22 years.
22 years of fighting and praying and moving on into a new vision.
22 years since the church was shocked (and in some cases rocked) by the result of a vote.
22 years ago today, August 24 2010, THIS story made the news.
THe decision to state that sexual orientation was irrelevant in terms of one's fitness for ministry was not made easily. And the next several years were years of turmoil in many places.
But how far have we come? THere are still wide areas of the church where sexual orientation is seen as very relevant. It is still a reality that GLBTTQ clergy have a harder time finding calls. It isn't a reality that we like to name out loud but it is a reality.
Still. 22 years ago we took a giant step. And that was, and is, a good thing.
See more thoughts here
I found this blog while looking for worship resources. I followed a link from your other blog, and now I know why I connected instantly with some of your liturgies...
ReplyDelete22 years and it's been a trip. I've found that over the years, individuals and congregations have come a long way. 22 years ago, my congregation voted to "never have a gay minister in the pulpit." Since then, I think 80 to 90 percent of our inquirers and candidates for ministry (including myself)have been queer. In most cases, openly so.
When the Ontario government ruled that gay marriage was legal, our congregation passed a motion that anyone eligible to marry in the Province of Ontario was welcome to marry at our church.
Things HAVE improved. It's still hard some days, but there's a lot of support out there too.
People like you are in the majority, I think.
Blessings on you and your ministry.