Alleluia! And we have work to do!

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
The Lord is Risen indeed, Alleluia! (And we have work to do!)

This is the second Friday of the Great 50 Days of Easter. It seems to me that it is also a good time for us to begin work on some of the issues that will face us at General Convention 2018 in July in Austin, Texas.  As we celebrate, so let us plan.

The Task Force on Marriage has issued its Blue Book Report with their recommended resolutions to be brought to General Convention for action.  The two links immediately below provide you with important information about their report and the resolutions.  I urge you to go to them and read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them:

https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/21189

https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2018/04/04/general-convention-will-again-grapple-with-same-sex-marriage-questions/

The first link takes you to the report itself. The second is an Episcopal News Service article about the overall issue.  It is a longer link and you may need to copy and paste it into your browser for it to work correctly.

Among the resolutions are changes to the Book of Common Prayer and these require two “readings” and two votes at successive General Conventions.  The language must be identical for the actions to take place. Some will recall that we voted on some Prayer Book changes at the last General Convention. The work of the Task Force on Marriage resulted in some language changes so we are back at a “first reading” to incorporate those changes.

Each of the dioceses in which we live has 8 Deputies elected to serve at General Convention.  Four are ordained and four are lay folks. These are the people who will receive and review the hundreds of resolutions that will come before the General Convention.  Resolutions are assigned to committees composed of both bishops and deputies that review and study them in depth. Each resolution will receive an open hearing held by those committees at which anyone, even non-Episcopalians may speak.

The committees then discuss, deliberate and vote on the resolutions before them. Bishops and Deputies vote separately and send the results to the appropriate house of General Convention to be considered on the floor of each house. Each house must pass the identical resolution for it to become the mind of our church or a canonical change. The committees are free to amend and change the language as they see fit. Often information heard at the open hearing may influence such changes. People who are most directly impacted by the proposed actions frequently provide moving testimony that does influence how a committee will ultimately act on a resolution.  But all of this is actually AT the General Convention.

There is plenty of work to be done beforehand as well. Those who live in the following dioceses will have a chance to influence their deputations between now and General Convention.  The work of the Task Force on Marriage is very important to them because their respective bishops still refuse to allow same sex marriages to be performed in their dioceses: Albany, Central Florida, Dallas, Florida, North Dakota, Springfield, Tennessee, and the Virgin Islands. Some even prohibit their clergy from performing same sex weddings outside the diocese as well.

It is critical that deputations hear from lay folks on this issue, particular us queer lay folks. What happens at General Convention will have a direct impact on us. And while the vast majority of us already have access to marriage as same sex couples, our kindred in the above dioceses do not. As you have heard me say before: lay people are able to speak the truth to power in ways that clergy cannot. Not to put too fine a point on it, there is nothing the bishop can do to inhibit us from speaking our hearts and minds, even to them! Clergy may not be able to be as, shall we say, direct.

We cannot rest on past accomplishments. So it is incumbent on all of us, even those who do not live in the above referenced dioceses to know what resolutions to come before the General Convention can have a direct impact on our lives. We have an obligation to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest what our deputies and bishops will be called upon to decide. We have an obligation to let them know how we feel about the topics that will come before them. AND we also have an obligation to support our kindred in those eight dioceses as they pray, work and strive toward being able to access all the sacraments of the church.

There is a group of folks from the Diocese of Tennessee who will gather on the 29th of April to celebrate the Eucharist and bear witness to their situation. They use the name All the Sacraments for All the People (ASAP).  The acronym is important. It also brings to mind the immediacy of the need.  There are those who may not live long enough to know that they are fully included in the life or our church.

So, as I have urged before: write, call, email, text those who will be making decisions. Let your Deputies and your Bishop(s) know your opinion. If you have a personal story of the impact of this or other proposed legislation, share that with them. Put a face on what some might be able to more easily dismiss as an issue. A face is more difficult to dismiss.

Yes, Christ is risen. The Lord is risen, indeed, alleluia! Risen for all... regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, gender expression/identity, or any other characteristic of the children of God. And let us be faithful to the work before us to insure that all may know the love of Jesus!








Bruce Garner, President Integrity USA ... The Episcopal Rainbow

We have made space for God's grace

One parish priest’s response to those who say "more study" is needed before the adoption of sacramental marriage equality in the Episcopal Church:

I’m convinced we do not need more time to study before we amend the canons on marriage. In fact, from my pastoral chair as a busy New England rector, the time has long since come to bring all fully into the sacraments of the church. Those of us leading parishes see families every day praying to make their lives in Christ personally relevant to the context of the speeding, swirling world in which they live. None are asking for another Task Force to study anything.

They look to us and the sacraments, precisely for the selflessness and endurance of God’s love, unambiguously alive with generosity and coherence right at the heart of their lives. Today. This is particularly true of the many young people and young families I am so heartened to see in the church. The change in the canons is an overdue pastoral need for them and the global church as well. And it is emblematic of so much more than the marriage question. It is about our capacity to be truly alive in Christ. And the change is also much needed by those of us ordained to share our small, equitably offered part in a sacramental life we are not guardians of, but ministers to as we share in the renewal of the world.

A gracious conversation on this has been held and continues. We have made great space for God’s grace. Decades of good space. I don’t see any accusations of “uncritical” readers of the scripture or shouts about homophobic postures. (Perhaps I’ve missed a blog or two.) In fact, the conversations in the church I hear are increasingly sweet. Paying attention, we see that this is mirrored in the civic dialog in the recent and amazing Irish experience, a catholic nation coming together with joy and dignity. And forgiveness. And now in 37 states day by day married gay folks and their children are taking their places of dignity in communities and schools and scout troops. The Court may very well make this goodness the law in all fifty states, possibly acting during our Convention. This is the context in which we seek the Way and build the church. Today.

Another Task Force is not needed because we’ve already had a very fine one, working with great care within a budget and calendar given them. It was graced by wise lay leaders and those ordained as well. Their work is a gift to us and most importantly to those we serve in our parishes. In fact, I think it would be great to applaud the hard work of our thoughtful working teams.

All change has cost. And each of us will have friends who are saddened by whatever action Convention takes. There is no need to worry that sadness will be irreparable. With grace all healing is possible. No growth need be forgone. The status quo, a deadly creature the church knows so well, also has enormous costs. Not the least of these is the continued and sometimes deadly harm the church does to those it shuts out or puts on the lower shelf. They have been paying costs for generations. All those on the upper shelf are also paying a cost in the denying of the sacrament to the other, the lesser. All marriage is tarnished by permitting only some to enjoy it.

The time has come to say yes, to truly witness to Christ’s embrace.

Timothy Boggs is the rector of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

The Case for Marriage - a Study Guide for General Convention 2015

Claiming the Blessing (CTB) was convened in 2002 as "an intentional collaborative of organizations and individuals within the Episcopal Church advocating for full inclusion of all the baptized in all sacraments of the church."

In 2002 a CTB Theology Statement was distributed to all bishops and deputies prior to General Convention in 2003 making the case for the blessing of same-sex relationships. That resource remains available online here

As we head toward #GC78 CTB has created "Claiming the Blessing 2015: The Case for Marriage" - which is available online here and will be available in print onsite at General Convention in Salt Lake City.

The content includes:
* Introduction to the Marriage Task Force Blue Book Report
* Q&A re: the Marriage Task Force Report
* Summary of SCLM liturgical proposals
* Legislative history timeline
* Michael Hopkins' essay "Recognized Holiness" making the case for marriage.

I just have to add what a deep delight it was to receive the outpouring of response to our request for photos from weddings of same-sex couples around the church. The avalanche of joyful pictures representing just the tip of the iceberg of the couples in this church in in this country longing to make that profound commitment to love, honor and cherish the love of their life as long as they both shall live was a reminder to me of the tremendous impact our work together in Salt Lake City will have on the lives of those we will never know.

Will we be a church that continues to travel forward on that arc of history that bends toward inclusion? Or will we reduce these precious lives, loves and relationships to "an issue" we continue to study and argue about?

With tremendous gratitude for all who have brought us thus far on the way -- and with thanks for the privilege of continuing the work -- it is time to let our "yes be yes." (Matthew 5:37) It is time to Reimagine the Episcopal Church with Marriage Equality.

The Rev. Canon Susan Russell has served as Integrity's President and is currently the convener of Claiming the Blessing, a national collaborative ministry focused on the full inclusion of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender baptized into the Episcopal Church. A senior associate at All Saints Church in Pasadena CA, she is also a founding member of the Human Rights Campaign’s Religion Council and a regular contributor to the Huffington Post's religion forum. Her personal blog may be found at An Inch at a Time.

The Time is Now

This week’s action by the U.S. Supreme Court rejecting Alabama’s same-sex marriage stay request is widely understood as a hint of things to come. Jurisprudence throughout the nation has overturned marriage inequality. Interestingly, the two dissenting justices cited the protection of the status quo as the reason they would have maintained the stay. Yet, the highest court of the land rejected such weak reasoning. Protecting the status quo at the cost of perpetuating injustice is anathema to Americans; it is anathema to Christ as well.

Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Our savior summarized the law as loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves. God’s law is love. This movement toward civil marriage equality suggests a nation ready to recognize love as it really is. As a nation, we are on the way to fulfilling the law for all people seeking marriage in this land. And, our church is on that same journey.

This summer we will take a significant step on that road. The General Convention of the Episcopal Church will have before it a similar question as it considers marriage equality in a church where at least 75% of Episcopalians now live in states with legal marriage equality.

Will they be able to marry in their own churches? Without prophetic action in the church, the status quo suggests no. If the House of Bishops and House of Deputies vote to change church law, we can lead the Supreme Court and the faithful in recognizing that marriage is between two people, regardless of gender.

Please read the Taskforce on the Study of Marriage’s Report and the recommendations it offers. This report is a continuation of decades of study, reflection and faithful practice. Please reach out and encourage your bishop and deputies to do the same. They need to know that our marriages are real and holy. Together we can make the case to the leaders of our church – as it is being made to the leaders of our nation – that the time is now for marriage equality. The time is now for it is time for the General Convention of the Episcopal Church to change its laws and amend our canons. The time is now to re-imagine the Episcopal Church -- with Marriage Equality -- to help faithful gay and lesbian Christians to fulfill God’s call of love lived out in their own relationships.

Matt Haines, President of Integrity USA.

Task Force on Study of Marriage issues update and report

The Episcopal Church Task Force on the Study of Marriage has issued the following report:
Report of work from the Task Force on the Study of Marriage
September 22, 2014

The Task Force on the Study of Marriage is continuing the work of identifying and exploring the biblical, theological, historical, liturgical, and canonical dimensions of marriage – as charged by 2012 General Convention Resolution A050 here http://www.generalconvention.org/gc/resolutions?by=number&id=a050

"We are deeply gratified by the response to our work so far,” said task force Chair, the Rev. Brian C. Taylor (Diocese of the Rio Grande). "Dearly Beloved – a resource for study and discussion about marriage – has been distributed in both English and Spanish, and its continuing use throughout the church is enhancing our process of church-wide consultation. Engagement through social media on our Facebook and YouTube pages has further extended that process. We strongly encourage those who haven’t yet participated with these resources to do so prior to General Convention, so we’re better prepared as a church to discuss these matters in Salt Lake City."

"Marriage" by Jo Christian Oterhals
Used under Creative Commons
Some rights reserved

Members of the task force also participated in a consultation sponsored by the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (SCLM) on same-sex marriage in Kansas City in June. This event provided an opportunity to consult with Episcopalians, ecumenical partners, and those from the wider Anglican Communion on issues regarding marriage in general, and same-sex marriage in particular.
Bishop Thomas C. Ely of Vermont, who serves on the Task Force on the Study of Marriage as well as the SCLM, said this gathering offered "much to be able to take back into our work, based on conversation with people living this reality on the ground, and hearing the pastoral challenges local clergy are facing."

Regarding the SCLM consultation, Taylor said, "Part of our charge is to consider the challenges and opportunities of the changing societal norms around marriage. So it was helpful to our task to come together for deep listening, as we continue to consider the primary question that shapes our work: 'What might our church want to say to the world today about what it is that makes a marriage holy and particularly Christian?'"

Taylor continued, "The Explanation section of our enabling resolution A050 itself raises this same question in a variety of ways, and framed both the June SCLM gathering as well as much of our work over the triennium," i.e.

As the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music developed liturgical resources for blessing same-gender relationships, it faced repeated questions about marriage. What makes a marriage Christian? What is the relationship between the Church’s blessing of a relationship, whether different-gender or same-gender, and a union, "marriage" or otherwise, created by civil law? Is the blessing of a same-gender relationship equivalent to the marriage of a different-gender couple, and if so, should this liturgy be called "marriage"? Because the Church’s understanding of marriage affects so many of its members, the Commission believes it is important to engage in a Churchwide conversation about our theology of marriage.

Working in three study groups, Task Force members are now focused on finalizing their report for presentation to the 78^th General Convention. The report will include:

• Theological and biblical essays on marriage
• articles on the history of marriage and marriage rites
• a look at our marriage canons past and present, and questions that they raise
• a report on consultations, conversations, and research on current trends and norms
• a response to the Resolution A050’s charge that the task force “address the pastoral need for priests to officiate at a civil marriage of a same- sex couple,” and
• the toolkit Dearly Beloved. 

The task force is also actively considering resolutions that may flow from the content of their reports and/or from Resolution 2012-A050 itself.

Taylor spoke for the Task Force in saying, "All of our members are grateful and honored to be a part of our church’s consideration of marriage, a work that builds upon the history, ministry, struggle, and life experience of so many others through the years that have led up to this day."

Comments, questions, and concerns may be addressed to the task force through Taylor, bctaylor@me.com, or Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, vice-chair, at jcgl@ec.rr.com.

Temas Actualizados e Informe del Grupo de Trabajo sobre Estudio del Matrimonio

This progress report from the Task Force on Marriage was received via e-mail. It is available in English here.

El Grupo de Trabajo sobre el estudio del matrimonio de la Iglesia Episcopal ha emitido el siguiente informe: "Informe de la Labor del Grupo de Trabajo sobre el Matrimonio", 22 de septiembre de 2014

El Grupo de Trabajo sobre el Estudio del Matrimonio continúa la labor de identificar y explorar las dimensiones bíblicas, teológicas, históricas, litúrgicas y canónicas del matrimonio – según fue encargado por la Resolución A050 de la Convención General del 2012 indicada aquí.

"Marriage"

Crédito de la foto: Jo Christian Oterhals

Usamos con Creative Commons

Algunos derechos reservados

"Estamos profundamente satisfechos por la respuesta a nuestro trabajo hasta ahora", dijo el presidente del Grupo de Trabajo Rdo. Brian C. Taylor, y presidente de la Diócesis de Río Grande. "Querido Amado– un recurso para el estudio y debate sobre el matrimonio – se ha distribuido en inglés y español, y su continuo uso a lo largo de la iglesia está mejorando nuestro proceso de consulta de toda la iglesia. El compromiso a través de los medios sociales en nuestras páginas de Facebook y YouTube ha ampliado aún más este proceso. Recomendamos encarecidamente a los que aún no han participado de estos recursos hacerlo antes de la Convención General, para así estar mejor preparados como iglesia para discutir estos asuntos en la ciudad de Salt Lake".

Los miembros del Grupo de Trabajo también participaron en junio en una consulta patrocinada por la Comisión Permanente de Liturgia y Música (SCLM) sobre el matrimonio entre parejas del mismo sexo en Kansas City. Este evento brindó la oportunidad de consultar con los episcopales, socios ecuménicos, y los de la Comunión Anglicana en asuntos relacionados con el matrimonio en general, y el matrimonio entre parejas del mismo sexo en particular.

El obispo Thomas C. Ely de Vermont, quien se desempeña en el Grupo de Trabajo sobre el Estudio del matrimonio, así como la SCLM, dijo que esta reunión ofrece "mucho para poder tomar de nuevo nuestro trabajo, basado en la conversación con las personas que viven esta realidad en el área, y escuchan los desafíos pastorales que el clero local enfrenta".

En cuanto a la consulta de SCLM, Taylor dijo que, "Parte de nuestra responsabilidad es tener en cuenta los desafíos y las oportunidades de las normas sociales cambiantes alrededor de matrimonio. Así que fue muy útil para nuestro grupo reunirse para escuchar profundamente, a medida que continuamos examinando la cuestión principal que da forma a nuestro trabajo: '¿Qué es lo que nuestra iglesia podría decirle al mundo de hoy acerca de qué es lo que hace que un matrimonio sea santo y particularmente cristiano? '"

Taylor continuó: "La sección de explicación de nuestra propia resolución A050 permite plantea esta misma pregunta en una variedad de formas, y enmarca tanto la reunión SCLM de junio, así como gran parte de nuestro trabajo durante el trienio," es decir, Dado que la Comisión Permanente de Liturgia y Música ha desarrollado recursos litúrgicos para la bendición de uniones entre personas del mismo sexo, enfrentó preguntas repetidas sobre el matrimonio. ¿Qué hace que un matrimonio sea cristiano? ¿Cuál es la relación entre la bendición de la iglesia de una relación, ya sea de género diferente o del mismo sexo, y una unión "matrimonio" o de lo contrario, creado por la ley civil? Es la bendición de una relación del mismo sexo equivalente al matrimonio de una pareja de diferente sexo, y si es así, ¿debe esta liturgia llamarse "matrimonio"? Debido a que la iglesia entiende que el matrimonio afecta a muchos de sus miembros, que la Comisión considera que es importante participar en una conversación de toda la iglesia Nacional sobre nuestra teología del matrimonio.

En la labor en tres grupos de estudio, los miembros del Grupo de Trabajo se centran ahora en la finalización de su informe para presentarlo a la 78a Convención General. El informe incluirá:

• Teología y ensayos bíblicos sobre el matrimonio
• artículos sobre la historia del matrimonio y el rito del matrimonio
• un vistazo a nuestros cánones de matrimonio del pasado y los actuales, y las preguntas que se plantean
• un informe sobre las consultas, conversaciones y la investigación sobre las tendencias y las normas actuales
• una respuesta a lo que le encargo a la Resolución A050 de que el grupo de trabajo "aborde la necesidad pastoral de que los sacerdotes puedan oficiar un matrimonio civil de una pareja del mismo sexo", y
• el paquete sobre Querido Amado.

EL grupo de trabajo también está considerando activamente las resoluciones que pueden derivarse del contenido de sus informes y/o de la Resolución 2012-A050 misma.

Taylor habló por el grupo de trabajo al decir, "Todos nuestros miembros están agradecidos y honrados de ser parte de la consideración de matrimonio nuestra iglesia de, una obra que se basa en la historia, el ministerio, la lucha y la experiencia de vida de tantos otros a través de los años que han llevado hasta este día".

Comentarios, preguntas y preocupaciones pueden ser dirigidas al grupo de trabajo a Taylor, bctaylor@me.com, o Joan Geiszler-Ludlum (jcgl@ec.rr.com).

El paquete sobre “Querido Amado” se encuentra aquí
https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/10613

El PowerPoint de recursos de “Mantener Conversaciones” se encuentra aquí
https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/10446

Obtenga acceso a la página pública de la web completa para el Grupo de Trabajo A050 sobre el Matrimonio de la Convención General aquí. http://www.generalconvention.org/a050 .

LA traducción en español de “Querido Amado” se encuentra aquí https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/10798

Obtenga acceso a la página pública de la web completa para el Grupo de Trabajo A050 sobre el Matrimonio aquí, incluyendo su membresía.

Grupo de Trabajo en página de Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/A050taskforce

Grupo de Trabajo en YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHbLobftcghgmWgJW72qnwA/playlists

La Resolución completa A050 está disponible aquí. http://www.generalconvention.org/gc/resolutions?by=number&id=a050

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Church Task Force on Marriage Issues Progress Report

The Church Task Force on the Study of Marriage, created by Resolution A050 at the 2012 General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Indianapolis, today issued a report on the progress it has made since convening last year.

A video presentation was sent to both the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies (clergy and laity elected to represent their dioceses), with written reflection questions. The Chair and Vice-Chair of the Task Force gave a presentation at the meeting of the House of Bishops at Camp Allen in Texas last month, at which the responses were presented.

"It became clear from the input we received that there is a profound level of support and concern for the work we have been asked to do," said the Rev. Brian C. Taylor, Chair of the Task Force. "Episcopalians care deeply about marriage and its potential for bringing joy and grace and for helping people become more fully alive and faithful as God’s agents of love and reconciliation in this world."

One of the key charges of the task force is to address the pastoral involvement of clergy in places where civil same-gender marriage is permitted. The response thus far has been piecemeal as dioceses choose to (or choose not to) craft their own policies, some using the provisional rite created to bless such relationships and also adopted by the Convention. The Task force "“feels that it is part of our responsibility to propose something for the church’s consideration that could offer consistency to what is currently taking place," Taylor explained.

In June, the Task Force will release a portfolio of resources for individuals and groups to use to discuss the issue.

The group also created its own Facebook page and Youtube channel encourages Episcopalians to interact with them via social media.  One-minute videos reflecting on "how you see God in relationships" may be emailed to taskforceonmarriage@gmail.com.


  Integrity's Communications Director, Mel Soriano, Created this video for the Task Force on Marriage  

The Task Force was created as a directive of Resolution A050 at the 2012 Convention of the Episcopal Church in Indianapolis.   The Rev. Canon Susan Russell, former President of Integrity, and the Rev. Cameron Partridge, Co-Convener of TransEpiscopal, are among the members.

To learn more about the report, visit Episcopal News Service.

Church Task Force on Study of Marriage Releases Initial Report of its Work

The Church Task Force on the Study of Marriage, enabled by Resolution A050 at the 2012 General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Indianapolis, today issued a report on its work so far.

"We’re making enormous progress on the broad charge we’ve been given, thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of our members and those with whom we are already in conversation. This is a conversation and study whose time has obviously come, and we are grateful to be part of it," said the Rev. Brian C. Taylor, chair of the task force.  "We are hopeful that the broad circle of input we are gathering will help empower the Episcopal Church in its ongoing mission to be Christ’s light to the world in our day."

The resolution, which calls for a comprehensive look at the church's understanding of what marriage is, was born out of questions uncovered by the the work of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music to develop a rite for the blessing of same-sex relationships, as charged by the previous General Convention in 2009, approved at Indianapolis and placed into use on the first Sunday of Advent.  Approximately 2/3 of the dioceses in the church have adopted it for use in some fashion.

Read the full report here.