Full Marriage Equality Comes to the Episcopal Church

What This Means for the people in our pews

Marriage equality in the Episcopal Church is now a reality for all. Resolutions proposed by the Task Force on Marriage and amended slightly by the House of Bishops, passed in the House of Deputies on July 1st. What does this mean for us at Holy Comforter, Richmond and other parishes that will rejoice in these changes? It means that same-sex couples will be able to use all the trial liturgies approved at this 78th General Convention, as well as the marriage service found in the Book of Common Prayer. It means that different-sex couples will be able to use all the trial liturgies as well as being able to continue to use the marriage service in the Book of Common Prayer as they have always been able to do. One of the fascinating aspects of these matters has been the experience of heterosexual people of the blessing service for same-sex couples --- many want to use it! As of the 1st Sunday in Advent 2015, they will be able to do so. The 1st Sunday in Advent 2015, November 29th, will also be the day that all couples will be able to use the trial marriage liturgies approved at the 78th General Convention. As well, the canons of the Episcopal Church have been changed to expand the definition of marriage to be between any two persons. The bishops of our diocese, the Diocese of Virginia, and the deputation of clergy and lay persons all voted to passes these historic resolutions. I have been so thankful to be able to vote for justice, as a representative our diocese and of our church. Holy Comforter, Richmond, and many other churches have been waiting a long time for the Church to catch up to what most of you have believed about these matters. Thanks be to God that the matter of marriage equality has been settled in the Episcopal Church as well as in the U.S., within days of each other. 

The Spirit at Work

Bp Shannon:  I agree that it is certainly true that there are many arguments for and against whether or not we are putting canons in conflict with the prayer book and all of that, but I must suggest that we -  I speak in favor of this motion.  I must suggest that we cannot make the perfect the enemy of the good.  Before I came to General Convention I wrote a very strongly worded letter to my diocese asserting my utter and absolute commitment to marriage equality and wanted to bring the fullest, strongest, statement for that, that we can provide.  I think after many days of consultation this is the best we can do, and it’s something I can support.  I came here with the sense that we couldn’t do this by a simply canonical route. That we needed to do something fuller that required a little more time and a two-reading sort of way, and I’m pleased with that.  And I think we need to be careful that, however important they are, making idols out of our rules.  And I’m reminded that our Lord said that humankind was not made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for humankind.  We know that in Jesus’ day that would be akin to us saying that we repeal the Holy Communion.  If we have to wait some time to sort out a conflict between canon and liturgy, rules and that sort of thing, I’d much rather it be a canon than a loving couple that wants to bring honor and glory and witness to God through the bond and covenant of marriage. 

A Great Cloud of Witnesses

Where do we see God?

Where do we see Christ?

We just passed a resolution for a new commemoration of Saints, which allows for those who did not profess Christ as their Savior. We see Christ at work through them, but would they be opposed to be included? Is this somehow not respectful or is this very respectful? It could be interperted either way. 

God is Everywhere

Even in what looks very political

Images from GC78

UTO In-Gathering Service

So many people  

Celebrating the Supreme Court's Ruling here at the 78th GC

Bishops of Dio VA past and present

Bishop Lee!

Follow GC78 Live

The Media Hub

In addition to all the tweets and Facebook posts about what is happening, you can watch GC live as we worship, and as the House of Deputies and House of Bishops debate and pass, or reject, legislation.

Worship, Legislative Sessions Live

Camp Day!

Here is a picture of the members of the deputation on "Camp Day" when deputies wore T-shirts from their camp and conference centers...ours is Shrine Mont.

Marriage Equality and GC78

During an early morning meeting of the committee on which I serve, Bishop Gene Robinson, who is also a member of the committee, asked for a moment of personal privilege to announce to us the Supreme Court ruling making marriage legal for same-sex couples throughout the country. Bp. Robinson was asked to offer a prayer, which he did, expressing the joy of the moment for many and also sensitivity to those for whom this moment is difficult.

On the news reports I saw tonight on TV, there was a sign saying that the constitution shields us from those who use the Bible to discriminate against us. Yes it does. But we want the world to know that the Episcopal Church does not use the Bible that way, and that we in fact find in the Bible the story of God's love for all and God's justice for all.

Now the two couples married at my church in the last two months are able to go everywhere in the country and be protected under the law as married. We all have so much to celebrate and give thanks for today.

This legal ruling comes at a time when the Episcopal Church is seeking to equalize and normalize marriage for all couples in our church. There has been debate in the weeks leading up to Convention and since we arrived a few days ago, on how best to move forward liturgically and canonically. There is a sense that momentum is building to accomplish much at this meeting of General Convention with regard to full marriage equality for same-sex couples. We continue to pray for a good and faithful witness to all people that the Episcopal Church does in fact welcome all.

We want marriage equality in the Church for our members and so as to be a witness to the world that there are Christians who celebrate the ruling of the Supreme Court today. 

The Most Important Action at GC78?

What do you think the most important or ground-breaking action will be when all is said and done at the 78th General Convention? It is early...Convention doesn't even start until tomorrow, but I have a nomination for most important action. Going green--no paper being distributed...at all!

Looking for a paper bulletin for one of the worship services? Well, unless someone prints one for you or you print your own from the already-posted PDFs, you won't find one. Every deputy and bishop has been given an iPad for the duration of General Convention. These "binders" have been specially prepared so the only materials issued by GC, such as resolutions and worship bulletins, can live on them. Updates will be wirelessly transferred to our binders as needed. 

In a conversation that I had with a bishop today, I learned that the cost of the iPads, and that's hundreds of iPads, and the cost of the wifi and electrical outlets at all of our tables in the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops, all of that cost is still less than what it would cost to print all of these documents on paper. And that's just a bonus of course; the reason we do this is to be good stewards of the earth's resources. But still, money matters, and what incentive to many to consider this for their next conference. And what about going green at church? At my church, we send out our Sunday bulletin as a PDF a few days before the service. We have invited people to download it and use it during the service, but we still make paper bulletins, and we have not provided iPads. But maybe we will one day.

News from the Deputation

Congratulations Russ Randle

From Russ via Facebook:

Russell V. Randle

Dear friends -- Today I was elected to represent Province 3 of the Episcopal Church - thirteen mid-Atlantic Dioceses -- at the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church (known widely but incorrectly as the national church, though we include dioceses from a number of additional countries).

Executive Council is like a vestry for the wider church, carrying out policy and implementing the budget between General Conventions, which occur once every three years.
I am one of two reps from Province 3; each of 9 provinces sends one lay and one clergy representative, elected from six year terms. This will be a major pro bono commitment for the next six years. 

I am grateful for the support and kind wishes of so many friends, lay and clergy, as I begin this new ministry. (It pays nothing, in case you were wondering.) It will take about two weeks of meetings a year, with study and work in between. I ask your prayers for the church, both our corner of it as TEC, and the wider reality of faithful Christians in community across the world and across time.
We are all trying to discern the path forward in a world where the church, like all of us, is engulfed in rapid and disorienting change. We try to keep our eyes and our efforts faithfully on God and the good news of the Gospel. with thanks - Russ

Elections and Confirmations at GC 2015

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/From-President-Jennings---Elections-and-Confirmations-in-the-House-of-Deputies.html?soid=1111106056536&aid=e7WL-u9oono