I want to talk about two remarkable clergywomen, and two changes to our church-law that affects both them, and all of us…in a good way. Telling these stories is, in a tangible way, how to describe the changes afoot in the United Methodist Church, and why I continue to be deeply hopeful about our future:


Rev. Jane Graner.

And our own, Pastor Kay Ash.

Jane Graner has been a friend of mine for a long time now, and at one time I not only knew her, but was blessed to be pastor to her brother-in-law.



As I hope you’ve heard, Jane will be with us next Wednesday night, October 16th, for our screening of the documentary film: “1946: The Mistranslation That Changed Culture.” 
(more details below…)

But for a few years now, I’ve also been describing Jane as “our own Jackie Robinson.” It’s not every day you’ll get a chance to meet a figure like Jackie Robinson. But if you come on Wednesday, you will.

I call Jane that because in the UMC she was the very first “out” lesbian, ordained in our part of the United States.
Not just in the North Texas Conference…
Not just in the seven states of the “South Central” Jurisdiction…
But the first out lesbian ordained in the entire SOUTH of the United Methodist Church.



That happened, just a few years ago now, right here in North Texas.

Like Robinson, Jane Graner broke a barrier many feared could not be, and one some people worked to make sure never would.
And, also like Robinson, she did it with a great deal of patience, personal spiritual strength, and fortitude.



Because, as you cannot have forgotten, at that time there were forces in the UMC who sought to keep any member of the LGBTQ community from being ordained and serving in the UMC. That said, even under our own UM church law of that time, it should have been possible for an out lesbian to be ordained under very some specific circumstances.



Jane absolutely qualified under our church law. But, as in the time of Jackie Robinson, what was technically legal under “the law” was still quite challenging to enact, because of intense social pressure and very real opposition and fear.



I was proud to be in a group of folks who helped Jane through this process, sometimes quietly, sometimes not. And as we look back, I personally believe it is important to note that many people in the “hierarchy” of the North Texas Conference, also helped to make this happen.

We can’t reiterate enough…no church law was broken in this process. Quite the contrary. Those involved here actually worked WITHIN the system to accomplish this, under church law. I can’t speak for everyone involved. But my sense is that some on the Cabinet, the Board of Ministry, and others, sense saw what they were doing much like I am sure Branch Rickey saw the choice of Jackie Robinson to join his team. And, as in that day, the mere fact that it happened —even though totally “legal”— infuriated the opposition.



We are now some years past all of this.

Mercifully, the “church split” of the United Methodist Church has been affected, and many of those who would have ever grumbled against such a gifted pastor have now left our denomination. And the proof is in the pudding. Jane is beloved by her church, and is a wise LGBTQ clergy member in the United Methodist Church.

I am in awe of her, and her story. And —however much PTSD she no doubt carries from that time— I’m grateful that we all now get to tell that story with a happy ending for her, and for the United Methodist Church.

The second clergy woman I want to talk about is our own Pastor Kay Ash.

On Sunday, those in worship witnessed something that, before our recent General Conference, would have been forbidden under church law: Pastor Kay presided over the blessing prayer for holy communion.

Again, this gets in to hyper-technical UM church law…so bear with me…

Prior to last General Conference, “Elders” in the UMC (I am one) were the only ones authorized to pray this important blessing prayer. 


“Deacons” (Pastor Kay is an ordained Deacon) could not.

But the last General Conference —the very same one that banished the restrictive and harmful language about gay people— also voted to allow Deacons to preside over holy communion.

Pastor Kay first did this at our Annual Conference, standing alongside Bishop Ruben Saenz (at his invitation…). And last Sunday, on World Communion Sunday, without much fanfare at all, Pastor Kay presided at the Kessler Park communion table.



As you might imagine, when I noted it afterward, the congregation gave her a well deserved round of applause.

I’m going to believe the applause was not just for Kay, but also for a new sense of our denomination… one that would change with the world, the way the new United Methodist Church is now doing.

To be completely clear:
We United Methodists still believe in the Bible, and take it seriously (just not, “literally”).
We United Methodists still believe in our historical United Methodist doctrines.
And we take THOSE seriously too…so seriously that when we find others using them as weapons, we stand up against that.



I personally still affirm our traditional Christian teachings.
(Despite things that were said about me, publicly and privately, by some of those who left for the GMC during our split…).

These stories, and this commitment of the new UMC is why I am so hopeful about our future.

I believe the United Methodist Church is doing what we Methodists are always called to do: Serve our mission field in Jesus’ name, and adapt to the times, while embracing our tradition.

That’s what we saw on display in our recent “Horizon Texas” Annual Conference meeting. In our day, that means, as my dear friend Mark Miller sings that we “Draw the circle wide…draw it wider still.”



There were times I have sung that song with great hope.

There are other times, I have sung it in great despair.


But it was always true, either way.



We now get to sing it as a dawning reality for us that through God’s help we will do the hard work of ministry, welcoming an ever-more diverse group of God’s children to the table.



This NEVER means we reject all our doctrines. But it does mean we model a ministry that is relevant for each historical time and place, which means things like welcoming LGBTQ clergy, and affirming an expanded role of Deacons.



These are the hopeful, positive signs I hope you can see, as I tell you the stories of these two remarkable friends and colleagues.



The film “1946” will also be an important step in unwinding our own tortured past with issues of human sexuality in the United Methodist Church.

While our harmful church law has been stripped from our polity, in addition to assuring regionalism (more Inside Baseball Methodism) we must now ALSO honestly look back and continue to name the tragedy and harm that anti-gay theology and practice affected within our denomination, and also within the wider Christian world.



Join us on Wednesday night for part of this journey, at this important gathering.

Eric Folkerth