BRADLEY HURT; Female minister cut up by scrapping of joint service.Byline: By MIRROR REPORTER THE woman at the centre of a row over female Presbyterian ministers told yesterday how she has been deeply wounded by the controversy. Rev Christina Bradley spoke out after a traditional joint Christmas service involving two churches in Portadown, Co Armagh, was cancelled. She said the decision by the male minister of First Portadown not to share his pulpit pulpit, in churches, elevated platform with low enclosing sides, used for preaching the sermon. In the earliest churches the episcopal throne served this purpose. with the female minister from Armagh Road Presbyterian cut "right down to the marrow marrow: see bone marrow. of my bone". She told Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence it was hard not to take it personally. The minister added: "People say, 'Well it's not meant personally', but it hurts me right down. "I can't go for a sex change just because some people don't like it that the Lord called me as a minister. But it touches my entire essence." The churches - First Portadown at Edenderry and Armagh Road - have taken turns to host a joint Christmas Day service for almost 60 years. However, this year Rev Stafford Carson said he could not allow a woman minister into his pulpit. Rev Bradley said she had been in contact with Rev Carson in recent days. She said: "We will be meeting in the very near future - just the two of us - to talk about the issues and take things forward. We are new to each other and we have got to get to know each other as the people we are and understand where we're coming from. "I would be saying to him, 'Stafford, are you actually aware that you are hurting me right down to the marrow of my bone? He may not be." Last week, Presbyterian Moderator moderator - A person, or small group of people, who manages a moderated mailing list or Usenet newsgroup. Moderators are responsible for determining which email submissions are passed on to the list or newsgroup. Dr John Finlay For the Canadian Member of Parliament (b. 1929), see . John Finlay (1774 - December 19, 1833) was a fur trader and explorer with the North West Company. He is best remembered for establishing the first fur trading post in what is now British Columbia, Canada and for his moved to diffuse diffuse /dif·fuse/ 1. (di-fus´) not definitely limited or localized. 2. (di-fuz´) to pass through or to spread widely through a tissue or substance. dif·fuse adj. the situation. Dr Finlay said: "We are quite unequivocal as far as women are eligible in the same terms as men and our stance on gender equality is absolutely clear on that one. "Nobody is allowed to frustrate the law of the Church, either an individual or a body. So that's one side of it. "The other side of the story is that, as a church, we allow those who have reservations about the role of women in ministry to exercise freedom of conscience, so that nobody is forced to act contrary to their own personal opinions." ulster@mirror.co.uk CAPTION(S): CLARITY: Dr John Finlay |
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