WHAT	The Judicial Council —the rough equivalent of the U.S. Supreme court in the United Methodist Church —will hear arguments from Beth Stroud, a Philadelphia minister convicted of living in a committed relationship with another woman and defrocked in December.
WHEN	The hearing, which is open to the public at Stroud’s request, will be held Oct. 27 at 9 a.m. The committee will post the opinion on the church’s Web site, www.umc.org, probably within several days, and will not formally announce the result at a news conference.
WHERE	The hearing will be in Texas at the Stansbury Building on the Westchase Campus of the First United Methodist Church of Houston, 10570 Wespark Dr.
WHO	The Rev. Jim Hallam of the Lima United Methodist Church in Lima, Pa., will argue for Stroud with the assistance of Alan Symonette, an attorney who serves as a lay leader at First United Methodist Church of Germantown, where Stroud serves. The Rev. Tom Hall will present the appeal arguments.
BACKGROUND	Stroud was the second United Methodist minister convicted of violating a church law that says “because homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be accepted as candidates, ordained as ministers or appointed to serve” as pastors. In April, an appeals committee ruled the church made grave legal errors in the case, overturning the conviction and reinstating Stroud’s credentials. The bishop in eastern Pennsylvania appealed to the Judicial Council. The case represents a rarity in the United Methodist Church. Since 1940, the Judicial Council has heard only 12 trial appeals.