Church Cancels Funeral Because Decedent Was Gay

Kendall Caper (Right) and late husband Julion Evans (Left) had been together for 17 years before they got married.

*Hmm…If I am being totally honest here, something about this just ain’t right. No matter your religion, when something like this happens and is said to happen in the name of God, an eyebrow is raised…or should be. What’s in a name? Probably not much, as far as Kendall Capers is concerned – if the name has the words New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in it.The night before the Home going Celebration of his late husband Julion Evans was to take place, the family received word that the funeral wouldn’t be taking place at the church after all.

Why?

Because God wouldn’t like it.

Huh?

Evans died from amyloidosis, a rare disease that occurs when amyloid, an abnormal protein, builds up in your organs. Evans and Capers were members of the New Hope congregation in Tampa, Florida,  so Capers arranged to have the service there.

Not in MY church; you don’t! Pastor T. W. Jenkins cancelled man’s funeral because of his sexual orientation. 

But the funeral was abruptly canceled the night before it was scheduled to happen. The family got word of this by phone, when someone from the church called and said that it would be “blasphemous” to hold the service there, according to KCCI.

The cancellation came after members of New Hope noticed Evans’ obituary, which named Capers as the “surviving husband,” according to WFLA.

T.W. Jenkins, the pastor of New Hope, told WFLA over the phone that his church does not believe in gay marriage. “I try not to condemn anyone’s lifestyle, but at the same time, I am a man of God and have to stand upon my principles,” he said.

Of course the Evans’ family members were devastated by the news, and the family matriarch was too upset to speak to reporters on the phone. “Regardless of our background, our sexual orientation, how can you wait that long and put someone in a bind when they’re going through a loss?” said Capers.

Evans’ funeral took place instead at the funeral home which handled his wake.

New Hope has a welcome song that they sing during services that says:

Welcome. Welcome. Please won’t you stand.
As we great you by clapping our hands (clap, clap).
Welcome. Welcome. We’re so glad you came.
Welcome. Welcome. In Jesus’ name.

It evidently does not apply to gay people.

“It’s not like we woke up and said, ‘let’s be gay,’ (it’s something) we were born with and we’ve dealt with it for me, 40 years, him 42 years, and we make the best possible choices,” said Capers to WFLA.

The couple was recently married in Maryland, reportsFOX 13. They had been together for seventeen years.

What do you think a God that is said to be “all-loving” would say about this?