Starbucks CEO cancels megachurch talk

Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz canceled an appearance at a megachurch in America after an online petition condemned the congregation as anti-gay, which the church denies.

Schultz was scheduled to speak on Friday at The Global Leadership Summit organized by the Willow Creek Association, based in South Barrington, Illinois.

The annual event attracts tens of thousands of viewers via satellite and previous speakers include former president Bill Clinton, GE's Jack Welch and rock singer Bono.

A Starbucks spokeswoman confirmed Schultz would not speak as scheduled, but she declined to say more, AP reports.

It reports:

However, at the start of the event on Thursday, the pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, Bill Hybels, said Schultz had canceled suddenly after a petition was posted on the internet a week ago that said his participation would be unacceptable.

The petition at Change.org accused the megachurch of "anti-gay persecution" over Willow Creek's past relationship with Exodus International, a Christian ministry that offers to help gays and lesbians change their sexual orientation.

Willow Creek cut ties with Exodus in 2009, church spokeswoman Susan DeLay said.

Mr Hybels said that Willow Creek did expect its members to follow biblical ethics and reserve sex for marriage between a man and a woman, but welcomed worshippers of all backgrounds.

"To suggest that we check sexual orientation or any other kind of issue at our doors is simply not true," Mr Hybels said. "Just ask the hundreds of people with same-sex attraction who attend our church every week."

Mr Hybels asked members of the audience to write to Schultz "with genuine Christian love" and say he would be welcome at any future summit, AP reports.

Gina Woods, Director of Executive Communications for Starbucks told the Huffington Post he is holding off on any public events until September following an elective neck surgery.

The cancelation comes amid allegations that the firing of an openly gay Starbucks employee at a Long Island location was discriminatory, Huffington Post reports.

Meanwhile, education advocate Michelle Rhee has also been criticized for her participation.

Rhee, former chancellor of D.C. public schools and founder of the PAC StudentsFirst, remains on the list of speakers and is scheduled to address the conference late Friday morning.

Asher Huey, a gay rights advocate and blogger whose Change.org petition called on Schultz to denounce the church’s position or avoid the summit has gathered nearly 800 signatures, said Rhee's participation was far worse.