NIC VOICE
News Update
12-27-2004 Beth Stroud Case – Press & Appeal
View previously released
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http://www.faithfulchristianlaity.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?t=191.
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PRESS ARTICLES Since Last
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Update:
(Note: These articles may be archived to another link after
seven days of publication.)
Defrocking Of Lesbian A Turn for Methodists?
The Ledger - Lakeland,FL,USA
Stroud could offer little more than a character defense and
plead for mercy, because the bishop who presided -- and who
personally opposes the Methodist policy -- disallowed the
plan of Stroud's side to challenge denominational law as
discriminatory. Those preparing to testify were theologians
from Emory and Southern Methodist Universities; New
England's retired bishop; the pastor of Foundry United
Methodist Church in Washington, D.C.; a psychiatrist and a
Pennsylvania lay leader.
However, their arguments were entered into the trial record
and will re-emerge if Stroud appeals to the Northeastern
Jurisdiction and, beyond that, the national Judicial
Council.
Stroud is undecided on that and will announce her plans
after Christmas. An appeal might seem automatic but she
wonders, "If I were to win on an appeal, is it healthy for
the church for a decision to be made judicially that as many
as two-thirds of Methodists may disagree with?"
Whatever Stroud does, the Rev. Troy Plummer of Reconciling
Ministries is calling on jurors in future cases "to keep
their conscience," practice "jury nullification" and acquit
openly gay clergy -- no matter what church law says.
And there surely will be other cases if Reconciling
Ministries is correct that Methodism has "hundreds, if not
thousands" of other homosexual pastors, seminarians,
district superintendents and bishops.
Liberals face an uphill battle in seeking repeal of the
clergy ban at the next General Conference in 2008.
But Plummer thinks they have a good shot at softening the
policy through language that was narrowly defeated last May,
and basically sets up an agreement to disagree: "We
recognize that Christians disagree on the compatibility of
homosexual practice with Christian teaching." Another
necessity is electing a liberal majority to the influential
Judicial Council.
Read More
Clergy divided over gay issues
KMSB - Tucson,AZ,USA
Reacting to two recent national news stories - a United
Methodist pastor defrocked for being a lesbian in a
committed relationship, and a United Church of Christ
television ad welcoming homosexuals that was rejected by TV
networks - the Star gathered two pastors from each
denomination.
The panelists were: the Rev. Larry A. Woodcock, pastor of
St. James United Methodist Church, 3255 N. Campbell Ave; the
Rev. David Wilkinson, senior pastor at St. Francis in the
Foothills United Methodist Church, 4625 E. River Road; the
Rev. Briget Nicholson, pastor of First Congregational United
Church of Christ, 1350 N. Arcadia Ave.; and the Rev. Bruce
Van Roekel, pastor of Casas Adobes Congregational United
Church of Christ, 6801 N. Oracle Road.
The United Methodist pastors disagreed on whether Irene
Elizabeth Stroud, a United Methodist clergywoman from
Philadelphia, should have been defrocked.
"I think it was the violation of the rules of the church
that she agreed to accept and when it was brought to her
attention she was not doing that, she said, 'Too bad,'"
Woodcock said. "I think the thing that people don't
understand is that it's not being homosexual that is the
issue. The issue was openly practicing … The United
Methodists consider the homosexual act as being a sin."
Wilkinson, borrowing a quotation from Martin Luther King
Jr., said that when a law is unjust, it must be broken.
Read More
Irene Elizabeth Stroud -- Defrocked
Useless-Knowledge.com – USA
Ms. Stroud believed she had a right and a defense to
maintain her gay relationship against church law and the
scriptures. The only true defense will be a repentant heart
and a turning away from open sin.
Read More
UMNS:
PBS’ ‘The Congregation’ features United Methodist church
Although Philadelphia’s First United Methodist Church of
Germantown is most recently known as the church of Beth
Stroud – the former pastor stripped of her ministerial
credentials Dec. 2 after a clergy trial – the congregation
has a long history of activism and social justice ministry.
Editor’s Note: There has been extensive publicity for the
documentary (sampling follows):
Any given Sunday
Viewers get a close look behind the scenes when ‘The
Congregation’ highlights lesbian minister Beth Stroud and
her church.
Friday, December 24,
2004
TV to provide front-row seat on New Year's Eve
Canton Repository (subscription) - Canton,OH,USA
... Meanwhile,
Beth
Stroud, the
associate minister, announces to the congregation that she
is ... With
their support, even after a jury of 13
Methodist
ministers found ...
TV might be needed at New Year's again
Holland Sentinel - Holland,MI,USA
... two years
in the stormy life of the First United
Methodist Church
in ...
Meanwhile, Beth
Stroud, the
associate minister, announces to the congregation that she
is ...
What to watch this week
TV Barn - USA
In the Wake of Trial, Many Ask, "What Can We Do?" From The
Reconciling Ministries Network Digest, Friday, December 10,
2004
"The phrase 'no room in the inn' takes on new poignancy in
the wake of the trial of the Rev. Beth Stroud in Eastern
Pennsylvania. I know that there are many United Methodists
who feel, increasingly, as if there is no room for them -
people who struggle between love for this church and grief
over our closed-door policies. I am in prayer for all who
are waiting in the cold, seeking room, watching for the
light of God's grace." - Bishop Susan M. Morrison
Following the trial, reaching out to Beth Stroud, Bishop
Joseph Yeakel said, "the day will come when the church will
apologize to you for this decision."
Much must happen between the time of closed-door policies
and a church apology to Beth Stroud, and the time to act is
now! In the many email responses to the RMN office, one of
the largest themes shown was a desire to move forward -- to
take compassionate action. Compassion encompasses both
mercy (responding to hurts) and justice (changing a system
that harms).
Read More
BETH STROUD '91 REMAINS HOPEFUL AFTER BEING DEFROCKED
Stroud's congregation, the First United Methodist Church of
Germantown (FUMCOG), belongs to a network of "reconciling
ministries," a United Methodist group that opposes the
larger denomination's position that homosexuality is
"incompatible with Christian teachings." She expected them
to be supportive. But FUMCOG "exceeded my expectations in
every way," Stroud says.
"They promised that I could continue to work here as a lay
minister if I lost my credentials. They raised a
legal-defense fund for me. They allowed me to cut back my
hours for six weeks before the trial so that I could prepare
for it; my colleagues in the ministry took on extra duties
to free my time. Many members of the congregation took time
off work or school to support me at the trial. During the
period of crisis, church members sent me a whole lot of
cards and a whole lot of food.
"The support of the Bryn Mawr community has been amazing,
too," Stroud said. She has received a flood of e-mail from
alumnae who have read about her in the national media. Most
were missives from her classmates, but several generations
of Bryn Mawr graduates were represented in her in box.
Stroud continues to work at FUMCOG, where she was an
associate pastor, but she will no longer be able to
celebrate baptisms, weddings or communion. She hopes that
the United Methodist Church's general council will someday
reverse its position and restore her credentials.
"Sometimes I wake up and think, 'Oh, my gosh, I'm not a
minister anymore!' It's difficult, because I feel my calling
so strongly. But I really value the open discussion that the
trial engendered.
"I have had conversations with people who, because of their
contact with me or the trial process, are beginning to reach
a new understanding of homosexuality and its place in the
church.
"One of the jurors called me the weekend after the trial and
said that he would do everything he could to see that I get
my credentials back," she continued. "And immediately after
the trial, a spectator approached me in tears, saying that
he was deeply confused about God's will in this issue, but
that he had learned a lot. When he told me his name, I
recognized him as a conservative minister.
Read More
The Trial of Beth Stroud
The Newsletter of the Interfaith Working Group
December 2004 / January
2005
The trial received national and local press attention.
Photos of Beth and Chris were on the front page of the
Philadelphia Metro two days in a row with the headline on
the first day, “God Created Me as a Lesbian” and on the
second day, “She’s Out.”
Articles by religion editor Jim Remson were featured in the
Inquirer; the Daily News ran AP trial coverage on page four
and a follow-up report on the FUMCOG Sunday service after
the trial by Ron Goldwyn included an interview with
filmmakers Alan and Susan Raymond, whose
documentary about the congregation will air on PBS
December 29 at 9:30 pm.
Soulforce Chair Jimmy Creech, who was defrocked by the UMC
for officiating at the weddings of same-gender couples, was
interviewed briefly on the Fox 29 news, but he was
identified only as “protestor Jimmy Creech.” A follow-up
story on Fox 29 the Monday after the trial noted that Stroud
had been rehired by the congregation “to teach the Bible to
children.” A Google news search turned up over seven hundred
articles from around the country. IWG supporter Rev. Fred
Day of FUMCOG was quoted in a United Methodist News Service
story: “This is not the United Methodist Church of our past
heritage or best future, to be driven by rigid rules and
regulations, but by ever-widening circles of grace.”
Read More
From:
"umcornet" <umcornet@y...>
Date: Mon
Dec 13, 2004 12:43 pm
Subject: "Rejoicing" A sermon by Irene Elizabeth Stroud,
M.Div.
Beth's first sermon since the trial (titled "Rejoicing") is
now available.
"Rejoicing"
Isaiah 35:1-16; Luke 1:46-55
Third in the Advent series "Becoming Peace"
A sermon by Irene Elizabeth Stroud, M.Div.
December 12, 2004
First United Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
One of the characteristics of the life of faith is the
experience of
counterintuitive joy. Just when the logical response to
external
circumstances would seem to be anger, or frustration, or
despair, the
person of faith may experience a strong, deep sense of
confidence and
gladness. In the midst of suffering and disappointment,
laughter wells
up from the depths of a person's heart. In times of terrible
losses
and setbacks, a person nevertheless discovers a song in her
heart.
I'm not talking about the way hard times help us appreciate
the easier
times, or the way losing something of great value, like
health or a
relationship or a good job, can help us appreciate what we
still have.
I'm not talking about a Pollyannish insistence on looking at
the
bright side. Instead, I'm talking about a joy that bubbles
up in and
through us precisely at the hardest times, and that doesn't
externally
seem to make any sense at all. I'm talking about a joy that
is God's
gift to us at some of the most painful moments in our lives.
I'm not
talking about escaping from sorrow or denying grief. I'm
talking about
the discovery of a deep, resonating note of hope and purpose
that
incorporates suffering into a profound and beautiful
harmony.
More at:
http://www.bethstroud.info/sermons.shtml
Nation's churches in turmoil over gays
Houston Chronicle - Houston,TX,USA
In mainstream American religious institutions, congregations
wrangled over whether noncelibate gays and lesbians should
be allowed to serve as clergy and whether same-sex unions
should be recognized.
Pastors criticized leaders, believers switched congregations
and entire churches split from denominations.
The debate was symbolized by the Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud
of Philadelphia, who earlier this month was defrocked by a
United Methodist Church court for living openly with her
lesbian partner. Earlier in the year, however, a Methodist
court in Washington decided not to defrock a pastor in a
lesbian relationship, a decision expected to be revisited.
Read More
Basu: Leading by living their faith
DesMoinesRegister.com - Des Moines,IA,USA
The United Methodist Church this month defrocked a lesbian
minister in Pennsylvania for violating the denomination's
ban on actively gay clergy. But in Indianola, the president
of Simpson College, a Methodist institution, made it clear
he wasn't signing on. President Kevin LaGree sent a letter
to faculty, staff and administration emphasizing Simpson's
commitment to "openness and to policies which help us create
a more inclusive community."
Read More
Like A Plague
Proud Parenting – USA
A Methodist minister was defrocked on Friday, December 3,
after being convicted of violating church laws against
actively gay clergy. It is the first such decision in over
17 years. The Reverend Irene Elizabeth Stroud, 34, an
associate pastor at Philadelphia's First United Methodist
Church of Germantown, set the case in motion last year when
she announced to her bishop and congregation that she was
living in a committed relationship with her partner, Chris
Paige.
********************************************
Press Articles Related to Announcement of Appeal:
Defrocked Minister Files Appeal With
Methodist Church's Court
New York Times – USA
The Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud, of Philadelphia, was ousted
Dec. 2 for violating the United Methodist Church's law
against "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" in the clergy.
Ms. Stroud decided last week to appeal but delayed the
announcement until after Christmas weekend: notice of appeal
must be filed this week.
Ms. Stroud said she hesitated to appeal because she is tired
and dislikes being in the spotlight, but "there are
questions the larger church needs to discuss and wrestle
with."
She said one factor in her decision was something the
retired Bishop Joseph Yeakel, the judge who presided at her
church trial, said to her after the verdict. Mr. Yeakel told
her, "the day will come when the church apologizes for this
decision."
Read More
Lesbian minister to appeal
Washington Times - Washington,DC,USA
Ms. Stroud was tried by her own Eastern Pennsylvania
Conference. The case now goes to an appeals panel of the
Northeastern Jurisdiction, which covers 12 states and the
District of Columbia.
At the trial, Bishop Yeakel barred testimony from six
witnesses for Ms. Stroud who oppose the Methodist ban,
citing both legal and theological arguments. But the six
filed material that is part of the trial record and the
Northeastern Jurisdiction will review that.
Ms. Stroud wants the appeals panel to consider that
Methodist law, known as the Book of Discipline, "calls us a
church to stand against every form of discrimination" and
"treat all people as equally loved by God."
"When you look at those provisions of the Discipline and
some of the prohibitions on homosexuality, you have to make
a choice," she said. The six witnesses' filings made similar
points.
If the Northeastern Jurisdiction decides trial procedures
were mistaken, it could direct a second Pennsylvania trial,
Bishop Yeakel said. It could also refer questions on
interpretation of Methodist law to the church's national
Judicial Council.
Read More
Lesbian minister appeals defrocking
philly.com (subscription) - Philadelphia,PA,USA
Central to Stroud's appeal is a set of defense arguments
that the ban on gay clergy violates the spirit of the
denomination's constitution, which prohibits discrimination
based on sexual orientation, and that a celibacy requirement
is inconsistent with Methodist theology.
Stroud's trial judge disallowed those arguments and limited
the jury's focus to the language of the Book of Discipline.
A reversal on appeal could lead to a retrial or a new
sentence.
Stroud's gay-affirming Germantown church has kept her on its
staff as a lay minister, which allows her to perform all but
sacramental duties.
Read More
Guilty Lesbian Minister to Appeal her Case
Christian Post - San Francisco,CA,USA
Stroud’s arguments are those often used by more liberal
Methodists in calling against the ban on gay clergy. Earlier
in the year, another lesbian minister named Rev. Karen
Dammann was acquitted of the same charges as Stroud.
Dammann's controversial case was highly criticized for its
obscure verdict: while Dammann was found to be a
“self-avowed practicing homosexual,” she was found not
guilty of breaking denominational laws.
During the denomination’s quadrennial General Conference in
May, the majority of delegates voted to uphold the
denomination’s laws against gay clergy on the basis that
homosexuality is a practice that is incompatible to
scripture.
Stroud is one of only three lesbian ministers tried in the
United Methodist court after the denomination placed its
laws on gay clergy in 1984. In the first of such cases, the
Rev. Rose Mary Denman of New Hampshire was found guilty and
was stripped of her ministerial credentials. Dammann’s case
in late March was the second of such cases.
Stroud is the only one of the three who decided to appeal
the court verdict; if the Northern Jurisdiction finds the
trial procedures were mistaken, it could call for a second
Pennsylvania trial.
Read More
Lesbian minister decides to challenge defrocking verdict
The Advocate - Los Angeles,CA,USA
If the Northeastern jurisdiction decides trial procedures
were mistaken, it could direct a second Pennsylvania trial,
Yeakel said. It could also refer questions on interpretation
of Methodist law to the church's national Judicial Council.
The case originated last year when Stroud announced her
same-sex partnership in a sermon. At the trial an all-clergy
jury voted 12-1 that she was guilty of violating Methodist
law. In a subsequent penalty phase, jurors voted to defrock
her 7-6.
Read More
Beth Stroud Web Site:
Appeal decision
27 Dec
2004
A letter from Beth to her congregation
Dear FUMCOG family,
Thank you so much for all you have done for me and Chris
during these past several months, especially during my trial
and in this Christmas season. Emotionally, it hasn't always
been easy to keep on doing ministry without my official
credentials, but your loving support gives me courage and
makes it possible.
Early this morning I announced my decision to file an
appeal. I've already received messages from some of you who
heard the news on the radio. It wasn't an easy or automatic
decision, but after a lot of thought and prayer, I felt it
was a worthwhile step that could help keep an important
discussion alive in The United Methodist Church.
We will keep you posted about the appeal process as it
unfolds. In the meantime, I'd like to ask for your help and
prayers as I try to stay focused on ministry. Some
administrative tasks may take me a little longer to complete
these days, but please don't let my case keep you from
calling on me if you need pastoral care or just a listening
ear. Please keep telling me what is going on in your lives
and how you are doing spiritually. One of the best gifts you
can give me is simply allowing me to be in ministry with
you, and giving me a space in which I don't have to talk
about my case all the time.
Also, please pay attention to visitors at church. We've
noticed a number of visitors who have discovered FUMCOG
because we are in the news. Keep an eye out for them, and
help them to feel welcome. Share a little of your own story
with them, so that they know what a difference this faith
community can make in their lives and in the world.
Grace and peace,
Beth Stroud
