Lesbian Methodist pastor defends her call to ministry

Stroud's team had planned to call a bishop, two seminary professors, a psychiatrist, a prominent pastor and a lay leader to present a highly technical case that the church's gay policy violates its own constitution and Wesley's inviolate Articles of Religion. Hall argued that it's up to national Methodist court and legislative conference to decide such questions.

Yeakel agreed that such legal questions are "not relevant to this case," but issued no formal explanation of that ruling.

Given Yeakel's ruling, Stroud has little doubt what will happen when the jury decides, possibly by late Thursday. "To win a verdict would be an extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit. I don't expect that," she told a news conference.

It requires approval of nine clergy jurors to convict and presumably defrock Stroud. If that happens, however, her supportive Philadelphia congregation has already agreed she can continue preaching, teaching and pastoral work as a lay employee. She would not, however, be able to celebrate baptism or Communion.

The points excluded witnesses would have made were summarized in a submission by one of them, the Rev. Dean Synder, pastor of Sen. Hillary Clinton's prominent parish in Washington, D.C.:

—The church constitution forbids discrimination on the basis of "status" and homosexuality is that sort of unchosen and unchangeable condition.

—Church courts and conferences have not sufficiently defined what "practicing homosexual" means.

—Wesley's Articles of Religion said it's wrong to require clergy to remain single, as the Roman Catholic Church does, but that's what the Methodists are requiring of homosexuals.

The trial questions and answers were purposely stripped of emotion, though Stroud briefly paused and broke down when speaking about her feeling of being called by God to the ministry.

During the day, as many as several dozen Stroud supporters stood vigil outside the camp gymnasium where proceedings were held, sometimes in pouring rain.

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On the Net: Stroud's page: www.bethstroud.info

Eastern Pennsylvania Conference: www.epaumc.org