Tucson Region

Church to expand support of gays

A Midtown Presbyterian church is poised to become more vocal in protesting the denomination's limits on sexually active gays and lesbians. St. Mark's Presbyterian Church this weekend will consider becoming the first Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Tucson to become a "More Light" church that supports ordaining sexually active gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people as ministers and church elders - currently prohibited by national church policy. "We've had an inclusion statement for years, quietly being who we are," said the Rev. Robert Moore, a St. Mark's parish associate. "It's time for us to come out of the closet as a church allied with gay and lesbian people." Out of approximately 11,106 Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations in the country, 125 are More Light churches. More Light churches have a mission of "full participation of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people of faith in the life, ministry, and witness" in the church. St. Mark's co-pastor, the Rev. Stuart Taylor, expects the meeting with More Light national organizer Michael J. Adee to yield a firmer commitment from the church to speak out. "We're keenly aware of the risks. We want to proceed thoughtfully and respectfully of people who may have different opinions," Taylor said. "But this is a justice issue for us, and it's not going to go away." Parishioner Sylvia Thorson-Smith believes most members are committed to seeing St. Mark's set a local example. "We live in a two-tier system where just because of who they are, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people don't have full standing," said Thorson-Smith, a semi-retired professor of sociology and religion. "Churches have been so hostile and rejecting of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people," she said. "We want to live more true to our values." St. Mark's already has a history of reaching out to gays and lesbians. In 1993, the church came up on charges before the Presbyterian judicial system after holding a service of solidarity for Jane Spahr, a Rochester, N.Y., lesbian whose ordination by her own congregation was overturned when church officials learned of her sexual orientation. Charges were dropped in favor of an education program. The 500-member church earlier this year signed on as part of a coalition opposing a proposed amendment to the Arizona constitution that would ban gay marriage as well as prohibit benefits for the domestic partners of government employees. Policies concerning gays and lesbians are a source of ongoing friction in mainline Protestant denominations. The worldwide Anglican Communion is bitterly divided over the ordination of a gay bishop in New Hampshire who is in a committed relationship, and the United Methodist Church's Judicial Council ruled this fall that a lesbian minister should be defrocked. The ordination of a non-celibate gay man by a Presbyterian congregation in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., earlier this month brought renewed attention to the Presbyterian debate.