Today I am working at the More Light booth, greeting friends, blessing rainbow scarves upon the shoulders of former strangers, now sisters and brothers, and preparing for all the events, official and unofficial, of the coming week. Continue

Being Christian — being Presbyterian — means seeing Christ in the eyes of everyone we meet, including GLBT Presbyterians. Continue

Why is the restoration of the Heidelberg Catechism — a topic before our General Assembly this summer — so important to many in the PCUSA, myself included? Continue

Imagine what it would be like to have heard your whole life that God doesn’t love you for who you are. Continue

Last weekend was a good one for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Christians. Continue

Jimmy Carter’s prophetic act of ending sixty years of faithful leadership in the Southern Baptist Church... Continue

On Wednesday, July 1, the Council of Allegheny County of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania became the third county in Pennsylvania to pass into law an anti-discrimination ordinance... Continue

You would be correct if you assumed that I have voted Democratic all my life. I found the eight years of George W. Bush a hard cross to bear and have had little good to say about former Vice President Dick Cheney. Continue

Last week marked two major milestones in church and American society in the ongoing conversation about the place of GLBT people in our midst. Continue

At the time of his recent death, Chuck was an Elder in his Presbyterian Church. He was involved in the Organ Restoration Program, the Sunday School, the Worship and Arts Committee and the Justice Committee. Continue

In his story on our Presbyterian Church’s decision not to open ordination to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender faithful, Eric Gorski of the Associated Press summarized the present situation succinctly:

“Efforts to allow gays and lesbians to serve as clergy in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have been defeated again, sealed by votes Saturday. But the margin of defeat — the final tally has yet to be determined — is already guaranteed to be much closer than in previous years.” 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.

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.

With Holy Week and Easter written in the Book of Life, my church, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), returns to voting on an amendment to our church constitution which, if passed, would open the way for faithful, gifted and called GLBT Presbyterians to be ordained.

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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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Here’s a shout out for the Iowa Supreme Court which ruled that equal rights in Iowa requires that two men or two women who seek a marriage license have the same right to one as heterosexual couples and to the leaders of the Iowa legislature who immediately embraced this decision as good for Iowa!

I spoke a few days ago at the Six O’Clock Series, a monthly public lecture program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. I was excited to learn from the young man who greeted me when I arrived that there had been a lot of talk around the student union anticipating my topic: Marriage on Trial: A Minister’s Journey.

Of course I was disappointed and saddened that our community here in Pittsburgh voted No on Amendment 08-B, the proposal to revise the ordination requirements in a way that will open ordained office to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender faithful in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).That outcome is not what grieves and perplexes me. It is the repeated votes to limit the discussion, to prevent any meaningful dialogue among us that brings me close to despair for our church.

Mike introduced himself to me several years ago as a Presbyterian and the father of a gay son. Just last week he represented his church at the Pittsburgh Presbytery meeting where the majority voted down Amendment 08-B, the revision of our church Constitution which would open the door to ordination of GLBT people in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

I met Lisa Larges several years ago when she came to Pittsburgh for a That All May Freely Serve weekend with Rev. Janie Spahr and Rev. Ray Bagnuolo. As is TAMFS practice, we went together for a courtesy call with the Executive Presbyter. I became right then a student of Lisa’s skill as an activist for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender faithful in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

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