Ouster of Homosexual Pastor Sought
The appointment of the Presbyterian Church’s first openly homosexual pastor is being challenged by a group of upstate New York churches.
The Rev. Jane Spahr, who runs a ministry serving homosexuals and people with AIDS in San Francisco, was affirmed this week as co-pastor of the Downtown United Presbyterian Church in Rochester.
The position is effective April 1.
Nine Presbyterian churches have filed a complaint with the denomination’s Northeast Synod, saying Spahr’s selection violates church regulations.
The 49-year-old Spahr was ordained in 1974 and served as a pastor in several Pennsylvania and California churches before she acknowledged in 1978 that she is a lesbian.
She was offered the Rochester post in November.
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.