Tim Tennant-Jayne

TIM TENNANT-JAYNE

I received my Master of Divinity degree in 1980 from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH.  I was ordained an Elder in 1982 in the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church.

In 1985 I went on leave of absence as I came out as a gay man and moved to Minneapolis, MN.  Then in 1992 I was place on administrative location with Iowa.

Since then I've earned a Master of Arts in Religious Leadership in 1995 from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, New Brighton, Minnesota.  I have now begun my own ministry of friendship to the male prostitutes in the Loring Park area, called Legends Street Ministry.  The call doesn't end just because the organization doesn't want you.

This Pentecost stole was designed by me and made by my ex-wife and myself.  I wore it at my ordination.  In the photo, I'm in the back row, second from the left; the one in white in a sea of black.  Perhaps even then I should have known that a normal life was not for me…

Tim Tennant-Jayne's stole was among the first United Methodist stoles donated to the Shower of Stoles collection.  The picture attached to the stole is a photograph of the class ordained as Elders by the Iowa Conference in 1982.  Everyone in the photo is wearing a black pulpit robe except for Tim, who is garbed in white.  Tim tells me that the Bishop took exception to his choice of color; from that point on ordinands were required to wear black robes.

Although Tim has not served in an official capacity with the United Methodist Church for over twenty years, he has carved out an important ministry on the streets of Minneapolis, working with those who are routinely overlooked and unwelcome in the church.

Martha Juillerat

Founder, Shower of Stoles Project

2006