We have two more presbytery vote updates from the past weekend. Both are "no" votes, however both of these were expected, and again the trends look good.
Flint River:
2001-2 01-A: 20 yes, 71 no --> 22% YES
2009 08-B: 27 yes, 47 no --> 36.5% YES
This is one of the first presbyteries to break with the trend of "under-30% presbyteries are shifting anti-gay". Here we have nearly a 15% PRO-equality shift in a traditionally very anti-LGBT presbytery.
Flint River's vote shows that it IS possible to move the vote pro-equality even in the difficult presbyteries. Even better is that the shift doesn't result entirely from fewer people voting "no" -- there was also a significant increase in the "yes" vote count even though the total number of people voting at presbytery declined from 2001-2.
So I wouldn't place any bets on a "yes to delete B" vote from Flint River any time soon, but this year's vote is a very positive trend.
Wyoming:
2001-2 01-A: voice vote "no" --> no percentage available
2009 08-B: 18 yes, 38 no --> 32% YES
Here we have our second "voice 'no' vote in 2001-2" presbytery to take its vote. Unlike East Tennessee, Wyoming didn't flip pro-LGBT. However, even the fact that the presbytery shifted from taking a voice vote to taking a counted vote suggests to me that there's a pro-LGBT trend. If a vote is going to be really painfully lopsided, you can take it via voice, but Wyoming didn't do that this year.
Wyoming has now come in at over 30% pro-LGBT in the vote, so if my rule of thumb holds that says ">30% pro-equality means it will trend more pro-equality", then over time Wyoming should improve gradually in its pro-LGBT voting patterns.
So again even though both of these are "no" votes, the trends favor equality for both of these presbyteries.
