suzer1013
03-12-2007, 09:34 PM
A group in the Episcopal Church, as a response to the recent events of the Primates meeting and the call to "fast for a season", have responded with the initiative outlined below. I thought some here might be interested. This Rainbow Presence initiative has, predictably, ignited a firestorm of anger and hostility on the more conservative sites, and the creators have even gotten threats of violence if people wear rainbow sashes or pins to church on Easter.
Here's the blog (and there's lots more information there than what I've copied below:
http://rainbow-presence.blogspot.com/
Here's the press release:
Media Release
Contact:
Ann Fontaine
Jeffri Harre
rainbopres@yahoo.com
March 9, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LGBT Episcopalians to be Visible with Rainbow Presence at Easter
On Easter, April 8, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, and supportive allies in The Episcopal Church will wear a sign of the rainbow to Church in response to the February 19, 2007 Communiqué of the Primates Meeting in Tanzania.. This Rainbow Presence will be a visible witness to The Episcopal Church's Welcome of all the children of God and the value of their ministries in church and in the world.
The Rainbow Presence will be a visible sign to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Episcopalians that they have a community of support.. It will also give a human face to the “issue” being discussed by the Primates and the leadership of The Episcopal Church. We believe that decisions about our place in the church cannot be made without knowing who we are and talking with us rather than about us.
The Primates’ Communiqué laid out steps to be taken by the Episcopal Church, specifically by the House of Bishops, by September 30, 2007. We do not agree with the course of action recommended in this Communiqué as it calls for sacrifice of the ministries and loving relationships of gays and lesbians for an illusive false unity. We also do not believe the bishops should take these steps given the clear decisions made by General Convention in its Constitution and Canons.
We are asking lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual Episcopalians and their supporters to wear something that shows your support: a pin, a scarf, a stole, hat, button or some other piece of rainbow apparel. You can find resources by checking out our Blog at http://rainbow-presence.blogspot.com, and for more information write to Ann Fontaine and Jeffri Harre at rainbopres@yahoo.com.
Attached is the complete text of The Rainbow Presence Declaration.
Rainbow Presence Declaration
March 5, 2007
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house, I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you. Psalm 5:7
To our sisters and brothers in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion:
In their Communiqué of February 19, 2007, the Primates of the Anglican Communion laid out steps to be taken by the Episcopal Church, specifically by the House of Bishops, by September 30, 2007. As lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members of the Episcopal Church and heterosexual supporters of full and equal participation for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people in the church, we do not agree as to the course of action the Episcopal Church should take in response to the Primates’ Communiqué.
We agree that:
The Episcopal Church must understand what is being asked of it—especially in terms of its lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members.
The Episcopal Church needs to know who its lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members are in order to know who is being asked to pay the price of unity in the Anglican Communion.
Until lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members of the Episcopal Church have full and equal access to all the sacraments and rites of the church, lesbians/gays/bisexuals/transgendered people are essentially second-class members of the Episcopal Church.
We acknowledge that:
No matter what course of action the Episcopal Church decides to take, faithful Episcopalians will feel it necessary to leave the Episcopal Church.
Some of us may be among those who leave the Episcopal Church.
There are lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people who live in places where making themselves visible is unsafe and even life threatening.
We affirm the presence in the church of our lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender sisters and brothers who preceded us, giving of themselves and their gifts while remaining invisible as lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people.
Therefore, on Easter Sunday we (lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender and all allies) will be present in our churches and make ourselves visibly known to our fellow parishioners, clergy, bishops, and leadership through the wearing of rainbow sashes, stoles, hats, buttons, and other articles of clothing and accessories.
(SF Moderators -- I wasn't sure if this was the appropriate forum for this. If you feel the thread should be moved, please feel free to move it -- just let me know where it's gone to if you do. Thx! :) )
Here's the blog (and there's lots more information there than what I've copied below:
http://rainbow-presence.blogspot.com/
Here's the press release:
Media Release
Contact:
Ann Fontaine
Jeffri Harre
rainbopres@yahoo.com
March 9, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LGBT Episcopalians to be Visible with Rainbow Presence at Easter
On Easter, April 8, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, and supportive allies in The Episcopal Church will wear a sign of the rainbow to Church in response to the February 19, 2007 Communiqué of the Primates Meeting in Tanzania.. This Rainbow Presence will be a visible witness to The Episcopal Church's Welcome of all the children of God and the value of their ministries in church and in the world.
The Rainbow Presence will be a visible sign to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Episcopalians that they have a community of support.. It will also give a human face to the “issue” being discussed by the Primates and the leadership of The Episcopal Church. We believe that decisions about our place in the church cannot be made without knowing who we are and talking with us rather than about us.
The Primates’ Communiqué laid out steps to be taken by the Episcopal Church, specifically by the House of Bishops, by September 30, 2007. We do not agree with the course of action recommended in this Communiqué as it calls for sacrifice of the ministries and loving relationships of gays and lesbians for an illusive false unity. We also do not believe the bishops should take these steps given the clear decisions made by General Convention in its Constitution and Canons.
We are asking lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual Episcopalians and their supporters to wear something that shows your support: a pin, a scarf, a stole, hat, button or some other piece of rainbow apparel. You can find resources by checking out our Blog at http://rainbow-presence.blogspot.com, and for more information write to Ann Fontaine and Jeffri Harre at rainbopres@yahoo.com.
Attached is the complete text of The Rainbow Presence Declaration.
Rainbow Presence Declaration
March 5, 2007
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house, I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you. Psalm 5:7
To our sisters and brothers in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion:
In their Communiqué of February 19, 2007, the Primates of the Anglican Communion laid out steps to be taken by the Episcopal Church, specifically by the House of Bishops, by September 30, 2007. As lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members of the Episcopal Church and heterosexual supporters of full and equal participation for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people in the church, we do not agree as to the course of action the Episcopal Church should take in response to the Primates’ Communiqué.
We agree that:
The Episcopal Church must understand what is being asked of it—especially in terms of its lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members.
The Episcopal Church needs to know who its lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members are in order to know who is being asked to pay the price of unity in the Anglican Communion.
Until lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender members of the Episcopal Church have full and equal access to all the sacraments and rites of the church, lesbians/gays/bisexuals/transgendered people are essentially second-class members of the Episcopal Church.
We acknowledge that:
No matter what course of action the Episcopal Church decides to take, faithful Episcopalians will feel it necessary to leave the Episcopal Church.
Some of us may be among those who leave the Episcopal Church.
There are lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people who live in places where making themselves visible is unsafe and even life threatening.
We affirm the presence in the church of our lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender sisters and brothers who preceded us, giving of themselves and their gifts while remaining invisible as lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people.
Therefore, on Easter Sunday we (lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender and all allies) will be present in our churches and make ourselves visibly known to our fellow parishioners, clergy, bishops, and leadership through the wearing of rainbow sashes, stoles, hats, buttons, and other articles of clothing and accessories.
(SF Moderators -- I wasn't sure if this was the appropriate forum for this. If you feel the thread should be moved, please feel free to move it -- just let me know where it's gone to if you do. Thx! :) )