NIC VOICE
News Update
12-01-2004 Beth Stroud Case
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View previously released
NIC VOICE
news
updates on the Beth Stroud Case here:
http://www.faithfulchristianlaity.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=191
New PRESS ARTICLES:
(Note – some of these articles may require free
registration to access and may be on-line for only a
short period before being archived)
Posted November 22:
Debbie Woodell | 'God loves us just as we are'
The Rev. Stroud said she grew up learning that "God
loves us just as we are."
"God makes all of us different and doesn't ask us to
change who we fundamentally are to be accepted, and to
be loved, and to be forgiven, and to be called into
ministry," she said.
"That's what I believe and that's what I want to express
and I felt that as long as I wasn't fully out of the
closet, I really wasn't expressing what I believe and
what my faith tells me."
<snip>
Last March, a lesbian minister in Washington state was
acquitted of similar charges in a church trial; in May,
the denomination hardened its stance against gay people
at its annual convention in Pittsburgh. Thus, the Rev.
Stroud's case is drawing considerable attention. And she
draws a wealth of support from her congregation, from
her senior pastor, the Rev. Fred Day, and from
progressive religious people of all faiths. (Visit
www.bethstroud.info and www.fumcog.org for more info on
how you can help.)
Recommended listening – NPR report including clips from
Beth Stroud “Walking in the Light” sermon, interview
with Maxie Dunnam, and others involved:
November 29, 2004:
Lesbian
Pastor Could Be Forced from Church
NPR (audio) - Washington,D.C.,USA
Description: Last year, United
Methodist
Pastor Beth
Stroud
told her Philadelphia congregation that she was gay and
in an active relationship with a woman.
...
November 30, 2004:
Senate president visits
Hagerstown Morning Herald - Hagerstown,MD,USA
... A
retired United
Methodist Church
bishop from
Washington County will preside this week over a church
trial on whether a Philadelphia minister's homosexuality
...
Recommended Reading:
November 30, 2004:
Third
UMC Lesbian Case to Begin Tomorrow
Christian Post - San Francisco,CA,USA
... The
UMC¡¯s book
also notes, however, that homosexuals are people of
sacred ...
In early May, the denomination¡¯s top court, the
Judicial
Council,
ruled that it ...
The presiding judge at the trial is Joseph Yeakel, the
retired bishop of Washington, D.C., who in 1996 joined
15 bishops in saying "it is time to break the silence"
and protest their church's gay stance.
The trial begins with closed-door selection of 13 jurors
from clergy in the regional Eastern Pennsylvania
Conference. Approval from nine jurors is necessary to
convict Stroud.
The prosecuting attorney assigned by Weaver is the Rev.
Thomas Hall of the Church at the Crossroads near Exton,
Pa., assisted by lay attorney Robert Shoemaker Jr., of
Paoli, Pa.
Hall says that "at stake is, really, any denomination's
authority to hold ministers accountable to the sacred
trust that they have agreed upon as ordained ministers."
Stroud¡¯s case will be presented by the Rev J. Dennis
Williams, a retired minister from Cornwall, Pa.
Recommended Reading & Video (Including clip with
Rev. Karen Booth,
Transforming Congregations):
November 30, 2004:
Local Minister Admits Sexuality
KYW - Philadelphia,PA,USA
... That's
how Minister Cleveland Jenkins says most people at the
First United
Methodist Church of Germantown reacted when
Reverend Beth
Stroud
disclosed in a ...
Reverend Karen Booth encourages gays and lesbian to use
the Church to change their sexual orientation: “Beth has
acknowledged she's involved in homosexual behavior and
that bars her from ordination and appointment in the
denomination. I believe it's her defiance and
disobedience that's on trial not the policy and I
believe it should be an open and shut case.”
The following AP article has been published across the
country:
November 30, 2004: Church
Trial Begins for Lesbian Minister
Miami Herald (subscription) - Miami,FL,USA
...
assigned in 1999 as associate pastor of Philadelphia's
First United
Methodist Church of
... Then-Bishop
Peter Weaver started the process that led to Stroud's
trial ...
Stroud says that if she is defrocked, the Germantown
congregation has already promised that she can continue
her current educational, pastoral and preaching work
under lay status, though she would no longer be able to
preside at baptisms or communion services.
The presiding judge at the trial is Joseph Yeakel, the
retired bishop of Washington, D.C., who in 1996 joined
15 bishops in saying "it is time to break the silence"
and protest their church's gay stance.
November 30, 2004: Methodist
trial weighing gay clergy begins
Knoxville News Sentinel (subscription) -
Knoxville,TN,USA
...
Karen
Dammann, a
pastor in Washington state who lives openly with a
same-sex partner and the Methodists' national supreme
court ...
In the other such
trial, the Rev
...
December 1, 2004:
Methodist
trial over gay clergy to begin
Seattle Times - Seattle,WA,USA
... vote
at the Methodists' General
Conference in
May. ...
sex partner, and the Methodists'
national
supreme court ...
of Philadelphia's First United
Methodist
Church of ...
December 1, 2004:
Lesbian
cleric faces church trial
Washington Times - Washington,DC,USA
... At the
1996 Methodist
General Conference in Denver,
Bishop Yeakel
was one of 15 bishops who urged the church to liberalize
its laws against homosexual clergy.
...
But Mark Tooley, who directs the United Methodist
program for the Institute on Religion and Democracy,
called on the jury to fire the minister.
"There should be no doubt that an unrepentant Stroud
cannot continue in the ordained ministry," he said. The
rest of Methodism, he added, is veering toward a more
evangelical stance, based on growing demographics in the
American South and overseas.
"The train has already left the station on the issue
of homosexuality," Mr. Tooley said. "Whatever happens in
the Stroud case, the United Methodist Church as a whole
will not endorse the sexual revolution."
December 1, 2004:
Trial testing church law against gay clergy opens today
in
...
Pottstown Mercury - Pottstown,PA,USA
... vote
at the Methodists' General
Conference in
May. ...
partner, and the Methodists'
national
supreme court ...
verdict on Stroud dismays
Methodist
conservatives or ...
The prosecuting attorney assigned by Weaver is the Rev.
Thomas Hall of the Church at the Crossroads near Exton,
assisted by lay attorney Robert Shoemaker Jr. of Paoli.
Hall says that "at stake is, really, any denomination’s
authority to hold ministers accountable to the sacred
trust that they have agreed upon as ordained ministers."
December 1, 2004:
Church
Trial Begins for Lesbian Minister
Miami Herald (subscription) - Miami,FL,USA
...
Karen
Dammann, a
pastor in Washington state who also lives openly with a
same-sex partner and the Methodists' national supreme
... In the
other such trial,
the Rev ...
Just posted December 1, 2004 as trial begins (includes
photo):
Third Methodist Lesbian
Trial Case Opens in Pennsylvania
Christian Post - San Francisco,CA,USA
...
Karen
Dammann was
acquitted; the controversial
trial held a
muddled verdict: although the court found she was indeed
a "self-avowed practicing homosexual
...
New Press Releases:
IRD: Press
Release: IRD Calls for Faithfulness to Church Teachings
at Lesbian Methodist Minister Trial
"Whatever
happens in the Stroud case, the United Methodist Church
as a whole will not endorse the sexual revolution. Most
United Methodists look forward to the day when church
trials are no longer exploited to further the politics
of sexual advocacy causes.”
(11/30/04)
IRD Calls for Faithfulness to Church Teachings at
Lesbian Methodist Minister Trial
Contact: John Lomperis
November 30, 2004
The IRD’s United Methodist director is calling for the
December 1 church trial of out-of-the-closet lesbian
Beth Stroud, a Philadelphia minister, to remain faithful
to the teachings of the United Methodist Church and of
universal Christianity.
“The United Methodist Church has repeatedly over 32
years reiterated its adherence to scriptural and
historic teachings about marriage and sexual ethics,”
commented Mark Tooley, who directs the IRD’s United
Methodist program. “Reverend Stroud has publicly
announced that she will not live within the covenant she
once pledged to uphold. There should be no doubt that
an unrepentant Stroud cannot continue in the ordained
ministry. We trust that the jury and other officers of
this church trial will carry out their duty with
integrity.”
Stroud publicly announced her lesbianism last year from
the pulpit of her church, citing an over two-year
“covenant relationship” with a female partner. The
United Methodist Church, which believes that sex is only
for heterosexual marriage, officially does not permit
practicing homosexuals, or other persons who are
sexually active outside marriage, to serve as ordained
ministers.
Earlier this year, the United Methodist Church’s
governing General Conference voted not only to reaffirm
its policies about homosexuality, but also to strengthen
them. The margins of those votes were in most cases two
to one or more.
This strengthening of church law occurred in the wake of
a church trial last Spring, in which a church trial jury
in Washington state refused to find the Rev. Karen
Dammann guilty of violating church law, even though she
had also publicly announced her active lesbianism.
Dammann’s defense argued that semantic flaws in the
denomination’s Book of Discipline meant that United
Methodism had no official policy on homosexual clergy.
The General Conference adjusted the wording of church
law to respond to these alleged semantic problems.
Rev. Stroud’s future as a United Methodist minister will
be decided by 13 jurors, at least 9 of whom are needed
for a guilty verdict.
Some reports have indicated that Stroud’s defense will
claim that the United Methodist Church’s constitution,
which does not mention sexual ethics, overrides the
authority of the church’s Book of Discipline on the
topic of homosexuality.
Tooley noted that pro-homosexuality advocates in the
churches, just as in secular society, usually cannot win
in democratic votes and therefore resort to judicial
maneuvers to advance their political agenda. He also
noted that United Methodism’s pro-homosexuality
advocates largely preside over declining churches.
Meanwhile, nearly all growing areas of United Methodism,
especially overseas, are firmly committed to biblical
teachings about marriage and sex.
“The train has already left the station on the issue of
homosexuality,” Tooley said about the future demography
of United Methodism, which is becoming more evangelical,
more international, and increasingly more African.
“Whatever happens in the Stroud case, the United
Methodist Church as a whole will not endorse the sexual
revolution. Most United Methodists look forward to the
day when church trials are no longer exploited to
further the politics of sexual advocacy causes.”
Affirmation:
This was originally released 12/28; here is their 12/30
corrected version:
From:
"umcornet" <umcornet@y...>
Date: Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:18 pm
Subject: Corrected: Affirmation Co-spokesperson Urges
Continued Prayers for Beth Stroud
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/message/2727
The corrected quote is: "This could potentially be the
last time and I
do it wrong. . . ."
For Immediate Release (Corrected 11/30/04)
Affirmation Co-spokesperson Urges Continued Prayers for
Beth Stroud
and All Affected by Her Trial
"Beth Stroud has acknowledged the prayers for her and
her partner,
and tonight especially asked for prayers for her defense
counsel and
the clergy and administrative staff of FUMCOG, her
church. I would
add that I believe we need to focus prayer on all who
will be
affected by this trial," urged Peggy R. Gaylord,
Co-Spokesperson of
National Affirmation, following the Nov. 28th Sunday
evening worship
service at First United Methodist Church of Germantown,
PA.
The service was held to support the Rev. Irene Elizabeth
"Beth"
Stroud as she prepares for the December 1st United
Methodist clergy
trial to respond to a charge that she has violated
church law by
being a "self-avowed practicing homosexual." Two members
of the
National Affirmation Council attended the worship along
with many
members of FUMCOG, family, friends, supporters, and
representatives
of other organizations.
Gaylord described some highlights of the service in
addition to the
musical performers and the confirmation class sharing
their love of
Beth. "As the service progressed, Beth shared a few
thoughts with
us. One thing she admitted was that it is difficult to
believe that
she will come out of the trial with her credentials
intact, though
she would never rule out the miraculous power of the
Holy Spirit.
Neither should we! She concluded by sharing that, for
the last
eighteen months, she has been what she never believed
she could be:
an openly lesbian, fully-credentialed pastor in the
United Methodist
Church. The congregation stood to applaud her for
several minutes."
"As the communion service started, I'm sure many of us
were solemnly
aware that this might be the last time that Beth would
preside over
this ritual. A few minutes later she stumbled over the
words, caught
herself, and paused--in a moment she spoke: 'This could
potentially
be the last time and I do it wrong....(the congregation
laughed, and
she continued)... Rejoice!' We will continue to rejoice
in the gifts
and graces for ministry of Beth Stroud regardless of the
Church's
determination in this week's trial."
Three members of the National Affirmation Council will
be present at
the trial beginning Dec. 1, 2004, joining in the vigil
for Beth
Stroud: Jim Palmquist, Rev. Vivian R. Waltz, and Rev.
Peggy R.
Gaylord. Updates (and related information) will be
available through
http://www.umaffirm.org .
-------
Affirmation: United Methodists for Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and
Transgender Concerns is an independent voice of LGBT
people and their
allies who affirm full participation of all persons in
the church and
society and who relentlessly pursue policies and
processes to that
end. Together we proclaim a Gospel of respect, love,
justice, and
mercy for all. Affirmation is an activist,
not-for-profit
organization with no official ties to The United
Methodist Church.
Email: umaffirmation@yahoogroups.com
Web: http://www.umaffirm.org
Snail-Mail: Affirmation, P.O. Box 1021, Evanston, IL
60204.
Soulforce:
From:
"umcornet" <umcornet@y...>
Date: Tue Nov 30, 2004 7:21 am
Subject: Soulforce to be a Nonviolent Presence at Rev.
Beth Stroud's trial
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UMCalledOut/message/2726
"The trial is an act of violence"
Soulforce to be a nonviolent presence at Rev. Beth
Stroud's trial to
protest continuing Spiritual Violence by the United
Methodist Church
against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people
Soulforce Press Release: November 29, 2004
(Lynchburg, VA) On December 1 - 3, 2004, Rev. Beth
Stroud will be
facing a trial in the United Methodist Church, not for
what she did,
but for who she is. Rev. Stroud is a minister at First
United
Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG) and is being
tried because she
is an "out" lesbian in a committed relationship. The
trial is taking
place in Eastern Pennsylvania, at Camp Innabah near
Pottstown, PA.
Over the past thirty years, the General Conference of
the United
Methodist Church has established policies and adopted
church laws that
discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender people,
denying them opportunity to be ordained clergy and to
celebrate loving
committed relationships in holy unions.
"The laws of The United Methodist Church are such that
gay people who
lie about who they are and who they love are welcome to
serve the
Church by answering God's call to ministry. However, if
they tell the
truth, the Church puts them on trial and prosecutes them
for being
honest," said Rev. Jimmy Creech, Chairperson of the
Board of Directors
for Soulforce, Inc. "The trial is an act of violence
against the
essential dignity and integrity of gay people. It is the
height of
hyprocrisy to punish people for telling the truth."
Soulforce defines spiritual violence as "the misuse of
religion to
sanction the condemnation and rejection of any of God's
children." The
Soulforce mission states it is "committed to ending
spiritual violence
perpetuated by religious policies and teachings."
Soulforce will be
carrying "stop signs" that say "Stop Spiritual Violence"
as well as
other signs and banners, and vigiling in cooperation
with FUMCOG,
Reconciling Ministries Network, and the Methodist
Federation for
Social Action.
Soulforce was also present at the United Methodist
church trials of
Rev. Jimmy Creech and Rev. Karen Dammann. Rev. Creech,
who the
Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Soulforce,
Inc., was
defrocked in 1999 for performing a holy union for two
men. Karen
Dammann was tried for being a "self-avowed practicing
homosexual."
Karen was acquitted by a jury in April 2004, in the
Pacific Northwest
Annual Conference.
Soulforce has been present at many denominational
gatherings as well,
including the past two General Conference of the United
Methodist
Church (which meets every 4 years), the past five annual
Southern
Baptist Conventions and the United States Conference of
Catholic
Bishop's annual meeting, the Evangelical Lutheran
Church's (ELCA)
Churchwide Assembly, and more. In the past 5 years, over
500 people
have been arrested in acts of nonviolent civil
disobedience and
thousands have been trained in nonviolence. Soulforce
teaches and
employs the nonviolent principles of Gandhi and King to
the liberation
of sexual and gender minorities.
MEDIA: This is an excellent photo opportunity, as well
as a
controversial story. For interviews, contact Laura
Montgomery Rutt
(717-278-0592). For additional information on the trial
of Rev. Beth
Stroud, go to www.soulforce.org .
For Immediate
Release
Contact: Laura Montgomery Rutt
Cell: 717-278-0592 laura@s...
www.soulforce.org*
NEWS FROM:
Beth Stroud WebSite Trial Updates
Check this site for information this week.
http://www.bethstroud.info/casenews.php
NEW:
Trial Updates & Case News –
following are links & articles posted yesterday and
today at the Beth Stroud site:
Morning, December 1
01 Dec 2004
Some final words before we leave for Camp Innabah...
30 Nov 2004
Why do LGBT United Methodists stay in the church?
30 Nov 2004
People deal with discrimination in a variety of
different ways. Beth's mom coped by pursuing her PhD.
Read about Jamie Stroud's doctoral research. Just
released to the public today!
"Coming Out" video excerpt available on-line
30 Nov 2004
Academy-Award-winning documentarians, Susan and Alan
Raymond, were there for Beth's "coming out" sermon.
They've posted a video excerpt on their new website
about Beth's church:
The Congregation
"The Congregation" debuts on PBS, Wednesday, December
29, 2004 at 9:30. Check your
local listings.
Other resources for your edification!
30 Nov 2004
Some people have written to us asking how we interpret
the Bible -- and others asking how to find supportive
churches in their area. We hope you'll find the
following links useful on your own journey of discovery!
UMNS:
The Rev. Beth Stroud Trial Coverage
Check this site for information this week.
http://master.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid=2&mid=6113
Links from this site:
News Archive
Overview: Questions and Answers
Denominational Statements on Homosexuality
Fact Sheet Regarding Case of Rev. Stroud
Media Advisory
Photo and Audio Library
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
First United Methodist Church of Germantown
Conference announces Dec. 1 trial date for Philadelphia
pastor
Rev. Beth Stroud church trial: questions and answers
Bishop orders new hearing, vote in Beth Stroud case
United Methodist clergywoman to face trial
