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Published on February 24, 2016 Dr. Lydia Istomina By Lydia Istomina Posted on by  GCSRW Re: Book of Discipline Paragraph 4, Article IV Amend ¶4. Adding “gender” and “age” to the list of what the UMC cannot discriminate against What prevented The United Methodist Church from amending the original phrasing of Paragraph 4  earlier ? The amendment is about female leadership in The United Methodist Church and the age of our leaders. Let’s leave social justice, democracy, and inclusivity aside for a moment and approach the problem from economical and performance standpoint. A recent study by Duke University shows that only 11% of women serve as “senior or solo pastoral leaders.” Ironically, the beginning of my ministry was with a “new start” congregation that became a fast-growing church. I became a poster-child for The United Methodist in Eurasia. But now, after 20 years of serving small American congregations, I do not see a way for me, as well as for many other cler