I am packed and ready to leave. There are so many new friends that I will miss! I regret that I did not have time to post more and reflect more. I will have pictures and stories to tell when I return to Rochester.
This convention was a turning point for the Episcopal Church. We have affirmed our commitment to bear witness to the Anglican Communion and the world that we believe that God's inclusive love includes all. There was wonderful spirit. There were some who would not allow that spirit in. We all pray for them that they will continue in dialogue, as those of us who are LGBT Christians have for over 33 years.
There were two last day regrets, but for me not as brutal as B033. The House of Bishops rejected a vote in the House of Deputies to support the repeal of DOMA. More disturbing we were offered a Sophie's choice by the bishops. The attempt to add sexual expression to the list of protected classes was returned to the deputies with language that would have removed all protected classes. All lay orders would be opened to "all baptized." A very clever move. But we are not in a place where we yet have seen that ALL means ALL.
So the trans people were safriced on the altar of keeping "sexual orientation" in the Canon. They graciously agreed that the loss of this language would be not worth the price of their full inclusion and spoke against accepting it on the floor. It was rejected and the current language stands.
Pary for our trans folks, many of whom must be feeling hurt.
Pray for those who now feel excluded that their hearts may be softened,
back to Rohester, by beloved and the best dogs in the world.
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