|
Thank you for your interest in the
Episcopal Diocese of California’s Commission on Marriage and Blessing!
Update:
On October 20, 2007, our Diocesan Convention overwhelmingly passed
this resolution:
RESOLVED,
that this 158th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of California
commend to the Bishop of California the lectionary, rubric entitled
“Concerning the Service,” and three rites endorsed by the Commission on
Marriage and Blessing, and urge the Bishop to approve the trial use of
these forms as resources in the Diocese of California for
formalizing the blessing of same-gender unions.
In his address earlier in the day, Bishop Marc
Andrus made clear his support of the resolution, stating, “I welcome
the resolution on marriage and blessing being offered at this
Convention. I think the resolution properly augments my pastoral goal of
caring alike for all the people of the Diocese, not reinforcing damaging
distinctions.”
-
To read the introductory
remarks to the Convention of CMB co-chairs Joseph Lane and
Lynette
Morlan,
click here.
-
To read CMB co-chair Joseph
Lane’s informal narrative describing the day’s events,
click here.
Timeline:
We would like to take this
opportunity to introduce ourselves and to report on the work we’ve
accomplished in 2005, 2006, and 2007.
Before we begin, here’s a thought that underlies
all of our work...
The Commission on Marriage and Blessing
celebrates the intention of the Episcopal Diocese of California to
support and bless both same-gender and heterosexual couples in godly
relationship, while hoping for the day when ‘marriage equality’ will be
the reality in our Church and State.
2005
Diocesan Convention passed
three resolutions in October 2005 relating to the new CMB, the
successor to the Bishop’s
Task Force on Marriage
and Blessing. The resolutions may be summarized as follows:
A.
Resolution establishing the CMB through the 161st Diocesan
Convention in October 2010
B.
Resolution charging CMB with developing resources for catechesis with
couples and communities of faith. These resources would be for clergy’s
use in pre-marital/pre-union counseling, as well as to help
congregations better understand their role in fostering/supporting good
relationships.
C.
Resolution charging the CMB and the Commission on Liturgy and Music
together to develop a rite or rites for the liturgical covenanting,
blessing, and sending forth of couples in committed same-gender
relationships.
2006
In February 2006, Bishop Swing appointed the Rev.
Joseph Lane as CMB co-chair, and instructed Joseph to appoint his
co-chair. Joseph felt it would be best to wait to appoint a co-chair
until he and the new CMB had a sense of who would be serving on the
Commission, and until he could nominate someone to the new bishop.
CMB met once (April 18) prior to the May’s
episcopal election, then again immediately following the election, on
May 9. Joseph and the Rev.
John Kirkley, president of
Oasis/California (O/C), met with Bishop-elect
Marc Andrus on May 10. At that time
Bishop Marc enthusiastically encouraged CMB to “do the work.” CMB met
again on May 31 to discuss how to best proceed with our new bishop.
Joseph was present at an O/C board meeting with the Bishop Marc on
October 3, which resulted in Bishop Marc’s
letter to the clergy, dated October 4, setting forth his
expectations regarding the blessing of same-gender unions in the Diocese
of California, as well as his expectation that CMB would develop
“liturgical resources for our pastoral use” in the diocese.
CMB met again on October 10 (with the Rev. Rick
Fabian, co-chair of the Commission of Liturgy and Music) and November
16, and developed this timeline for its work leading up to Diocesan
Convention in October 2007:
-
October — November ’06 – Commissioners choose
one or more subgroups: Rites, Resources, Church and State
-
December ’06 — February ’07 – Subgroups define
and begin their work.
-
March ’07 – Saturday retreat for subgroups to
present drafts to CMB:
a.
Rite/s (extant and/or new)
b.
Resources (draft documents and/or create a bibliography of extant
resources)
c.
Church and State (compose a position paper and, perhaps, craft a
resolution similar to the one being considered in the Diocese of
Massachusetts)
-
April/May/June – Complete work required for Diocesan
Convention in October ’07, including resolutions.
-
Early September ’07 – Complete any last minute edits
before materials go to press and to deanery convocations.
-
Early October ’07 – Incorporate feedback from deaneries.
Writing to Bishop Marc on
October 15, Joseph nominated the Rev. Lynette Morlan to be co-chair of
CMB, and Bishop Marc affirmed the appointment on October 24. Shortly
thereafter, Joseph and Lyn formally submitted a list of names
of people to serve on CMB, including individuals who had expressed
interest in serving to Bishop Swing during or following Diocesan
Convention in 2005, as well as a few additional recruits.
2007 and Beyond
The various CMB subgroups met during
the first part of 2007, including a working CMB retreat on March 31. We
launched this in early summer with
sections on rites, resources, and matters of church and state. We
reported to Diocesan Convention in
October, commending a list of Commission On Marriage and Blessing
Endorsed Rites
and Resources for consideration by
Convention, the Diocese, and Bishop Marc. Our proposal ws accepted by an
overwhelming majority of those attending the Convention.
Having completed the initial phase of our work on
rites, our primary tasks in 2008 will include continued development
of resources for couples, clergy, and
congregations (per the second of the three resolutions cited above) and
work on matters of church and state,
especially the issue of whether clergy should act as functionaries of
the State in marriage/civil union, etc.
__
Joseph
Lane Lynette Morlan
Co-chair
Co-chair
June 1, 2007
|
