Church to put lesbian minister on trial

09:12 PM PST on Sunday, March 14, 2004

By ERIC WILKINSON / KING 5 News

KING Pastor Karen Dammann

BOTHELL, Wash. - Pastor Karen Dammann presides over a small congregation in the quiet central Washington town of Ellensberg. But this unassuming servant of God finds herself in the middle of a battle for her future, not to mention that of her church.

Three years ago Pastor Dammann told the United Methodist Church she is in a lesbian relationship, despite the fact she knew it could cost her her job.

"I didn't want to teach our son to be deceptive and I didn't want to introduce him to life in the closet and all the baggage that comes with that," she said.

This week Pastor Dammann will undergo a church trial. Fourteen ministers from across the state will decide her fate. The very teachings of the church will be on trial as well.

Church doctrine states that "homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching," while at the same time, imploring "families and churches not to reject or condemn their lesbian and gay members and friends."

Church officials concede the church itself is split.

"On the one side some people say 'this is cutting at the core values that make this nation great' and other people saying 'this is another shadowy corner of bigotry that needs to be opened to the light of God's love,'" said Rev. Elaine Stanovsky.

Meantime, Pastor Dammann says she is proud the church is confronting the issue no matter what the outcome.

"You have to do at a certain point what you have to do and hope and trust that it will bring change for the better," she said.

The trial begins Wednesday at Bothell's United Methodist Church. It will be a very high profile event with national media in attendance as well as gay rights groups that plan to block the beginning of the trial by blocking the entrance to the church.