Still at the Starting Block, I’m Told

by The Rev. Dr. Caroline J.A. Hall
Integrity President

Tomorrow is officially the first day of General Convention, but there was plenty going on today. I testified in two committees – this morning on the inequalities of the immigration system,  and this afternoon supporting a study of marriage. The Communications team shot footage for the IntegriTV series – watch for the first episode due tomorrow night – and interviewed a variety of people, attended hearings and took photos (check the photo gallery on Facebook). The Nerve Center team made signs and answered questions while the legislative team followed three legislative committees and the booth team talked to lots of people and invited them to our July 4 movie night.

What a wonderful evening it was! About 125 people crowded into our meeting room to watch Out of the Box and Love Free or Die. As I’m sure you all know by now, Out of the Box is a moving and fascinating look at what it means to be transgender, and particularly, transgender people of faith. Most of the participants were there tonight, as were Bishop Gene Robinson and Bishop Tom Shaw. Love Free or Die follows Bishop Gene for an eventful year from his exclusion from the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops in 2008 to the General Convention of 2009 and the passing of D025 which opened the door to ordaining more LGBT bishops. In the movie, Bishop Tom Shaw comes out as a celibate gay man.

If this was the day before Convention, who can imagine how much more packed tomorrow will be!  I’m off to bed.