( CNN ) -- The United Methodist Church announced Monday it is dropping its denominational case against a New York clergyman who officiated his son 's same-sex wedding . The Rev . Thomas Ogletree was charged by the church after presiding over the wedding of his son to another man on October 20 , 2012 , according to a statement from the New York Annual Conference ( NYAC ) of the United Methodist Church . The Methodist church says it welcomes members regardless of sexual orientation , but same-sex marriages can not be performed in Methodist churches or by ordained ministers under church policy . An official church trial was set for Ogletree , in which his case would have been heard by a jury of 13 ordained clergy members with a penalty ranging from a reprimand to a full defrocking . Following an additional meeting among the church counsels , the decision was made to reach a `` just resolution agreement '' instead of a trial , said the statement . `` Church trials produce no winners , '' NYAC Bishop Martin McLee said in a statement Monday , stating that such prosecutions result in `` harmful polarization and continue the harm brought upon our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters . '' The case began when a fellow clergyman who had seen the wedding announcement for Ogletree 's son in The New York Times filed a complaint with the bishop of the conference , according to the statement . The complaint set in motion a formal disciplinary process with McLee , who then referred the case to counsel for the church , the equivalent of a prosecutor . After the case was reviewed , it was determined that there was sufficient evidence to warrant charges against Ogletree for his violations , the statement said . `` I could not with any integrity as a Christian refuse my son 's request to preside at his wedding , '' Ogletree said in a statement in January . `` It is a shame that the church is choosing to prosecute me for this act of love , '' the January statement said . Ogletree is a retired professor and a past dean of the Yale Divinity School . As part of Monday 's resolution , Ogletree agreed to join others from varying perspectives in a public forum that `` shall reflect a variety of different opinions and understandings , '' according to the just resolution agreement . Ogletree released a statement Monday relinquishing his right to the trial and accepting McLee 's intention to `` approach the matter of marriage equality in a non-juridical manner . '' The decision comes just months after Pennsylvania pastor , Frank Schaefer , was defrocked in December after being found guilty in a church trial for officiating his own son 's same-sex wedding . `` On first blush it does n't seem fair , '' Schaefer said on Monday , `` two United Methodist Ministers are charged with the exact same 'crime ' of officiating at their son 's same sex weddings -- one is defrocked , the other one 's case is dropped without conditions . '' Schaefer went on to say that despite the different outcomes , overall he is happy about the church 's decision to drop Ogletree 's case . `` It is a victory for the LGBT movement ... if trials are part of the reason why things are changing now in the United Methodist church , it will have been worth my sacrifice , '' Schaefer said .
The Rev . Thomas Ogletree officiated at his son 's same-sex marriage in 2012 . Church policy bars such marriages in Methodist churches or being performed by ministers . A fellow clergyman filed a complaint against Ogletree . The UMC says there will be no church trial against Ogletree .