Herald Sun: Lesbian minister faces trial [02dec04]

Herald Sun: Lesbian minister faces trial [02dec04]: "Lesbian minister faces trial
From correspondents in Pughtown, Pennsylvania
02dec04

A US Methodist minister facing a church trial for being a practicing homosexual said she believes God created her as a lesbian but she does not expect to keep her job.

Irene Elizabeth Stroud, associate pastor at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown in Philadelphia, is accused of flouting the church's ban on homosexual clergy.
'I feel that God created me a lesbian,' Stroud, 34, told reporters with her partner Chris Paige by her side before her trial began. 'That's an essential part of my being. It's no more likely to change than the colour of my eyes.'
Stroud is charged with 'practices incompatible with Christian teachings'. In an April 2003 sermon, she told her congregation that she is a lesbian 'living in a committed relationship with a partner'.
Same-sex unions has been a controversial topic this year and was an issue in last month's US presidential election. Numerous state resolutions banning same sex marriage were seen by some analysts as helping the reelection of President George W. Bush.





Homosexuality has also divided the global Anglican faith, after the US Episcopal Church last year ordained New Hampshire's Gene Robinson as its first openly gay bishop.
Stroud, who asked for a public trial, said had declared her sexuality because it would be dishonest not to. She hoped church law would change to allow openly homosexual clergy but doubted she would succeed in this case.
'I believe that I could probably have kept my minister's credentials if I had kept silent,' she said. 'That would have compromised my growth as a Christian and my integrity.
'For me to win a verdict"