Judicial Council to hear Stroud case on Oct. 27
By United Methodist News Service
May 31, 2005

The Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church will hear oral
arguments in the case of Irene Elizabeth (Beth) Stroud Oct. 27 in
Houston.

In a church trial last December, Stroud was found guilty of violating
the denomination's prohibition of "self-avowed practicing homosexuals"
in the ordained ministry. Then serving as associate pastor of First
United Methodist Church of Germantown in Philadelphia, she lost her
clergy credentials but remained on staff as a layperson.

On April 29, however, the denomination's Northeastern Jurisdiction
Committee on Appeals overturned the trial court's verdict and penalty,
citing legal errors, and restored Stroud's clergy standing.

The next week, Bishop Marcus Matthews of the Eastern Pennsylvania
Annual Conference, which conducted the trial, filed an appeal of the
jurisdictional committee's decision with Judicial Council, the
denomination's top court.

The Oct. 27 hearing, open to the public, will begin at 9 a.m. at the
Stansbury Building on the Westchase Campus of First United Methodist
Church, at 10570 Westpark Dr. in Houston. Representatives of the
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and Stroud will be allowed 30 minutes
each to present their arguments.

Deliberations will follow the hearing but the Judicial Council
normally does not release information about its decisions until the
conclusion of the full meeting, which would be Oct. 29.

Keith Boyette, the Judicial Council's secretary, noted that anyone
wishing to comment on a matter coming before the council may submit a
brief but added that doing so does not make one a party to the
proceeding.

Briefs must be submitted to Boyette, secretary, Judicial Council of
the United Methodist Church, 10501 Plank Road, Spotsylvania, Va.
22553. Ten copies of each brief must be sent and signed by the person
submitting the brief.

Boyette also requests that an electronic copy of the brief in either
Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect format be filed at
judicialcouncil@... if possible.

WorldPride Rescheduled to August 2006
Statement from the Task Force National Religious Leadership Roundtable
June 2, 2005

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Religious Leadership
Roundtable supports the decision of Jerusalem Open House to postpone
WorldPride until August 6-12, 2006. As an endorsing organization of
WorldPride, we join with the 1,000 clergy and religious leaders who
have offered their support for this event. We encourage people of
faith everywhere to join delegations from around the world and come to
Jerusalem in August 2006 as a commitment to expressing our place in
religious communities and our global citizenship.

Homophobia has marginalized people throughout the world, creating
places of tyranny and violence toward people who are lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender. This event in Jerusalem will be a testament
of solidarity in the movement toward equality, justice and full
inclusion for LGBT persons across the globe. It is our hope, indeed,
our fervent prayer, that WorldPride 2006 will, as so well expressed in
its mission statement, "demonstrate to our community, to our neighbors
and peers and to the world...that our love and our pride can cross the
harshest borders that divide people."

CONTACT
Richard Lindsay
Media Liaison to National Religious Leadership Roundtable
(646)358-1474
rlindsay@...

Together in Faith
August 5-7, 2005
Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI

This national interfaith conference is expected to draw over 500
diverse scholars, activists, students, religious leaders and lay
people for a weekend of exploration, dialogue, performance, workshops,
spirituality, and celebration focused on how to create strong,
justice-loving, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender-inclusive
communities. Speakers include Many Carter, director of Southerners on
New Ground, Rabbi Michael Learner, editor of Tikkun magazine, Rev.
Barry Lynn from Americans United for the Separation of Church and
State, Pat Clark, Executive Director for the Fellowship of
Reconciliation, and many others!

Scholarships are available as well as a free conference ticket to
anyone who commits to volunteering a minimum of 8 hours during the
conference. Registration information and scholarship and volunteer
applications along with more info are available on the website,
http://www.togetherinfaith.com or by calling 734-761-8283 ext. #3.

This event is hosted by the Faith Action Network, a project of the
Michigan office of The American Friends Service Committee LGBT Issues
Program.

Amanda Sharrai
Program Associate

Interested in volunteering?  Call me! 734-761-8283 ext. #3

American Friends Service Committee
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Program
1414 Hill St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-761-8283, ext #3
734-761-6022 (fax)

http://www.afsc-fan.org
http://www.togetherinfaith.com

June 7, 2005

BW Press, the book publishing companion to Zion's Herald magazine, is
pleased to announce the publication of "Hard Ball on Holy Ground: The
Religious Right v. the Mainline for the Church's Soul," Edited by
Stephen Swecker. Foreword by John B. Cobb, Jr.

To learn more and to order, click here:
http://www.hardballonholyground.com/ .

Zion's Herald Interactive is online at:
http://www.zionsherald.org/

HEARTS ON FIRE: RIDES, ROOMATES
LABOR DAY WEEKEND (Sept. 2-5) 2005
LAKE JUNALUSKA, North Carolina

RIDES: Share a Ride to Convo!! Lake Junaluska is within a day's drive
for many people. Folks in different places are saying, "Let's road
trip"� This offer is to link people who may be looking for
connections.

We are not renting vans, but may be able to facilitate some
carpooling from different regions.

If you have room in your vehicle and can offer a ride from your area,
or if you would hope to catch a ride with someone and share expenses,
please send a note to Betty Barton antbedy@... (Betty is a
member of the RMN board.) Give the location you are from/ the route
you will travel/ approx. times when you would leave and when you
would expect to arrive at Lake Junaluska.

This could enable more folks to come, so let Betty hear from you.

ROOMMATES: Roommate needed to share expenses? Betty will also receive
requests for roommate search. Please include any guidelines that are
important to you. (Age range, gender, early riser, taste in
movies�) Again email Betty Barton antbedy@... Include the
nights you will be staying at Lake Junaluska.

For more information on Hearts on Fire:
http://www.rmnetwork.org/convo/

Excerpted from The Reconciling Ministries Network Digest
Wednesday, June 8, 2005

ANNUAL CONFERENCE REPORTS, CELEBRATIONS, AND VIGIL

NEW YORK: Delegates in Legislative Section three, Ministries of
Advocacy, passed a Petition 305 titled "The Church's call to Unified
Action Affirming Full Inclusivity," a call for all of NYAC to affirm
justice and equality by refusing to comply with those rules in the UMC
Book of Discipline that discriminate against gay and lesbian members.
The petition passed with a 71% majority, with 96 voting in favor, 38
opposed and 15 abstentions. Petition 305 came out of months of
prayerful deliberation, bible study, and the Martin Luther King Jr.
quote "One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws." (Letter
From Birmingham Jail)

The bishop ruled the petition out of order (because it calls on the
conference to defy church law) but indicated he would entertain an
amendment that could keep it alive. The amendment offer replaced the
call for civil disobedience with language that said the conference
"recognizes that some individuals may be called to acts of conscience"
in their following of Jesus. We did not get the petition we set out to
pass, but we once again made the issue unavoidable. And unchanged from
"whereas section" of the petition:

"The Book of Discipline's assertion that the practice of homosexuality
is incompatible with Christian teaching is unfounded in Scripture,
unsupported by the lessons of the Gospel and indeed, itself
incompatible with Christian teaching."

The "Noncompliance petition" was just one part of an overwhelming
display of support for Reconciling Ministries Network at the
conference. Activists used floating banners, helium balloons, and a
barrage of multi-colored Post-It notes bearing messages of inclusion
and God's love in a wealth of creative attempts to bring energy and
unavoidable attention to the issues.

At the ordination ceremony we handed out hundreds of Missing in
Ministry flyers with blue armbands. When the several hundred clergy
processed into the auditorium, all in white robes, about HALF of them
were wearing armbands! It was very moving. When they did the laying on
of hands during the actual ordination, there was a row of blue
armbands every single time, broadcast on the huge video screens.

We met tons of people who came up to us and said "we're so glad
you're doing this."

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA: To avoid a Shower of Stoles display, the
ordination service scheduled for June 17 has been moved from Arch
Street UMC, Philadelphia to Tindley Temple UMC, Philadelphia. In
response to the trial of Beth Stroud, Arch Street arranged for the
sanctuary display of the Shower of Stoles and scheduled a vigil prior
to the ordination service.

Since the decision to relocate the service, the EPA Chapter of MFSA
and leaders of the Arch Street will now co-sponsor a vigil at Tindley
Temple one hour prior (6:30 PM) to the ordination service. The vigil
will include persons praying, singing, and holding signs. If the
weather permits, the processional will move through the vigil to enter
the sanctuary.

Arch St. has also decided to move ahead with the Shower of Stoles. One
other "official" AC event scheduled at Arch Street will give
conference attendees the opportunity to view the stoles. Arch Street
and MFSA are also co-sponsoring a service of worship at Arch Street on
Thursday evening (6/16 at 5:45 PM).

SOUTHWEST TEXAS: Over 200 delegates and friends of the SW Texas
Conference. attended the Dr. L. Michael White Seminar/Dinner "What the
Bible Says About the H Word" at the Omni Hotel in Corpus Christi. Dr.
White is a professor at the University of Texas and author of the
Harper best seller "From Jesus to Christianity." The seminar was
sponsored by a new grassroots organization called "Expand the Circle,"
which is the SW Texas expression of RMN/PRN. A display booth was also
set up with materials for hand-outs and for one-on-one conversations.
About 200 "ETC.- Expand the Circle" buttons were worn by delegates in
support of full inclusion of all persons in policy and practice
regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Final numbers of
new membership signing have not come in, but we are assured that our
current membership of nearly 150 lay and clergy members will
grow. There is a much stronger base from which we can do greater
things next year.

TEXAS: Parent's Reconciling Network with Bering Memorial UMC displayed
25 stoles from the Shower of Stoles Project and seven silhouette
cutouts along with a TV showing the Shower of Stoles video and the
2004 Breaking the Silence panel video. Rainbow crosses, Walter Wink's
"Homosexuality and the Bible" and "Finishing the Journey" from
Northaven UMC, Dallas were given away. Also bright rainbow colored RMN
brochures, PRN brochures, Reconciling United Methodist enrollment
cards, Hearts On Fire! flyers, three stories from the heart by PRN
parents, two papers on the biological basis for sexual orientation and
the American Psychological Association's brochure were available.

Stoles were available on request for the suggested contribution of
$5.00. And last but not least, our new speakers' brochure was on
display with a sign up card. It was a colorful presence and a source
of help for the many people who stopped by. The opportunities for
discussion by those who staffed the table are invaluable--for
networking for us, but more importantly, for helping those in
pain. Oh yes, we were invited to have a booth at two more events!

----
For additional information you may contact the Reconciling Ministries
Network office at:

Reconciling Ministries Network
3801 N. Keeler Avenue
Chicago, IL 60641

773.736.5526 Phone
773.736.5475 Fax

Email: rmn@...
Or visit us on the web at www.RMNetwork.org.

Anglican Journal News: Arctic Diocese Denounces Gay Relationships
MARITES N. SISON, STAFF WRITER

June 10, 2005 - The Anglican diocese of the Arctic has given notice
that it will not employ the following: anyone having pre-marital sex,
homosexuals, lesbians and bisexuals, those who willingly engage in
sexual activities with a minor and with those whom they are
counseling or supervising (excluding spouse), and those who fail to
disclose a prior conviction on child sexual abuse.

Anyone who "supports and promotes such behavior, lifestyle or
teaching" is likewise not eligible for employment, according to the
diocesan synod, which voted on the issue during a meeting in Iqaluit
May 25 to June 2.

The conditions apply not just to clergy who are licensed or seeking a
  license to minister in the diocese but also to current as well as
prospective lay workers.

"We are a religious organization that has a moral code that we abide
by," said Larry Robertson, suffragan bishop of Mackenzie and
Kitikmeot, explaining the synod's decision to amend its canon on the
order and eligibility for licensing (Canon 18) by setting the same
conditions for clergy and lay employees. "We don't condemn others but
  this is what we believe and how we behave according to God's word.
There was concern that people who represent the church abide by the
lifestyle expected of them."

In separate interviews with Anglican Journal, Arctic diocesan bishop
Andrew Atagotaaluk and Bishop Robertson said they did not think the
diocese was being discriminatory or that it violated the Canadian
Human Rights Act by banning gays from employment and lumping them in
the same category as pedophiles, who are considered criminal
offenders.

"We are being honest and upfront. If we're honest how can we be
discriminatory? This is what we believe in," said Bishop Robertson.

"We recognize the Human Rights Act and we respect it," said Bishop
Atagotaaluk. "But those we hire have to also comply with and abide by
  our constitution."

(The Canadian Human Rights Act provides that "all individuals should
have an equal opportunity with other individuals to make for
themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have and to have
their needs accommodated, consistent with their duties and
obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or
prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race,
national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual
orientation, marital status, family status, disability or conviction
for an offence for which a pardon has been granted.")

Questions were raised on the floor of synod, however, on how the
employment conditions would be enforced. Bishop Atagotaaluk said that
  prospective employees would not be directly asked about their sexual
orientation but whether they could comply with the conditions set
forth in Canon 18.

Canon Linda Nicholls, co-ordinator for dialogue at the national
church's faith, worship and ministry department, who attended part of

the synod as an observer, said it was unclear what the clause,
"supports and promotes such behavior, lifestyle or teaching," meant.
"What if you have gay friends or relatives?" she asked.

Bishop Atagotaaluk acknowledged that this clause gives way to a
number of interpretations but said that offhand, it meant those who
support and promote the blessing of same-sex unions.

Bishop Robertson said that the ban extends only to the matter of
employment and not to church attendance. "We are not going to refuse
people communion. There will be none of that," he said.
Steve Schuh, president of the Vancouver chapter of Integrity, a
support group for gay and lesbian Canadian Anglicans, said the
synod's move to ban gays, lesbians and bisexuals as well as those who
  support them was discriminatory.

"I'm curious to know what kind of dialogue and study process the
synod employed in coming to this decision. Did they intentionally
involve gay and lesbian people as encouraged by General Synod (2004)
or listen to the experience of homosexual Christians as directed by
the bishops of the worldwide Anglican Communion (Lambeth Resolution
1998)?" he asked.

In an e-mail response to a request for comment from the Journal, Mr.
Schuh said "it appears that the synod is trying to silence all
dissent on this issue." He added: "There seems to be no respect for
personal conscience, no appreciation for other points of view. Pretty
  soon they won't even need a 'talking circle' - no one with a
differing opinion will dare speak up. It won't be safe."

Mr. Schuh said the synod's decision banning the employment of
homosexuals would cause "irreparable harm" to young people struggling
  with their sexuality. "The Canadian Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health reports gay kids are about five times more likely to
contemplate or attempt suicide," he said. "Stories about gay suicides
  are familiar - even in First Nations communities - so it's surprising
  that the synod can't hear the message they're sending to young people
  when they brazenly encourage discrimination and disallow dissent."

Synod delegates also voted unanimously to adopt the Montreal
Declaration, a statement of belief issued by three conservative
Anglican groups during a meeting in 1994, as "reflective of the true
values and foundation of our Anglican faith." The declaration, which
led to the formation of Essentials (a group of Anglicans devoted to
traditional biblical teachings), states, in part, that "the only
sexual relations that biblical theology deems good and holy" are
between husband and wife and that "adultery, fornication and
homosexual unions are intimacies contrary to God's design."

The Nunatsiaq News quoted Haydn Schofield, archdeacon of the western
Arctic, as having said that he initiated the motion to affirm the
principles of the Montreal Declaration to make the northern churches'

stance consonant with "a worldwide call to orthodoxy." In his motion,

Mr. Schofield stated that there was a need "for a clear statement of
faith in confusing times," particularly as the Anglican Church of
Canada debates on issues "including the blessing of same-sex
marriages and/or same-sex unions."

Archbishop John Clarke, bishop of Athabasca and metropolitan of
Rupert's Land, also told the newspaper that the adoption of the
declaration was necessary to protect the churches' right to refuse
same-sex marriages, which the federal government wants to legalize.
"What better way to protect yourself from future litigation than to
have a clear statement of principles?" he said.

Meanwhile, the synod also:

* Expressed great concern over the high rate of suicides among youth
as well as teenage pregnancies in the North and affirmed the church's

role in reaching out and setting up programs for them. Rev. Sue
Oliver has been appointed diocesan youth co-ordinator and chaplain of

the youth caucus. "We are concerned about our children and the hurt
and pain in our communities," said Bishop Robertson.

* Passed a motion asking parishes in the diocese to set aside a
special offering one Sunday each month for the renovation of St.
Jude's Cathedral in Iqaluit. There is a campaign to raise $7 million
for a major renovation of the igloo-shaped cathedral, which is not
only aging but bursting to capacity because of increased membership.
The cathedral is "a historical symbol of how Christianity has moved
and established itself; we have come to own it as aboriginal and
Inuit people and we're moving on our journey in a new way," said
Bishop Atagotaaluk.

From Integrity USA

INTEGRITY PRESIDENT TO DEFEND CONTROVERSIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH ACTIONS
TO SKEPTICAL ANGLICAN COMMUNION
17 June 2005

The Reverend Susan Russell has been named as the only gay member of
the Episcopal Church delegation charged with defending recent church
actions (the election of an openly gay bishop and the recognition of
same-sex unions by the Episcopal Church) to the larger Anglican
Communion.

Russell, an Episcopal priest serving at All Saints Church, Pasadena,
CA, is also President of Integrity, USA: a national Episcopal advocacy
group for gays and lesbians.  Integrity was instrumental in winning
two controversial votes at the church?s 2003 General Convention:
consenting to the election of Gene Robinson as the first openly gay
partnered bishop in the Anglican Communion and formalizing the
acceptance of liturgies blessing same-sex unions in the Episcopal
Church.

In October 2004, the Primates of the Anglican Communion, of which the
Episcopal Church is a member, demanded an explanation to be presented
to the Anglican Consultative Council at their meeting in Nottingham,
England on June 21.

"Listening to the voices of gay and lesbian Christians has been on the
'to do' list for the Anglican Communion for nearly thirty years now,"
said Russell.  "It is a tremendous privilege to be one of the voices
charged with finally beginning that process by taking our stories and
witness to the larger church.  I expect that the Nottingham meeting
will be just the beginning of an ongoing and transformative
communion-wide conversation and I look forward to that work ahead."

Russell will accompany U.S. Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold and his
hand picked team of presenters: Bishop Neil Alexander of Atlanta;
Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana (bishops on opposite sides of the
issue but committed to the unity of the church; Bishop Suffragan
Catherine Roskam of New York; the Rev. Michael Battle, academic vice
president of Virginia Theological Seminary (two of the authors of the
theological response paper to be presented to the Consultation) and
Ms. Jane Tully, founder of CFLAG-Clergy Families of Lesbians and Gays
(and a parishioner of St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City.)

The team will have a 90-minute opportunity to present the theological
foundation for their actions and to make that case the case that
differences on human sexuality should not divide the Anglican
Communion.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For interviews or information contact:  Doug Ball, Executive
Secretary, and IntegrityUSA at-1-800-462-9498.

(The Reverend) Susan Russell, President
president@...
714-356-5718 (mobile)
626-583-2740 (office)
  Doug Ball, Executive Secretary
info@...
800-462-9498

From the Episcopal News Service

Sunday, June 19, 2005
Anglican Consultative Council opens Nottingham meeting under theme
'Living Communion'
By Bob Williams

[ENS, Nottingham] Under the theme "Living Communion," the 13th meeting
of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) opened in Nottingham at 10
a.m. today with a service of worship and a business session for roll
call and introductory proceedings.

This morning's gathering included more than 70 elected members and
more than 50 visitors. The session opened the 10-day meeting of the
ACC, which meets every three years as the principal consultative body,
one of four "instruments of unity" within the Anglican Communion and
its 77 million members in 164 countries.

Led by the Rev. Ian Tarrent, Anglican priest and senior chaplain to
the University of Nottingham, the worship service was conducted with
liturgy projected on a large screen. Texts included Acts 1:1-11, and a
reading with the response, "waiting, waiting, waiting for the Spirit
to come."  The opening hymn was "Holy, Holy, Holy," and the prayers
included a confession and absolution.

In the prayers, Tarrent gave thanks for the faith traditions held in
common among the Anglican Communion, adding: "We are sorry for the
divisions among us, and we pray, Lord, [in] this meeting, that you'll
help us find unity."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, was present for the
worship service and business session, led by the ACC's chairman, the
Rt. Rev. John Paterson, retired Archbishop of the Church of Aotearoa
and New Zealand.. The Anglican Communion's Secretary General, the Rev.
Canon Kenneth Kearon, called the roll, and recognized ecumenical
guests, including representatives of the Mar Thoma Church, the Roman
Catholic Church, and the World Council of Churches.

Reading the roll in non-alphabetical order, Kearon introduced
representatives of the churches of Bangladesh, Brazil, Burundi,
Central America Region, Ceylon, Hong Kong, Indian Ocean, Japan,
Jerusalem and the Middle East, Korea, Melanesia, Myanmar, New Guinea,
Philippines (delegates en route), Southern Cone of America, Scotland,
Southeast Asia, West Africa, Aotearoa/New Zealand/Polynesia, Central
Africa, Congo, Ireland, Kenya, North India, Pakistan, Sudan, youth
delegates including a representative of the international Anglican
Youth Network, Australia, Canada, England, Nigeria, Rwanda, Southern
Africa, South India, Tanzania, Uganda, United States, Mexico, West
Indies, Wales.

Kearon included both the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal
Church in the roll, identifying the delegates as "elected members"
while also acknowledging their role as observers, whose churches had
voluntarily withdrawn their participation from the proceedings. "We
recognize the awkwardness of their presence here," Kearon said.

The Episcopal Church's elected members, all of whom were present and
introduced themselves this morning, are Bishop Suffragan Catharine
Roskam of the Diocese of New York, Josephine Hicks of the Diocese of
North Carolina, and the Rev. Robert Sessum of the Diocese of
Lexington.

When called upon, Roskam extended greetings from the Episcopal
Church's 101 domestic dioceses, and the overseas Province 9 dioceses,
listing them by name, and the Convocation of American Churches in
Europe.

Other U.S. Episcopalians present as visitors include members of the
American Anglican Council, an organization which is offering a display
among exhibits in the lobby area of the conference center on the
campus of the University of Nottingham.

Proceedings continue this afternoon with Eucharist at St. Peter's City
Center Church, Nottingham, where the Rev. Andrew Deuchar is vicar.
Deuchar formerly served as secretary for Anglican Communion relations
during Dr. George Carey's tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury. Preacher
this afternoon will be Canon Joel Edwards, president of England's
Evangelical Alliance.

During this morning's worship time, participants were lead in learning
and singing a song new to many: "I will offer up my life in spirit and
truth, pouring out the oil of love as my worship to you. In surrender
I must give my every part; Lord receive the sacrifice of a broken
heart.

"Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring, to so faithful a friend, to
so loving a King? Saviour, what can be said, what can be sung as a
praise of your name for the things you have done? Oh, my words could
not tell, not even in part, of the debt of love that is owed by this
thankful heart.

"You deserve my ev'ry breath, for you've paid the great cost; living
up your life to death, even death on a cross. You took all my shame
away, there defeating my sin, opened up the gates of heav'n and have
beckoned me in."

-- Canon Robert Williams is director of communication for the
Episcopal Church.

From the Episcopalian News Service...

Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Theologians Offer Response to Windsor Report Request
Paper cites 40-year consideration of same-gender relationships

[ENS, Nottingham] -- Answering a request of the Anglican Communion's
international Lambeth Commission, the Episcopal Church has today
released a paper titled "To Set Our Hope on Christ: A Response to the
Invitation of Windsor Report  Paragraph 135." Published in booklet
form and online [ http://www.anglicanlistening.org ], the paper has
been prepared by a group of seven theologians and one historian at the
request of Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold. Booklets may be ordered
through Episcopal Books & Resources
[ http://www.episcopalbookstore.org ].

In his foreword to the 130-page text, Griswold writes: "The Episcopal
Church in the United States welcomes the request made in paragraph 135
of the Windsor Report: 'We particularly request a contribution from
the Episcopal Church (USA) which explains, from within the sources of
authority that we as Anglicans have received in scripture, the
apostolic tradition and reasoned reflection, how a person living in a
same gender union may be considered eligible to lead the flock of
Christ.'

"The Episcopal Church has been seeking to answer this question for
nearly 40 years, and at the same time has been addressing a more
fundamental question, namely: how can the holiness and faithfulness to
which God calls us all be made manifest in human intimacy?"

The foreword continues: "Though we have not reached a common mind we
have come to a place in our discussion such that the clergy and people
of a diocese have been able, after prayer and much discernment, to
call a man living in a same sex relationship to be their bishop. As
well, a majority of the representatives of the wider church --
bishops, clergy and lay persons -- have felt guided by the Holy
Spirit, a gain in light of prayer and discernment to consent to the
election and consecration."

The paper was offered earlier today in Nottingham, England, to the
international Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) as part of a
presentation made by the Episcopal Church as invited by the ACC.

"As this paper is an explanation of how this action could have been
taken by faithful people it makes the positive case," the Presiding
Bishop states in the foreword. "It does not attempt to give all sides
of an argument or to model a debate" or "to replicate or summarize the
conversations that have taken place in the church over nearly 40
years. The Appendix does that."

The theologians who prepared the paper are:

The Rev. Dr. Michael Battle of the Virginia Theological Seminary;
The Rev. Dr. Katherine Grieb of the Virginia Theological Seminary;
The Rev. Dr. Jay Johnson of the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley;
The Rev. Dr. Mark McIntosh of Loyola University Chicago;
The Rt. Rev. Catherine Roskam, Bishop Suffragan of New York;
Dr. Timothy Sedgewick of the Virginia Theological Seminary; and
Dr. Kathryn Tanner of the University of Chicago Divinity School.
Dr. Pamela W. Darling, a historian of General Convention legislation
and Episcopal Church ministry, prepared the Appendix "which delineates
the formal contents of the debate over these last four decades," the
Presiding Bishop said.

The paper is divided into five parts:

Introduction;
Holiness, God's Blessing and Same-Sex Affection;
Contested Traditions, Common Life: The Episcopal Church's Historical
Witness to Unity-in-Difference;
Eligibility for Ordination; and
Walking Together by Grace.

Part II cites a "growing awareness of holiness in same-sex
relationships" which "has caused the Episcopal Church to face some
difficult questions we did not always want to face. Might Christ the
Lord, unfolding the mystery of his redeeming work, be opening our eyes
to behold a dimension of his work that we had not understood? In other
words, might what we had thought to be a crucial and defining division
within the human family -- between those of same-sex desire and those
of heterosexual desire -- be in fact a biological or cultural
difference or cultural difference (as between male and female, slave
or free) that has been overtaken by our common Baptism into his
crucified and risen Body? Many have begun to answer 'yes' to those
questions (page. 25)."

The paper makes a case for "the universal call to holiness of life in
human relationships," stating: "The Episcopal Church has called all in
relationships of sexual intimacy to the standard of life-long
commitment 'characterized by fidelity, monogamy, mutual affection and
respect, careful, honest communication' and the 'holy love which
enables those in such relationships to see in each other the image of
God' (Resolution D039, 73rd General Convention of the Episcopal
Church). The experience of holiness in some same-sex unions has called
for and deepened our sense of how these life-long unions of fidelity
can be seen to manifest God's love" (page 26).

Two theologians, Margaret R. Miles and Bishop Frederick H. Borsch,
have offered early comment on the paper.

Miles -- who is Emerita Professor of Historical Theology from the
Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley ­ is former Bussey Professor
of Theology, Harvard Divinity School; former dean of the Graduate
Theological Union, and 1999 president of the American Academy of
Religion. Borsch ­ who is Professor of New Testament and Anglican
Studies at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia ­ is
retired Bishop of Los Angeles, former Professor of New Testament and
Dean of the Chapel at Princeton University, former dean of the Church
Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, and a past elected member of
the Anglican Consultative Council.

Writes Miles: "In the context of 16th century religious conflict and
violence, Anglican theologian Richard Hooker described the genius of
Anglicanism as its willingness to ask its members only that they
participate faithfully in the sacramental life of the community. In
our own time, differences of conviction regarding homosexuality and
the ordination of lesbian and gay Christians are again pressing
Anglicans to reexamine the basis of communion and community.

"'To Set Our Hope on Christ' provides a rich and concrete account of
what it means to live by faith. It describes the process by which the
Episcopal Church has moved, in prayerful and thoughtful commitment to
following Christ, from thinking of the Body of Christ as a community
of 'mere like-mindedness' to envisioning a 'diverse and complex
catholicity.' Urging that decision relating to sexual matters occur in
the context of pastoral rather than ideological concerns, the document
proposes that unity of participation and mission 'need not require
uniformity of belief in all matters.'

"'To Set Our Hope on Christ' is a record of the thoughtful and
prayerful deliberations -- theological, scriptural and experiential --
of Christians committed to seeking the mind of Christ. It is a
powerful and moving statement."

Writes Borsch: "Not everyone, of course, will agree, just as
Christians in the past have disagreed on certain matters involving
both theology and faithful Christian living, as, for example,
remarriage after divorce. But the Episcopal Church's response to the
Anglican Consultative Council offers a gracious and well-reasoned
biblical, theological and ethical case for the full discipleship and
place in the Church of celibate Christians of same-sex orientation and
those who are committed, alongside heterosexual disciples, to leading
life in faithful relationships while seeking to follow the Lord
Jesus.

"The report also sets the matter in the context of the lengthy
discussions in the councils of the Episcopal Church."

'Key messages' for the Anglican Consultative Council
By Vianney Carriere
Director of Communications, The Anglican Church of Canada
June 21, 2005

A presentation by the Anglican Church of Canada to the Anglican
Consultative Council today, stresses that the church is still "in the
midst of a conversation" on the issue of blessing same-sex unions and
affirms that the church is committed to maintaining its membership in
the Anglican Communion.

"We experience in our province many of the deep divisions that the
Communion experiences, and believe that it is only possible to grow in
our mutual understanding where our disagreement has not broken our
communion with one another," says a document that will be distributed
to ACC members at the meeting in Nottingham, Eng.

The "key messages" that a group of four Canadian presenters are giving
the ACC are part of an extensive kit of information which provides
background documents to the Canadian church's evolving position around
the controversial issue of same-sex blessings. They are contained in a
document entitled The Conversation in the Canadian Church.

The contents of the kit can be found at:
http://www.anglican.ca/about/accp/index.htm

Canadian members of the ACC are attending the meeting, which began
Sunday, as observers only, in response to a request by the Primates of
the Anglican Communion that the Canadian and U.S. churches
"voluntarily withdraw" their members from this meeting. However, the
Primates also invited the two North American churches to make
presentations to the council describing where the churches are in
relations to same-sex blessings and the ordination of an openly gay
bishop and the thinking and processes that have brought them here.

Other key messages which the Canadian presenters will share include a
segment on how the Canadian church is led and governed, a description
of diversity in the Canadian church and in society, the importance and
influence of the Baptismal Covenant, and a segment on the importance
of biblical authority and interpretation in the debate.

The kit also includes a letter from Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, the
Canadian Primate, in which he expresses regret that Canadian actions
have led to problems in the Communion.

"We have not always consulted with our brothers and sisters around the
Anglican Communion and we deeply regret that the bonds of our mutual
affection have been strained," the Canadian Primate writes.

The Canadian presenters to the ACC, selected by Archbishop Hutchison
in consultation with the officers of General Synod, are Dean Peter
Elliott, Prolocutor of General Synod and Dean of Christ Church
Cathedral in the Diocese of New Westminster, Maria Jane Highway, an
aboriginal member of the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee, Robert
Falby, Chancellor of the Diocese of Toronto, and Rev. Dr. Stephen
Andrews, President of Thorneloe University and a member of the
Primate's Theological Commission.

The Canadian presentation is scheduled to follow a similar
presentation by representatives of the Episcopal Church in the United
States.

From the Anglican Church of Canada

Canada, U.S. Tell Council about Debates on Gay Issues
Solange De Santis
Staff writer
June 21, 2005

Nottingham, England: Representatives from the Canadian and American
Anglican churches told the Anglican Consultative Council on June 21
that debate continues in their countries about the inclusion of
homosexual people in the church, but that moves toward fuller
inclusion make sense in their societies.

"I am a gay man. I am in a committed partnership myself," said Dean
Peter Elliott, dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver and
prolocutor (deputy chair) of the Canadian church's governing body,
General Synod. He noted that he was able to hold a position of such
prominence within the Canadian church - and appear before the council
- because he had the support of his partner, family, bishop and
diocese.

Since his diocese, New Westminster, allowed parishes to offer a
blessing rite to gay couples, he has presided at six such ceremonies,
he said. "All six couples had been legally married before coming to
the church. Our civil law allows for this," he added.

Dean Elliott's words came at the end of an afternoon of presentations.
Six American representatives and Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold gave
varying perspectives on the ordination of Bishop Gene Robinson of New
Hampshire, a gay man in a long-term relationship. Five Canadians and
Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, the primate, addressed the issue of
offering blessing rites to same-sex couples. Both delegations also
voiced strong support for continuing to be part of the Anglican
Communion, obliquely referring to right-wing opinion that the churches
be expelled and left-wing opinion that they leave.

The speeches came in response to a request from a February meeting in
Ireland of the primates, or national bishops, of the worldwide
Anglican Communion, that the North American churches set out the
thinking and theology behind their actions. The council, an
internationally representative group that meets once every three
years, is gathered at the University of Nottingham from June 18 to 29.

Dean Elliott noted that as a child, at a service of evangelism, he
wrote in his Bible - which he held up - "Today I gave Jesus my life."
That action "defined my life's purpose and direction," he added.
However, he said, he also values the "mutual responsibility and
interdependence on the body of Christ" that marks the Anglican
Communion.

He addressed the question of Biblical passages that appear to condemn
homosexuality and said they have been used to justify violence and
discrimination against gay people.

Rev. Stephen Andrews, president of Thorneloe University and a member
of the Primate's Theological Commission, who described himself as
"inclined to conservative," said the Biblical texts don't contemplate
committed gay relationships. He also called for ongoing dialogue and
warned that overturning the church's traditional thinking - that
sexual relationships are godly only in the context of marriage between
a man and woman - is "hard to accept or defend." He also said the
commission had ruled that blessing same-sex relationships is a matter
of doctrine for the Canadian church, but should not be
church-dividing.

Maria Jane Highway, who is Cree and a member of the Faith, Worship and
Ministry national committee, talked about the issues in the context of
native communities. "I was one-track-minded about this issue. (I
thought) this is not right and our people will not stand for it. But I
started thinking about people back home who are living in these
relationships. How can I speak against this?" She said that some
native elders believe there are more important issues for Canadian
natives, such as housing, health and the wellbeing of youth. However,
at a broadly based meeting on her reserve, some people said, "How can
we judge the people who live in these relationships? We'd better take
some time to think about this." She urged all Anglicans "to walk
together through the fellowship of God."

Robert Falby, chancellor of the diocese of Toronto, covered Canadian
legal decisions concerning gay people, such as the legalization of gay
marriage in some provinces. He also provided background on the
jurisdictions of the Canadian church and pointed out that the Canadian
church has acceded to various resolutions passed by Lambeth
conferences. He noted that the General Synod of 2004 deferred the
question of same-sex blessings to General Synod 2007, pending a ruling
on doctrine from the theological panel, adding that "I would not be
surprised to see an amendment to the marriage canon (church law)"
proposed in 2007.

Bishop Susan Moxley of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, an
official delegate to the council, opened the Canadian presentation,
referring to the fact that the elected North American delegates aren't
participating in the proceedings. "We wanted to be here to listen and
hear what you had to say, to hear and not ask questions," she said,
her voice breaking a little. "That is still difficult for me to say,"
she acknowledged.

The delegates - three from Canada and three from the U.S. - are
sitting at the back of the 500-seat lecture hall in an area reserved
for visitors. This arrangement came in response to another request
from the primates that the U.S. and Canada not attend the meeting. The
North American churches instructed their members to attend as
observers and be available for consultations. Another Canadian member,
Suzanne Lawson of Toronto, said yesterday in an interview that the
arrangement is a "challenge," but declined further comment.

Archbishop Hutchison closed noting that some presenters had "put their
lives on the line" and that he hoped "what came shining through is a
profound Canadian commitment to the Anglican Communion."

Bishop Griswold, opening the American presentation, said the Episcopal
Church of the USA is "committed to the life and witness of the
Anglican Communion" and that the church hasn't "reached a common mind
on the question of homosexuality." But he added that "beyond our
differences ... we are called on Christ to love."
Bishop Catherine Roskam, suffragan of New York, said that "humility is
required from those who speak from Western contexts." She referred to
St. Paul, who "worked for church unity across the lines of division."
Bishop Roskam is one of the Episcopal Church's elected delegates.

Rev. Susan Russell, president of Integrity USA, a gay and lesbian
support group, said she was the only gay member of the team. "I
recognize that the idea of the gay and lesbian faithful is alien to
many," she said. She noted that the council would hear stories of
people who say they have been healed of their homosexuality by
commitment to Jesus. "I do not doubt the sincerity of their witness. I
do not question their healing but I wonder what can be healed if it
not an illness," she said.

Jane Tully, who is married to the rector of St. Bartholomew's church,
New York City, is a founder of a support group for clergy families
with gay members. She said one of her sons is gay but that "God made
him" and apparently "God likes diversity." She said that "Christian
scapegoating of people like my son has been going on for centuries"
but that she can "see God's love in the people he gave us who are
different from (ourselves)." In that context, "loving families don't
abandon each other when they differ."

Rev. Michael Battle, vice president of Virginia Theological Seminary,
talked about the ordination of Bishop Robinson, saying that the church
has been "surprised" by holiness, by the Bible, by hope and by
realizing whom God "can make eligible" to lead the faithful. A person
is eligible if he or she has the capacity to bear witness to Christ,
he said.

Two bishops also spoke. Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana voted
against Bishop Robinson's confirmation, but said he trusts and
respects Bishop Griswold (who voted yes), although they disagree. "I
highly value my place in the Anglican family," he said. Bishop Neil
Alexander of Atlanta, who voted yes, said, "I knew the people of
Atlanta would either support my decision or be willing to walk with
me." Conversations have been difficult but "I believe a consensus will
emerge in time," he said, adding, "the key to our life is commitment."

Organizers of the council meeting had left room after the North
American presentation for an evening session to hear from delegates
around the world where the question of sexuality stands in their
churches. However, delegates voted to postpone the evening session
since the day had been long and hot, as the air-conditioning in the
hall was not working well and Britain was currently experiencing a
heat wave.

In the two full days of meetings leading up to the June 21 sessions,
council members debated changes to the group's constitution, including
the question of whether the annual primates' meeting should join the
council.

In a closed session on June 20, members also debated whether the
elected North American delegates should be invited to participate
fully or be asked to leave. No decision has been reached yet on either
matter.

From the Episcopalian News Service...

More that Unites than Divides, Episcopalians Tell ACC

Presentation addresses sexuality, responds to Windsor Report request
By Matthew Davies
Wednesday, June 22, 2005

[ENS, Nottingham, June 21, 2005] Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold
joined six presenters at the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC)
meeting in Nottingham June 21, explaining that while the Episcopal
Church includes diverse views on sexuality, common mission continues.

"Although certain actions by the Episcopal Church have deeply
distressed a number of you, we have not come to argue," Griswold said.
"I want to be clear that the Episcopal Church has not reached a common
mind. However, it is our desire to be faithful to scripture. It is my
hope that in the tradition of classical Anglicanism we will be united
in Christ's love and called to serve the world in Christ's name."

The presentation came at the invitation of the ACC and in response
specifically to the Windsor Report's request (paragraph 135) to
outline "how a person living in a same gender union may be considered
eligible to lead the flock of Christ."

Joining Griswold in addressing the ACC were Bishop Neil Alexander of
Atlanta; Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana; Bishop Suffragan
Catherine Roskam of New York; the Rev. Michael Battle, academic vice
president of Virginia Theological Seminary; the Rev. Susan Russell,
president of Integrity and an assisting priest at All Saints' Church
in Pasadena, California; and Jane Tully, founder of CFLAG (Clergy
Families of Lesbians and Gays) and a parishioner of St. Bartholomew's
Church in New York City.

Welcoming the listening process as recommended by the 1998 Lambeth
Commission resolution 1.10, Roskam recognized that humility is
required from those who speak in Western contexts. "Through history we
have been more ready to speak than hear," she said. "It is our desire
to hear and learn the theological differences of Anglicans around the
world. Perhaps mutual humility is an essential virtue throughout the
Anglican Communion."

Roskam acknowledged that the presenters comments may seem surprising
or unsettling to some people, but "there is no intention to grieve or
hurt you in any way," she said. "We want to serve our God [and] we
pray that whatever differences there are that they may not be
overtaken [by] the divisiveness from this world."

The Rev. Michael Battle described how the Episcopal Church has
struggled with the issue of sexuality just as the early church
struggled with gentiles in its midst. "The inclusion of the gentiles
in the early church was of great controversy," he said. "We have
learned to appropriate scripture differently from many other
Christians. We are still learning that this remains a complex matter
as it did in the early church."

The Bible is interpreted in different ways throughout the Anglican
Communion," Battle said. "We need to trust the Holy Spirit in our
midst. We have learned that scripture is not a threat and it should
not be used to destroy others or categorize others ... We've learned
to read scripture in a way to make sense of its whole."

He added: "We invite you to continue to listen and we invite you to
hear us as we are hearing you."

The Rev. Susan Russell, an assisting priest at All Saints' Church in
Pasadena, California, and president of Integrity, a national
organization for gays and lesbians in the Episcopal Church, addressed
the ACC as the only gay member on the delegation.

"In some degree I am charged for speaking for countless [gay and
lesbian] people," Russell said. "I carry many of their stories with me
and it is my deepest hope that this meeting will be about the
beginning of a genuine listening process ... and making the
experiences of the gay and lesbian faithful more readily available to
the wider church."

Russell explained that her parish in Pasadena has flourished and
numbers have greatly increased since the congregation began blessing
same-sex unions. She also acknowledged the witness of people who say
they have been healed of their homosexuality. "I do not doubt the
sincerity of their witness and I praise God if they have found a place
of healed," she said, [but] it is not possible to be healed of
something that is not an illness. What matters to God is not our
sexual orientation but our theological orientation."

A mother of two sons and wife for nearly 40 years of the Rev. Bill
Tully, rector of St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City, Jane
Tully, offered a personal account of dealing with homosexuality in her
own family. Ten years ago the Tullys' younger son announced that he is
gay and, at first, Jane Tully feared for his health and worried that
he would face the same discrimination that many gay and lesbian people
do every day.

"I had many questions, but I knew three things for sure," she said. "I
knew that I loved Jonah, I knew that God made him and Jesus loves him,
I knew that he was the same beautiful, funny person that I know now.
Nothing had changed, but I had to learn what it meant."

The best way to learn about my son's sexuality was to listen, Tully
added. "I listened to my son because I loved him, I listened to other
people, I listened to my husband and others in the church [and] I
listened to Jesus and to my heart," she said. "I learned that my son
didn't choose to be attracted to men. I did not choose my sexual
attraction and neither did my husband."

Tully explained that people discover sexuality deep within themselves.
"I believe that this is an essential God given reality," she said. "I
believe that God made some people to love the same sex and the other
sex. It is pretty clear to me that God loves diversity, just look at
the world."

There is much talk about sin and sinners, and Christian scape-goating
of people with same-gender orientation has been going on for
centuries, she explained. "It is deeply hurtful. In my view, the sin
is not who you love, it is refusing to listen and to see God's love in
the people he gave us and who are different from ourselves," she
added. "We have all paid a great price for this, and I believe that
God is leading us to a new place."

In the Episcopal Church there is a new and growing network of families
like Tully's, she said "We all went through a process of listening and
learning when our people told us the truth," she explained. "...Some
of us were angry and unable to accept the reality in front of us. Some
of us were surprised but all of us have a lot to learn."

As families this doesn't have to break us apart, it can make us
stronger, Tully added. "I believe this can be the experience of our
Anglican family too. Our family has embraced my gay son and it has
brought us closer to one another and taught us that what we have in
common is much more than that which divides us."

Two bishops from the Episcopal Church, Charles Jenkins of Louisiana
and Neil Alexander of Atlanta, voted differently to the consent to the
election of Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop in the
Episcopal Church. They spoke about how it is possible to hold
divergent points of view about sexuality and theological
interpretation, yet remain in Communion.

Jenkins, who serves the Presiding Bishop in his council of advice,
explained that although he did not give his consent to Robinson's
election and remains convinced that sexuality should be between a man
and a woman, "my presence is an act of obedience to Jesus who calls
his flock to unity."

Griswold and Jenkins are in obvious disagreement, Jenkins said, "but I
believe in every fiber of my being that Frank Griswold would guard my
interest if I could not and I would guard his if he could not. Such
relationships of trust are not uncommon in the Episcopal Church."

Jenkins explained that his presence at the ACC was intended to "give
you a glimpse how I as a bishop who voted in the minority at the 2003
General Convention now lives and functions in the Episcopal Church."

"I affirm in all humility that every bishop, and the majority of
bishops, clergy and laity in the Episcopal Church, want to remain a
part of the Anglican Communion" he added "As Christians we highly
value family and I pray that we may continue with integrity and will
remain within the Anglican Communion. I do not choose to walk
separately from you and I pray that you will not walk separately from
me."

Alexander expressed his hope that the consultation would be the start
of an ongoing process to listen as called for by 1998 Lambeth
Conference. "I am convinced that if we talk more to one another, we
will discover the gifts of the risen Christ," he said. "I believe that
we are called to be faithful to the fundamental mysteries of the risen
Christ. I believe that ... people of faith ... can live together with
integrity in spite of different viewpoints..."

Having given his consent to Robinson's election, "I did so
thoughtfully and prayerfully and ... with the understanding that the
people of the Diocese of Atlanta would walk together with me through
mission and ministry," he said.

"As I have reflected on the life of our church I have been encouraged
by the strength and vitality," he said. "The decisions of the 74th
General Convention have left no one unaffected. We have welcomed the
Windsor Report. It continues to be the source through which a great
deal of exchange has occurred [and] we will continue to widen the
circle of our consultation and discernment."

The conversations relating to issues of human sexuality have been hard
with passionate voices on both sides of the argument, Alexander
explained. "Many people have found significant common ground.
Consensus will emerge in time, both within my own church and the
Anglican family along as we continue in conversation. The key to our
life needs to move from beyond conversation and consensus to
commitment ... I am here because of my commitment to the life and work
to the Anglican Communion."

Alexander urged people to see this as a season and a time for "a
renewed commitment of our life with one another. It means that there
needs to be a place in my church for my dear friend Charles Jenkins,
because we are committed to each others interests at all times."

Alexander's collegiality with Jenkins is not unique in the House of
Bishops of the Episcopal Church, he explained. "It is a commitment
that is deep and broad and high and a commitment that is shared with
our clergy and laity," he said. "I do not know of anyone in our church
who does not value the relationship with our brothers and sisters
around the Anglican Communion. Our relationships with one another are
of the utmost importance.

"I believe that the risen Christ calls us into relationship with one
another because our mission," he added. "It is to that mission that I
am committed, that the Episcopal Church is committed -- and for the
sake of that mission that we seek to set our hope on Christ."

-- Matthew Davies is staff writer and web manager for Episcopal News
Service.

From the Episcopalian News Service...

Canadian Anglicans Speak to Same-gender Blessings
Presentation offered at invitation of ACC
By Neva Rae Fox
Wednesday, June 22, 2005

[ENS, Nottingham, June 21, 2005] -- The blessing of same-gender unions
in the Anglican Church of Canada was the focus of its June 21
presentation to the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC).

"We're here to let you know we value our place in the Anglican
Communion," said Bishop Suffragan Sue Moxley of Nova Scotia and Prince
Edward Island. "The decision was made to come to ACC. We agreed to
make this presentation ... We wanted to be here."

The Church of Canada's elected members of the ACC are attending this
meeting as observers as voted by its Council of General Synod in
response to the request of the international Anglican Primates'
Meeting.

In 2002, the Diocese of New Westminster authorized the blessings of
same-gender unions. This action prompted the Anglican Primates'
Meeting to invite the Canadians to provide a presentation at ACC-13 as
recommended by the Windsor Report.

The Canadians' presentation followed a similar session offered by U.S.
Episcopalians explaining the reasoning around the ordination of a
bishop living in a committed same-gender union. Like the Canadians,
the Episcopal Church's elected ACC members are attending as
observers.

Addressing an audience of ACC members, guests, visitors and media, the
Canadian presentation team was introduced by Moxley. Presenters were
the Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews, president and vice chancellor Thornloe
University, member of General Synod and the Primates Theological
Commission; the Very Rev. Peter Elliott, dean of Christ Church
Cathedral, Vancouver; Maria Jane Highway, Indigenous Partner to
General Synod and member of the Faith Worship and Ministry Committee
of General Synod; Archbishop Andrew S. Hutchison, Primate of the
Anglican Church of Canada; and Canon Robert Palby, chancellor and lay
canon in the diocese of Toronto and member of General Synod.

"We're here listening," Moxley said. "We're learning, and outside the
meeting floor, we're talking to people individually to hear what you
have to say to us."

Andrews provided a biblical and theological groundwork for the actions
of the Anglican Church in Canada. He noted, "This issue should not be
church dividing."

He also offered a personal glimpse to his feelings about the process.
"I regret my passivity," he shared. "It is my hope that in spite of my
sinfulness what I have to say will help to reform and unite our
communion."

Highway opened her portion with prayer in her native tongue. "I'm not
a person with very high language," she explained. "I'm just a person
who speaks her own way."

She recalled when she started to think about people living in
same-gender relationships, "and there are quite a few. I have to look
at this in order to accept people as they are."

She also addressed the diversity of the Canadian people. "Being an
aboriginal person, being part of this presentation, is what makes
Canada so unique," she said.

Highway placed the issue of same-gender blessings into the perspective
of her people. "Alcohol, drugs, suicide are very important," she
added. "These issues are more important to our elders than what is
being talked about right now."

Falby provided the legal background in terms of same-sex marriage in
Canada. "Same-sex marriages are part of Canadian society and form part
of the context of what the Anglican Church of Canada administers," he
explained. "The Church is not bound by, but is influenced by, public
debate."

"I am a man, who is gay," Elliot stated, "and I am not the first gay
man to be present at a meeting of the ACC and I won't be the last. The
difference is that because of the courage of our church, I can be
honest with you about who I am."

Elliott presented a portrait of the diocese of New Westminster: one of
30 in Anglican Church of Canada with 85 churches; 175 years old;
145,000 Anglicans in the region; Vancouver is the major city.

"Since 2003 in our diocese there have been 14 liturgies of the
celebrating of commitments of lesbian and gay people," Elliot said.

Hutchison affirmed the commitment of the Anglican Church in Canada. "I
hope what does come shining through is a profound Canadian commitment
to the Communion and to its instruments and to its partnerships around
the globe."

He added: "The bishops in Canada unanimously received the Windsor
Report with thanksgiving and recognized its importance and committed
it to the life of the church."

The Canadians presented a packet to ACC members consisting of
materials supporting the information in their presentation, including
the 36-page "Report of the Primate's Theological Commission on the
Blessing of Same-Sex Unions." For these materials and other
information, http://www.anglican.ca .

-- Neva Rae Fox is a member of the Episcopal News Service team for
ACC-13. She is director of communications for the Diocese of New York.

From the Episcopalian News Service...

Audio streams: Episcopalians Address ACC on Sexuality
Tuesday, June 21, 2005

[ENS, Nottingham] -- Audio streams of the Episcopal Church's June 21
presentation to the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC) are posted at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_62543_ENG_HTM.htm .

The presentation, made at the request of the ACC, outlined how it has
been possible for the Episcopal Church to elect and ordain a bishop
living in committed same-gender relationship.

The presenters were Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold; Bishop Neil
Alexander of Atlanta; Bishop Charles Jenkins of Louisiana; Bishop
Suffragan Catherine Roskam of New York; the Rev. Michael Battle,
academic vice president of Virginia Theological Seminary; the Rev.
Susan Russell, president of Integrity and an assisting priest at All
Saints' Church in Pasadena, California; and Jane Tully, founder of
CFLAG (Clergy Families of Lesbians and Gays) and a parishioner of St.
Bartholomew's Church in New York City.

A print report will follow.

From The Anglican Church of Canada

Canadians Address Anglican Consultative Council
Nottingham, Eng. (June 22, 2005)

Representatives of the Anglican Church of Canada yesterday responded
to a request from the Primates of the Communion that they address the
Anglican Consultative Council to explain where the church is on the
issue of same-sex blessings and how it arrived there.

Four "presenters" appointed by Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, the
Canadian Primate, spoke to the ACC meeting here for 90 minutes. They
were introduced by Bishop Sue Moxley of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward
Island, and the presentation was concluded by Archbishop Hutchison.

The Canadian presenters took pains to stress that although the
Canadian church has diverged from much of the rest of the Communion on
the controversial issue of same-sex blessings, it continues to see
itself as part of the world-wide Communion and wishes to remain so.

The Canadians also said that the church is still very much "in the
midst of a conversation" on the issue and that no church-wide decision
is expected at least until the next meeting of its chief governing
body - the General Synod - in 2007. (So far, one diocese - New
Westminster - has authorized a rite to bless same-sex relationship.)
They also told members of the ACC that the church exists in a social,
cultural and political context where most jurisdictions have already
authorized same-sex marriages.

In closing the presentation, the Canadian Primate, Archbishop
Hutchison, reminded ACC members that the Canadian church has complied
with requests that it express regret over strained relationships that
its actions have caused. It has also agreed to a moratorium on
dioceses authorizing same-sex blessings rites until the General Synod
considers the matter.

The Canadian presentation followed a similar one in which
representatives of the U.S. Episcopal Church addressed the council to
describe the process whereby an openly gay man was consecrated bishop.

At a meeting last February, the Primates of the Anglican Communion
asked the Canadian and U.S. churches to "voluntarily withdraw" from
this meeting of the ACC, but to send people to make these
presentations. In subsequent meetings, the national councils of both
churches decided to send their regular members to the council anyway,
but instructed them to act as observers only and not participate in
the proceedings. The two churches also acceded to the request to make
the presentations, which were held yesterday.

Making the presentation on behalf of the Canadian Church were Bishop
Moxley, a regular member of the Council, Rev. Dr. Stephen Andrews,
president of Thorneloe University and a member of the Primate's
Theological Commission, Maria Jane Highway, an indigenous partner to
General Synod and a member of the Faith, Worship and Ministry
committee, Canon Robert Falby, QC, Chancellor of the Diocese of
Toronto and a member of General Synod, and the Very Rev. Peter
Elliott, Dean of the Diocese of New Westminster and Prolocutor (or
vice-chair) of the General Synod.

The regular Canadian members of the ACC are Bishop Moxley, the Rev.
Canon Allen Box of Ottawa and Ms. Suzanne Lawson of the Diocese of
Toronto.

The Anglican Consultative Council includes bishops, priests and lay
people from all of the provinces of the Anglican Communion. It meets
every three years to coordinate aspects of international Anglican
ecumenical and mission work.


FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT VIANNY (SAM) CARRIERE, DIRECTOR
OF COMMUNICATIONS, 416-924-9199ext. 306;
scarriere@...

From The Anglican Church of Canada
Council narrowly Supports Censure of Canada, U.S.
Solange De Santis, Staff writer
June 22, 2005

Nottingham, England: The Anglican Consultative Council, in a narrow
vote, decided today to endorse a request from Anglican primates that
Canada and the U.S. withdraw from the council until the 2008 Lambeth
Conference and, further, that the two North American churches
"voluntarily withdraw" from two key council committees. (The Lambeth
Conference is a worldwide meeting of Anglican bishops held every 10
years.)

Lay delegate Stanley Isaacs of South East Asia put forward the
proposal, which was supported by 12 signatories, including Archbishop
Peter Akinola of Nigeria, who has strongly criticized moves by the
North American churches to liberalize attitudes towards homosexuals.

Debate and voting was held in a session closed to the public. The
vote, which was held by a secret ballot, was announced after the
session. There were 30 in favour, 28 against and four abstentions.
Seven members did not vote or did not attend the session.

Officials from both North American churches noted that the resolution
had little practical effect. Six council members - three from Canada,
three from the U.S. - had already been instructed by their churches to
attend the meeting, but not participate in the proceedings. The
churches felt that this action respected the primates' request, but
also allowed their members to be available for questions and
consultations with their fellow council delegates. Therefore, their
six potential votes were not part of the balloting.

As for membership on the two committees - the standing committee,
which meets between the triennial sessions of the full council, and
the inter-Anglican finance and administration committee - Canada
currently has no members on the committee and the U.S. member, Robert
Sessums, is ending his term on the panel. However, since the two
churches' delegates are not participating, they also cannot stand for
election to the committees.

Rev. George Sinclair, national chair of Essentials, a group of
conservative Canadian Anglicans opposed to more-liberal attitudes
towards homosexuality, said he hoped "the leadership of the Canadian
church doesn't spin this as being of no consequence." Mr. Sinclair,
attending the conference as an observer, said that he was "saddened"
that the "Anglican Church of Canada continues to be disciplined." He
also said that "my prayer is that Canada will repent and amend its
life."

The Canadian primate, Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, and Canada's
delegates were not immediately available for comment. The U.S.
delegates, including Mr. Sessums, declined to comment upon the vote.
In a statement released through Episcopal Church communications
officials, Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold said, "The vote, which was
contingent on the absence of the six votes of the Episcopal Church and
the Anglican Church of Canada, reveals a divide within the membership
of the ACC."

He added that "the work and mission of the Anglican Communion is
carried out largely through international commissions and networks in
which the Episcopal Church continues as a fully active and committed
participant. It is through these means and our numerous other
relationships focused on mission to our hurting world that we will,
with God's grace, find our way forward." Canadian and American
participation in social work and other activities in the Anglican
Communion was unaffected by the vote.

Referring to another, less-controversial vote supporting a "listening
process" for the Anglican Communion concerning questions of sexuality,
Bishop Griswold said, "I very much hope that the listening process now
mandated by the (council) will be one step in healing this divide."

The council's unanimous vote supported a resolution from the 1998
Lambeth Conference that called for "a means of monitoring the work
done on the subject of human sexuality in the Communion." It asks the
Communion's secretary general to collect material from the various
provinces "and other interested bodies" and make it available for
study, discussion and reflection within each church. It also called
for a progress report on this work at the next council meeting, which
is scheduled to take place in 2008.

Public Statement by
The Reverend Dr. Troy D. Perry
Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches

Canadian Parliament Makes Same-Sex Marriage Legal Everywhere In Canada


Statement by Rev. Troy Perry on June 28, 2005:

Thank God for Canada!

Today the Canadian Parliament, by a vote of 158 to 133, passed the
national same-sex marriage bill, making same-sex marriages fully legal
in every province across Canada.

With today's action, Canada becomes only the third nation in the world
-- following the Netherlands and Belgium -- to provide full and
unequivocal marriage equality to LGBT people.

Much of today's gratitude goes to the Reverend Dr. Brent Hawkes,
senior pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto (Ontario,
Canada), who in January 2001 set in motion the chain of events that
culminated in today's vote making same-sex marriages legal across
Canada.

Dr. Hawkes "reading of the banns" in early 2001 and the subsequent
Canadian court victories for LGBT people directly led to today's
historic victory. Dr. Hawkes, the congregation of MCC Toronto, and
attorney Doug Elliott are heroes of international movement for
marriage equality for all people. We all also owe a debt of gratitude
to Joe Varnell and Kevin Bourassa and Anne and Elaine Vautour, the two
couples whose marriages at MCC Toronto formed the based for the
Canadian court challenges.

Today, I also salute Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin for his
courageous commitment to full equality for gays, lesbians, bisexuals
and transgender persons. With Parliament's decision to legalize
same-sex marriages, Canada has yet again set an example for the world
to follow.

On July 16, 2003, my partner Philip Ray De Blieck and I were legally
married in Toronto,  because our own country denied us the right to
marriage. Canada welcomed us and extended full marriage equality to
us, and for that we will be forever grateful.

Inspired by the strong commitment to human rights we found in Ontario,
Philip and I returned to the U.S. and filed a lawsuit against the
State of California. We asked that our state provide marriage licenses
to LGBT couples and that the state overturn its restrictive
Proposition 22, which prohibited the state's recognition of our legal
Canadian marriage. Earlier this year, we won on both counts, and the
case is currently on appeal.

We join hands with human rights activists and people of goodwill
around the globe in hailing today's historic victory. I am convinced
that the passage of Canada's same-sex marriage bill will be a great
motivation for other countries around the world to move forward for
marriage equality for all people.

/signed/
The Reverend Dr. Troy D. Perry
Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches

________________________________________________________
Website: www.MCCchurch.org

E-Mail: info@...

John Thomas publicly endorses marriage equality resolution
Written by J. Bennett Guess
Tuesday, 28 June 2005

With an historic vote on same-gender marriage equality facing the
UCC's General Synod in Atlanta, the denomination's general minister
and president -- speaking on June 28 to the national pre-Synod
gathering of the UCC's Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Concerns -- endorsed the controversial measure. Here is
the full text of Thomas' speech.

Link to news story on www.UCC.org:
http://news.ucc.org/index.php?option=com_content&t
ask=view&id=182&Itemid=54

"We must bring faith discussions back to their roots of seeking
understanding," said new HRC Religious and Faith Program Director
Harry Knox.

NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL LEADER JOINS HRC TO ENGAGE PEOPLE OF FAITH

WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign announced today that Harry
Knox, a 1989 graduate of Lancaster Theological Seminary and longtime
advocate for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights, will be
the founding director of the Human Rights Campaign's newly created
religious and faith program. While seeking ordination in the United
Church of Christ, Knox started a conversation within his
denomination's local association that 10 years later resulted in the
church's historic ordination of three lesbian ministers.

"We must bring faith discussions back to their roots of seeking
understanding," said Knox. "A vocal minority is falsely promoting the
notion that religious people stand in opposition to equal rights. Our
job is to promote the truth that a majority of people of faith
believes strongly in fairness and justice. Through HRC's religious and
faith program, I will work to transcend boundaries and open a dialogue
with all people of faith."

The new program will seek to organize and harness communities of faith
on the journey for GLBT equality. The program will also provide
information on affirming faith communities and organizations,
encourage full participation of GLBT people of faith, and establish a
speaker's bureau that cultivates appropriate spokespeople and messages
to discuss GLBT issues in a religious context.

"Harry's longtime advocacy for equality is based on his own
spirituality," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "We're honored that
he'll be joining our team. We come to work for GLBT equality because
we all feel the same deep need to work for justice, and many of us,
like Harry, have our own religious beginnings. It's important to
ensure that our voices are part of the nationwide discussion that's
happening around faith and justice."

Most recently, Knox was program director at Freedom to Marry,
the national coalition working to end the denial of marriage to
same-sex couples. Knox's primary focus was empowering state and local
leaders and helping to mobilize people of faith and people of color
communities. Knox is the recipient of the 2000 Cordle Award for
Promotion of God's Diversity and Lancaster Theological Seminary's 2005
Robert V. Moss Medal for Excellence in Ministry.

"Harry has built his own ministry that tears down walls
separating neighbor from neighbor and gay from straight," said Loyde
H. Hartley, professor of religion and society at Lancaster Theological
Seminary. "He has built a solid career on the basis of excellent
scholarship and deep faith. I can think of nobody better qualified to
take on this challenging endeavor."

Knox - a native of Cordele, Georgia - previously worked as
executive director of Georgia Equality, a statewide GLBT advocacy
organization.   He was also pastor of Uvalda United Methodist Church
in south Georgia.

"HRC's efforts in religious and faith communities will be that
much more exciting and engaging under Harry's leadership," said Lawrie
Demorest, co-chair of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Board.
"There is no better time to be focusing on this issue. We're proud to
be putting significant resources and energy into our religious and
faith program."

Knox will start his new position at HRC in mid-July.

-30-

Contact: Steven Fisher
Phone: (202) 216-1547
Cell: (202) 431-7608

1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-3278
E-mail: hrc@...
http://www.hrc.org
_________________________________

House of Commons Legalizes Gay Marriage across Canada
By Robert Marus
Associated Baptist Press
June 29, 2005

WASHINGTON (ABP) -- As Canada's lower house of Parliament voted to
extend marriage rights to same-sex couples nationwide June 28, evoking
strong responses from groups on both sides of the issue across the
border in the United States.

The House of Commons voted 158-133 to legalize marriage in the handful
of Canadian provinces and territories in which courts had not already
approved the practice. While the vote was mainly symbolic, it divided
the governing Liberal Party and will likely be seized on as a campaign
issue by members of the minority Conservative Party in upcoming
national elections.

With the move, Canada becomes only the third nation in the world to
give full legal sanction to same-sex marriage, after the Netherlands
and Belgium.

With Canada located right next to the United States and offering
marriage licenses to non-resident couples, U.S. groups with interests
in the issue paid particular attention to the development.

"Canada is a beacon to the world on making sure that all families are
protected by the same rights and responsibilities. This is an historic
vote on the most basic values of equal rights and responsibilities for
every family," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Washington-based
Human Rights Campaign, in a June 29 statement. Americans should look
at the fair way in which Canada is treating its citizens and know that
no harm is coming to anybody as a result. This is about basic
fairness."

American same-sex couples have been getting married in Canada since
2003, when courts in Ontario and British Columbia legalized the
practice in those provinces.

Groups opposed to gay marriage said the decision is evidence that the
United States needs a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

"Already numerous court cases in the United States have been initiated
by homosexual couples 'married' in Canada" seeking to have their
marriages recognized at home, wrote Family Research Council President
Tony Perkins in the June 29 edition of his e-mail newsletter. "While
the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) has been upheld in most of
those cases, it is just a matter of time before an activist judge here
in the U.S. decides to overturn DOMA."

The Canadian Senate is reportedly expected to approve the bill as
well.

-30-

From the Methodist Church of Great Britain

Methodist Church Receives Major Report on Human Sexuality
29 June 2005

The Methodist Conference has approved a major report on human
sexuality. The Conference received the Pilgrimage of Faith report, the
most in-depth look at human sexuality undertaken by the Church since
1993.

The Pilgrimage of Faith was launched in 1993, and is a process under
which the differing views Methodists have of human sexuality can be
shared and discussed in an atmosphere of respect and honesty. The Revd
Jonathan Kerry, Coordinating Secretary for Worship and Learning,
oversaw the production of the report, and he says, "there is clearly
still a very wide range of opinion within the Methodist Church on this
issue. But thanks to the positive approach people have taken to
discussing this Pilgrimage of Faith, we continue to share our views
without conversations becoming arguments."

Over 160 churches, groups and individuals responded to the call for
contributions to this report. In addition, various groups with
particular interests in the Church's thinking on sexuality were
invited to contribute. All contributions were made confidentially.

The debate at Conference also reflected the diversity of opinion
within the Church, whilst still remaining respectful and open.
Jonathan Kerry says, "this is not the end of this Pilgrimage. We will
keep the process going, and revisit it at future Conferences. The
evidence gathered this time makes it clear that people's views do
change with time. The challenge for us as a Church is to keep
discussing the small number of areas where we disagree, while
celebrating and drawing strength from the many areas where we do
agree. As a Church we want to be outward looking and active in doing
God's work in the world, whilst still finding time honestly to discuss
difficult areas like this."


---

Statement made to the Methodist Conference on 30th June 2005 on Press
Coverage of the 'Pilgrimage of Faith' debate
http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=n
ews.content&cmid=1103

Following a most sensitive and helpful debate responding to the
'Pilgrimage of Faith Report' at the Methodist Conference yesterday the
Conference decided to ask the working party which had produced the
report to continue their work as they pursue the various issues which
the report identified. This includes how the church should respond to
government legislation and how Methodist Ministers should respond when
asked by lesbian and gay couples for a blessing on their union. The
Conference agreed that guidance on all these issues was required, but
made no commitment at this stage as to what this guidance ought to be.

Some of the national and local newspapers which have reported on the
Conference debate have interpreted this in a way which suggests that
the Church has gone further than is actually the case. Some of the
reports have also attributed statements to Methodist Church
spokespersons which misrepresent what they actually said to reporters
or are based on alleged statements which were not actually made. This
is deeply regrettable and the Conference is assured that no statement
or commitment has been made which goes beyond what the Conference has
actually agreed.

David Deeks

General Secretary/Secretary of Conference

'Reverend Thomas understands that for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people, the national debate over full marriage equality is
not simply about deciding a hot button issue, it's about our lives'
— The Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, Religious Leadership Roundtable
member and interim director of the UCC Coalition for Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender Concerns

President of the United Church of Christ Endorses Marriage Equality
Atlanta, June 29, 2005

During the National Gathering of the United Church of Christ Coalition
for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns in Atlanta, the
denomination's general minister and president, the Rev. John H.
Thomas, called upon the church's General Synod to pass a proposed
resolution supporting full religious and civil recognition of same-sex
marriages at its biannual meeting, which begins on Friday, July 1. The
United Church of Christ (UCC), which evolved from congregational
churches founded by the Pilgrims and German immigrant and
African-American communities, is a denomination of 1.3 million
members.


Statement from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Religious
Leadership Roundtable:

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Religious Leadership
Roundtable expresses its profound gratitude to the United Church of
Christ's general minister and president, the Rev. John H. Thomas, for
urging his denomination to take a prophetic stance supporting marriage
equality. As a church with roots at the beginnings of American
history, the United Church of Christ (UCC) has shown historic
leadership in inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
people in its ministry. Americans can find in the UCC's visionary
leadership an example of faith and values in action at a time when gay
people are being attacked and exploited by the far right wing under
the guise of "deeply held religious beliefs."

The Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, Religious Leadership Roundtable member and
interim director of the UCC Coalition for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender Concerns, said, "We are moved beyond words by Reverend
Thomas' personal and pastoral embrace of our community. Reverend
Thomas understands that for lesbian and gay people, the national
debate over full marriage equality is not simply about deciding a 'hot
button issue,' it's about our lives."

The Roundtable's prayers are with the UCC General Synod as it votes on
this historic resolution.


Signed, National Religious Leadership Roundtable Steering Committee:

Swami Dhumavati, Kashi Ashram
Bob Gibeling, Outreach Director, Atlanta Interfaith AIDS Network
Reverend Michael W. Hopkins, Integrity, Episcopal Church, USA
Reverend Jay Johnson, PhD., Programming Director, Center for Lesbian
and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry
Reverend Michael Shuenemeyer, Executive and Minister for Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns, UCC Wider Church Ministries
Reverend Rebecca Voelkel, Interim Director, UCC Coalition for Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns


First convened in 1998, the National Religious Leadership Roundtable
of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is an interfaith
collaboration of more than forty denominations and faith-related
organizations. The Roundtable seeks to reframe the public religious
dialogue on issues involving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LGBT) community by amplifying the voices of
LGBT-affirming people of faith, countering religious voices of bigotry
and intolerance, and working to advance full equality for all.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Richard Lindsay
646.358.1474
rlindsay@...

News release from The Anglican Church of Canada:
A statement on the meeting of the Anglican Consultative
Council from Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate


Toronto, June 30, 2005 -- What follows is a statement from Archbishop
Andrew S. Hutchison, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, on the
  recently concluded meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in
Nottingham, Eng.

The Anglican Consultative Council met in Nottingham, England, between
  Sunday, June 19 and June 28. There were a number of events and
developments that occurred at this meeting that I wish to describe
for you in this short report.

At its meeting this spring, the Council of General Synod considered
the request contained in the communiqué issued last February by
the  Primates of the Anglican Communion that the Anglican Church of
Canada "voluntarily withdraw" its members from this meeting of the
ACC.  After considerable debate, CoGS decided that we should send our
three members to the meeting, but that they should not participate in
the  proceedings. According, Bishop Sue Moxley, Rev. Canon Allen Box
and  Ms Suzanne Lawson attended the meeting in Nottingham as
observers.

CoGS also considered an invitation by the Primates that the Canadian
and U.S. churches make presentations to the ACC "to set out the
thinking behind the recent actions of their Provinces" in the case of
  our church, the blessing of same-sex unions, and in the case of the
Episcopal Church of the United States (ECUSA), the consecration of a
gay bishop. CoGS authorized me, in consultation with the Officers of
General Synod, to appoint presenters. Dean Peter Elliott, Prolocutor
of General Synod and Dean of New Westminster, Chancellor Robert Falby
  of the Diocese of Toronto, Ms Maria Jane Highway, an indigenous
member of the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee and Rev. Dr.
Stephen Andrews, a member of the Primate's Theological Commission and
President of Thornloe University, subsequently agreed to be our
presenters. I also attended the meeting of the ACC for our
presentation and was the concluding speaker.

I wish to say to you categorically that all of the people who
attended this difficult and complex meeting - both our members and
our presenters - acquitted themselves of their tasks with remarkable
skill and dedication. Our members, sitting as non-speaking and non-
participating observers, faced a difficult, frustrating and painful
week; our presenters responded to the request of the Primates in a
lucid, thorough and transparent way. I was proud to be among these
people in Nottingham, and I believe you would have been as well.
These were not easy mandates for either group and it is hard to
imagine how either of them could have improved on what they did.

It is difficult to say what impact our presentation had. An evening
session that was to have carried this conversation further was
postponed. I can tell you that members of the ACC listened to us and
to our U.S. colleagues intently, and that there was considerable
applause at the end of our presentation. In the evening, the
Canadians hosted an informal reception which was well attended and
which gave members of the Council the chance to exchange views and
comment on our presentation. There was much positive feedback.

This was the extent of our formal participation at the Nottingham
meeting. The day after our presentation, however, a motion was
brought, without notice, requesting the Anglican Consultative Council
  to affirm the Primates' request that we voluntarily withdraw from the
  meeting, and further requesting us to withdraw from all activities of
  the Anglican Communion until Lambeth 2008. That motion was debated at
  a closed session. We were not present during the debate, we did not
participate, and we did not speak. We did not even hear the debate.
There is undeniably an issue of natural justice in this process. An
amended motion was eventually approved, affirming the Primates'
request and interpreting voluntary withdrawal from the Council to
include two committees - the standing committee, and the committee on
finance and administration. The amended motion carried by the
narrowest of margin. Had our members and our colleagues from ECUSA
voted, the motion would have failed. We do not have members on either
of those two committees, so the practical effect of the motion on us
is nil.

There is much to reflect on as a result of this meeting. Having heard
our presentation and watched members of the council as our people
spoke, I hope and pray that we may have opened a window or two on
these difficult topics. I hope and pray that our presentation and the
presentation by our ECUSA brothers and sisters may have moved the
discussion along and perhaps even provided a slight impetus for the
discussion on sexual issues to begin in those parts of the Communion
where it has not yet begun. I am encouraged by these thoughts and by
these possibilities. I am also encouraged that the Council agreed to
the establishment of a "listening process" designed to collate
information on sexual issues from the different provinces and to make
these resources widely available for study and reflection.

For our part, our presenters made clear to the Council that we in
this country and in this church are still very much in the midst of a
conversation on this issue, a conversation that will be before the
next gathering of General Synod in 2007.

Between now and then, we continue to value the relationships fostered
by the worldwide Anglican Communion. We continue to be firmly
committed to our international partnerships with other members of the
Communion. We are full members of the Communion and we continue to
hope and pray that the Communion will emerge from this debate
stronger in Christian love and mutual understanding.

I want to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers during this
difficult meeting.

This report is by no means a comprehensive description of all that
happened during the meeting of the ACC. For those who wish to know
more, many of the documents and motions that were before the Council
are available on the web.

http://www.aco.org/acc/index.cfm
http://ecusa.anglican.org/ens/
http://www.anglican.ca/index.htm


+Andrew
The Most Rev. Andrew S. Hutchison
Archbishop and Primate

"Justice O'Connor's retirement is a clarion call to every American
that our rights are in grave danger," said HRC President Joe Solmonese

O'CONNOR RETIREMENT IS A SERIOUS THREAT TO CIVIL RIGHTS
NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign
For Immediate Release
Friday, July 1, 2005

WASHINGTON - Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese released
the following statement today in response to the retirement of Supreme
Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, a Reagan appointee.

"Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has a long and distinguished record as a
consensus builder in a closely divided court. Justice O'Connor's
retirement is a clarion call to every American that our rights are in
grave danger. The loss of Justice O'Connor's moderate voice is a
serious threat to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights, to
women's rights and to protections for racial, ethnic and religious
minorities. We must all come together to fight for a replacement who
follows in the Justice's tradition.

"During her time on the court, Justice O'Connor became an increasingly
supportive of equal rights for all Americans. Her concurring opinion
in Lawrence v. Texas recognized the basic equality of gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender people under law. In opinions in First
Amendment cases she protected the constitutional wall between church
and state. Justice O'Connor also voted to uphold the right to choose
and to preserve universities' right to promote diversity.

"The retirement of this mainstream and fair-minded Justice leaves a
void on a court that is so closely divided. We need a nominee that all
Americans can rally behind.  As President Bush and the U.S. Senate
consider a replacement on the bench, they should abandon partisanship
and seek consensus on a nominee who will protect every American
fairly.

"America deserves a fair-minded justice who will recognize every
American's right to equality. As Justice O'Connor retires, there is an
opportunity to select another Justice who recognizes the fundamental
importance of equality under the law and whose decisions will be
guided by it.  Given the crucial role played by the Supreme Court in
the protection of civil rights and civil liberties, the stakes for the
country could not be higher.

"President Bush should look to consult with the Senate on a Justice
who walks in Justice O'Connor's footsteps of fairness. Her moderate,
thoughtful voice on the bench was a positive influence on the Court
and we hope that her replacement mirrors those qualities."

1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-3278
E-mail: hrc@...
http://www.hrc.org

Sandra Day O'Connor, crucial 'swing vote' on controversial issues, to
retire from court
By Robert Marus
Associated Baptist Press
July 1, 2005

WASHINGTON (ABP) -- Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who has played a
crucial role in many of the Supreme Court's most controversial
decisions over the past 24 years, announced her plans to retire from
that body July 1.

The surprise announcement means President Bush, who will nominate
O'Connor's successor, will have the opportunity to shift the
ideological balance of a closely divided court. A strongly
conservative justice replacing the famously moderate O'Connor could
shift the court's rulings to the right for decades to come.

But Bush will face a strong battle from those who oppose his views on
a host of issues, such as the proper relationship between church and
state, abortion rights, affirmative action and the rights of gay and
lesbian people.

In a simple, three-sentence letter to Bush, released to the media by
Supreme Court officials, O'Connor said she would retire "effective
upon the nomination and confirmation of my successor."

She continued, "It has been a great privilege, indeed, to have served
as a member of the court for 24 terms. I will leave it with enormous
respect for the integrity of the court and its role under our
constitutional structure."

O'Connor, 75, has been rumored for at least a year to be considering
retirement. Her husband, John, has Alzheimer's disease.

"America is proud of Justice O'Connor's distinguished service, and I'm
proud to know her," Bush said, in brief comments about an hour after
O'Connor's announcement. "Throughout her tenure, she has been a
discerning and conscientious judge and a public servant of great
integrity."

However, in a foreshadowing of the rancor that may attend the
confirmation of O'Connor's successor in the Senate, Bush admonished
members of that body -- and the multitude of special-interest groups
that will lobby hard both for and against Bush's nominees.

"The nation deserves, and I will select, a Supreme Court Justice that
Americans can be proud of," Bush said, speaking to reporters in the
White House's Rose Garden. "The nation also deserves a dignified
process of confirmation in the United States Senate characterized by
fair treatment, a fair hearing and a fair vote. I will choose a
nominee in a timely manner so that the hearing and the vote can be
completed before the new Supreme Court term begins."

But the warning signs of an ugly Senate confirmation battle were
already evident. Within minutes of O'Connor's announcement,
civil-rights and church-state separationist groups were issuing
statements warning Bush to choose an equally moderate nominee.

Noting that O'Connor was a key "swing vote" on church-state issues and
other divisive social issues, Barry Lynn of Americans United for
Separation of Church and State said Americans "must insist that
President Bush replace her with a nominee who respects individual
freedom."

He continued, "O'Connor was a conservative, but she saw the complexity
of church-state issues and tried to choose a course that respected the
country's religious diversity. Her resignation potentially opens the
door to the greatest change in the court's direction in modern
history."

The gay-rights group Human Rights Campaign issued a press release
calling O'Connor's resignation a "serious threat to civil rights."

But religious conservative groups will likely push Bush hard to
nominate a strong social conservative. O'Connor has voted to uphold
the core of Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that gave women
across the nation a right to abortion. She has tended to side with
gay-rights supporters, and has ruled both for and against strict
church-state separation.

O'Connor's announcement came only five days after she delivered a
stirring endorsement of religious freedom as the court handed down two
decisions on governmental displays of the Ten Commandments. In an
opinion concurring with the five-person majority that said Decalogue
displays in two Kentucky courthouses violated the First Amendment,
O'Connor drew a bright line against government endorsements of
religious texts.

"Our Founders conceived of a republic receptive to voluntary religious
expression, and provided for the possibility of judicial intervention
when government action threatens or impedes such expression. Voluntary
religious belief and expression may be as threatened when government
takes the mantle of religion upon itself as when government directly
interferes with private religious practices," she wrote in McCreary
County, Ky. vs. ACLU. "When the government associ ates one set of
religious beliefs with the state and identi fies non-adherents as
outsiders, it encroaches upon the individual's decision about whether
and how to worship."

She continued: "It is true that many Americans find the Commandments
in accord with their personal beliefs. But we do not count heads
before enforcing the First Amendment."

O'Connor's announcement took some Supreme Court watchers by surprise,
as many had expected Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who is ailing
from thyroid cancer, to leave the court first.

A conservative replacement for Rehnquist, who tended to come down on
O'Connor's right in rulings on divisive social issues, would not
likely change the court's ideological balance. But replacing O'Connor
with a strong social conservative could mean significant shifts in the
way the court interprets the Constitution for the next several
decades.

On church-state issues, for instance, O'Connor has frequently
frustrated religious conservatives.

"They see that they just don't have five votes for the proposition
that the government can legitimately acknowledge the nation's
religious heritage... [and] they want to do that in biblical terms,"
said Chip Lupu, a professor at George Washington University Law School
and an expert on the First Amendment's religion clauses. With
O'Connor, Lupu said, there were only "four votes that there should be
power [for the government] to acknowledge the nation's religious
heritage."

But a replacement more amenable to government-endorsed religion could
mean a five-vote majority for allowing many more religious displays on
public property, government-sponsored prayer and other forms of
government-supported religious exercise.

However, Lupu noted, the bigger battle over O'Connor's replacement is
likely to focus on abortion rights.

O'Connor was the first woman to be appointed to the high court when
she was nominated by the late President Ronald Reagan in 1981. She won
confirmation on a 99-0 vote in the Senate.

Her successor is almost certain not to garner such a large margin of
victory.

UCC becomes first major denomination fully to support same-sex
marriage
By Robert Marus
Associated Baptist Press
July 5, 2005

ATLANTA (ABP) -- The leaders of one of America's most historic
Christian denominations voted overwhelmingly July 4 to endorse
same-sex civil marriage and encourage their local congregations to
extend religious marriage to gay couples.

Meeting July 4 in Atlanta, about 1,000 delegates to the General Synod
of the United Church of Christ overwhelmingly approved the measure on
a show-of-hands vote, according to a release from the denomination.

The resolution is the first action fully supporting same-sex marriage
by any major Christian denomination in the United States. Several
others, including the Southern Baptist Convention, have publicly
opposed the practice.

A preamble to the resolution noted that "Scripture itself, along with
the global human experience, offers many different views of family and
how family is to be defined. This unfolding revelation and
understanding needs to be weighed carefully by people of faith
considering the issue of equal marriage rights for couples regardless
of gender. Jesus radically challenged his traditional cultural roles
and concepts of family life."

It continued, "Civil/legal marriage carries with it significant access
to institutional support, rights and benefits. There are more than
1,400 such rights and benefits in the federal statutes alone. Efforts
to ban civil marriage to couples based on gender denies them and their
children access to these rights and benefits and thus undermines the
civil liberties of these couples, putting them and their children at
risk."

It also called on its local congregations to offer religious marriage
ceremonies regardless of gender. Because of the UCC's congregational
government style, the action is not binding on local congregations.

The 1.3 million-member denomination has its roots in two Reformed
religious traditions -- the Puritan Congregationalists who were among
America's first settlers, and German Protestant immigrants who settled
in the Midwest in the 1800s.

The UCC has developed a reputation for being the most progressive of
the nation's historic Protestant denominations -- particularly on the
issues of race relations, women in church leadership and sexuality.
For more than 30 years, UCC officials have passed resolutions
supportive of gay rights.

However, in a nod to the fact the recent decision may cause a
conservative minority to leave the UCC, delegates amended the
resolution to acknowledge "the pain and struggle [its] passage will
engender."

The leader of a conservative movement in the denomination released a
statement to the media condemning the resolution shortly after its
passage.

The UCC "tragically declared independence from the ecumenical
Christian church worldwide, and the truth of God's Word," said David
Runnion-Bareford, executive director of the UCC Biblical Witness
Fellowship. "Marriage between one man and one woman is a reality
established by God in creation and reflected in the church itself.
This resolution does not validate same-sex relationships, but only
invalidates and de-legitimizes the UCC as a religious body."

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force hails United  Church of Christ
action endorsing same-sex marriage

Church's action explodes myth that people of faith oppose lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender equality

WASHINGTON, July 5 — On July 4, 2005, the United Church of Christ
General Synod overwhelmingly passed a resolution supporting full legal
and religious marriage equality for same-sex couples.

Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:

"While most of us were celebrating July 4 with parades, fireworks and
picnics, the Synod of United Church of Christ was voting
overwhelmingly in support of a resolution supporting full marriage
rights for same-sex couples. For a church that traces its roots to
some of the earliest immigrants and founders of this country, the
denomination's bold support for 'equal marriage rights for couples
regardless of gender' and call 'for an end to rhetoric that fuels
hostility, misunderstanding, fear and hatred expressed toward gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons,' was a fitting tribute to
the values of liberty and equality that are enshrined in the
Declaration of Independence.

"The church's action also explodes the myth that there is a monolithic
bloc of 'Christians' or 'people of faith' who oppose lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender equality. The UCC passed this measure based
on the long-standing value that inclusion is an essential part of its
Christian witness. In doing so, the denomination has spoken for
millions of believers from across the spectrum of American faith that
support the full equality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
people.

"At a time when President Bush and so-called faith leaders are working
to enshrine discrimination in our state and federal constitutions, the
UCC has issued a prophetic call challenging Americans to live up to
the truth that the signers of the Declaration of Independence found to
be self-evident, namely, that all 'are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.'"

Read the statement from the National Religious Leadership Roundtable


-------

July 4, 2005

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Religious Leadership Roundtable
Celebrates United Church of Christ's Support for Marriage Equality

Vote shows that 'Yes, God is still speaking.'

(Washington, DC) On Monday, July 4, on the recommendation of its
president, Reverend John H. Thomas, the General Synod of the United
Church of Christ, meeting in Atlanta, passed a resolution endorsing
the full religious and civil marriage equality of same-sex couples.
(The resolution is available at:
http://www.ucc.org/synod/resolutions/gs25-7.pdf .) The United Church
of Christ, which evolved from congregational churches founded by the
Pilgrims and German immigrant and African-American communities, is a
denomination of 1.3 million members.

The following is a statement of the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force National Religious Leadership Roundtable:

"The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force National Religious Leadership
Roundtable celebrates with our partners in the United Church of Christ
the passage of a resolution endorsing full religious and civil
marriage equality for same-sex couples. In making this bold statement
for the full inclusion of all its members in the life and ministry of
the church and in the fabric of society, the denomination continues
its historic place of leadership for the cause of equality. For more
than 30 years, the United Church of Christ (UCC) has provided a
coherent, powerful and prophetic voice for the millions of Americans
from across the spectrum of faith traditions that support the rights
of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. It has
challenged those who wrap their homophobia in the guise of 'deeply
held religious belief' to embrace a more just, honest, and
compassionate faith. Through today's resolution, we see that 'God is,
indeed, still speaking' through the United Church of Christ.

"The Roundtable expresses profound appreciation to UCC general
minister and president, John H. Thomas, and Roundtable steering
committee members Reverend Rebecca Voelkel and Reverend Mike
Shuenemeyer, for the visionary leadership they have provided during
the Atlanta General Synod."

For immediate interview call Reverend Rebecca Voelkel 612-703-7907

First convened in 1998, the National Religious Leadership Roundtable
of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is an interfaith
collaboration of more than forty denominations and faith-related
organizations. The Roundtable seeks to reframe the public religious
dialogue on issues involving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender (LGBT) community by amplifying the voices of
LGBT-affirming people of faith, countering religious voices of bigotry
and intolerance, and working to advance full equality for all.



Richard Lindsay
Communications Associate
Media Liaison to National Religious Leadership Roundtable
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
90 William Street, Suite 1201
New York, NY 10038
646.358.1474
Fax: 212.604.9831
rlindsay@...
http://www.thetaskforce.org

From the  United Church of Christ

General Synod overwhelmingly calls for "full marriage equality"
Contributed by Irwin Smallwood
Monday, 04 July 2005

The UCC, a community of Christians with roots deep in the soil of
societal change, took another giant leap on Monday.

General Synod 25 overwhelmingly passed a resolution in support of
equal marriage rights for all people, regardless of gender. It marks
the first time that one of the nation's mainline churches has
expressed support of marriages for gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender persons.

Delegates wrestled with the resolution for about an hour before
casting a decisive vote in favor of the resolution that was refined
and recommended late Sunday by a 54-member Synod committee. The
document was altered by only one amendment, which delegates readily
accepted, that expressed a spirit of concern for those who must deal
with the resolution's impact in the months ahead.

When debate was closed --  with only a whimper of opposition -- a hush
fell over the great hall of Atlanta's Georgia World Conference
Center.
The Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson, executive minister of Justice and
Witness Ministries, then asked moderator Eric C. Smith, who led the
proceedings, for a moment of collective prayer. Delegates prayed
silently.

Moments later, when voting began, a horde of raised hands -- holding
green voting cards -- told the world that the resolution had passed
overwhelmingly. Afterwards, instead of loud applause, there was a
dignified moment of stillness broken only by the voice of the Rev.
John H. Thomas who offered a prayer.

"Lord Jesus. . . We give thanks for your presence, especially here
this morning," the UCC's general minister and president prayed in a
soft, pastoral voice. "We have felt your warm embrace, stilling us as
we tremble with joy, with hope, with fear, with disappointment. . .
Let us use our hands not to clap, but to wipe away every tear. . . "

As the plenary adjourned for lunch, the mood remained as one would
expect after a service of worship, rather than a session of earnest
debate and serious deliberation. The most demonstrative sights were
those of couples of all ages and genders locked in tearful embraces of
thanksgiving for what Thomas would later also refer to as "freedom."

Later, in a press conference, Thomas acknowledged that it was not lost
on the gathering that this historic stand was taken on the
nation's
Independence Day.

"On this July Fourth the General Synod of the United Church of Christ
has acted courageously to declare freedom, affirming marriage
equality, affirming the civil rights of same gender couples to have
their relationships recognized as marriages by the state, and
encouraging our local churches to celebrate and bless those
marriages," he said.

Thomas also acknowledged that the issue of marriage equality is "the
source of great conflict" not only in society but also in the
churches. The UCC, he said, "is no exception" and "there are clearly
great differences among our own members over this."

Synod action, he added, "does not presume a consensus of opinion among
our members or our local churches, which are free and responsible to
come to their own mind of this as on any other (issue). The General
Synod speaks to and not for our local churches."

When asked, Thomas declined to speculate on whether the passage of the
resolution could cause some churches to leave the denomination.

During the plenary debate, an amendment to, in effect, change
"marriage" to "covenantal relationship" elicited a lively exchange for
a few minutes but did not come close to approval because the body felt
it substantially changed the focus of the resolution. Another proposed
amendment -- that failed to garner only a handful of votes -- would
have postponed action until the 2007 General Synod in Hartford, Conn.

But there was ready acceptance of a friendly suggestion to insert
words in a transition paragraph of the "resolves" acknowledging "the
pain and struggle their passage will engender."

The marriage equality resolution (1) affirms equal marriage rights for
couples regardless of gender and declares that the government should
not interfere with couples regardless of gender who choose to marry
and share fully in the rights, responsibilities and commitment of
legally recognized marriage; (2)affirms equal access to the basic
rights, institutional protections and quality of life conferred by the
recognition of marriage, (3) calls for an end to rhetoric that fuels
hostility, misunderstanding, fear and hatred expressed toward gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, (4) asks officers of the
church to communicate the resolution to local, state and national
legislators, urging them to support equal marriage rights, (5) calls
upon all settings of the church to engage in serious, respectful and
prayerful discussion of the covenantal relationship of marriage and
equal marriage rights, (6) calls upon congregations, after prayerful,
biblical, theological, and historical study, to consider adopting
Wedding Policies that do not discriminate against couples based on
gender, and (7) urges congregations and individuals of the UCC to
prayerfully consider and support local, state and national legislation
to grant equal marriage rights to couples regardless of gender, and to
work again legislation, including constitutional amendments, which
denies rights to couples based on gender.

Division over Homosexuality Threatens American Baptist Ranks
By Robert Marus
Associated Baptist Press
July 7, 2005

DENVER (ABP) -- American Baptists are a step closer to a
long-anticipated showdown over homosexuality and diversity after
completing their biennial meeting July 4.

The denomination's General Board, meeting prior to the larger
convocation in Denver, accepted the first reading of a petition from
one of the denomination's regional groups that calls for amendments to
documents designed to more clearly state American Baptists' opposition
to homosexuality.

At least three regional groups of ABC churches have threatened to
withhold contributions to the national denomination or leave
altogether if their concerns over homosexuality were not addressed by
the end of the biennial, which took place July 1-4. Conservative
leaders, such as the American Baptist Evangelicals, were not
immediately available for comment after the meeting.

Regional fellowships are the channel through which local churches
relate to the national body, which counts 1.5 million members in 5,836
churches. In recent years, several gay-friendly churches have been
expelled from those regional bodies. The ABC General Board changed the
denomination's rules in 1999 to allow churches to join regions outside
of their geographical area if the region is willing to accept them.

As a result, many pro-gay ABC churches have joined more progressive
regional associations -- such as several in the Northeast.

The Indiana-Kentucky region initiated the petition to change those
rules back, as well as to amend a denominational identity statement to
read that American Baptists are a people "who submit to the teaching
of Scripture that God's design for sexual intimacy places it within
the context of marriage between one man and one woman, and acknowledge
that the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with biblical
teaching."

The petition notes the ABC General Board's 1992 approval of a
resolution that declares homosexual practice "incompatible with
biblical teaching" but says that subsequent actions by denominational
leaders have not sent as clear an anti-homosexuality message.

The denomination has presented "an inconsistent and confusing message
to the world about what American Baptists profess to believe and what
is actually practiced," the petition reads.

It and another petition expressing concern over the unity in the
denomination will receive a second reading at the November meeting of
the General Board. If passed, it effectively would create a mechanism
for expelling many gay-friendly churches from the ABC.

During his address to about 2,000 delegates to the biennial July 1,
ABC General Secretary Roy Medley pleaded for unity in the ethnically,
geographically and theologically diverse denomination.

"We stand at a crossroads," he said, according to the American Baptist
News Service. "In our world, the path of radical discipleship -- the
path of radical love -- is the road less taken. We dare not choose
another. We dare not choose the wrong road ... the road that leads to
separation. That choice will certainly unite you with like-minded
people, but will give you small souls, and make you comfortable
Christians."