More than 200 Methodists attended a lesbian couple's commitment ceremony Friday in defiance of a vote to uphold a church law that says gay relationships are "incompatible with Christian teaching."
The ceremony was at a park across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, where some 3,000 people are meeting for the United Methodist Church's general conference. It is held every four years to set church policy.
Methodists this week rejected replacing a sentence in its Book of Discipline — which says the church "does not condone the practice of homosexuality" — with other phrases, including one saying Christians differ on the issue. The measure to change the language also was rejected at the last conference in 2004.
Methodists this week also voted against a proposal to change a policy allowing pastors to keep gays and lesbians from joining the denomination's churches.
"There was a lot of robust debate as there has been for 36 years, particularly over the phrase that refers to 'incompatible,'" said the Rev. Gregory V. Palmer, president of the church's Council of Bishops. He also called for finding common ground.
At the ceremony, some said that acceptance of gays in some churches encouraged them but that the denomination as a whole had a long way to go.
No clergy member presided over the commitment ceremony of Julie Bruno and Sue Laurie of Chicago, a couple for 25 years, although about three dozen ministers attended.
Methodists attend gay union ceremony near church convention
The Associated Press -
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