http://www.bsa-discrimination.org/html/umcgbcs.html
Sodomites.
Boycott Levi's Jeans & Dockers
Posted on 03/21/2004 7:57:23 AM PST by JesseHousman
BOTHELL, Wash. (AP) -- A lesbian Methodist minister said she was relieved by her acquittal in a church trial over her sexual orientation - but so was the pastor who prosecuted her, and even the bishop who filed the complaint.
A jury of 13 pastors said it decided in favor of the Rev. Karen Dammann "after many hours of painful and prayerful deliberations, and listening for and to the word of God."
Dammann, 47, married her partner of nine years last month in Oregon, where officials have been allowing gay marriages. "It's been heart-stopping at times, too exciting at times," she said after the verdict.
Meredith Savage, Dammann's partner, said she called their 5-year-old son and shouted, "Mama won!"
While the verdict could alienate some conservatives within the Methodist church, Dammann's prosecution was painful for many in the Seattle area.
The United Methodist clergy of the Pacific Northwest Conference had voted to retain Dammann after she disclosed that she was in a homosexual relationship, but the denomination's Judicial Council reversed that decision last fall.
Church law prohibits the ordination of self-avowed, practicing homosexuals and the church's Book of Discipline declares homosexuality to be "incompatible to Christian teachings."
The Rev. James C. Finkbeiner, who prosecuted the case, said he believed the jury overstepped the bounds of church law. "And I don't feel bad about that. Our process is fair."
Then, with permission from Bishop Galvan, Finkbeiner spoke for himself, adding, "I'm glad I lost, on a personal basis."
If nine of the 13 clergy members on the jury had voted to convict her, Dammann could have lost her ministry. The church cannot appeal the verdict.
About 100 people attended a prayer service immediately after the verdict was announced. The Rev. Rody Rowe, pastor of Queen Anne United Methodist Church in Seattle, told the gathering they could pray silently or voice their thoughts.
After a long silence, one woman said, "I pray for our church, for those who will rejoice and for those who will gnash their teeth and wail."
Bishop Elias Galvan of Seattle acknowledged the verdict will upset some people.
"The church is not of one mind," Galvan said. "I expect this issue to continue to be raised until society comes to terms with it."
Dammann has been on leave as pastor of First United Methodist Church in Ellensburg, 95 miles east of Seattle. The ruling means she is in good standing with the church and available for new assignments.
Dammann said her immediate plans are to continue caring for her son, who has a respiratory illness, but she hopes one day to return to the Ellensburg church.
The trial is the first against a homosexual Methodist pastor since 1987, when the credentials of the Rev. Rose Mary Denman of New Hampshire were revoked.
The United Methodist Church, the nation's third-largest with 8.5 million U.S. members, has struggled publicly with the issue of homosexuality since 1972. In that year, the General Conference declared homosexuals "persons of sacred worth" but found homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching."
Still, the denomination's social principles support gay rights and liberties. Since the late 1980s, Pacific Northwest church leaders have petitioned to ease policies on homosexuality at each of the denomination's General Conferences, held every four years. During past international General Conferences, most attendees have opposed change.
Similar rifts have developed in other Christian denominations - most notably in the Episcopal Church, which confirmed an openly gay bishop last year. Since then, several conservative parishes have threatened to break ties with the denomination.
Dammann declared her sexual preference in February 2001, when she sought a new church appointment. After receiving her letter, Galvan, under church orders, filed a complaint against Dammann.
Galvan said the trial was painful for him because he respects and admires Dammann.
"I think the jury was looking for a way to be faithful to the Book of Discipline and I think they did that," Galvan said. "As soon as she's able to return to ministry, we'll welcome her and appoint her."
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
These weasels must have had cotton stuck in their ears and were wearing blinders!
Goodbye Methodist Church! Hello satan.
Meredith Savage, Dammann's partner, said she called their 5-year-old son and shouted, "Mama won!"
...and you lost!
I have long held that Christ left organized religion long ago. (Or to be more accurate, organized religion left Christ.)
The Body of Christ resides elswhere.
"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."--vs 13
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
"Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' --Vs 15-23--The WORD of Jesus Christ, our ultimate judge.
http://www.bsa-discrimination.org/html/umcgbcs.html
Sodomites.
Boycott Levi's Jeans & Dockers
And with each new graduating class they get closer to their goal. It's disgusting. Already teens around here talk about boys holding hands and skipping through the halls at school, bisexual students, one who marks his calendar every day either X, Y, or Z, to represent his sexual preference for the day. X = girls, Y = boys, Z = either Of course no one can say anything about it at all. Now if a kid says a prayer or does a school project on a Bible character, that's a scandal. That's offensive. But this deviant sexual crap is all about rights and freedom. I do not know why parents still send their kids to these schools.
For a week each year, all "good" kids wear ribbons indicating their support for the sad plight of the gay students (unnamed in their midst). Gay/Lesbian Straight Alliance. If you don't wear a ribbon, are you noticed? You sure are, in fact you are called on the carpet in each school class by the teacher. What ever happened to privacy and secret ballots? Small wonder they are winning the cultural war each generation. Where will it stop? There is no limit to what moral values the left wants torn down. They want them all.
What an inane statement for a "teacher of God's word". Our pastor reminded us today that it is our job to go out and make a difference in the community by spreading God's Word. He didn't say it was our job to let the community pervert the Word of God and to bring the perversion back to the church...
Which "lame-stream" church is next? Lutherans? Presbyterians?
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