Who belongs and who doesn't?

Recently the San Francisco Presbytery voted by a vote of 167 to 151 (needed 161 to pass) to continue the ordination process for LIsa Larges, a deacon of Noe Valley Presbyterian Church. A woman God created unique and a lesbian.    She has been in the process for 20 years.  Everyone who knows Lisa speaks highly of her pastoral and preaching skills.   On the Floor of the Presbytery her Hebrew professor, stressed how she passed his Hebrew course with an A.   Lisa is blind.   He said that she was an exceptional student.   Accolades abounded about her as a person. About her as a woman of faith.  And about her saying that she didn't believe that the the church's requirements based  around "same gender relationships" was an essential tenet of the faith!

I agree with her.  Our essential tenets are about the resurrection, Jesus born into humanity, Grace, Stewardship, God's omnipotence, God's sovereignty, Forgiveness and salvation thorough Jesus the Christ.   Our two greatest Commandments are Love God and Love One Another (even the ones you can't love!)  But as humanity does, we create rules, constitutions, books of disorder and etc so we can define who gets in and who doesn't.  The same rules that said that certain people sit in the back of the bus or study at different schools or have to live in different neighborhoods--rules meant to keep people in their place.

Just today, my husband and I had lunch in Lafayette at a very nice restaurant.  When we walked in, everyone noticed, okay so I may be a bit paranoid, but at the time, I was the only woman of color in the room.   Then within 30 minutes three more women of color came in to have lunch.   I looked around and wondered, how a place could be so white in the Bay Area.   I wondered what rules would they pass to make sure folks like me couldn't live there.  The funny thing (or not) on the way to the restaurant, three police cars stopped a van and sitting along side of the road were six men of color!!   So, I wonder.....
Now back to the church. 

My prayers are with Lisa, her church and her family as she continues her process toward ordination.   She is called and ready to serve, I am praying that the PCUSA doesn't get in God's way!!!

Comments

[Barbara]

Amen!!