We are on the eve of the plenary of The General Assembly of the PC(USA) meeting to decide whether to agree with committees recommending broad changes that would welcome people who are gay (LGBT) into leadership and same gender loving couples into marriage.
This day, Wednesday, has been a time of reflection and hope, looking back over the last few days and over the entire arc of our history and faithful advocacy for equality, justice, and welcoming. Tomorrow, we pray that the plenary will forward the recommendations of the committees to the presbyteries for ratification.
What is exciting is that this General Assembly may astound the world in its broad embrace of God's creation in all of its wonder. Sometime ago, I heard Rick Ufford-Chase, former moderator of the General Assembly, talk about the rising motion toward a wave of change. He said that once the wave crests there is no stopping the change.
This wave of reform and hope and healing has been decades in the making. The world has been waiting since creation for the witness that is rushing toward it. Hold on...and pray with us. The wave may, indeed, be hours away.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Committee Votes in Favor of an Exciting God
There is an amazing energy on the edge of God's possibilities for us. It attracts folks from all places in all times. It is that: an attraction, a longing, a hopeful, resilient willingness to move more closely into the Presence of God.
For some this is a scary process. Who wouldn't be a bit unsettled moving more closely into the power and presence of God. For others, it is awesome and more. It is welcoming and sought after presence.
Perhaps the question of whether we are scared by God or excited by God may be at the heart of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) being held this week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
What scares you? What excites you? It seems that God does both to folks and welcomes both the frightened and the excited.
However, there is another group. A group that uses God in the name of God's awesome presence as fear - combining idolatry and abuse, in order to impose itself on others. Idolatry because it raises fear above God and an abuse because of the repercussions of such actions. A church that uses God or Scripture to exclude people who are gay (LGBT) is complicit in violence not faithful in loving.
Fear is how G-6.0106b got into the Book of Order in the first place. So, it makes sense that those who used fear to get it in - will use fear to keep it there.
It should not be that the excitement of God's unfolding Spirit in this world elicits the type of fear that pushes the Spirit back.
This afternoon, in the committee hearings on a change to the Book of Order that would remove the bar to ordaining leaders who are gay (LGBT) a vote was taken in favor of the exciting God. Overture 06-09 passed by a vote of 36-16-1.
For some this is a scary process. Who wouldn't be a bit unsettled moving more closely into the power and presence of God. For others, it is awesome and more. It is welcoming and sought after presence.
Perhaps the question of whether we are scared by God or excited by God may be at the heart of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) being held this week in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
What scares you? What excites you? It seems that God does both to folks and welcomes both the frightened and the excited.
However, there is another group. A group that uses God in the name of God's awesome presence as fear - combining idolatry and abuse, in order to impose itself on others. Idolatry because it raises fear above God and an abuse because of the repercussions of such actions. A church that uses God or Scripture to exclude people who are gay (LGBT) is complicit in violence not faithful in loving.
Fear is how G-6.0106b got into the Book of Order in the first place. So, it makes sense that those who used fear to get it in - will use fear to keep it there.
It should not be that the excitement of God's unfolding Spirit in this world elicits the type of fear that pushes the Spirit back.
This afternoon, in the committee hearings on a change to the Book of Order that would remove the bar to ordaining leaders who are gay (LGBT) a vote was taken in favor of the exciting God. Overture 06-09 passed by a vote of 36-16-1.
Monday, July 5, 2010
It happened again...
Difficult, painful, misguided. No other way to describe the stream of "ex-gay" individuals who stand before the committee and offer their experience as representative of all folk who are gay (LGBT). Simply not true.
There's more than we see...
Monday, July 5, 2010 Testimony Before the Committee On G-6.0106b
THE amendment to the constitution used to restrict the ordination of folk for are LGBT.
Minneapolis, MN
Working as one among many.
A few minutes ago, personal statements began about whether people who are gay (LGBT) should be allowed to serve as church leaders, deacons, elders, and ministers. There are dozens of people who will speak for and against welcoming all to this church, living together as we still differ.
It's easy to wonder how we can ever work this out. Yet, how can we otherwise than try? If it were just left to us, I don't think we'd ever work it out. However, there is no reason to be a part of a church if we don't believe in something greater than ourselves, for many of us, that is God.
So, as we begin these hearings we live into that hope. If you pray, pray for us. If you don't pray, pray for us anyway. This division we seek to heal extends well beyond our borders.
More to come...
THE amendment to the constitution used to restrict the ordination of folk for are LGBT.
Minneapolis, MN
Working as one among many.
A few minutes ago, personal statements began about whether people who are gay (LGBT) should be allowed to serve as church leaders, deacons, elders, and ministers. There are dozens of people who will speak for and against welcoming all to this church, living together as we still differ.
It's easy to wonder how we can ever work this out. Yet, how can we otherwise than try? If it were just left to us, I don't think we'd ever work it out. However, there is no reason to be a part of a church if we don't believe in something greater than ourselves, for many of us, that is God.
So, as we begin these hearings we live into that hope. If you pray, pray for us. If you don't pray, pray for us anyway. This division we seek to heal extends well beyond our borders.
More to come...
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Dear God: A troublemaker?
It was the day when Jesus healed the man by the pool: "stand up, pick up your mat, and walk." And, John concludes the section with: "It was the sabbath."
Healing on the sabbath. As good of a day as any. Oh, and a clear violation of the practice and teaching of the ruling priests and the law, as they knew it. They would use this against him, too.
Such a trouble-maker.
Dear God, help us to be more like Jesus in this way. Especially in this way...
We'd be in good company.
Healing on the sabbath. As good of a day as any. Oh, and a clear violation of the practice and teaching of the ruling priests and the law, as they knew it. They would use this against him, too.
Such a trouble-maker.
Dear God, help us to be more like Jesus in this way. Especially in this way...
We'd be in good company.
Friday, May 7, 2010
It is no longer about G-6.0106b...
Letter to the Editor of the Layman
Responding to: Stockton Presbytery Joins John Knox Complaint
[Re: Ordination of Scott Anderson]
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Not too long ago, the receptionist at our church called me late at night. There was someone in our foyer in hospital garb, slippers, and a catheter hanging from his arm. We came to find out that he had been in a local hospital for detoxification from alcohol and somewhere in the process simply disconnected himself from the IV and walked out, leaving everything behind. It was a cold night and he came directly to the church. He was pretty disoriented, but we got him some clothes from our clothing distribution room, food from our pantry, contacted the hospital, and got him help in removing the catheter from his arm. We kept him company, making little sense of his ramblings, but after a while, we convinced him to go to a local shelter and get some rest.
He is one of the hundreds we serve each month in our worship as outreach.
A few days later, I saw the gentleman at our weekly dinner program, where we serve almost 100 people a week who have either no food, no company, or no other place to go. I asked him how he was doing, and in conversation asked him what made him come to us when he left the hospital. Without missing a beat, his answer was: "It was where I knew I could find God." For him, on that night, God was a welcome, food, clothing, and help in finding a place to rest. His faith did, indeed, set him free.
It didn't matter that as the pastor of the church I am gay. In fact, being gay in the PC(USA) no longer matters any more than being straight does. People will argue about that, but we, as a church, have already deleted G-6.0106b. It's gone in our hearts and in practice. True, some still find comfort in the same kind of teachings that once held women and people of color to be second-class in God's eyes. However, the reality is that we already work together and serve God as a community of great diversity that includes gender identity fully.
I honestly do wish to continue to dialogue with those who disagree, because I believe they are being faithful in their own ways and we need to pray and talk together. However, those who are unable or unwilling to accept the truth that this artificial division between us is no longer valid cannot be allowed to prevent others who believe differently from full inclusion in this church. The lives of faithful people cannot be divided along gender identity any more than they can along the lines of the sexes or color.
In a short time, we will all gather in Minneapolis for our General Assembly. We will worship together, work together, share meals, cabs, and conversations. We will pray and seek God's will. And, the "we" will include many of us who identify themselves as gay, whether spoken aloud or not. We will agree and disagree. Sooner or later, it will be apparent that, in fact, G-6.0106b has been deleted in the way God has moved this church and its people. Sooner or later, the constitution will catch up. In the meantime, none of us can be held hostage by what we know in our hearts to be wrong.
Like the gentleman who found us on that cold night, there are too many people "seeking God" for us to deny any qualified candidate from ordination based on G-6.0106b.
Scott Anderson is clearly qualified to be ordained. To hold G-6.0106b against him or anyone else is to hold this church hostage to an aberration in our constitution. We no longer allow the few who still hold onto prejudices against women and people of color to hold us hostage to their beliefs, nor should we allow those who have yet to embrace the gay community to marginalize or exclude us.
It is no longer about G-6.0106b.
Sincerely,
Ray Bagnuolo, Minister of Word and Sacrament
Serving Jan Hus Presbyterian Church and Neighborhood House
New York, NY
Responding to: Stockton Presbytery Joins John Knox Complaint
[Re: Ordination of Scott Anderson]
Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Not too long ago, the receptionist at our church called me late at night. There was someone in our foyer in hospital garb, slippers, and a catheter hanging from his arm. We came to find out that he had been in a local hospital for detoxification from alcohol and somewhere in the process simply disconnected himself from the IV and walked out, leaving everything behind. It was a cold night and he came directly to the church. He was pretty disoriented, but we got him some clothes from our clothing distribution room, food from our pantry, contacted the hospital, and got him help in removing the catheter from his arm. We kept him company, making little sense of his ramblings, but after a while, we convinced him to go to a local shelter and get some rest.
He is one of the hundreds we serve each month in our worship as outreach.
A few days later, I saw the gentleman at our weekly dinner program, where we serve almost 100 people a week who have either no food, no company, or no other place to go. I asked him how he was doing, and in conversation asked him what made him come to us when he left the hospital. Without missing a beat, his answer was: "It was where I knew I could find God." For him, on that night, God was a welcome, food, clothing, and help in finding a place to rest. His faith did, indeed, set him free.
It didn't matter that as the pastor of the church I am gay. In fact, being gay in the PC(USA) no longer matters any more than being straight does. People will argue about that, but we, as a church, have already deleted G-6.0106b. It's gone in our hearts and in practice. True, some still find comfort in the same kind of teachings that once held women and people of color to be second-class in God's eyes. However, the reality is that we already work together and serve God as a community of great diversity that includes gender identity fully.
I honestly do wish to continue to dialogue with those who disagree, because I believe they are being faithful in their own ways and we need to pray and talk together. However, those who are unable or unwilling to accept the truth that this artificial division between us is no longer valid cannot be allowed to prevent others who believe differently from full inclusion in this church. The lives of faithful people cannot be divided along gender identity any more than they can along the lines of the sexes or color.
In a short time, we will all gather in Minneapolis for our General Assembly. We will worship together, work together, share meals, cabs, and conversations. We will pray and seek God's will. And, the "we" will include many of us who identify themselves as gay, whether spoken aloud or not. We will agree and disagree. Sooner or later, it will be apparent that, in fact, G-6.0106b has been deleted in the way God has moved this church and its people. Sooner or later, the constitution will catch up. In the meantime, none of us can be held hostage by what we know in our hearts to be wrong.
Like the gentleman who found us on that cold night, there are too many people "seeking God" for us to deny any qualified candidate from ordination based on G-6.0106b.
Scott Anderson is clearly qualified to be ordained. To hold G-6.0106b against him or anyone else is to hold this church hostage to an aberration in our constitution. We no longer allow the few who still hold onto prejudices against women and people of color to hold us hostage to their beliefs, nor should we allow those who have yet to embrace the gay community to marginalize or exclude us.
It is no longer about G-6.0106b.
Sincerely,
Ray Bagnuolo, Minister of Word and Sacrament
Serving Jan Hus Presbyterian Church and Neighborhood House
New York, NY
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