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| They are emptying their own pews. |
UMC elects third openly gay bishop; first since UMC changed rules
"A regional body of The United Methodist Church has its third openly gay bishop, the first since the mainline Protestant denomination changed its rules to allow noncelibate homosexuals to be ordained.
The Rev. Kristin Stoneking, a United Methodist studies professor at the Pacific School of Religion, was elected a bishop by the UMC Western Jurisdiction at their meeting held last week in Spokane, Washington.
Stoneking was elected on the 11th ballot, receiving 65 votes out of 94 valid ballots cast. For that ballot, she needed to receive at least 63 votes, according to UM News. Her term of service begins on Sept. 1.
The Rev. Kristin Stoneking speaks after being elected bishop by The United Methodist Church Western Jurisdiction on July 12, 2024, in Spokane, Washington. She has become the third bishop elected in the UMC who is in a same-sex marriage. | Screengrab/YouTube/Western Jurisdiction of the UMC
Stoneking is the third person in a same-sex marriage to be elected bishop by the Western Jurisdiction, as the regional body had previously elected Bishop Karen Oliveto in 2016 and Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth in 2022, both in defiance of the denomination’s rules prohibiting the ordination of noncelibate gay clergy.
Although Oliveto’s election was declared invalid by The United Methodist Judicial Council, the denomination’s highest court, in 2017, Oliveto remained in her position.
Additionally, a UMC pastor filed a complaint against the election of Bridgeforth shortly after he became a bishop, arguing that it undermined “all United Methodist clergy who uphold the highest ideals of the Christian life” and said it “sends a confusing message about the meaning of marriage to the community and potential parishioners."
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WELS is catching up quickly on the gay issue. Their only college promoted all genders years ago, because the synod wanted the federal blessing for student loans, which are juice for their failing cult.
Time of Grace has been pan-Lutheran all along, which is fitting for future pastors who act out gay stuff in videos and in their abusive initiation rights.
