GROUP PRAISES TODAY'S ACTION BY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.) COMMITTEE PAVING WAY FOR LGBT ORDINATION.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 24, 2008

GROUP PRAISES YESTERDAY'S ACTION BY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.) COMMITTEE PAVING WAY FOR LGBT ORDINATION.

SAN JOSE – That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS), a group advocating for full membership of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), hailed a 41 to 11 committee vote to remove discriminatory language from the church’s constitution, opening the door for ordination of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

"Today was an historic day for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals who have been waiting for the Presbyterian Church to embrace all people as equal members," said Lisa Larges, Executive Director of TAMFS. "This was the most votes on record affirming LGBT people who are called to ministry."

The next step in the process is for the full assembly to vote on the recommendation made by the “Church Orders and Ministry” committee. The vote is expected to occur either Thursday or Friday of this week. If the full assembly votes affirmatively on the committee’s recommendation then each of the 173 presbyteries across the country will have to ratify the decision before it takes effect.

For more information about the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) please visit HYPERLINK "http://www.pcusa.org/ga218/" \o "blocked::http://www.pcusa.org/ga218/" http://www.pcusa.org/ga218/

For more information about TAMFS please visit HYPERLINK "http://www.tamfs.org/" \o "blocked::http://www.tamfs.org/" http://www.tamfs.org/