wakeme2008]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-Church-Politics.html?

Pastor Says Ouster a Misunderstanding
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 11:59 a.m. ET

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- A pastor who led a charge to kick out nine church members who refused to support President Bush said Sunday it was all a misunderstanding, as some of the congregants who said they were ousted showed up for church anyway.

Members of the tiny East Waynesville Baptist Church said the Rev. Chan Chandler told them during last year's presidential campaign that anyone who planned to vote for Democratic nominee John Kerry needed to leave the church.

This past week, his comments turned to politics again at a church gathering that ended with nine members voted out. After the vote, other members reportedly left the church in protest.

Chandler said before Sunday's service that he wouldn't preach about the controversy, but he called it ''a great misunderstanding.''

Several members who said they had been kicked out went to services Sunday, as did lawyers for the pastor and the ousted members.

..little more at link...