Sunday, July 25, 2021

On the Streets of Babylon: Ms. Penny Cost Spotted on the Streets

Babylon is fallen, is fallen,..
Come out of her, my people,
Revelation 14:8/18:4

There seems to have been a spotting of  "Ms. Penny Cost" on the Streets of Babylon...
 
"United Methodist candidate for ordination who performs as a drag queen has been favorably profiled by the denomination’s official news service. 
Drag is over-the-top and joyous,” a pearl-bedecked Isaac Simmons shared, his tall 23-year-old frame balanced atop high heels and crowned with a bright red wig to preach on Pentecost Sunday as his drag persona, Ms. Penny Cost.
In March, Simmons became the first openly gay candidate to be certified for ministry in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as operations director for Hope Church.
UMNS is an apportionment-funded agency of the denomination. It’s active, public promotion of Simmons places drag queen ministers within the denomination’s mainstream discourse. 
Despite the controversy, Isaac said he loves that United Methodism is big enough to embrace both conservative theology and a drag queen,” text on the video reads. Simmons names the Biblical Queen Esther as a figure from which he draws strength, citing Esther 4:14 “Perhaps you were born for a day such as this.” JE