The 219th General Assembly — a roller coaster ride, if there ever was one — has barely been written in the Book of Life as I participate in the annual gathering of some of the most faithful Christians I know... Continue

As I watched the historic steps taken last week toward the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I was reminded of the Presbyterian Church’s policies concerning those called to serve the church. Continue

This week I have been blessed with the chance to play host to Lisa Larges during her visit here in Pittsburgh. Lisa has been a candidate for ordination for over 20 years, but because she is open about being lesbian, her call to ministry has so far been denied. Continue

So now we know the outcome of the presbytery vote on Amendment 08-B. Our church will not open ordination to GLBT Presbyterians this year.

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No matter what the outcome in the vote among Presbyterians to remove the fence keeping faithful GLBT people from consideration for ordained ministry, things will never be the same.

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We woke to snow on the ground the other day in my neck of the woods so avalanche comes to mind as we’ve watched both Vermont and the District of Columbia follow the good news of Iowa with civil recognition of GLBT relationships as marriage.

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Every morning I confess “I have sinned in thought, word and deed, by what I have done and by what I have left undone,” and I ponder for a bit how that is true in the past stretch of my life. I have been thinking a lot of all that happened at the Pittsburgh Presbytery special meeting to vote on 0-B, an amendment that would allow our GLBT sisters and brothers in faith to heed God’s call to ordination in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) if they follow Jesus life and teachings.Continue

In the special meeting on March 14, 2009, Pittsburgh Presbytery voted 206 to 105 against Amendment 08-B to revise the ordination requirements to emphasize obedience to Jesus’s teaching and example as illustrated for us in Scripture.  This would open the door to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people to ordination in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).Continue

I find myself waiting with nervous anticipation for this Saturday, when the Pittsburgh Presbytery will vote on Amendment 08-B. If passed, this amendment would allow all of us who follow Jesus’ teachings and example and who feel called by God — including our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender sisters and brothers in Christ — to serve our communities as ministers, elders and deacons. Continue

As a Presbyterian, I belong to the reformed tradition in which change is both possible and necessary in Christian life. I also know that in any time of change, diverse opinions coexist. I hope that our dialogue and study here together will help us to reconcile with one another as we seek the fine future for marriage and ordination which God has in store for us.Continue