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crumbs for the dogs? - on church blessings of LGBTI+ people

10/8/2018

7 Comments

 
an address in favour of blessings after civil ceremonies for other than traditional male and female couples
at the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane, October 2018...
Mr. President, members of Synod, I rise to support the motion. This motion invites us to offer blessing to those who have received civil marriage. This set me to reflecting, like the Dean, on my experience this week of blessing animals for St. Francis Day. My little parish of Auchenflower-Milton took the missional opportunity of standing out on Baroona Road and offering a blessing to all passing dogs on their evening walk. We received three reactions of note. One person laughed in our faces and swore at us copiously. One not only received the invitation, but later wrote thanking us profusely for the added healing she felt was received by her sick pet. One responded positively, and today as I walked past them and their partner, greeted me warmly – a neighbour had become a friend. But, I realized with a qualm, while I could bless his dog, I could not bless his gay marriage.
 
I am speaking to this motion out of my long experience with many in the LGBTI+ community, and of course out of my own long and flourishing marriage. Jo and I married in England over thirty-three years ago.  Our love for each other and the support of our faith took us through the birth of twins and the sleepless nights; the deaths of some we loved; numerous changes of role, ministry and home, including emigrating to Australia. In recent years we have seen the marriages of our daughters – one in a church; but the other, sadly, with a civil celebrant, because despite her faith, our daughter could not countenance marriage in a church that did not equally value her LGBTI+ friends – and she is by no means alone in this stance; I echo the experience of Canon Harch.
 
In the early days of our marriage, Jo dried my tears as synod after synod in the Church of England rejected the ordination of women. So now it is my turn. As in recent years she has transitioned from male to female, our blessed marriage has supported us as she has been enabled to heal and grow.  It is distressing to us to realise that had Josephine transitioned before our marriage, we could not have been married in church, and still could not be – or even blessed.
 
From our perspective this motion does not go remotely far enough and I pray we may one day move to the broad inclusiveness of such places as the USA, Scotland, Brazil, New Zealand and soon I hope my native Wales. In this motion, what we are offering to LGBTI+ people present here, and those known to us in the wider community, including my newly friendly, dog-owning gay neighbor – what we offer in this motion are really only crumbs of comfort.
 
However under certain conditions, crumbs can save your life. So my words to you today are those of the Syro-Phoenician woman to Jesus; “even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the Master’s table.” Currently we bless dogs – but not faithful, loving LGBTI+ relationships.
 
So – let us at least share the dogs’ crumbs! And indeed, let us remember what God in Christ can do with crumbs – “12 baskets full” come to mind; 12 of course for the 12 tribes of Israel – the transformed kingdom-based community as the Archbishop reminded us in his fine sermon last night.
 
So give us your crumbs – and let’s see what the glorious, generous abundance of God can do with them. For we can be sure it will be broader than the measure of our minds. I support the motion.

by the Revd Penny Jones
7 Comments
Enya Rub
10/8/2018 04:52:36 am

Penny that is absolutely amazingly beautiful. Absolutely correct. How on earth did the church of Jesus come to this shameful position. Blessings on yourself and Jo. May you live a long and fruitful life together as you fill the gap in our churches by ministering to those on the fringe.

Reply
Penny Jones
10/9/2018 10:56:20 pm

Many thanks Enya - you are such a blessing :-)

Reply
Paul
10/8/2018 06:09:56 pm

Wow, well said. I strongly believe in Marriage for people no matter their sexual orientation or gender. As a gay man myself I am so pleased the State can witness marriage vows between people of the same sex as we as opposite sex. Penny, you and Jo should be able to have your marriage blessed and validated in your beloved church. (Hope I'm using language correctly here.) Secondly, my main reason for writing is my struggle with the concept of God. In recent years I've clung onto the concept of God as Love. God is a spiritual being who is so full of love that God *is* love. Love creates nature and love sets free. I see Jesus, the anointed one, Christ, as the Word of God. The one who speaks and proclaims Love. Perhaps the human embodiment of Love. The Spirit of God, the one who fills people with Love for those who are open to love.
I was struck by your words "God in Christ". This helps me understand more an aspect of the Trinity and the humanity of Jesus.
But I'm challenged myself by many Christian people and I guess many Muslim people who speak of God as if God is .... mmmm .. an all powerful person living in the sky or heaven. Words such as "this will happen if God permits" or "pray to God for: peace / rain / cure / happiness / well paid job / a car space..." or "Thanks to God I'm rich and can tithe" . Thinking as a linguist the language on the page or in a spoken sentence says God is a person with personality, who can be in conversation.
Does pure Love converse with us like an earthly person? Does love find a car space or bring rain or bring peace or open the heart of a cold Prime minister?

Too much here for you to answer Penny and Jo.

My child like concept of God is changing.
Paul.

Reply
Penny Jones
10/9/2018 10:59:33 pm

That is a great reflection Paul :-) It is a lovely if challenging journey we are on but I also think it is about rediscovering, and finding some appropriate language for, God in our times. I feel people do indeed confuse God with a person like a grandiose human being when God is so much more mysterious (as the greatest theologians have always said)

Reply
Gabrielle
10/9/2018 01:20:42 am

Beautifully expressed Penny.

Reply
Kerry
10/9/2018 03:53:35 am

I am really sorry the motion wasn't passed Penny. I am sorry the Anglican Church doesn't bless gay marriage and more. In practice we welcome many gay couples. I believe God is love. Love is evolving..it seems a bit slowly at times.

Reply
Penny Jones
10/9/2018 11:01:05 pm

Thanks Kerry :-) Yes, I think so too - I don't think the Holy Spirit is ever really stoppable and so many things are changing

Reply



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    sermons and reflections from Penny Jones & Josephine Inkpin, an Anglican married clergy couple in Brisbane

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