For Immediate Release: June 1, 2016

Contact: Rev. Laura Markle Downton, 609-712-2042

A Statement from Rev. Ron Stief

(Washington, DC) - NRCAT's executive director, Rev. Ron Stief, released the following statement:

"At a time when our world is in need of strong moral leadership, the National Religious Campaign Against Torture is saddened to learn that today during the Clergy Executive Session of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church, the clergy did not accept the recommendation of the Board of Ordained Ministry to approve a valued staff member of NRCAT, T.C. Morrow, for provisional membership as a deacon. For nearly a decade, the national interfaith membership of 300 faith organizations in NRCAT have recognized and benefited from T.C.’s tireless determination, pastoral spirit and commitment to justice, and yet these gifts sadly have not been embraced by her own Baltimore-Washington Conference and The United Methodist Church. T.C. is called by God, as are all LGBTQ leaders in our communities and churches whom God has called to ministry, and the UMC is all the poorer for not joining the many faith colleagues across the country who daily bestow the recognition of excellence in professional ministry to T.C. Morrow."

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