Conviction of
lesbian Methodist minister overturned

A lesbian minister has won her appeal of an earlier United Methodist Church decision that removed her from the ministry after she revealed her relationship with another woman. The appeals panel, which convened in Maryland, voted 8-1 that the earlier verdict defrocking Irene "Beth" Stroud for violating the church's ban on openly gay clergy be set aside. The Philadelphia minister said she feels relieved by the ruling and hopes that it means the church will become more inclusive of people regardless of their sexual orientation. After Stroud made her declaration to her congregation two years ago, the church defrocked her, meaning that she could no longer serve communion or baptize anyone. She kept the title of associate minister and worked in a lay capacity at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown, near Philadelphia. "The church is not free to disregard the standards of justice and inclusiveness that are preached by Jesus Christ...and are a part of church law," Stroud said after church authorities read the verdict at a hotel near the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. "The ruling gives us hope that the United Methodist Church has the resources to do justice." (AP)