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Presbyterian
General Assembly Lifts Ban on Ordination of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Presbyterians
June
15, 2001
LOUISVILLE, KY - More Light Presbyterians, That All May Freely
Serve, and The Shower of Stoles Project join together in giving thanks to God for this
action of the General Assembly that paves the way for the ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Presbyterians. "The church has
returned to its historic principles allowing local churches and presbyteries to make decisions about ordination. This is the middle ground the church
needed to move forward," said Elder, Bill Moss, More Light Presbyterians Co-moderator.
Today's decision would change language in the Book of Order that requires candidates for ministry to observe "fidelity in the covenant of marriage
between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness." (G-6.0106b Book of Order). It would also do away with the definitive guidance of the 1978
General Assembly that "practicing, self-affirming homosexuals" are
prohibited from serving as ordained ministers, elders, or deacons.
"At last the church has taken a step toward justice for God's lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender people," said Rev. Janie Spahr. "We are
looking forward so much to being in the presbyteries so people can see us for who we
are as people of faith, to share our faith, to share our stories together, so that all may freely serve." Janie Spahr is an ordained minister whose
call to serve the Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY was denied in 1992 by the church's highest court, because she is a lesbian. The
church hired her instead as a "lesbian evangelist," and director of
That All May Freely Serve, an organization working to employ gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgender people in ministries of outreach and education for a more inclusive church.
Martha Juillerat, Director of the Shower of Stoles Project, said that this decision impacts more lives than the Assembly commissioners imagine. The
Shower of Stoles Project is a collection of over 800 stoles donated by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals called to serve in
ordained positions. About half of the stoles are from Presbyterians. "The
stoles bear powerful silent witness to the host of impassioned, qualified, and faithful people knocking at the church's door, or waiting silenced
within the church for the day they can serve openly," she said.
Today's decision must be ratified over the next year by a majority of the denomination's local governing bodies known as presbyteries. Together the
groups look forward to the work ahead of making the church a truly inclusive community, worshiping Christ, and living out the gospel in the life of the
church.
Marco A. Grimaldo
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