Las Vegas leaders of The Mormon Church  have excommunicated a man who created a calendar that featured shirtless hunky missionaries.  The calendar, conceived and produced by church member Chad Hardy, featured 12 young male missionaries wearing black slacks but not their trademark white shirts.

Called “Men on a Mission”, the calendar also contained photos of the young men wearing traditional missionary clothing and biographical summaries of their religious beliefs.  The 2008 calendar has soled more than 10,000 copies.

Chad Hardy insists he’is not angry at the council of elders from the church.  “I felt like I spoke my truth,” the 31-year old entertainment entrepreneur said.  “Bottom line, they still felt the calendar is inappropriate and not the image that the church wants to have.” 

Mormons who are excommunicated are welcome at church services but are removed from the official church rolls and are prohibited from receiving the sacrament.  They’re also barred from teaching or preaching during meetings. 

For more information on ordering the calendar, or to see some hot ‘behind the scene’ photos, check out the “Men on A Mission” Myspace page. Perhaps the 2009 calendar will feature these hot studs sporting only their ‘holy undergarments’.  Wouldn’t that be spiritually uplifting?