The pastor of United Methodist churches in Algoma and West Kewaunee made her mark on the discussion of same-sex marriage and gay clergy. Pastor Jen Emert helped author an amendment approved at last month’s Wisconsin Annual Conference of United Methodists rejecting the more traditionalist plan approved by the General Conference in February that took a stricter stance against same-sex marriage and gay clergy. The amendment also went as far as apologizing to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community for the harm the decision may have caused. Emert believes people are beginning to learn what February’s decision means and what the options are moving forward.

As for the future of the Algoma and West Kewaunee United Methodist Churches, Emert says the congregations will wait to see what happens in the next few years, which include a heavily progressive delegation from Wisconsin attending the Jurisdictional and General Conferences in 2020.