St. Andrew's Begins Its Conversation About the General Convention

St. Andrew's began its discussion of the events of the 74th General Convention at the coffee hour following Holy Communion on August 10, 2003. During the liturgy, a pastoral letter was read from our Bishop, The Rt. Rev'd D. Bruce MacPherson. In the conversation that followed, it is clear that we don't all see this issue the same way. Yet, while we don't all agree, we showed the love in Christ we have for each other by being able to stay in the conversation; to stay in the tension.

Speaking of tension, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold has issued a thoughtful statement. In an Episcopal News Service release, he states: "It is my own conviction that different points of view can be held in tension within the church without issues around sexuality becoming church dividing. Others may disagree but this is my firmly held opinion. This was also the view of the House of Bishops Theology Committee and of the International Anglican Conversation on Human Sexuality that I convened following the Lambeth Conference of 1998 at the request of the Archbishop of Canterbury. This international group included twelve bishops and primates who represented a broad range of views and met over a three-year period. Their conclusion was that if matters of homosexuality were to divide the Communion, it would be, to quote from the report, 'the ultimate sexualization of the Church, making sexuality more powerful, or more claiming of our attention, than God.'"

Please keep talking with each other and with me and with God about all of this. Especially with God! The evolving conversation in ourselves and in our parish will help us be articulate as we begin our discussion in the Diocese of Western Louisiana, in our province, Province VII and in the National Church.

(portions of this article are taken from The Episcopal Church of the Nativity's Weblog)