Fired gay music teacher gets new job

A gay music director fired from a Catholic church for refusing to take a chastity vow has landed a job at another church. Rockford, Ill.'s Court Street United Methodist Church has announced Bill Stein's hiring as director of music ministries. The church's search committee met 16 candidates from around the country before settling on the former music director from Holy Family Catholic Parish. "He was, and is, the most qualified candidate that our search committee interviewed," the Reverend Michael Mann said. "He was hired based on his credentials and his interview process." Rockford's largest Catholic church fired Stein in June after some parishioners objected to his desire to adopt a child with his partner of 10 years. After the firing, other parishioners rallied to his support. At the time of the firing, a spokeswoman for the Rockford Diocese said the decision reflected the church's prohibition on sex outside of marriage.