Date: Fri, 19 Jun 1998 14:44:10 -0400 From: Chris Ambidge Subject: *Integrator* files for 1992 INTEGRATOR, the newsletter of Integrity/Toronto volume 92-5, issue date 1992 08 01 copyright 1992 Integrity/Toronto. The hard-copy version of this=20 newsletter carries the ISSN 0843-574X Integrity/Toronto Box 873 Stn F Toronto ON Canada M4Y 2N9 =3D=3D contents =3D=3D [92-5-1] INTEGRITY AT GENERAL SYNOD 1992 / by Chris Ambidge [92-5-2] FOR YOU AND FOR MANY / Excerpts from the Presidential Address=20 to the 33rd General Synod, 19 June 1992=20 by The Most Rev Michael Peers, Primate [92-5-3] THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION FORUM / by Chris Ambidge [92-5-4] SYNOD RESOLVES TO STUDY HOMOSEXUALITY / by Chris Ambidge [92-5-5] BREAKING THE SILENCES IN THE ANGLICAN CHURCH / by Bonnie and Michelle=20 Crawford-Bewley [92-5-6] A LESBIAN GOES TO SYNOD / by Patti Brace [92-5-7] FLOATING ALONG AT PRIDE DAY 1992 / by Bonnie and Michelle Crawford-Bewley [92-5-8a] BRIDGE-BUILDER BUTTONS... [92-5-8b] ... AND BRIDGES BEING BUILT [92-5-9] NEW WESTMINSTER MOVES FOR CONSISTENCY ... and Gay Priest Outs Himself [92-5-10] IT WOULDN'T ALL FIT!! =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-1] INTEGRITY AT GENERAL SYNOD 1992 by Chris Ambidge THE LATTER PART of June 1992 saw the 33rd General Synod of the=20 Anglican Church of Canada meet in Toronto. Integrity had a=20 significant presence over those nine days. This issue of=20 *Integrator* is a partial report of what happened at Synod and=20 what Integrity did there. Most of the General Synod sessions were held at Ryerson=20 Polytechnical Institute in downtown Toronto. The gymnasium served=20 as the plenary hall. Classrooms just down the hallway contained=20 displays from many interested groups, from the Anglican Fellowship=20 of Prayer to the Church Army, Native Ministries to the Diocese of=20 Toronto, by way of Integrity. Our display space was one-quarter of a room that during term time=20 is a textile classroom. Lifting the sewing machines out of the=20 way, we set up shop, with banners, buttons, rainbow ribbons,=20 pamphlets, a photo display, books, fruit juice and fruit-of-the- day jellybean dispensers, and a courtesy phone. In many ways, our display was an improvement on the one in St=20 John's in 1989: we had considerably more floor space, we were=20 able to have more resources present (both printed and human), and=20 the location was better (this year, we were on the same level as=20 the plenary hall, and on one of the ways to the cafeteria -- in St=20 John's, we were up in a mezzanine). As a result, we were able to=20 see and talk to many more people. The theme of this session of General Synod was "For you and for=20 many", and this struck an inclusive note which gave us hope. The=20 theme was picked up by Bishop Samir Kafity of Jerusalem, in his=20 sermon to the opening service at St James' Cathedral on Thursday=20 evening; and was restated strongly by Archbishop Peers in his=20 Presidential Address to Synod the next morning. There was a Vigil for those with AIDS on Sunday evening in the=20 plenary hall, and the next evening saw a Forum on Sexual=20 Orientation. Synod also passed a resolution calling for a study=20 of homosexuality and homosexual relationships. The week of General Synod was also, coincidentally, Lesbian and=20 Gay Pride Week, as proclaimed by the Mayor of Toronto. The theme=20 for this year's Pride observations was "Breaking the Silences",=20 and Integrity/Toronto's regular Wednesday evening meeting picked=20 up on that theme. Bishop David Crawley of Kootenay was preacher=20 at that service. All-in-all, it was a momentous week. Integrity people from across=20 Canada met and talked to many Anglicans from all dioceses, giving=20 voice and face to the many lesgay people in our church. All of=20 Synod took very seriously the issue of homosexuals in the church. =20 A dialogue is in progress. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-2] Excerpts from the Presidential Address to the 33rd General Synod, 19 June= 1992 FOR YOU AND FOR MANY The Most Rev Michael Peers, Primate OUR THEME IS "For You and For Many", which you will recognise as=20 eucharistic words of Jesus to the disciples at the Last Supper. =20 They have to do with the making of a covenant. Jesus broke the=20 bread of his body, took the cup of his blood, and made a covenant=20 with the disciples for the forgiveness of sins and new life in the=20 Kingdom of God. This new covenant did not replace the former=20 covenants made by God with the people of Israel. It completed and=20 extended them. The new covenant in Christ was offered for all=20 people and for the whole world. And so all who participate in the=20 Eucharist become heirs to the covenant of forgiveness and life. =20 And this life is offered to the creation as a whole, to every=20 living creature and every natural thing. According to the New Testament, what Jesus actually said was "This=20 is my blood, the blood of the covenant, shed for many." We are=20 more familiar with the phrase "*for you* and for many" because it=20 has been in our Book of Common Prayer for over 400 years, and in=20 other liturgies for longer than that. But in the Gospels Jesus=20 only speaks of "the many" and the meaning of his words appears to=20 suggest "all" or "everyone" without limit or qualification --=20 indeed, the ancient Greek liturgy says "for all." The covenant of forgiveness and life is a universal covenant=20 extending to everything God has created. It is inclusive. It=20 actually prohibits us from any narrow or exclusive theology. We=20 are heirs to this covenant along with all creation. When early=20 Christian tradition inserted the word "you" into the phrase "for=20 you and for many" -- in fact conflating two separate traditions in=20 the New Testament -- we both reflected and perpetuated the trap=20 into which western culture has fallen since the time of Christ. =20 That is, we introduces a distinction between "you" and "many". =20 That distinction easily becomes a distinction between "us" and=20 "them" -- whoever we may define us and them to be. We have tended=20 to take Jesus' words on inclusion and turn them into words of=20 exclusion, even domination and control. In fact, many of our=20 present difficulties arise from our failure to see God's people=20 and God's creation as an interrelated whole with whom we are=20 called into harmonious and just relationships. The new covenant is not simply for us but for the many. It is a=20 cosmic covenant in which all things are reconciled through Christ=20 with God the creator. The implications of this for the church are=20 fundamental. They make us ask some very basic questions about our=20 mission and ministry. For whom does the church exist? What is=20 the purpose of evangelism? How do we serve all God's people? Of=20 what relevance is our work to the life of the whole world? Does=20 our understanding of mission limit or reduce the eucharistic words=20 of Jesus and thus rob God's people of vision and hope? These are some of the questions as we meet in this place. Of=20 course, we are meeting in Toronto, the city about which everyone=20 in Canada has an opinion ... this city is a microcosm of our=20 theme. It is a city of "the many." There are more people living=20 here than in 10 of the 12 provinces and territories of this=20 country. It is a city of immigrants and of settlers. It is one=20 of the most multicultural cities in the world. Every ethnic group=20 here, including the English one to which I belong, is a minority=20 ... We are meeting one block away from the scene of the worst=20 civil disturbances in Canada for decades [the Yonge Street riots],=20 with the exception of Oka. Racial and other minorities in this=20 city have found themselves largely excluded from the 1980s=20 economic bonanza ... They too are among "the many" with whom Jesus=20 made a covenant and for whom the church needs to care. We are also meeting one block away in the other direction from the=20 gay and lesbian centre of Toronto. This is a minority which is=20 very much concerned about our agenda and will be watching to see=20 what we propose to say and do about homosexuality. There is a=20 real sense of urgency about this issue here. As most of you=20 already know, members of this diocese are going through a deep and=20 painful struggle about what place, if any, there is for homosexual=20 persons and the homosexual lifestyle within the church and,=20 particularly, within the ordained ministry. Every member of this=20 diocese -- bishops, clergy, laity -- bears to some degree the=20 marks of this struggle in their spiritual body. It has been a=20 painful and difficult time for everyone here -- straight people=20 and gay and lesbian people. We, as members of the General Synod, cannot and must not ignore=20 this issue. We are a church in dialogue with one of our own=20 minorities. Every major denomination in North America is facing=20 the same questions. It may not be the most important issue before=20 us, but it is probably the one that will get us the most media=20 attention. That is because society as a whole is watching to see=20 how the major churches in our society deal with the issue. It is on our agenda here not because the media have put it there,=20 but because members of our own church -- and of the National=20 Executive Council -- have put it there. Gay and lesbian Anglicans=20 are in our parishes and are members of our congregations. Some of=20 them are ordained. We are not seeking to come to a specific=20 resolution or to make specific declaration sat this Synod. We are=20 rather attempting to provide a place to listen to one another. =20 The church needs to hear the stories of people who are struggling=20 from all sides with deep personal conviction in all the issues of=20 justice, love, faithfulness to Scripture, openness to new=20 directions, and understanding of Christian tradition. The Forum=20 next Monday evening is only a start in that process. It will not=20 be the end of it. It is something that needs to go on in every=20 diocese and parish as we seek the mind of Christ on this difficult=20 and divisive matter. I ask you to participate in that Forum=20 sensitively and carefully, bearing in mind how the community of=20 faith ought to deal with disputes in our own household for the=20 sake of "the many" for whom this is important. ... ... And finally, for us as a General Synod, my prayer for this=20 time together and for the time between now and the General Synod=20 of 1995 is that we will undertake serious re-examination of our=20 life and structures to determine what we need to become in the=20 years ahead to be faithful to the covenant of Jesus with "the=20 many" of this land and this world. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-3] THE SEXUAL ORIENTATION FORUM by Chris Ambidge ON THE MONDAY EVENING of General Synod, a Forum on Sexual=20 Orientation was held. It came about as a result of a motion from=20 the National Executive Council. In the forum, a number of invited=20 speakers and several members of Synod spoke, and all the members=20 began a dialogue on the place of lesgays in the life of their=20 church. The Forum itself was very well attended. There were very few=20 empty seats on the floor of Synod; and the public galleries were=20 packed with about 200 people. The evening was structured very carefully. The Primate chaired=20 the meeting, and outlined the purpose of the evening: it was for=20 the information of Synod members, and in the spirit of listening=20 to one another, "neither applause nor the opposite of applause is=20 appropriate". He pointed out that the Forum was an integral part=20 of the Synod, though not a business session. =20 A panel of six people, chosen to represent a wide spectrum of=20 feeling and experience around the issue of homosexuality spoke=20 first, each for eight minutes. Next, half an hour was given for=20 members of Synod to speak, each for two minutes. The members had=20 all had opportunity earlier in the day to request time to speak. =20 With their request, they had submitted a pr=E9cis of their comments. =20 The organisers then compiled a speakers list to ensure that the=20 broad spectrum of opinion would be heard, no matter when the time=20 axe fell; and the feelings expressed would not be skewed by those=20 who had longest legs and thus got to the microphones first. After=20 this half-hour, all of the members present discussed the issue=20 with those at their tables. The first invited speaker was Bishop John Sperry, recently retired=20 bishop of the Arctic. He was in the House of Bishops when the=20 1978 and 79 statements were made, although he did not presume to=20 speak for all the bishops who were there. Bishop Sperry said that=20 his position is based in Holy Scripture. The creation story=20 demonstrates the clear intent of the Creator in making humans male=20 and female, with biological capabilities to become one flesh. The=20 traditional understanding of sexuality has not changed over many=20 years. The complementary nature of the male/female relationship=20 should remain, and this is how the native people to whom he=20 ministered have long understood creation. While homophobia has no=20 place in Christian understanding, love must be understood in terms=20 of Christian authority. God is love, but love is not our god. =20 All who are baptised are called to carry the cross. The church=20 must maintain a balanced position. The second speaker was Dr Don Meen, immediate past president of=20 Integrity/ Vancouver. He spoke from his experience as a gay=20 Anglican. He said that the church is being called at this time to=20 maturity in sexuality. His story began as a child knowing the=20 church as warmth and caring and belonging; but he soon picked up=20 anti-gay messages from the world around him, which told him his=20 feelings were bad. In the face of this assault he still had=20 "Jesus Loves Me". As an adolescent he was angry with God for not=20 changing him, but eventually he concluded that God has not=20 intended us all to be heterosexual. He made a last attempt to=20 change by undergoing aversion therapy, and was cured of ever doing=20 violence to himself again. He finally accepted that God wanted=20 him to love, and left the details to him. He has found himself=20 capable of loving and being loved, and knows that he and his=20 partner mediate God's presence to each other and to others. The third panellist was Winifred, the mother of three sons and a=20 daughter. When her daughter told her she is a lesbian, Winifred's=20 first reaction was that celibacy was the only option. However,=20 her daughter is a committed Christian, and celibacy was not her=20 choice. This prompted Winifred to look more closely at the=20 issue. She found that it is too easy to take scripture out of=20 context, that theologians are not of one voice, and that science=20 is changing positions. Winifred decided to apply the biblical=20 test of "by their fruits you shall know them" to the situation. =20 She has found her daughter's community to be a caring and love- filled one, and is now able to say that she is proud of her=20 daughter. Both she and her husband know that God has been with=20 them on their journey and will continue to lead them into truth. =20 She has been hurt by the level of misunderstanding in the church,=20 and has considered leaving, but now knows that she must stay and=20 speak the truth as she has seen it, and must tell her story. The fourth speaker was Dianne Bollis, a Baptist and a counsellor=20 from Toronto. She said she came with a lot of both pain and=20 shame. She told of the pain of growing up with the dreadful=20 secret of her homosexuality. She was glad that the churches are=20 beginning to talk to people like herself, but feared that it may=20 be too late when issues are focused around ordination. She had=20 been in two relationships when she became a Christian at age 31. =20 For the past 14 years she has been living in celibacy. She has=20 searched scripture three times in that period and come down=20 conservatively each time. She cautioned against dismissing=20 scriptures in the light of social psychology, and said that while=20 love covers a multitude of sins, it does not condone them. By=20 extension, orientation cannot condone behaviour condemned by the=20 word of God. The love of God upholds us, however, and she asked=20 the Synod to dialogue not only with people, but also with God. Fifth on the panel was Bishop David Crawley, of the diocese of=20 Kootenay. He described himself as a working priest who was given=20 the great gift of working for a time with gay/lesbian people. =20 Although he knew many homosexuals, he had never talked to them=20 about their orientation. Then one friend told him he was gay and=20 talked of the difficulty of being gay in a small western city. =20 The friend said "we are more alike than we are different, all we=20 want is to love and to be loved." Crawley went to work in St=20 Paul's Vancouver which has a large lesbian/gay population living=20 in the parish. As he came to know them, he realised that=20 alienation was their background experience, and that they have=20 been deeply hurt. He realised that no-one would choose to live=20 with such rejection, and that homosexuality is not a matter of=20 choice. He then asked, do we believe that gay and lesbian people=20 should live without intimacy, or should the church approve same- sex unions? His answer was that blessing should be given. The last speaker, Genevieve Carder, came from the United Church of=20 Canada, and told of their struggles with the issue of full church=20 membership for gay and lesbian people. She spoke of the=20 tremendous study and prayer that has gone into making their=20 decision. After the panellists had spoken, fourteen members of Synod had=20 time to address the issue of homosexuals and their relationship to=20 the church. Tod Maffin invoked the Synod theme "For you and for many", and=20 pointed out that the church is presently practising selective=20 inclusiveness, and this is wrong. He looked forward to a whole=20 future where people are judged on membership, not on orientation. James Nashak felt strongly that we must follow the injunctions of=20 the Bible. He read from both Old and New Testaments, pointing out=20 that men having sex with other men should be put to death, and=20 that homosexuals will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Margaret Murray pointed out very concisely that the present=20 position on ordained homosexuals is an embarrassment in its=20 inconsistency. If we insist on celibacy for gay/lesbian clergy,=20 then the same should be required of heterosexual clergy. David Busby spoke of how personal experiences determine how we=20 interpret scripture; and how his son's struggles have shown him=20 how both hetero- and homosexuality are both good and creative. Bill Hill felt that homosexual sex is un-natural, and not the way=20 God intended creation to be. Sin is sin, and we must treat it as=20 such. Muriel Hornby said that she must listen to her gay/lesbian=20 brothers and sisters with acceptance and compassion, and called=20 upon her church to do the same. Bishop Terry Finlay said that his experience in Toronto diocese=20 has convinced him of three things: that the present policy MUST=20 be re-examined by the whole church, laity and clergy; that we must=20 learn to listen to others with sensitivity and care, so that we=20 may hear God's voice; and that should look to scripture,=20 tradition, reason, experience and making responsible compromises. Tom Collins suggested that we look at blessing same-sex=20 relationships before we address the issue of ordaining=20 homosexuals. Lea Starr had sought out lesgays before the Synod, and found them=20 very spiritual people. They are marginalised in church and=20 society. The church has drawn an exclusive circle that keeps=20 lesbians and gays out. She thanked God that gays and lesbians=20 have drawn a circle that took her in. James Koester, a monk in the Society of St John the Evangelist,=20 spoke about celibacy. He spoke of it as a gift and a vocation,=20 one which will work only if supported -- in his case, by his=20 community. He said it was inappropriate to talk of celibacy as a=20 condition applied to ordination, for to do so is to doom it to=20 failure. Harold Munn spoke of insights he has gained from homosexual=20 couples. Their relationships are identical in quality to his own=20 marriage. He felt that homosexuals should have the same support=20 in their relationships as anyone else. Andrew Wesley spoke of how an elder from his tribe helped him=20 realise that God creates people with different ways of showing=20 love. Colin Proudman pointed out that the church has reversed its=20 teaching on several things in this century, including=20 contraception, divorce and remarriage. It may reverse its stand=20 on homosexuality too. Peter Davidson spoke of the positive response in his congregation=20 to their providing space to the local MCC congregation. Next there were table discussions for half an hour. The=20 panellists then returned, to a standing ovation. The Primate=20 spoke to thank them, saying that their clarity of speech and deep=20 conviction set a high standard that he hoped would continue in=20 future discussions. He mentioned that a number of people were=20 wearing "Bridge-Builder" buttons, and that we can all build those=20 bridges, starting from where we are. This reporter heard lots of good feedback on the Forum. One=20 person, for instance, related that a bishop and a priest in his=20 table group were beginning to be open to change. They both said=20 that they had felt very negatively about divorce and remarriage,=20 and about the ordination of women, but have since changed their=20 minds. They may re-evaluate their stand, having seen and heard=20 gay and lesbian people and their loved ones. It is perhaps significant to note that of the twenty people who=20 spoke, only four of them took a very conservative viewpoint -- two=20 panellists and two speakers. Of those four, three (Sperry, Nashak=20 and Hill) are from the diocese of the Arctic, and the fourth is=20 not an Anglican. The other speakers were either calling for=20 full(er) inclusion of lesgays in the life of the church, or at the=20 least saying that we must continue to talk and listen to each=20 other. That is not to say that the problem is all with "those people"=20 from remote areas or of conservative scholarship; that would be=20 simple-minded. Nevertheless, to paraphrase the Primate, the tone=20 for future discussions -- openness and a willingness to share and=20 listen -- has been set. We must make sure that it continues. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-4] SYNOD RESOLVES TO STUDY HOMOSEXUALITY by Chris Ambidge GENERAL SYNOD PASSED a resolution, moved and seconded by Dean=20 Duncan Abraham and Phyllis Creighton of Toronto diocese, calling=20 for a wide-reaching study of homosexuality and homosexual=20 relationships. It was the subject of several amendments, one of=20 which added the National Executive Council. The amendment meant=20 that it had to return to the Expenditures Committee for the=20 estimated costs to be re-evaluated, and this delayed the final=20 vote until the last day of Synod. The final form of the motion=20 was: BE IT RESOLVED: That this General Synod request the House of Bishops and the=20 National Executive Council to commission an immediate study of=20 homosexuality and homosexual relationships, including: o modern scientific knowledge, o the Church's understanding of Biblical teaching on=20 homosexuality, human relationships, inclusiveness and=20 justice, o the experience of gays and lesbians who are committed=20 Christians; That the study be completed, and a report with specific=20 recommendations be submitted to General Synod 1995, in a form=20 that would be available to the whole church. The motion passed, by reasonably close votes in both houses. It=20 was really hard to get a sense of the vote. Some voted for the=20 motion because they wanted more study, some because they really=20 want to deal with the issue. Some others voted against it because=20 we don't need to study it any more, or because they don't like=20 such a small "task force". Earlier in the debate, an amendment was put forth to add "the=20 experiences of homosexuals -- practising, chaste and former" as=20 one of the topics to be covered. A First Nations member from=20 southern Ontario spoke against both the amendment and the main=20 motion. She said that they reminded her of the church discussion,=20 at the turn of the century, whether or not Aboriginal people are=20 human and have souls. I think that the passage of the motion is a good and positive=20 thing. Some lesgays that I have spoken to bemoan that "we're=20 being studied yet again, but they're not doing anything". =20 However, the church is now investing both money and time in=20 looking at our position in our faith community, and the motion=20 specifically calls for us to have a voice in the study. Previous=20 work has talked ABOUT us, but not to us. The motion also directs=20 that a report will appear at General Synod 1995, which means=20 agenda time. We will not be swept under the rug. The church is=20 moving: let us pray that the movement is not so slow that=20 faithful lesgays leave in disgust. Let us also pray that the=20 movement will not prompt a backlash among those who would prefer=20 that the church not move at all. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-5] BREAKING THE SILENCES IN THE ANGLICAN CHURCH by Bonnie and Michelle Crawford-Bewley ON WEDNESDAY JUNE 24TH, in the midst of General Synod's whirl,=20 Integrity hosted a service that was part of the official=20 activities of Pride Week in Toronto. We used the Pride Day theme=20 and called the gathering "Breaking the Silences in the Anglican=20 Church". Curtis Metzger, of the diocese of New Westminster,=20 presided over the Eucharist. He wore a stole that had been given=20 to him a few years ago, while he was a student at Holy Trinity=20 (our host parish). Three weeks prior to celebrating for us,=20 Curtis had come out on the New Westminster Synod floor. No action=20 has been taken against him because of his disclosure, since he is=20 not currently in a relationship. We were also fortunate to have Bishop David Crawley of Kootenay=20 give the homily. Bishop Crawley is an intelligent, caring, warm=20 and gentle man with a mischievous sense of humour and an even more=20 mischievous smile. In his homily he said that many people see him=20 as brave because he speaks out about the need for the Church to be=20 more accepting of gays and lesbians and our relationships. He=20 feels that he isn't brave because he has a diocese that loves him=20 and for the most part doesn't care what he says on this issue. =20 His opinion is that we are the ones who are brave, because we=20 really are at risk and don't have a safe place to go back to. We=20 will be the ones to push the Church to do what's right and to be=20 what it says it is, a welcoming and caring place for everyone. Some members of General Synod came to the service. One of them=20 said that while listening to the members of Synod talk amongst=20 themselves he had heard many positive comments, and he wanted us=20 to know that there were many people in the church who are willing=20 to support lesgays. He also gave his impression that there are=20 more positive and sympathetic priests than we may be aware of. At the reception held after the service, Jim Ferry spoke about his=20 experiences over the last year and his plans for the future. He=20 is currently speaking at events in both Canada and the United=20 States and is working on a book about his ordeal to be published=20 next year. =20 One of the forty people in attendance was the Rev Doug Fox, a=20 priest of the diocese of Qu'Appelle who now lives in Toronto. He=20 was a witness at Jim's trial in Bishop's Court last February. Our=20 roving photographer got a picture of Doug, Curtis and Jim together=20 -- three publicly out gay Anglican priests. Definitely one for=20 the archives! =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-6] A LESBIAN GOES TO SYNOD by Patti Brace THE OPPORTUNITY to go to General Synod in a big city and harass a=20 monolithic institution seemed like small-town lesbian heaven. In=20 fact, it was generally pleasant and frequently interesting, as the=20 Anglican Church of Canada showed signs of addressing the messy,=20 un-polite, racist, sexist and heterosexist world in which we live. Over the week, members of Synod examined issues of inclusion and=20 power: around race and ethnicity through a presentation on=20 multiculturalism and a forum on residential schools; sexuality=20 through the AIDS vigil and the forum on sexual orientation; and=20 gender (and all of the above) in a discussion of the draft human=20 rights document. The discussion was set up by the Primate's opening address. He=20 situated Synod both geographically and politically by noting that=20 it met one block east of the site of racially-based rioting a=20 month previous and one block the other way from the Church- Wellesley area. It gave issues locations and faces, which seems=20 to me the most important aspect of the week. The location of Integrity's display was also key --adjacent to=20 Native Ministries and in the same room as the Canadian Bible=20 Society, the Centre for Christian Studies and Dorothy Shuter=20 ecclesiastical garments. A logistical genius had a courtesy phone installed in the corner=20 of our display, which meant that anyone wanting free phone-calls=20 had to brave the banners and the "fruit of the day" jelly beans=20 and the pamphlets and the "clap your hands if you believe in Jim=20 Ferry" T-shirts and the rainbow ribbon and the "Bridge Builder"=20 buttons and the smiling ranks of gay men and lesbian (nearly=20 always singular). It certainly drew people in to talk ... and=20 talk .... The squirming fellow from the Church Army who needed=20 the phone half a dozen times in a single morning didn't have much=20 to say, though. The AIDS Vigil on Sunday evening worked out this idea of inclusion=20 by talking about people with AIDS living with us in the church and=20 in our memories. The Primate led the liturgy, printed on the back=20 of a poster that says, *OUR CHURCH HAS AIDS / We need to talk* and=20 shows an aerial view of a circle of clasped hands surrounding a=20 lit candle. The reading (John 14:8-21) reinforced the sense of=20 radical inclusion and presence represented on the poster. The most moving part of the vigil was when we said the names of=20 people who are living with AIDS and who have died. Almost every=20 one of the more than a hundred people who stayed for the vigil=20 read the name of someone who has been at Casey House, but many=20 added friends, lovers and relatives. The sound of the names=20 brought "out there" into the middle of the church. The Sexual Orientation Forum, on Monday evening, began amid=20 paranoia about incursions of vast hordes of screaming queers=20 brandishing signs and hand grenades, which seemed to me a case of=20 Anglicans over-estimating their significance to lesbian and gay=20 political agendas. Synod talked for the first time about the fact=20 that we're here. My overall comment: "it's a good beginning --=20 but if it's the end, we're in trouble!" The panel included a negative bishop, a positive bishop, a well- adjusted Anglican gay man, a poorly-adjusted non-Anglican lesbian,=20 a feisty mother of a lesbian, and a speaker from the United Church=20 to talk about the worms about to crawl out of the can we've just=20 opened. Again, people telling their stories made theoretical=20 issues into real lives. This carried over into the members' discussion period, which was=20 largely positive and wide-ranging. A man from a religious order=20 made a much-needed statement about celibacy as a vocation and a=20 gift rather than as a punishment, while a woman noted that demands=20 of sexual abstinence for lesbian and gay clergy should, in the=20 interest of consistency, apply equally to heterosexual clergy. The discussion of the draft human rights document the next=20 afternoon again raised questions of power and inclusion. This=20 session was less positive and, I think, showed some troubling=20 blind spots. The speaker designated to present the Biblical basis=20 for human rights recited all of the anti-gay passages to show why=20 the church shouldn't codify rights. There was considerable debate=20 about the church slipping into legalistic behaviour better suited=20 to the world "out there." Several people said we don't need to codify our standard of human=20 rights because that's what Christianity is all about. Maybe so,=20 but the reality is that some people have more rights than others=20 because of the power they wield. Another speaker noted that these=20 guidelines also support people in positions of power in their=20 efforts to behave responsibly (good point!). The motion to study=20 the human rights document passed -- by a hair. I think we need=20 another run at this. Synod was exhausting, but meeting other Anglican faggots and dykes=20 gave me a tremendously empowering sense of connection with the=20 Church. [Author Box: PATTI BRACE is a founding member of=20 Integrity/Kingston. She lives relatively happily with two cats,=20 neither of whom is named Gertrude] =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-7] FLOATING ALONG AT PRIDE DAY 1992 by Bonnie and Michelle Crawford-Bewley PRIDE DAY 1992 WAS the first (and so far, only) hot, sunny Sunday=20 of the summer. Integrity was in the heart of the action, having a=20 table on Church Street just south of Wellesley. The table and=20 everyone there baked in the sun for most of the day (with only=20 minor sun burn reported, we got off fairly lightly). Most of the=20 members who staffed the table had been working at General Synod=20 the week before, and had also earned Integrity money by working at=20 the GCDC "Temple of Boom" dance on Saturday night, so by the end=20 of the day we were fried in more ways than one! At least one=20 lesbian (who shall remain nameless) was seen wandering around at=20 10:00 a.m. looking for the biggest cup of coffee available on=20 Church Street. In spite of all the tiredness it was energising day. The crowds=20 were huge (the *Globe and Mail* estimated 100 000) and festive. =20 We had people from all over Canada and the United States stop at=20 our booth to pick literature and chat. The jewellery display that=20 we featured prominently drew eyes and then feet to the table. =20 Talking to the lesgays who visited the booth made us realise how=20 lucky we are to live in a place with such a strong gay community. =20 Many of those we talked to were the only lesgays in their small=20 communities. The highlight of the day for us was driving Integrity's float in=20 the parade. The float was made possible by the generosity of Don=20 Uttley, who not only loaned us his beautiful blue Geo Tracker (an=20 urban jeep), but also allowed us to take it apart (to take the=20 rag-top down). The theme of this year's parade was "Breaking the=20 Silences". Our float with Jim Ferry riding on it was especially=20 appropriate, since he has definitely been breaking the silences in=20 the Anglican Church. It was very moving to witness the outpouring=20 of support and love from the crowd for Jim. A wave of loud=20 applause and cheering followed us the entire route, and numerous=20 people ran out of the crowd to shake his hand or give him a kiss. =20 We had realised how important Jim is to lesgays in the Anglican=20 Church, but until the parade we hadn't realised just how important=20 he is to the general lesgay community, how many lives he is=20 touching and how many people are given courage by his courage. All in all a great day was had by everyone involved. We=20 especially enjoyed being blue truck-driving kinda lesbians. [Author Box: BONNIE CRAWFORD-BEWLEY has an Ontario Class G=20 Drivers Licence. MICHELLE uses a Metropass.] =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-8a] BRIDGE-BUILDER BUTTONS... One of the most popular badges at Synod was Integrity's own=20 *Bridge Builder* button. Although we didn't give him a by-line on=20 the button itself, it picks up on Bishop Finlay's call for people=20 to be bridge-builders within the church. Each button shows a=20 silhouette of a bridge, with a bright pink triangle (which doesn't=20 show well in the illustration) over top. The bridge speaks of=20 people reaching out to one another across differences that divide=20 them. The pink triangle is an echo of the badge that Nazis forced=20 homosexuals to wear, before moving them to extermination camps. =20 Pink triangles, like the cross, are a reminder of past oppression=20 and a symbol of future hope; and are today a emblem of=20 homosexuals. The buttons were our "biggest seller" (though we gave them away=20 for free) at the Integrity display: over the course of Synod we=20 put more than 200 into circulation. We also distributed hundreds=20 of pamphlets: there were six different ones, on everything from=20 gays and lesbians in the pews to blessing of same-gender unions,=20 by way of seeing Christianity through the lens of AIDS. If you=20 would like a button (or two), and/or a set of pamphlets, call or=20 drop us a line. A couple of bucks to help defray postage would be=20 nice, if you can manage that. [92-5-8b] ... AND BRIDGES BEING BUILT A number of parishes in the diocese of Toronto -- urban, suburban=20 and rural -- are holding bridge-building workshops, usually as=20 part of their adult Christian education programmes. These=20 workshops (under a number of different names) are beginning the=20 dialogue about the position of lesgays in the church at the parish=20 level. Integrity/Toronto has been called in to be of help in a=20 number of these, providing both human resources and printed=20 resources. Representing the lesbian/gay community to the church=20 is one of Integrity's charter ministries, and we are very glad to=20 be able to assist. =20 Please hold all these workshops in your prayers. More information=20 will appear in a future issue of *Integrator*, but in the=20 meanwhile, why not ask if such a workshop could be held in your=20 parish? Contact Integrity if we can be of any assistance. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-9] NEW WESTMINSTER MOVES FOR CONSISTENCY ... and Gay Priest Outs Himself The spring 1992 session of the New Westminster diocesan Synod,=20 meeting shortly before General Synod, addressed the position of=20 gay and lesbian clergy. The Synod passed this motion: THAT this Synod ask the House of Bishops to change its=20 discipline regarding the ordination of heterosexual and homosexual=20 persons so that the requirements and standards for ordination are=20 the same for all persons. This is addressing the 1979 *Pastoral Guidelines* which have been=20 interpreted to require homosexual clergy to remain sexually=20 abstinent. This standard is not required of heterosexual clergy=20 (and has not been since the time of the Reformation, when the=20 Anglican church permitted its clergy to marry). The motion of New=20 Westminster synod says that they feel that a double standard for=20 clergy, depending on the cleric's sexual orientation, is=20 inappropriate. The Rev Curtis Metzger, who is a palliative care chaplain at=20 Vancouver General Hospital, supported the motion during debate. =20 He began his comments with "You must understand that there are gay=20 and lesbian people all around you, and that I am one of them." In=20 taking the courageous step of outing himself, he gave further=20 voice and face to gay and lesbian people in the church. Curtis had been to see Archbishop Hambidge before the Synod and=20 came out to him as a proactive move. "I learn every day in my=20 work that life is too short" he said in an interview in Toronto at=20 General Synod. "For me to live with integrity was to be out and=20 not worry about who knows". He said he was not actually planning to out himself at Synod,=20 though he did go in clerical collar and pink triangle pin. =20 However, when the motion came forward dealing with the discipline=20 of homosexual clergy, he felt he should put name and face to the=20 issue and speak to the motion. When speaking in the first person about discipline of gay clergy,=20 Curtis' point (besides naming himself) was that the *Guidelines*=20 as they presently stand are imposing something extra on lesgays. =20 Clergy promise obedience to their bishop at ordination; and asking=20 for a second promise is implying that they didn't really mean it=20 when they took their ordination vows. Reaction to Curtis personally was very good at the Synod, with=20 people thanking him for his bravery and courage. Further support=20 came when the motion itself passed. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [92-5-10] IT WOULDN'T ALL FIT!! An awful lot happened around General Synod 1992, certainly more=20 than can be brought to you in eight pages. Future editions of=20 *Integrator* will include transcripts of the presentations by some=20 of the panellists at the Sexual Orientation Forum, opinion pieces=20 on where-do-we-go-now, and more. AT SYNOD, THE STAFF OF THE INTEGRITY DISPLAY WERE: Vancouver: * Ray Koehler, Curtis Metzger Kingston: * Patti Brace, Thomas Roach Toronto: * Chris Ambidge, Cameron Atkison, Bonnie & Michelle=20 Crawford-Bewley, Jim Ferry, Alice Forster, Doug Fox, John=20 Gartshore, Brian MacIntyre, Norm Rickaby, Sandy Tipper, Don=20 Uttley; (all of Integrity/Toronto); and Mary and Laurie Jones (of=20 PFLAG.) =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D End of volume 92-5 of Integrator, the newsletter of=20 Integrity/Toronto copyright 1992 Integrity/Toronto comments please to Chris Ambidge, Editor chris.ambidge@utoronto.ca OR =20 Integrity/Toronto Box 873 Stn F Toronto ON Canada M4Y 2N9