Complaint against Andrews dismissed; two sessions skirmish through letters By John H. Adams The Layman Online Thursday, January 6, 2005 The Presbytery of National Capital has dismissed a disciplinary complaint against Susan R. Andrews, moderator of the 215th General Assembly (2003). The complaint, which was filed by Paul Rolf Jensen of California, alleged that Andrews promoted defiance of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) by participating in the installation of a member of her church staff – associate pastor Eric Winnette, who, Jensen said, had disclosed that he is a practicing homosexual. The source for that information came from That All May Freely Serve, a special-interest group that lobbies for ordaining homosexuals and same-gender marriages. On its Web site, the organization says, "TAMFS.org reported during General Assembly [2001] that 'Alan Kiste, Detroit presbytery, and Scott Winnette, National Capital presbytery, also identified themselves as gay and gave personal statements.' And TAMFS Minister Director Rev. Janie Spahr wrote publicly to supporters in June 2001 saying 'Don Stroud, Scott Winnette, Tammy Lindahl, Cleve Evans, Mark Palermo, and Alan Kiste – two by two spoke on the floor of the at speak out' time to affirm that they were openly lesbian or gay commissioners.'" Jensen's complaint spawned a sideline skirmish instigated by the session of Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church in Chevy Chase, Md., where Andrews and Winnette serve. The Bradley Hills session urged the session of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, Calif., where Jensen is a member, to exercise its "spiritual oversight" over Jensen and make "an appropriate response." In response, the St. Andrews session defended Jensen and said the Bradley Hills letter seemed like inappropriate interference in the judicial process. Jensen handed Andrews a copy of his complaint after she presided at the opening plenary of the 216th General Assembly in Richmond in June. Dick McFail, stated clerk of National Capital Presbytery, said the presbytery responded to Jensen's complaint by forming an investigating committee. He said the committee invited Jensen to testify. "He chose not to do so." Contacted at his office in Laguna Beach, Calif., today, Jensen said the committee did send him a registered letter inviting him to testify. But, because of travel, he said he did not return to his residence to open the mail until the day after the investigating committee met. "On the basis of the facts presented, the committee decided not to file charges," McPhail said. "The complainant was notified of the decision and did not appeal within the required time. So the complaint is history." Jensen said he did not appeal the decision because he believed it was unlikely that the presbytery would take action against any minister defying the constitutional "fidelity/chastity" standard. He added that he had previously filed a complaint against Winnette because of his public acknowledgment that he was a practicing homosexual, but that the presbytery took no action in that case either. Throughout her year as moderator, and as part of her final remarks to the General Assembly in that office, Andrews lobbied for the ordination of practicing homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people. Her work in supporting the homosexual lobby in the denomination and the pro-gay work of the Presbytery of National Capital prompted the Presbyterian Church of East Africa to sever its partnership relationship with the presbytery. The Bradley Hill session's letter to St. Andrews conveyed "to you, as fellow elders, the pain and distress this complaint has caused, not only to Rev. Andrews, but to us as a session and to our congregation." "We acknowledge that our church's Constitution gives Mr. Jensen the right to file this complaint," the letter continued. "We simply ask of you, as fellow elders, to consider what he is alleging, and assess whether this disciplinary action is, in fact, promoting the peace, unity and purity of our church. Several years ago, Mr. Jensen filed a complaint against our Associate Pastor, the Rev. Scott Winnette, based upon Rev. Winnette's acknowledged homosexual orientation. That complaint was found to have no basis and was dismissed. Mr. Jensen nevertheless repeats those allegations in this new complaint against Rev. Andrews. In addition, he charges her with failing to fulfill her duties as Moderator of the 215th General Assembly – an allegation that we find deeply hurtful not only to Rev. Andrews but to us." The St. Andrews elders responded strongly to the suggestion that they should discipline Jensen. "[Y]our letter concluded with the urging that since we have 'spiritual oversight' of Mr. Jensen, we should 'make an appropriate response.' One may reasonably infer that your request is for us to interfere with Mr. Jensen's actions by having him withdraw his complaint or, that we, at least, repudiate what he has done. This would deny Mr. Jensen his constitutional rights and would be interfering with the judicial process by attempting to interfere with the investigation. We will be forwarding copies of your letter and our reply to the Stated Clerk of the National Capitol [sic] Presbytery and to the Permanent Judicial Commission so that they may be aware of any attempted interference should such occur." The St. Andrews elders also said, "We agree that difficult issues face our church and that the unity of the church is important. The church cannot, however, avoid controversy for the sake of unity. Jesus never taught that we must harmonize our beliefs with the world to accomplish unity. We are never told to compromise the truth in order to avoid causing offense, 'pain and distress' or because groups may be 'deeply saddened.' We find your stated fears of stifled discussion counter to the observed history of our denomination."

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