The DIOCESE of North Carolina, that is. And here's Good News from a colleague in that Diocese :
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I'm delighted to report that the annual convention of the Diocese of North Carolina passed the following resolution today:
ON THE INCLUSION OF ALL PERSONS REGARDLESS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS FULL AND EQUAL PARTICIPANTS IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST'S CHURCH.
Resolved by the 192nd Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, that the Diocese continue to demonstrate its commitment to radical hospitality and, that in accordance with the House of Bishops' Statement, Fall 2007, we "proclaim the Gospel that in Christ all God's children, including gay and lesbian persons, are full and equal participants in the life of Christ's Church" by:
1) Urging the Archbishop of Canterbury to extend to the duly elected and consecrated Bishop of New Hampshire an invitation to full participation in the Lambeth Conference of 2008;
2) Encouraging our Deputies to the 2009 General Convention to ensure compliance with Title III. Canon I. Section 2, which supports the full and equal participation of all persons regardless of sexual orientation in all aspects of the Church's ministries, lay and ordained;
3) Encouraging the General Convention to call for the development of public liturgies for the blessing of same sex unions.
The debate on the resolution by convention, which was abbreviated because of the threat of winter weather, was civil and respectful, in the Spirit of Jesus, as Bishop Curry observed after the vote.
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Thanks for the "update from the front!" Onward and upward!
10 comments:
Thank you, North Carolina!
I'm deeply moved and very proud. I was confirmed in Charlotte, in the Diocese of North Carolina 32 years ago. More will follow.
Bob Van Keuren
Atlanta
AMEN! HALLELUJAH! Let's hope the rest of the faithful Church follows suit...I hope here in my neck of the woods that the Diocese of Missouri and the Diocese of Kansas will do the same.
Praise God!
Once again I believe that we are being reminded that inspite of all the noise and nastiness, the posturing and duplicitious mis-representations, this IS indeed the Church of Christ, and that the Holy Spirit will indeed find us in the midst of all this messiness.
And of course it doesn't end there. I never fail to be deeply moved by the unfailing graciousness, the patience the clear-thinking and faithfulness of the voices of full inclusion of the baptized.
What interesting time we live in.
David@Montreal
Blessed be God! That's awesome news. A great Sunday and I'm proud to be an Episcopalian. Jesse, diocese of Southwest Florida
Last November I wrote and the GLBT Ministries submiited a resolution asking our diocese (Western North Carolina) to call upon GC to develop of such rites. The resolution was tabled, but dialogue with movement has occurred. Please if you are a delegate to your convention submit resolutions, be visible, and pray!
pax/ Rev. Laine Calloway
This is wonderful news! What a great day for GLBT Christians in North Carolina. Can you imagine what it will be like to know that you can walk into any Episcopal Church in North Carolina and not only be safe, but welcome? It's stupifying. You can't do that in my state, NY. It's true of Buffalo and Rochester but there are dozens of seperatist churches around Albany stretching from the Adirondacks to NYC. We never try to go to church when we travel outside of Rochester. It's too risky. I wish all the gay friendly churches would fly rainbow flags so we'd know.
God moves in mysterious ways. Here we are, in the heart of Jesse Helms' country, and our diocesan delegates overwhelmingly vote to preach the Good News to *all* people!
I am proud to be part of the Diocese of North Carolina. There is a new wind blowing through the church---thanks be to God!
Thank you to the people of the Diocese of North Carolina. I sometimes get frustrated by the boisterous bellowing and bickering of my opponents in the Diocese of Central Florida. However, I am enlivened by the attitude and success of events like this. Again, to the Diocese of North Carolina: Thank You.
When we were at the EUC last year in Raleigh I was privileged to meet and photograph Bishop Curry on a number of occasions. I cannot tell you how grateful those of us who have served for years in the LGBT civil rights struggle are for North Carolina and his leadership.
Hal Weiner, EUC delegate from the Manhattan North Inter-Parish Council in Harlem, USA and Convenor of the St. Saviour Chapter, Episcopal Peace Fellowship
Founding General Counsel, Gay Activists Alliance, Inc.
Legal Advisor, STONEWALL Veterans Association
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