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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Can't un-ordain her.
08 Dec 2004
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United Methodist pastor Beth Stroud of Pennsylvania has been defrocked by the United Methodist Church after a church jury convicted her of being a “self-avowed practicing homosexual.” The vote to convict was nearly unanimous at 12-1, but the vote to take away her credentials and remove her as a pastor was only 7-6.
I have very mixed emotions. On the one hand, I don’t think institutions, including the church, can surive if their rules are ignored. For the jury to acquit would have been an act of jury nullification. On the other had, I think it is a travesty that the church prohibits gay and lesbian pastors in the first place.
Although the church has the power to lift her credentials, it can’t un-ordain her. The act of ordination was of God and cannot be removed by mere human beings. So, I will continue to view her as among those ordained to ministry, called by God to witness to the cost of bearing the cross and being a disciple.
Joel |
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