Back in September 2004, this site featured a news item about a judicial attack launched against Rev. Jim Rigby of More Light church St. Andrews Presbyterian in Austin, TX. Rev. Rigby was accused of violating Presbyterian rules for conducting a same-gender holy union ceremony, a service permitted by church judicial rulings. Under the Presbyterian system, all judicial complaints force the creation of an Investigating Committee, which is loosely the Presbyterian equivalent of a civil grand jury. The original charges were filed by serial litigator Paul Rolf Jensen, who has filed dozens of anti-gay judicial attacks throughout the PCUSA over the past several years.

Last week, the Investigating Committee charged to examine the facts surrounding the latest attack against Rev. Rigby declined to file charges against him. The Austin American-Statesman has published an article about this resolution -- extracts appear below.

No church trial for Austin pastor
Presbyterian leader avoids charges for role in gay marriages and ordination.
By Eileen E. Flynn

The Rev. Jim Rigby, pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in North Austin, will not face charges within his church for his role in the ordination of gay elders and for blessing couples at a gay marriage demonstration.

For the second time in two years, an investigating committee for Mission Presbytery, the national church's regional governing body, reviewed allegations that Rigby violated the church's constitution and declined to send him before a tribunal.

[...]

Rigby said he told the committee, " 'If your conscience tells you that I am guilty and this is wrong, I'm asking you to kick me out of the church.' "

Read the full article...

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Ref: http://www.mlp.org/article.php/20060129133044391