Church ordains Iowa City native Dorothy Whiston on Sunday
A candidate with a resume as colorful as Dorothy Whiston’s would’ve been unlikely to become the pastor of a Baptist church a few decades ago.
Whiston — ordained as the pastor of First Baptist Church on Sunday — has had a hand in a number of denominations throughout her career, including Methodist, Catholic and Evangelical churches.
But for the congregation at FBC, Whiston’s ordination is one of many manifestations of their inclusive attitude; not just with respect to religious backgrounds, but races, cultures, political affiliations, sexual orientations and socio-economic circumstances as well.
“That’s a trend that a lot of churches are dealing with: this idea that people are coming from very diverse backgrounds and they’re not as tied to denominations as they once were,” said longtime FBC member Brendan Young, who served on the committee that selected Whiston. “Dorothy appreciates that and we appreciate that.”
It’s that progressive attitude that drew Whiston to the church in the first place. She initially became involved through working with Young at a conference that focused on LGBT and faith issues.
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Complete article at Press-Citizen : http://icp-c.com/vi8sn0
