 Today, February 7, at Farragut Presbyterian Church, Farragut, Tennessee, the Presbytery of East Tennessee affirmed the 218th General Assembly's Ordination Amendment 08-B by a vote of 81 Yes, 66 No, with 2 abstentions.
The vote of opposition to the Ordination Amendment in 2001 was simply a voice vote. Today's vote indicates a powerful transformation and shift in just 7 years.
Within a week, this is the third presbytery to "flip" from opposition in 2001 to approval in 2009 with Western North Carolina as the first presbytery to flip.
 The Presbytery of East Tennessee has its ministry center in Knoxville. Reading the Vision Statement and spiritual direction of the Presbytery of East Tennessee reveals why a vote to end discrimination against LGBT Presbyterians and their families is possible within this presbytery.
Following Jesus Christ in the adventure of ministry, we will
CONNECT with one another in community;
EQUIP congregations for faithful ministry;
SUPPORT our churches, pastors, and leaders;
SERVE God’s world in love, justice, and peace.
Special thanks to all those working to end discrimination against LGBT Presbyterians and their families now in the Presbytery of East Tennessee. You are an inspiration.
We want to offer particular gratitude to Sandy Winter and Rob Stewart for providing outreach, making calls and serving as resource persons within their presbytery.
We want to alert all of you working in local presbyteries to pass 08-B to prepared for any of the "No Action" efforts in your presbytery and be ready to address them.
Thanks be to God for this victory in the Presbytery of East Tennessee! Together We are building a Church for all God's people.
with hope and grace,
Michael
PS -- Special thanks to Bruce Hahne, recent National MLP Board Member and Elder, First Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto, CA, a More Light Church for number-crunching and analysis of trends so far for Amendment 08-B -- go to http://yeson08b.blogspot.com/
Michael J. Adee, M.Div., Ph.D., Executive Director & Field Organizer
Answering God's Call to Serve!
For resources, stories, presbytery vote tally, and news from More Light Presbyterians
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