Mennonites to license first openly gay pastor

from First Mennonite Church of Denver

Mountain States will be the first Mennonite Church USA conference in to license an openly gay pastor. Theda Good will serve at the First Mennonite Church of Denver. She's been on staff for more than a year. Good earned a master of divinity degree from Virginia's Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Read more details in the Mennonite World Review.

Pastor may lose credentials over gay wedding

Frank Schaefer may lose his pastor credentials for breaking Methodist church law by officiating at his gay son's wedding. ABC News has a video report.

Breaking News

Lutheran Church Votes in First Openly Gay Bishop

Guy Erwin is now a Lutheran Bishop in California. Here's a video report.

Same Bible, Different Verdict On Gay Marriage

NPR takes a look at how different groups are interpreting the Bible when it comes to gay marriage here

Pastor Suspended

Amy DeLong has been suspended for 20 days from her church duties for performing a same-sex union. The United Methodist minister was found guilty by a jury made up of other pastors. They voted 9-4 in favor of suspension. DeLong is registered with her same-sex partner under Wisconsin's Domestic Partnership Law.

Methodist Jury: Guilty

A jury of Wisconsin United Methodist pastors has found Amy DeLong guilty of marrying a lesbian couple against church law. The vote was 13-0. However, on a 12-1 vote, she was found not guilty of a charge of being a "self-avowed practicing homosexual." The penalty could be anything from suspension to defrocking.

Pastor Pleads Not Guilty

Amy DeLong has pleaded not guilty in a United Methodist church trial to being a "self-avowed practicing homosexual." The Wisconsin pastor faces charges she violated church rules by officiating at the marriage ceremony of a lesbian couple. A jury of 13 Wisconsin pastors will hear her the trial. DeLong has said she is in lesbian relationship, but that doesn't prove she has been "practicing" homosexual acts with her partner, according to her representative during the proceedings.

Gay Clergy Decision

The Presbyterian Church, USA is dropping its ban on gay clergy. The measure takes effect July 10 and allows each congregation to decide whether to ordain pastors in same-sex relationships. Similar amendments to the denomination's constitutional were rejected three times since 1997.

Leaving the ELCA

North Dakota's Peace Lutheran Church is leaving the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 87 Members of the church, located in Devil's Lake, voted to move to the more traditional North American Lutheran Church. The denomination has been losing members ever since it decided to allow people in same-gender relationships to serve in the clergy.

PCUSA Cutbacks

The Presbyterian Church, USA has cut 49 positions at its headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. The denomination's governing board has agreed to cut the budget from this year's total of $93.8 million to just $82 million for 2011 and $80 million for 2012. The denomination has struggled with the issue of ordaining clergy in same-gender relationships.

ELCA Church Votes to Stay

The First English Lutheran Church in Wausau, Wisconsin has voted to remain a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The 153-64 decision has prompted pastor Scott Mann to resign. He takes issue with the ELCA's decision to allow gay clergy in the church.

Memo Warning

Calvin College faculty are crying foul after the school's Board of Trustees ordered them not to support homosexuality or same-sex marriage. Some 130 of 300 faculty members met this week to discuss the memo detailing the decision. Calvin College is associated with the Christian Reformed Church.

Church Covers up Sign

A Lutheran church in West Virginia has covered the word Lutheran on the sign in front of the sanctuary. St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church in Charleston, West Virginia is protesting the decision by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to allow gay clergy. The pastor says he expects the decision will split the denomination.

Gay Clergy Ban Lifted

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America has lifted its ban on gay clergy. The nation's largest Lutheran denomination voted in favor of the move by 68% while meeting in Minneapolis yesterday. Congregations will not be forced to hire gay clergy but conservative groups like Lutheran CORE will meet next month to decide whether to remain part of the ELCA.

Lutheran Vote on Same-Sex Unions

Lutherans can now bless same-sex unions if they want to do so. Delegates at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America gathering in Minneapolis voted in favor of the move. The vote doesn’t require pastors or congregations to participate in same-sex unions. Another vote will decide whether the denomination will accept gay pastors. Some conservative ministers in the ELCA say the votes will lead to a church split. Other Lutheran denominations, such as the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, does not approve of same-sex unions.

Vote on Gay Clergy

The ELCA votes this week on whether to allow gay clergy to serve in the denomination. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is meeting in Minneapolis and may agree to permit gay men and lesbians in the pulpit if they are in committed, monogamous relationships. The church has nearly 5 million members and 10,500 churches.

Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Church is preparing to officially approve gay clergy serving in any position. At the Episcopal General Convention in Anaheim, California, bishops voted to affirm their support of the move. Delegates representing members and priests are expected to give their approval before the Convention ends this week. The move may end a moratorium on ordaining gay bishops passed at the last convention three years ago. The resolution does not mandate that all dioceses consider gay candidates but encourages them to do so.

Miss Cali Keeps Title

Carrie Prejean will keep her Miss California title. She stirred controversy a couple of weeks ago with her answer to a question about gay marriage at the Miss USA pageant. She was first runner-up. But her comments against same-sex marriage lead the Miss California organization consider appointing a possible replacement for her. Despite more racy photos of her showing up on the internet, Donald Trump, who owns the pageant, told reporters this morning Prejean will keep her title. She said some of the photos were not supposed to be published and some were photo shopped.

Prejean told James Dobson on his daily Focus on the Family program the issue is a spiritual battle:

"I just knew at that moment that God was just telling me "Carrie, how bad do you want this? Are you willing to compromise your beliefs for a one year crown of Miss USA.. And (after speaking against gay marriage) I knew there was no way I was going to win Miss USA. No way.. I felt as though Satan was trying to tempt me in asking me this question."

Gay Clergy Voted Down

The Presbyterian Church, USA has turned aside efforts to allow gay clergy – but the margin is getting narrower. Two church districts (or presbyteries) voted against the plan yesterday which ensures the proposal will be defeated. It passed the denomination’s General Assembly last summer but still needed the approval of of the nation's 173 presbyteries. The margin of rejection was smaller than a similar earlier measure.

Lesbian Ordination Stopped

A setback for gay rights supports in the Presbyterian Church, USA. The denomination has stopped the application for ordination of a lesbian deacon. The San Francisco presbytery had given Lisa Larges the green light. But a church commission overturned the decision. Larges has been turned down twice already because she is a lesbian.