On November 2, Barbara Wheeler, President of Auburn Seminary in New York City, published an article in Presbyterian Outlook "Why not replace (or retain) G-6.0106b?" In her piece, she recommended a "no action" vote of 08-B. Some of us had heard about the article, which was planned for an edition that was going to consider different approaches on the ratification of 08-B. I contacted the editor of The Outlook, Jack Haberer, to ask if I could contriubte to the discussion, as a minister of Word and Sacrament who is gay and supports and prays for ratification of 08-B, with so many others. Jack told me that that particular issue had been put to bed, but he invited me to write an essay about my story. The following is the result, which was published in The Outlook a week ago. My thanks to Jack Haberer and The Outlook for the invitation and their willingness to present diverse points-of-view on how G-6.0106b continues to impact the lives of our sisters and brothers in the PC(USA).
I share the link to the piece here, somewhat reluctantly, running the the risk of appearing self-promoting. I do so, instead, to encourage others who are able to please continue to tell their stories whenever and wherever they can. This moment of "kairos," as Michael Adee of More Light Presbyterians refers to it has been long in coming and is critically important. Ratifying 08-B will not divide us, but bring us together in ways we could never imagine.
"Thy will not mine be done..."
I fell in love with God the first time I entered a church. Actually, I was in love with God, even before then, I just didn’t know it until I entered the mystery of that first sanctuary. I was instantly smitten, at home, and in awe of everything. I think I knew I had a vocation as early as nine years of age. I just had no way of knowing it would be forty-five years in the making. Why did it take so long? I discovered I was gay and bit by bit my world began to fall apart. More
