Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Gettin' Real


Things are starting to get real. I have been getting all the paperwork to transfer to the ECUSA. I could convince myself that his was just a bad dream until now. Now I have to face the fact that yes, because I am gay, I must leave my call and go somewhere else.

I still struggle with the question: Why doesn't the church that I love, love me? Why must I deny what I am to stay a servant of Christ?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey.

I think the church you love has gotten so concerned with its own human viewpoints it has forgotten how to reflect the love of Christ to all its members. I'm certainly not in your position, but sometimes feel the same way about my own church.

And you're not abandoning your call. You're simply walking the Way in a different set of vestments. When we're ordained, we're ordained to serve the Church Universal. Denominations are human creations, and if your denom can't accept you as a pastor because you happen to be homosexual, Jesus gave his disciples instructions on how to deal with just such a situation. Shake their dust from your sandals, bid them good day, and go on. There are others who need to hear your voice.

All deaths are painful, but death is necessary for the new life made possible through God's love in the resurrection. So go forth and live. The ELCA has no idea what they're losing.

God's grace and peace be with you, my friend.

Anonymous said...

I've struggled with these very same questions: "Why doesn't the church that I love, love me? Why must I deny what I am to stay a servant of Christ?"

I was a gay religious monk in the Catholic Church for many years. I write about it in the new book, 'Seventy Times Seven.'

I'm happy to say that I've been able to reconcile my spirituality with my sexuality, with MCC playing a major role.

-Salvatore Sapienza
www.70x7book.com