 | 33 ST | Christopher Street Station |
 |  | Christopher St./Sheridan Square |
| M08 - West St. Crosstown | Christopher & Greenwich Sts. |
 | 74 Paterson - Newark 190 Paterson - NYC 705 Passaic Bus Term |
The Rt. Rev. Mark Sisk
Chap Day, Rev. Susan Copley, Rev. Br. Tobias Haller, BSG 
Mary O'ShaughnessyWhen Bishop Christopher Senyonjo’s picture showed up on the front page of a Ugandan paper under the headline, “100 Top Homos - hang them,” Integrity supporters of the bishop and his work became ever more concerned about the growing climate of homophobia in Uganda.
Other LGBT leaders were also targeted and Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) has been providing emergency counseling and shelter for some of the victims of this latest wave of public violence.
The inflammatory story in “Rolling Stone” (no connection to the USA version) was published just as I returned from a visit to Uganda with Pastor Joseph Tolton of The Fellowship in New York. I quickly made contact with the bishop and his staff. So far, they are all safe and are asking for our prayers. I now try to communicate with him on a daily basis.
Our trip to Uganda was very productive and informative. Organizers in Uganda, including Integrity Uganda, have formed a Civil Society Coalition of 34 partner organizations.. This coalition successfully challenged the “Rolling Stone” in Ugandan courts and it was mandated to close its doors. The coalition will also consider additional legal strategies and will make all legal resources available to stop this latest phase of the anti-gay witch hunt which appears to have support from some American based churches.
Earlier this week the Rt. Rev, Mark Sisk, Bishop of New York, wrote a private letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury expressing his concern that Bishop Senyonjo had been so publically targeted in the newspaper. Sadly, the Archbishop has remained silent on this. Instead, he voiced his concern about the election and consecration of Mary Douglas Glasspool as Bishop Suffragan in the Diocese of Los Angeles. Here's what he had to say:
“The decision of the American Church to go forward, as it has, with the ordination of a lesbian bishop has, I think, set us back. At the moment I'm not certain how we will approach the next primates' meeting, but regrettably some of the progress that I believe we had made has not remained steady. Alongside that, and I think this is important, while the institutions of the Communion struggle, in many ways the mutual life of the Communion, the life of exchange and co-operation between different parts of our Anglican family, is quite strong and perhaps getting stronger. It's a paradox”.
Yes, well, here's what I find as a paradox: that a photograph of heterosexual bishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda appears on the front cover of a magazine with the headline: "Hang Them" without any outrage from his fellow bishops. This story made international news, was reported on CNN, in the UK and in the Washington Post, yet, no-one within Anglican Church leadership circles rose to his defense, except Bishop Sisk.
Regardless of his lack of church support, Bishop Christopher continues to preach an inclusive gospel of a loving God to everyone, including his enemies. Please keep him and his persecuted community in your prayers. Write to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Let him know of your support for Bishop Christopher and ask him to join all of us in respecting the dignity of every human being.
You will also have another opportunity to support the brave bishop and his work. Bishop Christopher will soon return to the United States along with his wife Mary (an equally brave and courageous leader who has watched their beloved Church of Uganda’s behavior towards her family). They will arrive in California on November 14th and will be visiting New Orleans (December 5th at St. Anne’s) Atlanta (St. Bartholomew’s on December 12th) and will have two consultative meetings in New York and Washington DC around immigration and asylum issues for the USA around LGBT people. For more information on his visit and an update on the difficult legal situation he and his friends are facing, stay posted or join his Facebook page.
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
October 20th has been designated as a day of solidarity, witness and prayer for those who have died and those who have been injured and victimized by hate crimes directed against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. We have been asked to wear the color purple as a sign of that solidarity and witness, and so I encourage you to wear purple on the 20th as we stand together against the sinfulness of hatred and bigotry that has taken hold in our country and as an expression of our mourning for those who have been injured or died.
Beyond our participation of the events and symbolism of October 20, 2010, I am asking you to change the world. My pastoral request is that each of you commits your heart, mind and body to living in the midst of our neighborhoods and communities as people who are committed to the message of Jesus Christ. If we seriously live the gospel life, keep the promises of the Baptismal Covenant and make a commitment to turn our hearts to God, in fact we can change the world, begin to alleviate fear of others and create an atmosphere in society in which, by following our lived example, people will begin to respect the dignity of every human being.
I believe the church must lead this effort in a way that calls upon religious people and religious leaders, to live the message of faith that each teaches. The world can be changed by our living. Our words alone, our disdain, our anger, our expressions of disbelief at the actions of other, cannot and will not, serve to change the world. Our society has become accustomed to statements made following such horrible events. The words all begin to sound similar in a chorus of heart-felt feelings that almost seem to anticipate the next series of atrocities.
I am calling less for words and more for action to counter violence and degradation with faithful living, unconditional loving and the Christ-like acceptance of all God's people.
This effort must begin in our homes, our schools, our workplaces and our churches. This effort must be lived person to person. We must remove the hypocrisy of focusing on the inhumanity in the wider world while ignoring the inhumanity and lack of Christian concern in our midst. At the very least, there must be an end to the use of the gospels to dishonor, and victimize other children of God.
It is time to change the world by seriously living the Christian life in its fullness and setting aside the propensity to use the faith to win arguments, win votes or divide and conquer.
We can change the world by being Christian, always in all places and with all people. We can address violence, with love, hatred with acceptance, and death with faith in a living God, in Jesus Christ.
Let us endeavor to change the world on behalf of all those who have suffered and died because of who they were and how they lived in the image of God. Let us endeavor to change the world for the sake of all those who seek a relationship with Jesus Christ and long to see that relationship lived in the midst of God's people. Let us endeavor to change the world for the sake of all God's people. Let us truly be the church together for the world.
Faithfully, In Christ,
The Rt. Rev. Lawrence C. Provenzano, Bishop of Long Island
We write as Christian pastors who are privileged to serve as bishops of The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Newark and in the Diocese of New Jersey in order to express our grief, alarm, compassion and outrage over the suicide of Tyler Clementi. We join our voices with the voices of all those concerned in Ridgewood, where Tyler grew up, at Rutgers University, where he was a freshman and across our nation. Another gay young person has died by suicide. This tragic loss of a promising life would appear to be directly related to an invasion of Tyler’s privacy and a violation of his personal life. Much remains to be considered by law enforcement authorities and the courts in order to determine whether this is also a case of bullying, a felony or a hate crime – or a combination of the three. Whatever that legal determination may be, we join with other Christian and religious leaders, with the LGBT community and with all people of good will who take their stand against hatred, bigotry and bullying; against every expression of physical and verbal violence; and against any violation of the dignity of LGBT persons. When the rights of any – especially the members of vulnerable groups who have so often been scapegoated – are threatened, the rights of all are endangered.
We want to call attention to another, potentially deeper, issue here. It is the invasion of intimacy. Intimacy is a holy place within every human being; an innermost sanctuary where we develop our ultimate beliefs and values, nurture our closest relationships and maintain our deepest commitments. No one has the right to disclose that intimacy for someone else without consent. Such a violation is tantamount to the desecration of a sacred space. It is, in fact, a sacred space. It is the territory of the soul.
Technology, however, now provides tools to record, seize and disclose the most intimate matters of our lives without our consent. Identities can be stolen, hearts broken and lives shattered. Technology has placed powerful tools in human hands. Will they be used for building-up or for breaking down our neighbor? Tyler Clementi’s death certainly poses some important legal issues, but it also raises some critical moral concerns. Hubris has outstripped humility. And that is a serious problem. We can do better. We must do better, with God’s help.
In our Episcopal tradition, whenever we reaffirm our faith in worship, we are given a challenging question: “will you respect the dignity of every human being?” And we answer, “I will, with God’s help.” It is an important commitment. Whatever our religious tradition, we can agree on the need to respect one another’s dignity. With God’s help, we can stand together and stand up against bullies who would damage and destroy the lives of LGBT persons, their partners and families and friends. With God’s help, we can offer safety, support and sanctuary to all LGBT persons who are at risk. With God’s help, we can remind our society that every LGBT person is made in the image of God. The world needs our witness.
The Rt. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, Bishop of Newark
The Rt. Rev. George E. Councell, Bishop of New Jersey
Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Diocese of New York
No doubt you are aware of the recent widely reported incidences of bullying and invasion of privacy that resulted in the suicides of five young people in California, Indiana, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Texas. The tragic story of Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers University student who jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge last week, may have struck closest to home. But each of these deaths strikes at the body of Christ, and calls us as Christ’s disciples to answer cruelty and intolerance with loving compassion.
The Episcopal Church has long affirmed the dignity, equality and inclusion of all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. That these latest deaths should occur so near to the anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s murder in Wyoming 12 years ago (Oct. 12, 1998) reminds us that there is much work yet to do to instill these values in the communities we serve.
Last month, New York Gov. David Paterson signed the Dignity for All Students Act, which bans harassment and discrimination against students based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, religion, disability and other characteristics, and requires the state’s school districts to adopt anti-bullying policies.
I urge all institutions to be responsive to calls for help and relief by any and all who are threatened and treated with contempt.
Our faith communities must also do our part to uphold our young people, particularly those most vulnerable to intimidation and threats of violence in their schools and neighborhoods. We can begin by condemning the attitudes of intolerance and acts of aggression that deliver too many youth into despair.
I urge you to remember lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth in your prayers. May Christ comfort and heal the hearts of those most affected by these recent tragedies. And may their memories inspire us to more vocal expressions of justice, compassion and love.
The Rt. Rev. Mark S. Sisk, Bishop of New York
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| The Passion of Matthew Shepard by Father William Hart McNichols |
The Ethan Allen Hotel21 Lake Avenue ExtensionDanbury, Connecticut 06811-9956800-742-1776 toll free203-744-1776 local
As the organizer of the Pride March contingent for the Committee on LGBT Concerns of the Diocese of New York, I would like to thank everyone who helped make this year's LGBT Pride March such a success.
The marchers, who came from at least four diocese and made us one of the larger groups in the March. The benefactors, parishes, organization and individuals, who came through to fund the float. The folks at Integrity NYC Metro and Oasis Newark who were instrumental in getting the word out. Our wonderful DJ Brett. Our group marshals: Stephen, Erlinda, Lou and Mark. The Church of the Transfiguration, who made our out of town marchers feel welcome at their 11:00 a.m. Eucharist. The churches along the way who provided water for all the marchers, Marble Collegiate, First Presbyterian, especially the Episcopal Church of the Ascension (who added just a twist of lemon) and the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, who welcomed us at the end of the March both spiritually at Evensong and physically at the reception that followed.
Our visibility is very important. Our presence in the March is a wonderful way to reach out to the LGBT community, many of whom have had very negative experiences with "church" in the past, letting them know that is a church (among others) that welcomes them and is dedicated to "respecting the dignity of every human being".
Planning for next year's March will start in September. Anyone interested in helping can contact us at info@lgbt.dioceseny.org
Again, many thanks to all.
Paul J. LanePride March OrganizerCommittee on LGBT ConcernsThe Episcopal Diocese of New York
Diocesan Organizer of New YorkIntegrity USA
Steering Committee MemberIntegrity NYC Metro
Pride March 06-27-10 by Millard Cook
Heritage of Pride 2010 by Christian Paolino
We call on our Trans and Gender Non-Conforming (TGNC) community and on all of our allies from many movements to join us for the 6th Annual Trans Day of Action for Social and Economic Justice. We as TGNC People of Color (POC) recognize the importance of working together alongside other movements to change the world we want to see. We live in a time when oppressed peoples including communities such as people of color, immigrants, youth and elders, people with disabilities, women and TGNC people, and poor people are disproportionately underserved, face higher levels of discrimination, heightened surveillance and experience increased violence at the hands of the state. We are in solidarity with communities in Arizona organizing to fight the ongoing policing of our identities as they resist and oppose SB-1070 that legalizes unchecked racial profiling by police of anyone they “suspect” is undocumented.
It is critical that we unite and work together towards dismantling the transphobia, racism, classism, sexism, ageism, ableism, homophobia and xenophobia that permeates throughout our movements for social justice. Let’s come together to let the world know that TGNC rights will not be undermined and together we will not be silenced! These are the points of unity, which hold together the purpose of this important march:
We are in solidarity with the family of Sean Bell, who are still tirelessly working towards justice after the police were acquitted of charges. We are in solidarity with the Jersey 4, 4 Lesbian women arrested in the West Village for defending themselves from a man that assaulted them. We are in solidarity with Miriam, a transgender woman who was pushed out the window of her 4th floor apt and left for dead. We commemorate the memory of Amanda Milan, Sakia Gunn, Ruby Ordeñana, Gwen Araujo, Erika Keels, Victoria Arellano, Lawrence King, Saneesha Stewart, Ashley Santiago, Amanda Gonzalez-Andujar, April Green and the many other brave souls we have lost, who struggled and lived their lives fearlessly day in and day out, being true to who they were. They keep the fire of struggle burning within all of us.
- We demand that TGNC people have equal access to employment and education opportunities. We are outraged by the high numbers of TGNC people who are unemployed. Many TGNC people continue to face blatant discrimination and harassment from employers due to systemic transphobia. Few TGNC people have access to opportunities for learning in a safe school environment. TGNC people demand that all employers and educational institutions implement non-discrimination policies that respect the rights of all workers and students and that they comply with the NYC Human Rights Law that prohibits discrimination against gender identity and expression.
- We demand that all people receiving public assistance entitlements including TGNC People of Color, be treated with respect and dignity. We are in solidarity with all people living on public assistance. The NYC agency responsible for the administration of public welfare, the Human Resources Administration (HRA), finally passed the procedure for Serving Trans and Gender Non Conforming clients, but this is not enough! We demand full implementation of the procedure including culturally competent trainings for all employees.
- We demand the full legalization of all immigrants. TGNC people deserve the right to access competent and respectful immigration services. We demand that the consulates of all countries respect and honor our identities and issue passports and other documentation that accurately reflects who we are. We oppose the guest worker program, the Real ID Act, enforcement provisions to build more walls and give greater powers to the Department of Homeland Security, increased barriers for asylum seekers, and other anti-immigrant policies that continue to divide our communities. We stand in solidarity with Indigenous-identified Two-Spirit people and the sovereignty of the First Nations, on whose land we now see the US attempt to enforce arbitrary boarders.
- We are in solidarity with all prisoners, especially the many TGNC people behind the walls who are often invisible even within prisoner’s rights movements. We call attention to the under-reported accounts of severe violence and rape that our community faces at the hands of correction officers and other prisoners, in psychiatric facilities, and group homes. We demand an end to the torture and high level of discrimination TGNC prisoners face. We demand that all TGNC prisoners receive competent and respectful healthcare. We oppose the continued growth of the prison industrial complex that continues to target our communities, yet we recognize that TGNC people need access to services and facilities that lessen our vulnerability to violence within the present jails and prisons. We are opposed to the closing of the “gay and Trans housing” unit on Rikers. We call attention to the criminal injustice system that increasingly puts POC, immigrants, people with disabilities, TGNC people and poor people behind bars - further criminalizing our communities and our lives.
- We demand that TGNC people have access to respectful and safe living spaces and community spaces. Many TGNC people face severe discrimination from landlords and housing administrators displacing us from our homes due to gender identity or expression. A disproportionate number of TGNC people have been or are currently homeless. However, many homeless TGNC people continue to face discrimination and violence when trying to access shelters and other assisted living programs. NYC law and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) state that people will be placed in shelters according to that person’s gender identity and that discrimination based on gender identity will not be tolerated. We support Queers for Economic Justice in their demand that all DHS shelter administrators provide adequate Trans sensitivity trainings for all personnel and enforce clear non-discrimination policies that respect the dignity and safety of all homeless people. We oppose the ongoing profit driven development of our neighborhoods. We support FIERCE’s campaign to counter the displacement and criminalization of LGBTQ youth of color at the Christopher Street Pier and in Manhattan's West Village.
- We oppose the US “War on Terrorism” as an excuse to legitimize the expansion of the U.S. as an imperial super power and to justify a national security strategy that is really meant to militarize our boarders and heighten surveillance and control over people living in the U.S., separating our communities by fostering feelings of hate, xenophobia, and violence. Every day we see more and more of our basic human rights like jobs, education, housing, privacy, self-determination and the right of dissent slipping away from all of us. We must demand the immediate removal of all U.S. troops from all countries under occupation and demand an end of use of U.S. dollars to cultivate and sponsor wars against people in the U.S. and abroad.
- We demand justice for the many TGNC people who have been beaten, assaulted, raped, and murdered yet these incidents continue to be silenced, misclassified or blamed on the victim. The police and the media continue to criminalize us even when we try to defend ourselves. Hate crime laws will not solve the problem but will give increased power to the state to put more people in jail. Instead we call for a unified effort for all of us to look deeper into the root causes of why these incidents happen. As a society that seeks social justice we seek to find ways of holding people accountable and coming to a joint understanding of how we can make our communities safer for all of us. Like many other oppressed communities such as POC, immigrants, people with disabilities and poor people, TGNC people are targeted, profiled and brutalized by the police. We demand an end to the profiling, harassment, brutality and murder that occurs at the hands of the police! These incidents of violence do not occur in isolation, and are aggravated by racism, sexism, classism, ableism, xenophobia, misogyny, ageism and homophobia.
On June 25, 2010, TGNC People of Color and allies will take on the streets of New York City once again and demand justice to let the world know that the Stonewall rebellion is not over and we will continue fighting for social and economic justice, raising our voices until we are heard. We call on all social justice activists from communities of color, the LGBT movement, immigrant rights movement, the anti-war movement, the reproductive justice movement, disability justice movements, youth and student groups, trade unions and worker organizations, religious communities and HIV/AIDS and social service agencies, both local and organizations around the country to endorse this call to action and to build contingents to march in solidarity together on June 25, 2010.
The Committee on LGBT Concerns of the Diocese of New York, along with Integrity NYC Metro and Oasis Newark invite everyone to join us in the 2010 LGBT Pride March on Sunday, June 27th 2010. This year we have a float with music. The float is very basic. Our people will add the color, so dress accordingly and don’t forget the sunscreen. Please bring your parish banner or a sign identifying your parish.
Our meeting place is on East 38th Street, between Madison and Park Avenues. Everyone should be there and ready to go at 12:30 p.m. The March NYC Pride will do their best to get us moving shortly thereafter. Due to security regulations, you may not join the March en route.
If you will be unable to attend your local Sunday service you are warmly invited to join with Integrity NYC Metro and Oasis Newark in worship at the Church of the Transfiguration, One East 29th Street for their 11:00 a.m. Eucharist. Meet Chap Day in front of the church after the service and walk the 9 short blocks to the March staging area together. (about 10 minute walk). Bishop Andrew St. John and the folks at Transfiguration are excited to have us for this service!
We will be looking for folks to help carry an Episcopal banner, the OASIS banner, and the Integrity banner in shifts, and want all of our parishes to be represented.
After the March, please join with your fellow marchers at a Festive Choral Evensong at the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, Hudson Street south of Christopher, at 6:30 p.m. The Rt. Rev. Herbert A. Donovan will preside. Rev. Altagracia Perez will preach. Refreshments will follow on the grounds.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Paul Lane at pride@lgbt.dioceseny.org.
Paul J. Lane
Pride March Coordinator, Episcopal Diocese of New York Committee on LGBT Concerns
New York Diocesan Organizer, Integrity USA
Board Member, Integrity NYC-Metro
Integrity Eucharist at Transfiguration
Where: 29th St between 5th Ave and Madison Ave
When: 11am - 27 Jun 2010
Episcopal Contingency at Heritage of Pride (Mustering Spot)
Where: 38th St between Madison Ave and Park Ave
When: 12:30pm - 27 Jun 2010
Annual Gay Pride Evensong at St Luke in the Fields
Where: Hudson St at Grove St (South of Christopher St)
When: 6:30pm - 27 Jun 2010 (get there at 6 for a good seat)
Dear Friends and Family,
I spent the first part of the day yesterday in Tarrytown attending the "Welcoming Church" workshop at Christ Church. I had a lovely train ride up (and back) with amazing views of the Hudson River and of New Jersey across the way. And I do not think I had ever seen most of Tarrytown previously--certainly I had never been to Christ Church before.
I really enjoyed the workshop and find it to be challenging and thought-provoking. I discovered many resources that I had not known of previously and plan to spend some time exploring them. The three things that touched me most were the stories of individuals to find a real church home, the stories of congregations to become really inclusive and finally some new insight into the status of the struggle-on a diocesan, national, and Anglican Communion level.
Many (I would like to think most) of our parishes in the Episcopal Diocese of New York are welcoming. That is a big step forward and must certainly be acknowledged. And yet, there is a gap. Not all are really inclusive. And there is a difference! It is one thing to say that "anyone is welcome to attend" and entirely another to say that the gifts, talents, and resources of every person are wanted and needed. It takes courage to invite "others" to become active, and ultimately even to become involved in leadership of a parish. The question of to what degree the "other" is fully integrated into the parish is not always an easy one to answer.
The other question, and a far-more challenging one for me, is the degree to which the parish publicly indicates that it really is both welcoming and inclusive. What language is used? What symbols are displayed? How is the message effectively communicated?
I attended this workshop because I have been asked to serve on the Steering Committee of the New York Chapter of Integrity. And so I was very pleased to learn more about the amazing work that has already been accomplished in the EDNY--I could not say enough good things about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns Committee. And, I was really astonished by Christ Church--clearly there are some wonderful things happening there.
On a final note, although this was a workshop to explore the degree to which LGBTQ people are welcomed into congregations and then are included in the life of the community, I constantly found myself thinking that the very same methodology could be used for any group. The same issues exist for any group of person who is perceived (at least by some) as "different" or "other." And if the goal is for parishes to be truly diverse, welcoming and inclusive--that takes a lot of intentional, difficult, and perhaps even painful work. One of the Integrity slogans that I like most is "All the Sacraments for All the Baptized." What a wonderful goal.
With Much Love,
Millard
A native of the Beech Mountain Community of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Millard came to St. Bartholomew's after a varied and colorful past in which he served in ministry, as an educator, and as a technical support trainer and technician for relational databases. Along the way he earned a B.A. in history (Appalachian State University) two masters degrees in theology (M.A. in Systematic Theology and the M.Div. from St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, PA) and two masters degrees in history (M.A. and M.Phil. in Early Modern European history from Fordham University). For 15 years Millard was a Benedictine monk of St, Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe (the oldest Benedictine monastery in the US) and served for 12 years as a Roman Catholic priest (mostly in the Archdiocese of New York). A dedicated student of Romance languages, he earned minors in French and Spanish and after high school lived for a semester in France. He was worked hard to maintain his fluency in conversational French and Spanish. Millard has been a parishioner of St. Bart's for almost three years and describes the day that he was received by Bishop Catherine Roskam as one of the most meaningful experiences of his adult life. Millard is the son of Janice Storie Davis and the younger brother of Jackie Miller and Debbie Nobles-all of NC. He is a proud uncle of three nephews and of six great-nephews and nieces and an avid amateur photographer, reader, and music lover (everything from Southern Gospel to Pop Latino). In 2009, Millard was accepted as a postulant in the Brotherhood of St. Gregory.
This May Millard has joined the Steering Committee of Integrity NYC-Metro.
I remember when Bishop Robinson received the consent to be bishop at General Convention. I was studying abroad with about two dozen or so students from my college at Corpus Christi College in Oxford. I had followed the newsfeeds through the whole debate at convention, sharing the news with the others, most of whom were Presbyterian (PCUSA) and though sympathetic to my hopes, did not have a dog in the fight. Still they joined me for a pint at one of the pubs to toast what would be one of the first pivotal moments for GLBT Christians in the 21st century. After the pint, we went to evensong at Christ Church Cathedral, and later spoke with some of the clergy who told us how proud they were for the Anglican Church, especially in light of what had happened with Jeffery John just months before. It was a day to be proud to be an Episcopalian and an Anglican, and a newbie openly gay person.
I had heard that this would cause the Church to split—that the Communion would crumble, and I watched for the signs of it. I read of the grumblings of more traditional Anglicans—many of which joined voices with other splinter groups that had left well before Robinson was called to be bishop. I also heard the positive voices and Alleluias from the progressive Anglicans who were taking ownership of this time for the achievement that it was in reclaiming our place at the Table.
As the consecration played out, and the Lambeth Commission was called to review what had happened in the Church, we saw people coming in who had felt disenfranchised and unwanted. We also saw many so obsessed with this one issue leave, and the start of many more battles over property and the very soul of the Church. I was blessed to meet the members of the Lambeth Commission while working at Kanuga. I overheard their conversations as I served them food and drink while they stayed there, and I observed their devotion as they prayed at the Chapel of the Transfiguration each day. I also remember the results of their recommendation in the form of the Windsor Report.
I read the report, and many commentaries trying to explain what it meant, and what the implications of the report were for the GLBT members in the Anglican Communion as well as those traditionalists that felt disenfranchised. I felt shame. The GLBT clergy had begun to “come out” and the greater Communion family just did not want to hear it—they did not want to accept that there was a Gay Son among the Bishops, and they sure as hell did not want any more.
Just like a family, some shunned our new bishop, some accepted, some disowned, and some celebrated. More importantly, some tried to reconcile and to educate on why the family needs to accept. There were family members like those involved in Integrity and CFLAG that knew that our Communion-wide need to accept it’s GLBT sons and daughters was important beyond pious notions of what is a sin or not a sin. It was about restoring life to the outcast and unwanted—saving lives and restoring lives—healing the broken hearted—and strengthening the strained “bonds of affection”.
In Columbus we saw the election of the first female Primate in the Anglican Communion—proof of how the need and push for acceptance and equality shows progress in momentous achievements like that. We also saw one of the more ghastly calls for restraint that made no one happy with regards to the still outcast GLBT members of the Church. It is hard to celebrate the achievements of an oppressed sexual minority with the shadow of continued oppression of another minority.
It was at that point that I joined Integrity. I wanted to join the fight that celebrated the achievements of women in the Church and said “And ALSO now GLBT!” The first hurdle was to deal with the restraints that were asked and later confirmed in New Orleans. One of the most disturbing images of these restraints was our new Presiding Bishop’s image of a Lenten fast on continued consecrations. I had had always heard of the fast as giving up something that was bad for you and taking on something good for the world. That sure did not seem like the case with regards to GLBT Episcopalians.
In Anaheim, we moved forward, pushed by Integrity and the many, many allies that also saw this restraint as antithetical to what it means to be a Christian family—another day to be proud to be an Episcopalian. The legislation that was passed was eyed by the patriarch of the family suspiciously… some of our more distant cousins wished to disown us even further claiming that we had gone our own way to ruin. We had whole dioceses vote to disassociate themselves with the Church, often supported by our cousin provinces.
This week we saw yet another momentous day for GLBT Episcopalians—one that will surely continue to rock the boat—in the consent to the election of Mary Glasspool . Again, it happens legally under the cannons of the Episcopal Church that were strengthened by the legislation in Anaheim last year. Again, it has caused the head patriarch of the family to eye us with suspicion. And Again I am proud—but this time I have a huge amount of Shame.
The shame has nothing to do with the great news of LA, but with the disturbing response of Archbishop Rowan Williams. I do not presume to understand what it is like to be a titular head of a denomination so vastly spread across the world, socio-economic strata, and political and theological spectrums. What I do not hear is the same response at words of hatred against us his GLBT members, or the continued efforts of foreign provinces to usurp property in the Episcopal Church. Most deeply ashamed am I of his restrained responses towards the near holocaust-level hatred that is fueling the “Kill Gays Bill” in Uganda.
One of the signs of the Spirit moving in the Church is that this consent comes on the heels of statements of inclusion and support from a Patriarch so wise that non-believes will turn to listen to him, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He is like that wise old family member that knows that the love of the God and the true bonds of affection that bind a family together are stronger than sexuality or morality. He understands that it is crucial to our faith to accept GLBT Christians into the fold and to celebrate with Easter joy when one like Mary Glasspool is called to be a Bishop among us. He warns us of the demoralizing and demonic destruction that awaits those who shun the outcast, hate those who differ, and seek legislation to exterminate that which we do not want to understand.
I only wish Archbishop Williams would listen to Archbishop Tutu and realize that we too are God’s loved children, that we too are called by the Spirit to serve and lead the Church, and that we deserve to solemnize our love in the Church’s sacraments. Williams, it seems, does not see this, Uganda does not want to see this…and that should make us all ashamed and outraged.
Tutu sees this—Los Angeles sees this—and those that consented to Mary Glasspool’s election see this, and that should make us all proud and filled with an Easter joy.
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2010Time: 7pmLocation: The Riverside Church, Manhattan, New YorkRoom: MLK 411
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| iNYC: Integrity NYC Metro |
Many unchurched lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender [LGBT] people in your community are spiritually searching. They are looking for a faith community where they will be welcomed and affirmed as beloved children of God. You can encourage them to visit and join your parish by becoming a Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation.
A Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation is a mission or parish of our denomination that publicly welcomes and affirms LGBT people and that has completed a simple, three-phase process. If your parish qualifies, I invite you to register as a Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation
Believe Out Loud is a "franchise" being utilized by Integrity USA and endorsed by OASIS, TransEpiscopal, and various diocesan level LGBT committees and ministries to designate Episcopal Parishes that are welcoming, inclusive, and celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people - people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.>
Believe Out Loud is being utilized by multiple denominations as a standard for identifying and gauging inclusive churches. PCUSA, ELCA, UMC, UCC, Disciples of Christ, and some American Baptists have already begun utilizing this process, though they may call it by different names.
