Holy Covenant Church will hold a ‘Worship Celebration for Reconciling Sunday’ Feb. 12, at 10:30 a.m. This celebration will affirm Holy Covenant’s commitment both to welcome LGBT people to all levels of the congregational life and leadership and to advocate for change in the 10-million member United Methodist denomination, of which it is a part. Holy Covenant, a young (median age of thirty), theologically diverse, socially progressive congregation, is defying the mainline Protestant ‘aging, dying church’stereotype by growing in membership, combining spirituality and justice, and celebrating a liturgy that’s blended, post-modern and sacramental.
To mark this year’s celebrations, Holy Covenant will welcome Elizabeth ‘Beth’ Stroud to preach in morning worship. In 2004, while serving as a pastor in Philadelphia, Stroud came out as a lesbian in covenant relationship with a woman. After a church trial, an appeals process and a final decision in Fall 2005 by the Judicial Council, the denomination’s ‘Supreme Court,’ Stroud was found guilty of violating current Church policy, which prohibits partnered gay and lesbian Christians from serving as ordained ministers. Her clergy orders were revoked.
See www.holycovenantumc.org or call (773) 528-6462.