After 15 years of being denied ordination by the Presbyterian Church, Deacon Lisa Larges, 44, who openly declared to be gay, has been given the chance to submit to an oral examination with the San Francisco Presbytery in April this year. Larges has been twice rejected the chance of becoming a Minister, because of her sexual orientation. According to the Presbyterian Church, clergy members should either be married with a member of the opposite sex or celibate.

However, the church left the decision on openly gay members trying for ordination to the regional bodies as of 2006, and Larges was the first to be given a positive response. The decision could create a precedent and that worries many of the opponents, who think this goes against the church’s beliefs. Rev. Mary Holder Naegeli completely disagrees with the decision, as she says it’s no wonder people are leaving the denomination, considering the church acts against its constitution.

No matter how controversial the situation is, Larges is happy about it and says she was in shock when she first heard the news, but at the end of the day, it’s all about “loving the church in spite of the church” and that this is a clear sign that the church is ready to open up to the gay community. For the time being, the decision is just half-a-victory, as Rev. Naegeli announced the decision will be appealed in the church court.

Lisa Larges had two previous attempts to join the ministry, but the national church court rejected her appeals. Some members of the Presbyterian Church support the decision as part of a new era for the Presbyterian Church, who needs to adjust its policy according to the century it moves towards. However, the church court still has on the roll cases of gay and lesbian ministers who declared their homosexuality after being ordained.