Posted on 01/16/2004 11:58:32 PM PST by ppaul
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/156855_gaypastor16.html
Methodist church to try gay pastorEllensburg clergywoman disclosed having relationship
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS - The lesbian pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Ellensburg will face a church trial for disclosing that she is living in a "covenanted homosexual relationship."The church's Northwest Committee on Investigation voted 5-2 to pursue a complaint against the Rev. Karen Dammann. The trial could lead to her removal from the pulpit.
Earlier decisions not to pursue a complaint -- by the local panel and a regional one -- were reversed last fall by the Nashville, Tenn.-based denomination's Judicial Council.
The council move came on an appeal from Seattle church leader Elias Galvan, Dammann's bishop and the one to whom she had disclosed her committed relationship with a woman in 2001. The couple have a young son.
The church's Book of Discipline bars "self-avowed, practicing homosexuals" from being ordained or serving as pastors on grounds that homosexuality is incompatible with church teaching. Ruling in the case in October, the Judicial Council said it was "an egregious error" not to pursue charges when church law was violated.
Dammann was out of town and could not be reached for comment yesterday, but a news release from the denomination's Seattle office quoted her as saying that "trying someone for being gay is bound to shake the tree -- I hope in the direction of inclusiveness."
The time and location of the trial will be decided after Galvan names a presiding officer -- likely not before the end of the month, Seattle church spokeswoman Elaine Stanovsky said.
He and other church officials also will select a pool of 35 ministers from which 12 jurors and an alternate will be selected.
The Judicial Council retained jurisdiction in the case after ordering it returned to the regional committee, said Dammann's attorney, Lindsay Thompson of Seattle, "which means they can continue to involve themselves in it." Although it would appear a decision against his client is likely, Thompson said yesterday, "God moves in mysterious ways sometimes."
"I'm sure the committee struggled with it, since two members voted no, anyway," he said.
Indeed, one committee member who voted in favor of the trial on the basis of church law said she disagreed with the Book of Discipline's "pronouncements on homosexuality."
The local committee reached its decision Monday, but has not yet produced a bill of charges, Thompson said.
Stanovsky said yesterday it was not yet available for public scrutiny.
There's no question Dammann's congregation supports her, Stanovsky told the United Methodist News Service.
"The overwhelming majority of the church is supportive of Karen's ministry and want her to continue as their pastor," Stanovsky told the church news service.
"In terms of the core issues, we have an uphill battle," Thompson said of the upcoming trial. "But I think -- and Karen has said this as well -- whatever happens will be good for the denomination because it's going to force a broad airing of these issues," which have been subject of an active debate within the church "for many years."
"This case has become bigger than Karen now because of the way the church has handled it," he said, adding that some church members feel the council may have overreached its authority by "setting itself up as the arbiter of ministerial qualifications on the local level."
Thompson also questioned why the local committee's refusal to pursue the admitted homosexuality of another gay pastor, a man serving in Seattle, was not appealed by Galvan.
[T]he denomination's Seattle office quoted her as saying that "trying someone for being gay is bound to shake the tree -- I hope in the direction of inclusiveness perversion."
JESUS DEFINES MARRIAGE: "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore, they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." -from THE BIBLE: Matthew 19:4-6
There might be a modicum of sympathy for the feeble attempt of these churches to rise up against homosexuality, but they always seem to say only that it is against CHURCH teaching.
Would that they instead used the ultimate Authority and said that it is against the clear teaching of the Word of God.
This is true. I was in the Methodist Church until 1980, and they were debating it back then. It was considered a major victory for Christians to have them declare that "homosexuality was incompatable with (I think this was the wording at the time)'Christian' teaching" at that time.
I remember thinking at the time that it was amazing that they were even having this discussion. The text of the Bible is clear on this topic. Even a cursory reading of Scripture should preclude anyone from raising the subject. But, the Methodist Church long ago left following the Bible as its authority, hence, I left the Methodist church.
"Bless you.
How ironic that church members are suppostive of a ministry that the minister's acts are a direct antithesis, that she is undoubtedly "Proud Of," to what she is supposed to be teaching.
Those letters to the Seven churches were a warning, wake up sleepers!
This is an historic step for our Judicial Council to INSIST on the Discipline being followed.
However, I do not think the timing of this by the female is accidental. It will culminate immediately before or during our denominational once-every-four-year General Conference, to be held in Pittsburgh, PA from end of April through 1st week of May.
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