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Parishioners upset after gay pastor ousted

CASSOPOLIS, Mich. (WOOD) – A West Michigan pastor has turned in his robes, saying he had to resign or he would have been fired because he is gay.

Rev. Benjamin Hutchison resigned this week from his role as senior pastor at the Cassopolis United Methodist Church.

Hutchison, a Grand Rapids native, was appointed to the church at the start of 2013. He said he quadrupled the size of the congregation in only eight weeks and helped make the church financially solvent.

And it’s where he found a second home.

“Being here and growing this church, it became the love of my life, it became my passion,” said Hutchison.