In Brief
In Brief
Saturday, October 21, 2006; Page B09
Presbyterians Sending Less to Headquarters
The Presbyterian Church (USA) says its regional bodies are sending less money than expected to national headquarters, partly out of protest over the direction of the denomination.
The Presbyterian financial officer said last week that the national church will receive about $400,000 less than anticipated for 2005, according to the Presbyterian News Service. The national church had expected to receive about $13.2 million for the year.
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The denomination, like other mainline Protestant groups, has been struggling for years to reconcile members who disagree over the Bible and gay relationships, among other issues.
This June, a Presbyterian national assembly voted to give local congregations and regional bodies leeway to install gay clergy and lay officers with same-sex partners.
-- Associated Press
Pregnant Teacher Sues Over Church's Job Threat
A church preschool teacher who became pregnant out of wedlock sued her employer, saying she was forced to sign a pledge that she would stop having sex until marriage if she wanted to stay employed.
Freda Brown also alleges in her federal lawsuit that First Baptist Church of Dallas leaders asked her inappropriate questions and reduced her compensation.
The suit was filed last week after the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission determined that Brown had been discriminated against because of her gender and pregnancy.
An attorney for First Baptist said he had not talked to church leaders about the lawsuit.
Brown was not married when she became pregnant with her first child. When the church discovered she was pregnant in May 2005, staff members invited her to a meeting and told her that premarital sex was wrong, according to the lawsuit.
