I have grown from having Beth as our pastor.
08 Dec 2004
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Reflection from Nancy Tkacs of First United Methodist Church of Germantown |
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Cut your losses?
05 Dec 2004
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A sermon by Rev. Jim McIntire, Bala United Methodist Church
Jim was Beth's predecessor at First United Methodist Church of Germantown. Beth is a pastor to Jim's children. Jim is pastor to Beth's parents. |
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Our job is to try to walk in the footsteps of Christ.
05 Dec 2004
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A reflection by Michael C. Mahan, from First United Methodist Church of Germantown |
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There were no winners today.
04 Dec 2004
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Bishop John Schol writes to the Baltimore-Washington Conference |
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Grace was abundant.
04 Dec 2004
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Pastoral Letter from Bishop Marcus Matthews regarding the Beth Stroud Trial
December 3, 2004 |
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A Public Statement from the Rev. Dr. Troy D. Perry, Founder & Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches
04 Dec 2004
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A Public Statement from the Rev. Dr. Troy D. Perry, Founder & Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches
On The Church Trial and Conviction of the Rev. Elizabeth Stroud for Violating the United Methodist Church's Ban on Homosexual Clerics in Non-Celibate Relationships
December 2, 2004
Today, the friends and members of Metropolitan Community Churches
stand in solidarity with the Reverend Elizabeth Stroud, who was found
guilty and defrocked by the United Methodist Church for violating a
church ban on active gay and lesbian clergy.
Despite today's pain, God will open new and meaningful doors of
ministry for Rev. Stroud. Her future is filled with hope. But we
grieve for a sister denomination that has lost the passion, gifts, and
ministry of a deeply committed and called woman of faith -- solely
because she has chosen to live her life openly and with authenticity.
We extend our love and prayers to the many gay clergy who continue to
serve in the United Methodist Church, and to the tens of thousands of
gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender persons whose church of
choice has failed to love them unconditionally, as God loves, and to
embrace them without reservation. We support their faithful efforts to
work for change within the denomination they love.
On behalf of Metropolitan Community Churches, we send our love and
prayers to Rev. Stroud. We are saddened that her denomination has
failed to live up to its motto: "Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors."
Today, her church shut its heart and mind -- and its doors -- to Rev.
Stroud and to God's gay and lesbian children.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, frequently proclaimed "The
world is my parish." He did not mean solely the heterosexual world. He
truly meant that God loved the whole world -- and so should the
Church.
Events such as these are sad but powerful reminders that the work of
building communities of faith where all God's children are free to
live and celebrate the great diversity of God's creation has
unfortunately just begun. With all the advancements that have been
made over the past three decades, the reality is that far too often
homophobia is still rooted in religion and that far too often LGBT
people are not welcomed into communities of faith.
Metropolitan Community Churches reaffirms its commitment to weclome
persons of diverse genders and sexualities to serve and minister in
any capacity, and reaffirms its 35-year commitment to work for
spiritual justice for all God's people.
(END)
For Additional Information, Contact:
MCC Communications Department
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Tel. 310-360-8640, Ext. 226
E-Mail: info@MCCchurch.org
Website: www.MCCchurch.org
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