Integrity USA Election - Statement of Candidate Elizabeth Kaeton

A special election for the office of President of the Board of Directors for Integrity USA will be held 8am EDT Monday October 6 - 11pm EDT Wednesday October 8. This position as President of the Board of Directors will serve out the current term, which concludes on October 1, 2015. All eligible to vote in this special election, as described in the bylaws, will be contacted directly on how to vote.

The following is the statement and qualifications of Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Kaeton, candidate for the Presidency of the Board of Directors for Integrity USA.

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After prayerful thought and consideration, I hereby submit my name for nomination as President of IntegrityUSA for a one-year term, beginning October 15, 2014 and ending October 15, 2015.

I have served two previous terms on the board of Integrity, representing it on the Steering Committee of The Consultation as well as Legislative Floor Whip at two General Conventions where I was deputy. I have served on the board for one term and then served for five years as Canon Missioner of The OasisNJ and attended two Lambeth Conferences. I have served on the Board of ECPC (Episcopal Church Publishing Company) and as President for two years. I have served 10 years as President and then Convener of The Episcopal Women’s Caucus. I was a member of ACT-UP, Baltimore Chapter, and served on the board of AIDS Action, Baltimore.

My doctoral dissertation is entitled, “Coming Out Christian” on developing a model of pastoral care and evangelism for the whole church. It is based on the spiritual steps of the coming out process that I learned from PLWAs and AIDS activism during the early years of the pandemic.

Part of my postdoctoral work as Proctor Scholar at EDS was with Dr. Patrick Cheng on Christology, including how Jesus is seen and known to queer people.

I am canonically resident in the Diocese of Newark and live on Rehoboth Bay in Delaware, where I am “officially” retired (I collect a pension). I presently serve and am a member of All Saints, Rehoboth Beach, on the Board of The OasisNJ and The Episcopal Women’s Caucus, and represent TEC on the national board of RCRC (Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice). I work part time as a Hospice Chaplain, covering Sussex County, DE.

I believe I am qualified by life experience and years of activism and leadership in The Episcopal Church to help lead IntegrityUSA through this time of transition, especially as we prepare for General Convention in Salt Lake City and what we hope and pray will be a triumph of 40 years of the prophetic mission and pastoral ministry of IntegrityUSA.

The challenge facing the Board will be how to re-envision and restructure ourselves not only in response to the re-visioning and restructuring which will be proposed by TREC – especially as it finds application to the legislative process of General Convention – but also to preserve the legacy and ‘brand” of IntegrityUSA even as we consider how we are part of the very early stages of an emerging network of justice activism in the church and in the world.

“Intersectionality” and “Hybridity” are not just words used in Queer Studies; they are realities to be embraced as we enter into yet another cycle of organizational and personal death and resurrection. I look forward to the opportunity of working with you to face that challenge.