Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC

A major issue of our times, both in our society and within the Church, is the nature of same gender unions and the place of gay and lesbian people among us. I have appreciated the conversations which have arisen in our parish in response to my letter in the September Cross Roads reminding people of the actions of the 2003 General Convention, summarizing Bishop Curry's Pastoral Statement of July 2004, and articulating my own convictions on these issues. Such conversation has been encouraged by the General Convention and now by the Windsor Report. I want to enlarge that conversation and give us more opportunity to engage this issue.

In dialogue with both the Adult Education and Liturgical Advisory Committees, I have invited several fellow clergy to speak with us in April. (I had hoped for January, but schedule conflicts prevented that earlier time.) The series is entitled "A Conversation about Gay Unions," and it will include three presentations. (See page 25 for a more detailed description.) The first will be Dr. Richard Pfaff, Priest Associate of this parish since 1967 and well known to most of us for his scholarly and insightful addresses, often marked by wry humor. The second will be the Rev. Gray Temple, Rector of St. Patrick's Church in Atlanta and author of the recent book, Gay Unions in the Light of Scripture, Tradition, and Reason. Mr. Temple graduated from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1965. Some years ago he came to different conclusions about the Church's ministry with gay people than his charismatic and evangelical roots had suggested; and he will articulate those convictions for our response.Finally, I will expand upon my earlier letter, speaking not only about my own thoughts shaped over thirty years of priestly ministry, but also looking at the present situation in the Church and helping us to listen for the Holy Spirit's presence and guidance.

We will offer this series the first three Sundays in April in the chapel in both the morning and the evening to engage as many of us as possible. The morning session will be an abbreviated one, due to time constraints. Since Mr. Temple will be at his own parish in the morning on his Sunday, Barbara Day will offer instead a summation of his book at the earlier session. I encourage those who can, to come to the evening sessions when there will be ample time for questions and discussion. We will advertise the evening sessions in other Episcopal congregations in the Durham and Raleigh convocations. Anyone is welcome, but I intend this conversation primarily to be among Episcopalians.

Given strong feelings from many different perspectives, this is a challenging conversation to have - for all of us, no matter what our sexual orientation. But we are not only encouraged by our Church to do so, we are called by the Holy Spirit to listen to each other and to speak the truth in love as it is given to us. We will not find all the answers; perhaps we will only identify some of the questions to struggle with. But in so doing we will be living into who God calls us to be - the Church.

-Stephen

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