Transgender Methodist Minister Reappointed - News Story - WRC | Washington
Transgender Methodist Minister Reappointed - News Story - WRC | Washington:
WASHINGTON -- A transgender United Methodist minister will be reappointed to lead his Baltimore congregation, church officials announced Thursday at a regional convocation.
The Rev. Drew Phoenix was greeted with applause after telling 1,600 members of the church's Baltimore-Washington conference that he had gone through "spiritual transformation" in the past year, since changing his name from Ann Gordon and receiving medical treatment to become a man.
"It is my intention and hope that by sharing my story that we commit ourselves as Christians and as United Methodists to become educated about the complexity of gender," Phoenix said. "Each of us is a beloved child of God -- no exceptions."
Phoenix, 48, has led St. John's United Methodist Church for nearly five years. Bishop John Schol said the church's 50-member congregation was fully supportive. Schol said no objections were raised during a closed-door meeting of the clergy earlier Thursday. The denomination bans actively gay clergy but does not have any rules about transgender pastors.
The conservative Institute on Religion and Democracy issued a statement Tuesday saying the group objects to any acceptance of sexual identity changes. Mark Tooley, director of the group's United Methodist project, said a change in gender identity conflicts with "God's order of creation."
Schol urged church members to pray for Phoenix. "This isn't an issue. This is a human being," Schol said. He encouraged ministers and church members attending the annual conference through Saturday to discuss the decisions of church leaders with their congregations. "Many people would say let's just sweep it under the carpet, but in this conference, we're a people of integrity," Schol said.
St. John's, a church that describes itself as diverse and inclusive, was about to close its doors when Phoenix arrived, and has more than tripled its membership since, Schol said.Although the denomination does not have a transgender policy, a minister from Baltimore quit the church after a sex change in 2002. Phoenix said he does not fear being forced from the church. But he said not everyone will agree with his service as a pastor. "What's most important to me is that we're creating conversation," Phoenix said.