Presbyterian Pastor Cleared

The Presbyterian Church, USA has cleared one if its pastors after she was brought up on charges for performing gay marriages. Jane Spahr, a California gay rights activist, was accused of breaking church law by officiating at the events. But the church’s high court decided the ceremonies were not real marriages ceremonies and only amounted to a blessing of a same-sex union. That overturns last year's ruling that found her guilty of misconduct and gave her a rebuke (the lightest possible punishment). Spahr was the first openly lesbian Presbyterian minister to be appointed a local church pastor.