Photo: Chester and Sara Jane Wenger (below) with Phil Wenger (right) and Steve Dinnocenti. Photo provided. 

EMBRACE of Lancaster (Pa.) honored Chester Wenger with a Legacy Award for his faithful service and witness to the Christian inclusion of all persons. EMBRACE is an interfaith group promoting dialogue and assisting individuals, faith communities, and organizations in their growth to affirm and welcome lesbian, gay, bixsexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA) persons.

In a statement released by Ruth A. Daugherty, the chair of Embrace in Lancaster, “This [legacy] was exemplified by his act of love in marrying his gay son and his partner, and the letter that he wrote  to his [Mennonite] church that he loved, testifying to his understanding of God’s love for all persons.”

Wenger’s open letter to Mennonite Church USA, written after he performed a same-sex wedding ceremony for his son, went viral and was viewed over 240,000 times on The Mennonite, Inc.’s website and led to national coverage. Wenger’s pastoral credentials were revoked after performing the ceremony.

The award was presented to Chester Wenger by Mark Stoner, vice-chair of EMBRACE at the event, “We’re affirming…what’s next?” held Sept. 19, 2015, at Lancaster (Pa.) Theological Seminary.