Love Free or Die Recap

Integrity Leaders at Screening of Love Free or Die:
(back) Christian Paolino, Paul Lane, Mary O'Shaughnessy, Marlin Mattson
(front) The Rev. Megan Sanders, Dr. Louie Crew, Chap James Day

We were pleased to welcome about 40 people from both sides of the river to a recent screening of Love Free or Die at Grace Church in the Van Vorst section of Jersey City. The film is a biography of The Right Rev. Gene Robinson, the first out gay person to be ordained a bishop of any church,

Among us were Integrity's founder. Dr. Louie Crew; the Rev. Liz Edman, Board President of the Hudson Pride Connections Center, which co-sponsored the event along with The OASIS, the LGBT ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark; and Michael Cudney, Chair of the LGBT Concerns Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.  Chapter President Mary O'Shaughnessy greeted everyone afterwards and shared news of upcoming Chapter events.

After the film and a short discussion, we were led in Compline (a short prayer service that is the last component of the Daily Office) by our chapter's recently-called Chaplain, The Rev. Megan Sanders.  Megan splits her time between the Seamen's Church Institute at Port Newark and St. Luke's Church in Montclair, N.J.

The film was a look back at Bishop Robinson's ministry and the world's reaction to it, beginning not at his consecration but the Lambeth Conference of 2008, to which he was specifically not invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury.  It presented not only his reactions and views, but gave a voice to those for whom his ordination was deeply troubling.  We enjoyed seeing many familiar faces in the film, including several people in the room.

If you were there and want to share your impressions of the film, please comment!  If you missed the screening, please stay tuned as we have had several offers to host another one.  Thank you to The Rev. Dr. Barrie Bates, Interim Rector at Grace Church Van Vorst, and parishioner Donald Gallagher, for their hospitality and assistance.