Protest

Today several dozen people with brightly colored signs stood relatively silently outside the Presbyterian Center, supporting the minister on trial within the Center. Jane Spahr, a lesbian pastor who has admitted officiating at same-sex marraige ceremonies, was exonerated by her presbytery, which said nothing in the Presbyterian rules explicitly bans same-sex marriages. A church appellate court reversed this decision, but did not punish Reverend Spahr severely (partly since she has retired in the interim). Reverend Spahr has appealed to the Presbyterian version of the Supreme Court, and her supporters conducted silent vigils today (and the next day - and also entered the building to listen to the arguments. A few of my colleagues from around the building (but not me) were out there, along with Presbyterian gay rights activists and problem some local gay rights activists in general). A lot may be riding on this and how the church decides whether congregations and presbyteries may ordain gays and lesbians as ministers and elders - including, potentially, my job (if many more churches leave the denomination and this triggers many more layoffs), as well as the church's prophetic mission and commitment to openness. We'll see how the court rules (apparently by Monday). This is the same court that objected to - and blocked - us surveying leaders of congregations from helping evaluate the court's week. They arged that they can't function as an independent judiciary, implementing church law - if these surveys function as referenda on court decisions.