After about 10 hours of deliberations, a jury of 13 pastors ruled in favor of the Rev. Karen Dammann, 47, who disclosed three years ago that she was in a homosexual relationship. The decision was reached with 11 jurors voting not guilty and two undecided.

Church law prohibits the ordination of self-avowed, practicing homosexuals and the church's Book of Discipline declares homosexuality to be "incompatible to Christian teachings." But the church's social principles support gay rights and liberties.

"We, the trial court, reached our decisions after many hours of painful and prayerful deliberations, and listening for and to the word of God," the jury said in a statement released after the verdict. "We depended upon the prayers of the whole church, which undergirded our process. We depended on the leading of the Holy Spirit."

"The church did not present sufficient clear and convincing evidence to sustain the charge," the jury statement said.

Dammann is on leave as pastor of First United Methodist Church in Ellensburg, 95 miles east of Seattle. The ruling means she is considered to be in good standing with the church and available for new assignments.

On March 11, Dammann married her partner of nine years, Meredith Savage, in Portland, Ore., where officials began allowing gay marriages earlier this month. They have a 5-year-old son.

Dammann, who was joined by Savage at a news conference following the verdict, was pleased by the decision.

"I don't like roller coaster rides, unlike some of my colleagues," she said. "It's been heart-stopping at times, too exciting at times. I'd much rather be on a merry-go-round, going round and round in the same place."

Dammann said her immediate plans are to continue caring for her son, who has a respiratory illness, but hopes one day to return to her Ellensburg church.

About 100 people attended a prayer service immediately following announcement of the verdict.

During the service, the Rev. Rody Rowe, pastor of Queen Anne United Methodist Church in Seattle, told the gathering they could pray silently or voice their thoughts.

After a long silence, one woman said, "I pray for our church, for those who will rejoice and for those who will gnash their teeth and wail."

The Rev. Elaine Stanovsky, spokeswoman for the Seattle district of the church's Pacific Northwest Conference, said she believes the jury made its decision with "the greatest of integrity."

"We started this hoping the process would be gracious and thorough and fair, and I feel we've been faithful to those goals," Stanovsky said.

Dammann declared her sexual preference in February 2001, when she sought a new church appointment. After receiving her letter, Methodist Bishop Elias Galvan, under church orders, filed a complaint against Dammann.

The United Methodist clergy of the Pacific Northwest Conference voted to retain Dammann, but the Judicial Council of the Nashville, Tenn.-based denomination reversed that decision last fall. A church committee voted to put Dammann on trial in January.

Dammann did not testify at her three-day trial at Bothell United Methodist Church in this Seattle suburb.

Galvan said the trial was painful for him because he respects and admires Dammann.

"I think the jury was looking for a way to be faithful to the Book of Discipline and I think they did that," Galvan said, adding that he looks forward to Dammann's return. "As soon as she's able to return to ministry, we'll welcome her and appoint her."

In closing arguments Friday, Dammann's church counsel, the Rev. Robert C. Ward, asked jurors to adhere to church principles on inclusiveness and justice, not to the letter of church rules.

The Rev. James C. Finkbeiner, who prosecuted the case, argued that Dammann, by her own admission, is a practicing lesbian and that is all the jury needed to consider to find her guilty.

After the verdict, Finkbeiner said be believed the jury overstepped the bounds of church law. "And I don't feel bad about that. Our process is fair."

Then, with permission from Galvan, Finkbeiner spoke for himself, adding, "I'm glad I lost, on a personal basis."

The trial is the first against a homosexual pastor in the denomination since 1987, when the credentials of the Rev. Rose Mary Denman of New Hampshire were revoked.

"We realize that the church is divided regarding issues related to homosexuality," the jury said in its statement. "We, the Trial Court, are far from unanimous regarding biblical and theological understandings."