The Rev. Brian James, pastor of St. James United Methodist Church, is taking an indefinite, voluntary leave of absence, said Erik Alsgaard, director of communications for the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, the Methodists' Lakeland-based governing body for most of Florida.

Alsgaard said James disclosed the problem to a church committee early this week. The committee consulted the hierarchy of the Methodist conference, leading to James' leave of absence, he said. ...