A new day in the United Methodist Church
The Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison The denomination’s General Convention approved language changes allowing same-sex weddings, LGBTQ clergy DAVID TAFFET | Senior Staff Writer taffet@dallasvoice.com Delegates to the United Methodist Church 2024 General Conference voted overwhelmingly last month to remove its 40-year old ban on “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” serving as clergy.
Also, clergy may no longer be penalized for performing same-sex weddings. Although lesbians and gays had officially been banned from serving as clergy, enforcement of that ban varied from diocese to diocese.
Joretta Marshall, for example, was ordained in the Methodist Church in Colorado and was out as she served as dean of Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth.
And a number of other gays and lesbians already serving as ministers around the country, with at least two already elevated to bishop.
