Church Finds Role for Lesbian Denied Post : Presbyterians: Congregation that sought to hire her as a pastor plans to send her on evangelistic mission to change denomination’s policies on homosexuals.

Rebuffed in attempts to hire a lesbian as co-pastor, a Presbyterian congregation in Rochester, N.Y., is planning to send her around the country as an evangelist challenging the church’s stand on homosexuality.

The Rev. Jane Spahr, a lesbian who works as a counselor at a ministry to homosexuals in San Anselmo, Calif., is renowned in Presbyterian circles for the Rochester congregation’s fight to have her as a pastor.

Leaders of Rochester’s Downtown Presbyterian Church expect to have details of the arrangement with Spahr worked out within the next two weeks, said the Rev. Rose Mitchell, one of the church’s co-pastors.

In her new role, Spahr would not be on the staff or payroll of Downtown Church, Mitchell said. That way, the Downtown Church would avoid violating a decision by the top court of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that Spahr is unfit to lead a congregation.

Downtown Church would set aside mission funds to enable Spahr to accept offers of speaking engagements she has received since early November, when she was denied the position of pastor by the church court.

By speaking out, Mitchell said, Spahr will be able to work “to effect change in the denomination” to remove church regulations that discriminate against homosexuals.

The arrangement puts to rest rumors that Downtown Church would break with the denomination as a result of the controversy. However, Mitchell said, the congregation plans to support initiatives at this summer’s general assembly in Orlando, Fla., to open all forms of ministry to gays and lesbians.

Spahr was ordained in 1974, four years before the church established guidelines barring practicing homosexuals from ordination. However, the 2.9-million-member denomination’s top court, the Permanent Judicial Commission, ruled that those guidelines make her unqualified for the pulpit--even though she is ordained.

Spahr said she will send the denomination an “open letter” detailing the plan and stressing that everything is in keeping with Presbyterian policy.

Despite rumors to the contrary, Mitchell promised that Downtown Church will remain firmly in the fold, “working for change within our legislative process.”