A UMNS photo by Erik Alsgaard Beth Stroud speaks to reporters after winning her appeal April 29.

The Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church will hear oral arguments in the case of Irene Elizabeth (Beth) Stroud Oct. 27 in Houston.

In a church trial last December, Stroud was found guilty of violating the denomination's prohibition of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" in the ordained ministry. Then serving as associate pastor of First United Methodist Church of Germantown in Philadelphia, she lost her clergy credentials but remained on staff as a layperson.

On April 29, however, the denomination's Northeastern Jurisdiction Committee on Appeals overturned the trial court's verdict and penalty, citing legal errors, and restored Stroud's clergy standing.

The next week, Bishop Marcus Matthews of the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual (regional) Conference, which conducted the trial, filed an appeal of the jurisdictional committee's decision with Judicial Council, the denomination's top court.

The Oct. 27 hearing, open to the public, will begin at 9 a.m. at the Stansbury Building on the Westchase Campus of First United Methodist Church, at 10570 Westpark Dr. in Houston. Representatives of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and Stroud will be allowed 30 minutes each to present their arguments.

Deliberations will follow the hearing but the Judicial Council normally does not release information about its decisions until the conclusion of the full meeting, which would be Oct. 29.

Keith Boyette, the Judicial Council's secretary, noted that anyone wishing to comment on a matter coming before the council may submit a brief but added that doing so does not make one a party to the proceeding.

Briefs must be submitted to Boyette, secretary, Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church, 10501 Plank Road, Spotsylvania, Va. 22553. Ten copies of each brief must be sent and signed by the person submitting the brief.

Boyette also requests that an electronic copy of the brief in either Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect format be filed at judicialcouncil@umc.org if possible.

News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

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