The "Voices of Witness" video premiered last night to a full house at Trinity Church of donors, benefactors and press. It was an amazing and wonderful thing to finally "come out" with this witness to the powerful movement of the Holy Spirit in the lives, families and relationships of gay and lesbian people AND to the impact their life and witness has had on their congregations, famililes and friends.
The press of convention business is, as always, extraordinary: we start with legislative committee meetings and/or hearings at 7:30 a.m. and don't stop until after the 10:00 p.m. daily debrief. In the midst of all that busyness it was an extraordinary gift to spend that hour watching and hearing these amazing witnesses who help us remember why we do the work we do -- why the struggle is worth it -- why the full inclusion of all the baptized into the Body of Christ is not a price the church has to pay but an opportunity the church is called to embrace.
More about committees and resolutions and all the gory GC details later. The video will start playing in the CTB booth on convention floor today and we'll have DVD copies to give out (God willing and Fed Ex cooperating) on Friday. Information on ordering "Voices of Witness" will shortly be available on the CTB website ... stay tuned and pray for the church!
5 comments:
Susan, I've read for some time your comment that no one group should bear the burden of upholding the anglican communion. (I'm paraphrasing, and apologize if I've not got it quite right). My response is that Integrity and other supporters of Bishop Robinson placed that burden on the shoulders of the LBGT community; not anyone else. To suggest otherwise is simply not being honest.
Susan, what a powerful well done video! I wish it could be seen in every church, in every home, in every place where gay and lesbian people gather. The voices spoke for me and called me again to live out the radical hospitality of Jesus.
My thanks and congratulations to all involved in this effort of graace.
Anonymous of 3:58 -
That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.
I've had a long day of trying to support the convention from here at home, so forgive me if I'm grouchy.
But to suggest that the oppressed minority bears the burden of freeing itself is just ludicrous. Did the plantation slaves have the burden of freeing themselves? Did women have the burden of getting gender equality? Do non-white races have the burden of securing equality and eliminating racism?
Absolutely not. We all have equal burden to ensure that justice is served. We all have to ensure that the community is functioning properly. The problem of Windsor is that it places undue burden on TEC without taking these justice issues into account. TEC is working diligently despite that to comply.
AND Bishop Robinson didn't coerce anyone to elect him Bishop. Further, General Convention of 03 wasn't an act of Integrity USA. And even after that, to my knowledge none of the thirty-someodd bishops that participated in the consecration are members of Integrity.
This was the Episcopal Church. TEC took this on willingly. Maybe you don't like it. Maybe we did or didn't know what we were getting in to.
But to suggest that the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, or the relatively small group of folks known as Integrity somehow have ownership of this issue is completely dishonest. You are way off base.
Go, Anonymous! (#!)
And Jeff, here in the South we say, "A bit dog always hollers." Glad you were zinged.
Yes, Eve -
And the sad part is that you folks enjoy biting so much.
I'm sad you feel you need to "zing" me. What a different perspective on the Gospels we do have.
Firststater - I agree. The video is wonderful, isn't it? What a blessing to have this effort taken on behalf of justice in the church.
j
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