I have attended, participated, chaired and been a spectator at more church meetings than I can count. I’ve walked away from many of those meetings hopeful, confused, excited, frustrated and even ambivalent. Until Friday night, I’ve never shed a tear. When the motion to change our Canons to allow same sex marriage failed, I shed that tear. A tear for the pain our LBQTQ+2 brothers and sisters who felt once again the church they commit to would not commit to them. A tear for our youth who cannot for the life of them understand why this is an issue in their church. A tear for a church who despite so much talk so often cannot walk the walk. The sounds of crying and stunned silence were palpable. And I was lying in my bed watching it all from an iPad! I’ve now spoken to a few people who were there, and they said it was like nothing they’d ever experienced at a church gathering. I immediately thought of Jesus words in Luke’s gospel, “As Jesus came near and saw Jerusalem, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” We had an opportunity to be the loving and affirming Body of Christ we always say we want to be, and a few bishops chose otherwise. I get it. We all don’t agree on whether same sex marriages should be made legal in the Anglican Church of Canada. I doubt we will ever come to consensus on that. But God never asked us to agree on legalities. God calls us to live together with our differences and to be the voice and example in the world that exemplifies love and acceptance despite the differences. Why do we get so focused on what the needs of the rule book and fail to see the needs of human beings?! This was where I was Friday night and most of the weekend.
Its been 5 days since that night, and with most things the shock has subsided, and a bigger picture has emerged. When all the smoke cleared, what came out of that painful moment was something that I believe is new and favourable for all. The big picture is this.
- 76% of delegates, laity, clergy and bishops, voted in favour of the motion to allow same sex marriage.
-the document A Word to the Church (https://www.anglican.ca/news/a-word-to-the-church-considering-the-proposed-amendment-ofmarriage-canon-xxi/30023889/)was accepted by 80% of the church. This document allows for a local option so that Diocesan bishops that want to have something available for equal marriage can do so. Clergy will have the option to officiate or not.
-Bishops from across the Canadian church have now put out statements to allow same sex marriage in their dioceses.
In the Diocese of Huron, we are awaiting word from our Bishop. Due to the fact that Bishop Linda was elected to become Primate in the Anglican Church of Canada means we may have to wait a bit longer. I am confident it will be done, and equal marriage will be a part of our life here in Huron. Some have asked my feeling toward that as a priest. I am in favour and if the option was made available, I would officiate at a same sex marriage and give the same thought and discernment as I do with any couple that come to me to receive the sacrament of marriage. To those in the LBGTQ+2 community who have been harmed this past week, you are loved. You are as much a part of this community as anyone else. You will be affirmed by this priest in the community I serve. I call upon all of us to reach out to those who feel the church has hurt them or abandoned them or not been conscious of their pain and affirm your love for them. Surely, we can join hands and walk forward together despite our differences! “They will know your are my disciples by your love.” Jesus said that. I think He meant it. I am convinced it is the only way we can walk forward.
Finally, let’s not forget the new life that came out of this General Synod.
We have set up an autonomous indigenous church as an act of reconciliation and support for the spiritual journey of our indigenous brothers and sisters.
The Anglican Church has passed resolutions to powerfully build a more positive relationship with our Muslim and our Jewish brothers and sisters.
To top it all off we can celebrate the first female Primate (Head) of the Anglican Church of Canada with the election of our own Bishop Linda Nicholls!
What I in my frailty and often blindness came to see over the course of the last week (Thanks be to God) is that Holy Spirit was a work all the time renewing, bringing life and healing our church so that we can come back to the table together and become the people God has called us to become. There is much to celebrate in the church and we all have more work to do. Let’s not forget that we are loved, worthy and invited by God to bring about the kingdom Jesus made known to us. The world may need us now more than ever.
Peace
Rev. Rob+
Its been 5 days since that night, and with most things the shock has subsided, and a bigger picture has emerged. When all the smoke cleared, what came out of that painful moment was something that I believe is new and favourable for all. The big picture is this.
- 76% of delegates, laity, clergy and bishops, voted in favour of the motion to allow same sex marriage.
-the document A Word to the Church (https://www.anglican.ca/news/a-word-to-the-church-considering-the-proposed-amendment-ofmarriage-canon-xxi/30023889/)was accepted by 80% of the church. This document allows for a local option so that Diocesan bishops that want to have something available for equal marriage can do so. Clergy will have the option to officiate or not.
-Bishops from across the Canadian church have now put out statements to allow same sex marriage in their dioceses.
In the Diocese of Huron, we are awaiting word from our Bishop. Due to the fact that Bishop Linda was elected to become Primate in the Anglican Church of Canada means we may have to wait a bit longer. I am confident it will be done, and equal marriage will be a part of our life here in Huron. Some have asked my feeling toward that as a priest. I am in favour and if the option was made available, I would officiate at a same sex marriage and give the same thought and discernment as I do with any couple that come to me to receive the sacrament of marriage. To those in the LBGTQ+2 community who have been harmed this past week, you are loved. You are as much a part of this community as anyone else. You will be affirmed by this priest in the community I serve. I call upon all of us to reach out to those who feel the church has hurt them or abandoned them or not been conscious of their pain and affirm your love for them. Surely, we can join hands and walk forward together despite our differences! “They will know your are my disciples by your love.” Jesus said that. I think He meant it. I am convinced it is the only way we can walk forward.
Finally, let’s not forget the new life that came out of this General Synod.
We have set up an autonomous indigenous church as an act of reconciliation and support for the spiritual journey of our indigenous brothers and sisters.
The Anglican Church has passed resolutions to powerfully build a more positive relationship with our Muslim and our Jewish brothers and sisters.
To top it all off we can celebrate the first female Primate (Head) of the Anglican Church of Canada with the election of our own Bishop Linda Nicholls!
What I in my frailty and often blindness came to see over the course of the last week (Thanks be to God) is that Holy Spirit was a work all the time renewing, bringing life and healing our church so that we can come back to the table together and become the people God has called us to become. There is much to celebrate in the church and we all have more work to do. Let’s not forget that we are loved, worthy and invited by God to bring about the kingdom Jesus made known to us. The world may need us now more than ever.
Peace
Rev. Rob+
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