I guess after teaching Sunday school for over 50 years, her church decided that women cannot teach men....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/21/men....ap/index.html

That is the most rediculous thing I ever heard!! We would be in trouble at my church!!! All the Sunday School teachers are women!! But maybe my church is just progressive?

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This is ridiculous. Good luck to the guy who fired her trying to find a MAN to fill that position...

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I almost posted about this. My cousins live in Watertown, and this is the church where my great grandmother, grandmother, and father attended. When I saw this, I called my cousin to find out what was REALLY going on.

Here is the truth. Yes, the reverend (idiot that he appears to be) used the bible quote to fire this woman. However, there is more to the story. When the reverend came to town, the First Baptist Church was losing members rapidly and was in fear of closing. He brought an evangelical style to the church that appealed to many and brought in new members. Some of the older members didn't like the direction that the church was taking (among whom was the sunday school teacher) and let their grievances be known to the media, not the church (btw, the woman who was fired sat on the board of directors for the church). The rest of the BOD attempted to come to terms with those who did not like the church's new direction, but apparently, didn't get very far. So, basically, the BOD along with the revered decided that firing her would be the best course of action. Using the scripture as a means to fire her was to protect them from a lawsuit.

You can read all about this story at http://www.newzjunky.com, which is a news blog for Northern NY.

Now, as for my personal opinions. The reverend and BOD at the church are IDIOTS. To use the Bible to fire this woman is unacceptable. Kick her out of the church, take her off of the board, have a fair fight and take it to the congregation - but to fire her based on Scripture - that's simply absurd.

And, now that the Church and reverend have as much admitted this, they will probably get sued by this woman anyway.

I say a POX on both of their houses.

So, they are lying about their reasons to fire her, and hiding behind the bible to cover their lie. LOOOOOVE it! I hope the congregation rallies around the Sunday School teacher & boots that minister out the door & find someone more appropriate to lead them.

The congregation won't boot the minister out. The congregation is pretty much on his side, and so is the BOD, since he has substantially increased their membership. However, if things go south, he will be the one left out to dry. Apparently, much of this was the BODs doing, but since he is the minister, he is going to end up taking the fall.

BTW, this woman isn't as blameless as she appears to be. Apparently, she was VERY much a part of the group that circumvented the church's bylaws and went to the media airing their grievances. Even when told to stop, they didn't.

There's enough blame to go around here. But I still think that the reverend and BOD are IDIOTS - this will eventually come to bite them on the butt.

My grandmother is turning over in her grave.

Always two sides to every story! interesting......

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From the initial sounds of it, it appears that they are extremely archaeic. Given the fact that they used the bible verse as a reason to avoid a lawsuit just shows that they are indeed idiots. I would assume that firing someone over gender, even in a volunteer position, constitutes a violation of their civil rights and is the surest way to a lawsuit.

It will be interesting to see where this leads...

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Marcy
Proud wife of Tim, Mom to Sean (8/87), Ethan (10/98), Sam (9/02)
and angels Nathanial (8/6/97-8/8/97) and Benjamin (8/6/97-8/21/97)

Until they all come home......

I thought there must be more to the story. My mother was a sunday school teacher in a baptist church for over 50 years also. As a matter of fact....all the children's sunday school teachers were women. So the pastor obviously isn't following some church law. So either he is outside the denomination bylaws, or he did use it as a stupid reason to fire her....either way...what a jerk. I don't know why he couldn't just say, we no longer need your services as a sunday school teacher. I mean they're non-paid jobs. Last time I looked there wasn't a sunday school teacher union.

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It was completely a power struggle between the old guard of the church and this new evangelical group within the church. The SS teacher was actually trying to get him forced out, and the BOD of the church wanted him in. So, the BOD is letting him take the fall for something that was also their decision.

I spoke again with my cousin. Apparently, much of the general public support in Watertown is for the reverend, which completely surprises me.

However, most people in town who have any public visibility are keeping a very low profile right now and not saying much one way or the other...