Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

A lot of people were introduced to the Episcopal Church, the American* cousins of the Church of England, when our Presiding Bishop, the Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry preached at the wedding of Prince Harry, now also titled the Duke of Sussex, to actress Meghan Markle, herself a descendant of King Edward III.

This break from tradition caused Episcopalians in the U.S. to watch news of the wedding with more-than-typical interest, although, truth be told, anything with roots in antiquity that also involves funny hats is likely to get our attention.  In our increasingly unchurched culture, the folderol of Anglican worship must have looked to many viewers like Downton Abbey Goes to Hogwart's.  I joked yesterday that we should start a rumor that Episcopalians wear those hats to church every week, and then sit back and watch what happens.

Paul Lane and Christian Paolino.
Photo: Larissa Blinderman

I would like to believe that would have gotten a chuckle out of my friend Paul Lane who, although raised a Roman Catholic like me, found a home many years ago in the Episcopal Church. Under normal circumstances, he would have had more than a passing interest in the goings-on in London this week. Well-versed in his own family's history in Europe going back generations, Paul spent a good deal of time in France and Spain, taking the sun and soaking up culture. Like many Episcopalians I've met from all backgrounds, he shared that common gene which manifested itself with an appreciation for arcane historical detail.

He also knew a thing or two about liturgy done with care, which is probably why he, despite living in Jersey City, made St. Luke in-the-Fields in the West Village his spiritual home.  Worship at St. Luke's leaves very little to chance: from the choir to the incense-bearer, people go about their roles with what looks from the pews like easy precision, although I have been to enough post-Eucharist brunches at the bar formerly known as Dublin 6 to hear that making the service look that effortless was no mean feat indeed.

While Bishop Curry is very at home behind a pulpit or microphone, Paul's ministry was more behind-the-scenes, but no less effective. Besides his work at St. Luke's, Paul was the driving force of the LGBT Concerns committee for the Diocese of New York.  His principal responsibility there was coordinating the Episcopal presence at the NYC Pride March, which takes place every June. Under Paul's tutelage, people from more than a dozen parishes on both sides of the Hudson River--an entire city block full of people--makes its way down Fifth Avenue leading a giant float proclaiming The Episcopal Church Welcomes You.

Imagine how many LGBT people saw that small army and that float over the years, and thought, "Wait, what? A church wants me? All I've ever heard from church people was what an abomination I am." Be they a teenager scared to come out to hir parents, or an older person who finally came to grips with a lifelong secret, this witness affected people on the sidelines: I know, because I was part of that march many times, and they told me, sometimes with tears in their eyes.

Paul made that happen, through cajoling, negotiating... maybe some vague threats, he did grow up in Trenton, after all.  But most of all through his own quiet example. This was his gift to the church, and the treasure it yielded can't be counted.

We lost him yesterday, with little warning. Just weeks before the March, on the Day of Witness, he was taken from us. I cannot begin to guess how we will fill his shoes, as organizer, mentor, and friend.

The Presiding Bishop's wedding sermon was focused on the overwhelming power and importance of love, without which the most carefully-executed expression of piety assails the ears of the Almighty like a blaring kazoo chorus. Instead, the prophet Amos tells us:

"let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."

In a few weeks, when we again line up to deliver that message of love and invitation to the city and the world, may our steps be guided by his voice and our feet propelled forward by his example.

Let's roll.

Christian Paolino
Former Stakeholder's Council Chairperson at IntegrityUSA

This blog post is republished with the permission of the author. 

Visit the original article on Christian's blog at

https://vergeofjordan.blogspot.com/2018/05/well-done-good-and-faithful-servant.html

Rev. Carolyn Woodall assumes the Chair of the Stakeholders' Council

At its February 24th meeting, the Integrity USA Board of Directors welcomed The Rev. Carolyn Woodall as Chair of the Stakeholders' Council, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Christian Paolino this past January. Carolyn was the Vice-Chair and, as stipulated by the bylaws, assumes the position of Chair until the end of the term.

Carolyn Woodall resides in Copperopolis, California with her oldest child, and four cats. An attorney since 1987, she recently retired from her position as a Deputy Public Defender in Sonora, CA. She currently maintains a small criminal defense practice in Sonora. Carolyn also retired from the Naval Reserve in 1997, having attained the rank of Commander.

She was ordained a Deacon on March 10, 2012, and is the first, and so far only, transgender person to be ordained in the Diocese of San Joaquin. She is currently serving at St. James in Sonora, where she runs a ministry providing provisioned backpacks to the homeless. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the School for Deacons in Berkeley; and a member of the Board of Directors of Sierra HOPE, which provides assistance to people with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illness.

Carolyn believes that acceptance regarding LGBT issues begins with education, and has given numerous presentations on transgender issues to church groups, government agencies, charitable organizations, and even a local news station. She told her story in Voices of Witness: Out of the Box, produced by Louise Brooks for Integrity USA.

The Board of Directors would like to thank the tireless work of Christian and all his work with Integrity, both at the national level as well as locally. President Matt Haines says, "Christian has served us with true faithfulness and dedication in his role as Stakeholder's Chairperson.  He has been an authentic and prophetic voice of witness to our community and the Church.  We are grateful for his gifts, friendship, and his constant service to us all."

Please join us in congratulating and thanking Carolyn for agreeing to assume this responsibility.  You may reach her at CarolynW@integrityusa.org.

Announcement of Special Election

Dear Members:

It is my duty as Chair of the Stakeholders’ Council of Integrity to inform you that I have received notice from the Board Secretary, Mel Soriano, that the Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall has informed him that she has resigned from her duties as Board President.

Pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 4, Section 5, Paragraph C of the Bylaws, I will work with Mel and the Council Vice-Chair, the Rev. Deacon Carolyn Woodall, to prepare a call for nominations for a special election for the office of President to serve out the current term, which concludes on 1st October 2015.

Pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 1, Section 3, Paragraph A, only Integrity members whose dues are paid and current at the time of issuance of this letter are eligible to be nominated. We will share a job description for the office and instructions for nominations next week.

As described in Chapter 3, Article 1, Section 1, members of the Stakeholders’ Council with seat, voice, and vote are eligible to participate in the special election. These include:

• Chapter Conveners (chapter must be active and up-to-date with requirements)
• Diocesan Organizers
• Congregational Circle Moderators (up-to-date with requirements)
• Partner Representatives (P2 Organizational Partners & P3 Congregational Partners) (up-to-date with requirements)
• Lifetime Members

I will work with Director of Development, Sam Peterson, to verify the pool of eligible voters. These people will be notified individually with instructions for reviewing the candidates and balloting.

Interim Leadership

While the election process is underway, the Board has agreed that the following responsibilities be in effect:

• The Rev. Jon Richardson, VP - National Affairs will chair board meetings and be the point of contact for concerns related to the Board.
• Matt Haines, VP - Local Affairs will support the staff and be the point of contact related to concerns related to the staff, as well as continuing to support the local network of Provincial Coordinators and Diocesan Organizers.
• I will continue to support and be the contact for the Stakeholders not listed above, which include Chapter Conveners, Life Members, and Partner Representatives.

If you are unsure as to the best point of contact for your concern, please contact our office and they will assist you.

The Board thanks Dr. Hall for her dedication and service and respects her decision to resign. We wish her abundant blessings in the days ahead.

Sincerely,

Christian M. Paolino

Chair, Integrity Stakeholders' Council

We Need a Little Christmas

It dawned on me - apropos of nothing - in the days between the Supreme Court rulings on DoMA and Prop-8 and our Pride celebrations here in New York last year that Christmas and the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots are roughly opposite each other on the Earth's orbit.  I liked that idea.  For people who observe them both, there are definite parallels in the emotional and physical build-up that occurs in the weeks prior, with much anticipation and even some anxiety for those of us upon whom others depend for the experience to be a positive one.

Bishop Dietsche on the Episcopal
float at NYC Pride

The similarities grew stronger for those of us in the New York area with the election of a new bishop, the Right Rev. Andrew Dietsche, who bears a striking resemblance to St. Nicholas. He and his wife on the Episcopal float lent an authentic presence to the giant sign behind them proclaiming "The Episcopal Church Welcomes You" given his supportive actions for our community in his first year in the episcopal seat.

Fresh from the news that same-gender couples in New York and other states with marriage equality would soon be eligible for federal benefits, we gathered on the street with some new faces and some who we last saw at the prior year's march, and began our time together in prayer.

And we were in need of a celebration. Our city in recent weeks had seen a rash of violence against gay men, culminating in the death of Mark Carson.  The other diocesan bishop in town (across Fifth Avenue) responded with yet another bulletin insert decrying the advance of marriage equality to same-gender couples.  The wait for the SCOTUS rulings -- though they ultimately ended up in our favor -- did little to settle the nerves. Not to reinforce stereotypes, but I was reminded of the scene in the musical/movie Mame, where a family fallen on hard times scrounges together whatever they can find to make a celebration in the face of adversity.

So we danced, waved, and marched down Fifth Avenue, just as our sisters and brothers in Sacramento, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Houston (to name a few) bore witness to their own neighbors about the love of God which our church offers.

And then Monday came.  Figuratively, at least, because some march attendees weren't even home yet when the cold reality of the world was thrust at them in the form of a screaming anti-gay tirade on the subway.  The rest of us went back to meetings and spreadsheets, diapers or -- for many of us -- the help wanted section.  And -- like that once-wealthy family who had fallen on hard times --  I wondered what it would take to preserve the feeling of solidarity and power that was so strong just days before.

The answer, if you ask me, lies within all of us.  The way to keep the message that God loves you -- with the gender you claim and the orientation you feel, not the ones the church and society has long said you should -- alive, is to be that message to one another, and to the world. Not once a year, but every day.

We've decided, together, to make the church safe and inviting to all, no exceptions.  Who is going to tell those who haven't heard that news yet, and who are feeling they are without love and without worth?  We can't wait for next year's Pride, because unfortunately some of them won't make it that long.

In parts of the country where this work has been going on a long time, and victories like marriage equality aren't even so new anymore, there's an air of battle fatigue. People have told me, repeatedly, when I raise this issue, that "we marched in that parade, back in the 'eighties!" as if that means the work is done.  Dude, that's great, but someone who was born in the 'eighties didn't see you there.  She needs to see you today.

What I and the leadership of Integrity is asking you to pray on and consider, is how you (No, not her.  You.  Well, her too.  But right now, this is about you.) can be Integrity, right where you are.  It doesn't have to mean going to a chapter social for bad coffee once a month or running for a committee position.  We're inviting you -- here and now -- to blow the doors off that model if it doesn't work for you.  We want to know what you think will work for your parish, for your diocese, for your community, that queer kid you know who thinks all religion is evil.

As we have mentioned in prior posts, we are actively looking to recruit Diocesan Organizers who are connected to what is going on in their area and will work with us to connect with more bishops, congregations and ministry organizations.  We need thoughtful writers to share first-person witness on how LGBT inclusion intersects with their own faith stories.  We need voices representing the church at marriage equality events, protests and rallies.  We need people to simply speak up when people say Christianity and LGBT folks can't or shouldn't mix, and say, "Well, actually...."

Maybe you're already doing these things.  If you are, we want to know about it, so we can tell others the good news.  And we want to know how Integrity can help you do more, reach further, and feel like you're part of a bigger picture.

We've been told -- and we believe -- there are many folks out there who would consider (or reconsider) a church home if they were convincingly told a place exists where they would be truly safe, welcomed and even celebrated.  We know such places exist, because we've seen them.  To bring the two together, thousands on thousands, one at a time, will take the effort of all of us.  We want to know what you're willing to bring to the table.

Are you a current, active Integrity member?  If you have thought about it, used to be.... please prayerfully consider recommitting.  Is your parish connected to either Believe Out Loud, our Parish Partner Program, or both?  Maybe they would be if they knew it was important to you.

These are both annual commitments and we know they slip people's minds, but we need your support and involvement just as much, if not more, today as ever.

Again, the rest is open to discussion.  If this message has touched you even a little, please introduce yourself to your Provincial Coordinator and let them know who you are, where you are, and why this work matters to you. 

We recently published our updated Mission and Vision. In case you missed it, here they are again:

Our Mission

Integrity USA's mission is to inspire and equip the Episcopal Church, its dioceses, congregations, and members to proclaim and embody God’s all-inclusive love for LGBTQ persons and those who love them.

Our Vision

Integrity's vision of its success is that The Episcopal Church thrives as a beacon of love, justice, and compassion, where ALL PEOPLE are equally embraced and empowered.

If that sounds like a lot of work, it's because it is.  To make it reality is going to take commitment from a whole lot of us, but it can be done.  The Christmas story sounds pretty far-fetched, too, but somehow, in spite of human nature and great odds, we make it real by being just a little bit kinder to one another every year, if only for a few days.  Like Christmas, the good news message we share at Pride could be extended further, to more people and more places, so that what we know about God's love extends to all genders and orientations and classes and colors, and becomes real to those whom we meet who have been taught to think it was not possible.

All you have to do is believe.

Christian Paolino is the Chair of Integrity's Stakeholders' Council and Diocesan Organizer (Newark). A graduate of William Paterson University and The New School, he blogs at The Verge of Jordan.

The Rev. Deacon Carolyn Woodall Elected Vice-Chair of Stakeholders' Council

On Thursday, February 21st, the Stakeholders' Council of Integrity elected The Rev. Deacon Carolyn Woodall as its Vice-Chair.

Carolyn is the Parish Representative for St. Mary-in-the-Mountains in Jamestown, Calif., in the Diocese of San Joaquin. She wrestled with both a call to the diaconate and a struggle with her gender identity for many years, and left the church for a time while transitioning from living as a man to her true identity, as female.   After many conservative people, including the bishop at the time, elected to leave the Episcopal Church in her area, Carolyn returned and took an active role in the formation of the Continuing Diocese of San Joaquin. She was ordained a deacon in March of 2012, and is among the transgender clergy who tell their stories in Integrity's film Voices of Witness: Out of the Box.

The Rev. Deacon Carolyn Woodall

Carolyn continues to bring new ideas and leadership to the church, both locally and nationally.  She served on Integrity's Legislative Team at the 2012 General Convention.  In her diocese, she is co-chair of the Commission on Equality and was among the leaders of the first LGBT retreat in the area. She helped write the diocese's own liturgy for blessing of same-sex unions, adopted on Pentecost 2011, and more recently conceived of Spirit Sunday, a tie-in to a grassroots anti-bullying campaign which Integrity and her bishop, the Right Rev. Chet Talton, are encouraging the church to adopt nationally.

“Carolyn has been a steady and insightful presence on the Council, and I am grateful for her willingness to assist us in this capacity,” said Stakeholders' Chair Christian Paolino. “It was a privilege to serve with her at General Convention and to be present with her and other transgender clergy when the church voted in recognition of the value of their ministry.”

The Stakeholders' Council is a body of approximately 400 past and present Integrity leaders and key partners which performs several important functions: In the event that the President of Integrity was to leave office in mid-term for any reason, the Stakeholders would be responsible for electing someone to fill this role for the remainder of his or her three-year tour.

In calmer times, the Council acts as a conduit between Integrity's national leadership and the regional network of chapters, partner congregations and individual members.  It has recently undertaken several projects to identify and highlight some of our chapters' and partners' best work as resources to encourage further ministry to the field.

The Chair of the Council has a seat on the national board and brings news, concerns, and partnership opportunities to the board's attention.  The Chair and Vice-Chair (who would fill in with the board in the Chair's extended absence) are elected to three-year terms by the Council membership.

The Stakeholders with vote include: Life Members, Chapter Conveners, Diocesan Organizers , and designated representatives from our Proud Partners.  We also welcome the day-to-day participation of Provincial Coordinators, Past Presidents, current members of the Board of Directors, representatives of organizations designated by the Board as "allied organizations," and the Executive Director, when one is in place.