Integrity Press Release

17 July 2008

BISHOP OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, GENE ROBINSON, HAILS INCLUSIVE EUCHARIST SPONSORED BY GAY & LESBIAN ADVOCATES AS A "HEAVENLY BANQUET" AND "BEACON OF HOPE"

CANTERBURY, UK—Bishop Gene Robinson confirmed today that he will attend the Eucharist at Beverly Meadow [also known as St. Stephen's field] on Sunday, July 20th, at 2:30 pm BST, in Canterbury. Organizers of the unofficial event have issued an open invitation for all to join them at the festive, outdoor celebration to pray for the bishops and the Anglican Communion as the Lambeth Conference begins.

Bishop Robinson, the duly elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, has been excluded from the Lambeth Conference because of his sexual orientation. Robinson labeled the inclusive service a "heavenly banquet" to which Scripture teaches that all are invited.

"The invitation is too often limited to 'people like us' in that way that is so human. This inclusive opening of the Lambeth Conference—later in the afternoon after the official opening [at Canterbury Cathedral]—stands as a beacon of hope to all those excluded from God's table by human fear and prejudice. It promises to be heavenly!"

"We are thrilled that Bishop Robinson will be joining us on Sunday," said Integrity President Susan Russell, who was "banned" from the recent Global Anglican Futures Conference [GAFCON] in Jerusalem. "The message we have to proclaim is that we serve a God who welcomes all and bans nobody from God's loving embrace."

Susan Russell will preach at the service and Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude UK, will preside.

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Press contact in the UK:
Louise Brooks, Senior Press Officer, +44 (0)7503 695 579, tvprod@earthlink.net

Press contact in the USA:
Jan Adams, Field Organizer, +1-415-378-2050, jan@integrityusa.org