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in e w s
T
S weet S pirit
he modest American Legion Hall
on Salem’s Lilac Lane seemed an
unlikely venue for this “extraordi­
nary service of ordination,” hut the
enthusiasm inside could have
Cancer-stricken lesbian ordained as minister in Salem
rivaled the Crystal Cathedral.
by P atricia L . M acA o d h a
Many present were members of Sweet Spirit
Metropolitan Community Church as well as
volunteers from the Capitol Forum, LifeLine I
several years searching for a pas­
A ID S Project and other service groups. They
tor. For much of that period,
were crammed into this single room May 16 to
Jackson served as lay pastor and
watch as one of their own, Patricia Jackson, was
interim pastoral leader.
ordained into M C C ’s professional clergy. The
During her stint as lay pas­
real miracle was that she was able to sir upright
tor, she was unexpectedly
in her wheelchair and participate in the moving
thrown into an intense leader­
ceremony.
ship position when the homo-
Jackson, who has been a tireless worker in
phobic hatred of 1992’s Mea­
Marion County AIDS programs, is fighting cqn-
sure 9 battle resulted in a Salem
house fire that killed a gay man
cer and has been told her condition is terminal.
and a lesbian. Anger was wide­
However, fighting against difficult odds is some­
spread throughout the area, and
thing she does extremely well.
a rally was held despite fears
Longtime friend Chuck Harvey, former M CC
that a riot might break out in
Northwest District coordinator, has kept in close
response
to
the deaths.
contact with Jackson during the ordeal. “Even
Although she had never spoken
though she’s come to terms with the terminal
at a protest before, this grand­
nature of her cancer,” he said, “she still is willing
motherly, sweet-faced lady
to confound the doctors and eagerly serve the
stepped to the microphone and
G LB T community in a pastoral capacity.”
Patricia Jackson (left) and Mary Albert founded Sweet Spirit
pleaded with the crowd to resist
Jackson was recently hospitalized and con­
Metropolitan Community Church
being drawn into the violence.
sidered close to death. Instead, she recovered
Cloaked with the voice of reason and her strong
enough to come home to her partner of more
Jackson is well-loved in Salem community
than 35 years, Mary Albert.
groups but is best recognized for her involve­ faith, Jackson helped turn the potential mob
into an assembly of committed activists.
Both women are retired. Jackson worked as a
ment with the Imperial Court of the Willamette
Those who know her were not at all sur­
cook and “unofficial counselor” at the Marion
Empire, where she served as Empress V, and with
County Court School, and Albert was a house
Sweet Spirit M CC, which she and Albert
prised she could have that kind of impact. Nor
were they surprised when the deathbed ordina­
counselor at Fairview Training Center until the
founded. Jackson also served as treasurer, clerk
and lay delegate to denominational and region­ tion instead became a gathering of enthusiastic
school closed. They now have a greenhouse and
market floral products throughout the Salem
al conferences.
friends and supporters, with a delighted Jackson
wheeling about and conversing.
A small congregation, Sweet Spirit spent
area and at Portland Saturday Market.
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“Ordination is a ‘setting aside’ of people who
wish to pursue professional ministry,” Harvey
said. “They have demonstrated by experience
and setting an example...in other words, a per­
son who ‘walks their talk.’ ”
This step normally follows extended univer­
sity and seminary training, hut denominational
leaders took into account Jackson’s years of serv­
ice and sent an authorization to M CC Portland’s
senior pastor, the Rev. Glenna Shepherd, asking
her to conduct the ceremony.
“Upon receiving the rite of ordination,”
wrote the Rev. Jim Mitulski from M C C head­
quarters, “Ms. Jackson will he a fully ordained
minister in good standing in Metropolitan
Community Churches.”
As the service began, M CC Sweet Spirit’s
pastor, the Rev. Ken Kerr, read the full declara­
tion. Clergy shared stories about the impact
Jackson has had in service to her community
and church. Shepherd performed an examina­
tion, asking Jackson about her commitment to
pastoral ministry. A blessing followed in which
hands were laid on Jackson.
After everyone in attendance read a prayer,
Shepherd made the official pronouncement of
Jackson’s clergy status and presented her to the
gathering as “the Rev. Patricia Jackson.” This
was greeted with a standing ovation and cheer­
ing from the audience, which included Jackson’s
three children, Brenda of Hillsboro, Richard of
Portland and Debbie of Louisiana.
“It was only the prayers of the people that
brought me here today,” Jackson said, adding
with a twinkle in her eye, “I’m going to have to
go home and think about this!” J H
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