This morning there was time given for what was labeled a "Quasi Committee of the Whole" so as to allow for discussion - no voting - not amending....just conversation on the Human Sexuality Document. The lines for and against the statement assembled quickly and folks registered at the microphones so that their place in line will be held by computer for when we come back for another one of these conversation sessions.
My first reflection has to do with presentation. Again and again those who were in favor of the proposed teaching document were people who told stories. The stories were about how lives were made open and how closed doors (of all shapes and for all reasons) did not help to bring about the new life that we are promised. I was stuck by a couple and I will share some of those. There was the voting member from NE Ohio who started by saying he is a reformed homophobe. He said he must be careful what I do and think - he said I am always needing to keep being open and listening. "I am a poor and miserable sinner" and "I am to love my neighbor." Therefore, he must always battle what he was and be open to a love for neighbor that is the power of the good news. He is an Asian-American and said that 45 -50 years ago he could not be married in his wife's church - because of his ethnic background and because it would be a mixed marriage. He quickly brought his thought to an end by saying: "Change is good. Rabble-rousing is good."
A pastor used this comment to touch me: Sexuality does not need to divide the Body of Christ." I simply shook my head. And yet, we let it. We let sexuality be of greater power than the love of God for us and the call to love neighbor.
A high school teacher said that in alll of this discussion we must remember that we are already in the "middle of it all." The changing is happeing already in the speaking and talking. It made me think of a rabbinical note on the ten commandments. In the first spoke work of the first commandment "I am..." God is already making us into a people before anyone acts. The saying goes on to say in the breath before the first word - God has already put in place that which will be. Anyway, this teacher talked about a conversation in the teachers' lounge. It was a mix of people and he was taking about our Sexuality proposal. Folks in the room were interested and one said, "I never thought the church talked about sexuality." - that was a good thing.
Finally, a pastor talked about faith being a relationsal trust (Gift and Trust defines the sexuality statement). There is a couple in his congregation who have adopted twins. The two men are wonderful parents. One of the twins had brain cancer - became very ill - died - and was buried on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. He said that during that whole time these parents were ever-present with Hailey (sp). Then he said "Hailey trusted them." I lost it. We can be so afraid to trust that we forget to even go there. We can be so concerned about "getting it right" or "getting it as right as we need it" that we do not trust and we also do not experiencde this gift of life that is whole and holy.
There will be another session of the Quasi Committee of the Whole on this proposed document and I will share more then. There will also be a similar set up for discussion of the proposed ministry guidelines. I'm hearing good, faithful witness.
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