Gay pastor fears a 'bittersweet victory'

The Rev. Mark Williams will return as pastor of Woodland Park United Methodist Church in Seattle, but he faces a possible suspension because of his earlier announcement that he is gay. Ultimately, the denomination's judicial process could strip him of his ministry.

In a decision released yesterday, the highest court of the United Methodist Church affirmed that the denomination's Book of Discipline forbids the appointment of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" as pastors.


	The Rev. Mark Williams will return as pastor of Woodland Park United Methodist Church in Seattle, but he faces a possible suspension because of his earlier announcement that he is gay. Paul Joseph Brown / Seattle Post-Intelligencer Click for larger photo

At the same time, the ruling said a bishop cannot strip away such an appointment without going through established church procedures that are designed to give pastors due process.

Williams' reaction to the ruling was mixed.

"I'm really happy that the decision confirms what I've been saying, that I should have been appointed all along," he said. But he said a subsequent suspension would make it a "bittersweet victory."

At a news conference later, he denounced the church court's decision.

"It means that me and those like me are probably on a short track to being kicked out of the ministry," he said. "I'm real sad about that, but I'm not willing to give up or stop advocating for myself and for all who are in this with me."

The United Methodist General Conference, which sets policy for the denomination, voted last year to maintain its doctrine that homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching."

But on June 15, Williams stunned the denomination's Pacific Northwest Annual Conference, which includes churches in Washington and northern Idaho, when he announced that he is homosexual. After Williams' revelation, he was not appointed -- as is customary at the annual meeting -- to a position as pastor.

Instead, Bishop Elias Galvan appointed another pastor on an interim basis, then allowed Williams to continue preaching at Woodland Park under the interim pastor's supervision, pending the decision by the denomination's Judicial Council.

The church court, meeting last week in Nashville, Tenn., said a bishop can't deny a ministerial appointment based solely on a pastor's declaration that he or she is gay. The council said the pastor should be suspended and relieved of ministerial duties while "proceedings are conducted to address the issues of character and conference relations according to fair and due process."

Williams' 168-member congregation at Woodland Park, where he had served for two years, has rallied around him in the months since he was denied reappointment.

Yesterday, Maggie Brown, the head of the congregation's staff-parish relations committee, said the congregation "continues to stand behind our pastor, Rev. Mark Williams, and continues to affirm its support of the ordination of openly gay men and lesbians."

Brown added, "This congregation has stated publicly on several occasions that it wants Pastor Mark as our minister." Galvan yesterday said he was still reviewing the council's decision, but expected to appoint Williams in the near future. Galvan also is looking for a placement for another gay clergywoman affected by the decision, the Rev. Karen Dammann, who preceded Williams at Woodland Park. Dammann has been on family leave and is living in Massachusetts with her partner and 3-year-old son.

Galvan also said he would seek their suspensions, a process that could take up to a month.

Dammann was denied a pastoral appointment in June based on a letter she wrote to Galvan in February, in which she stated that she was "living in a partnered, covenanted homosexual relationship."

The Judicial Council said that such a statement was enough to merit a review of her status as minister.

"If, in the course of such review, such person affirms that she is engaged in genital sexual activity with a person of the same gender, she would have openly acknowledged ... that she is a self-avowed practicing homosexual," the ruling said.

Dammann last night said she would refuse to submit to the kind of questioning about her sexual activity suggested by the Judicial Council.

"I will neither affirm nor deny any specific sexual activity whatsoever with anyone," she said.

A third Seattle pastor, the Rev. Katie Ladd, was already on leave before her announcement in June that she is gay.

P-I reporter Ruth Schubert can be reached at 206-448-8130 or ruthschubert@seattlepi.com This story includes information from The Associated Press.

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