Fired Pastor's Supporters Protest Outside Service
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- Supporters of an ousted Prince George's County megachurch pastor are continuing to call for his reinstatement.
WTOP-FM reports that church members loyal to Elder Joel Peebles Jr. held a peaceful protest outside Jericho City of Praise in Landover while Sunday services went on inside.
The church's board of trustees fired Peebles on Wednesday and revoked his church membership. The board said he was fired for trying to run a for-profit company from the church.
Jericho has more than 10,000 members. Peebles is the son of co-founder Betty Peebles, who died in October 2010 and left control of the church to the board. Peebles sued, saying his mother always intended for him to take over.
Protesters called Peebles' ouster a hostile takeover.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
