The General Convention started first thing on Wednesday and seems to have been moving at warp speed on the issues of interest to the LGBT community. Today, it was an intense two-hour-plus meeting of the House of Deputies, the body which is clergy and laity, who met as a whole to get the "feedback from the field" about B033.
And did they ever! Young people told heart-wrenching stories of friends who choose death, literally, over life because being gay and only finding acceptance for one week in the year at a church camp was crushing them inside. And when young people aren't finding their church home welcoming, not only does the Church lose that particular queer individual... rest assured, you will lose their straight friends, too! Nobody wants to hang out in a place where they don't feel they and their friends are welcome. Something to remember when you hear leadership in the church, wringing their hands and fretting over how to make the Church attractive to the younger generation!
I know this to be true, albeit an ancedotal truth, through my own journey. I have had people approach me to say that my service as a lay eucharistic minister has made them feel, "Oh, this (St. John's) is a welcoming congregation." One can have candles, incense, and inclusion! And, thus far, I haven't felt that the clergy is ashamed to have me serve or request that I grow my hair and wear pearls. So all's good.
There's a really great assessment of the testimony in the House of Deputies meeting on THE LEAD which was "live blogging" the event earlier today. Clearly, the Deputies understand the pain caused by B033. What's not clear is where our House of Bishops stand on the question. And since this rule has a "B"... it was THEIR idea, THEIR way of insuring that they could get a trip to England last year, and hang out in Jamaica this Spring. By adopting B033... and offering up the LGBT community as a sacrifice on the Altar of Unity... they thought it was going to re-stitch the tear in the fabric of the Anglican Communion.
Well, it did not do that. Those opposed to TEC were still opposed and remain opposed and will stay opposed to us. And the only thing it really did accomplish was to hurt me and my community, again, and give some Bishops cover for their prejudices.
Tomorrow, the Bishops will continue to seek shelter from scrutiny by holding a closed-door session on B033. The House of Deputies held an open hearing, and gave room to hear from all ends of the spectrum on B033. Most of the Bishops were absent from that hearing, leading one to think that they believe they know best. Afterall, they wear purple.
So does Tinky Winky.
As I have said before, if we are to be a people of God, then we must become quiet and allow God to lead. And the more I listen, the more I read what is being said, the more I pay attention to God's presence in my own life... it seems that God's intent is to show us the way, in that same fashion he gave Peter the vision that said, "nothing I've made is unclean". It is time for this Abrahamic Church to put the knife down and untie the LGBT community from the altar of sacrifice.
Oh, that today you would hearken to His voice!
And did they ever! Young people told heart-wrenching stories of friends who choose death, literally, over life because being gay and only finding acceptance for one week in the year at a church camp was crushing them inside. And when young people aren't finding their church home welcoming, not only does the Church lose that particular queer individual... rest assured, you will lose their straight friends, too! Nobody wants to hang out in a place where they don't feel they and their friends are welcome. Something to remember when you hear leadership in the church, wringing their hands and fretting over how to make the Church attractive to the younger generation!
I know this to be true, albeit an ancedotal truth, through my own journey. I have had people approach me to say that my service as a lay eucharistic minister has made them feel, "Oh, this (St. John's) is a welcoming congregation." One can have candles, incense, and inclusion! And, thus far, I haven't felt that the clergy is ashamed to have me serve or request that I grow my hair and wear pearls. So all's good.
There's a really great assessment of the testimony in the House of Deputies meeting on THE LEAD which was "live blogging" the event earlier today. Clearly, the Deputies understand the pain caused by B033. What's not clear is where our House of Bishops stand on the question. And since this rule has a "B"... it was THEIR idea, THEIR way of insuring that they could get a trip to England last year, and hang out in Jamaica this Spring. By adopting B033... and offering up the LGBT community as a sacrifice on the Altar of Unity... they thought it was going to re-stitch the tear in the fabric of the Anglican Communion.
Well, it did not do that. Those opposed to TEC were still opposed and remain opposed and will stay opposed to us. And the only thing it really did accomplish was to hurt me and my community, again, and give some Bishops cover for their prejudices.
Tomorrow, the Bishops will continue to seek shelter from scrutiny by holding a closed-door session on B033. The House of Deputies held an open hearing, and gave room to hear from all ends of the spectrum on B033. Most of the Bishops were absent from that hearing, leading one to think that they believe they know best. Afterall, they wear purple.
So does Tinky Winky.
As I have said before, if we are to be a people of God, then we must become quiet and allow God to lead. And the more I listen, the more I read what is being said, the more I pay attention to God's presence in my own life... it seems that God's intent is to show us the way, in that same fashion he gave Peter the vision that said, "nothing I've made is unclean". It is time for this Abrahamic Church to put the knife down and untie the LGBT community from the altar of sacrifice.
Oh, that today you would hearken to His voice!
No comments:
Post a Comment