Today we honor St. Aelred, a medieval English monk who now serves as the patron saint of Integrity, the preeminent LGBT organization in the Episcopal Church. Since I serve as president of Oasis, our diocesan LGBT ministry, it seems providential for me to be here today.
We remember Aelred principally for his teachings on friendship, teachings that showed us how “we, clasping each the other’s hand, may share the joy of friendship, human and divine,” and draw many to God’s community of love.”
On this St. Aelred’s Day, I wonder how are we can minster to each other in the good saint’s ‘community of love’ here in the Bay Area? I wonder if, since Aelred is the patron of Integrity, we can focus on how we draw LGBT into God’s “community of love.” We’ve done a great deal already: for 30 years our diocese has had an LGBT ministry. What began with the parsonage in the Castro has continued with Oasis California. Many of yesterday’s demands for inclusion of LGBT people in our church are today’s reality. You might think we could disband Oasis California and celebrate a job well done.
We could, but Prop 8 passed, shattering the myth we have fully accepted LGBT people. We could, but transgender people today face as much fear and hate as gay people did 30 years ago. We could, but the suicide rate among young gay men is unacceptably high. We could, but just this week a televangelist gained a moment of fame by claiming the recent series of dead birds falling from the sky are really God’s punishment of America for repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Here’s a reality check: when meeting with LGBT students and the Episcopal-Lutheran Chaplain at UC Davis, one of the students said: “It is harder for me to come out as a Christian to my gay friends than it is for me to come out as gay to my Christian Friends.”
So on this St. Aelred’s Day, I wonder if it is time to refocus our work and Oasis California. I wonder if it is time to examine how we minister to the LGBT people. I wonder if we could help Integrity serve as the activist organization and build our new ministry on how we minister to LGBT people as full members of our “community of love?” Our next challenge is reworking how we minister to those we now welcome to our church.
We can work to answer questions like:
- Are our Sunday schools, youth groups and church affiliated schools safe places of LGBT youth?
- Are church affiliated senior care facilities accepting places for LGBT seniors to live?
- Are our college and university chaplaincies receiving all the support they need to oppose bias against LGBT students and staff?
- What kind of pastoral care is appropriate for same gender couples – if in fact their needs are in any way different from those of a straight couple?
- Do we offer parents the resources and counsel they need if their child is LGBT?
These are but a few of the questions Oasis California could explore if we refocus on ministry that creates a “community of love” within this region.
St. Aelred writes of how the gift of Christian friendship can lead us in the way of holiness. Based on his teaching, we can now see the church as a “community of love” open to all the baptized. And we can work to find how to better minister to LGBT people within our “community of love.”
May we have the courage to hold each other’s hands; the joy of love given and returned; and the grace to form a beloved community that stands as a shining city upon the hill to give hope to all who see. And may many be drawn together in Aelred’s community of love.
May the people say Amen.
Preached by Oasis California President the Rev. Thomas C. Jackson On St. Aelred’s Day, Jan. 12, 2011 in Grace Cathedral
Where can I get an icon of St. Aelred?
Robert Lentz has created an excellent icon of St. Aelred that is available from Trinity Stores on a wide variety of media.Today we honor St. Aelred, a medieval English monk who now serves as the patron saint of Integrity, the preeminent LGBT organization in the Episcopal Church. Since I serve as president of Oasis, our diocesan LGBT ministry, it seems providential for me to be here today.
We remember Aelred principally for his teachings on friendship, teachings that showed us how “we, clasping each the other’s hand, may share the joy of friendship, human and divine,” and draw many to God’s community of love.”
On this St. Aelred’s Day, I wonder how are we can minster to each other in the good saint’s ‘community of love’ here in the Bay Area? I wonder if, since Aelred is the patron of Integrity, we can focus on how we draw LGBT into God’s “community of love.” We’ve done a great deal already: for 30 years our diocese has had an LGBT ministry. What began with the parsonage in the Castro has continued with Oasis California. Many of yesterday’s demands for inclusion of LGBT people in our church are today’s reality. You might think we could disband Oasis California and celebrate a job well done.
We could, but Prop 8 passed, shattering the myth we have fully accepted LGBT people. We could, but transgender people today face as much fear and hate as gay people did 30 years ago. We could, but the suicide rate among young gay men is unacceptably high. We could, but just this week a televangelist gained a moment of fame by claiming the recent series of dead birds falling from the sky are really God’s punishment of America for repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Here’s a reality check: when meeting with LGBT students and the Episcopal-Lutheran Chaplain at UC Davis, one of the students said: “It is harder for me to come out as a Christian to my gay friends than it is for me to come out as gay to my Christian Friends.”
So on this St. Aelred’s Day, I wonder if it is time to refocus our work and Oasis California. I wonder if it is time to examine how we minister to the LGBT people. I wonder if we could help Integrity serve as the activist organization and build our new ministry on how we minister to LGBT people as full members of our “community of love?” Our next challenge is reworking how we minister to those we now welcome to our church.
We can work to answer questions like:
- Are our Sunday schools, youth groups and church affiliated schools safe places of LGBT youth?
- Are church affiliated senior care facilities accepting places for LGBT seniors to live?
- Are our college and university chaplaincies receiving all the support they need to oppose bias against LGBT students and staff?
- What kind of pastoral care is appropriate for same gender couples – if in fact their needs are in any way different from those of a straight couple?
- Do we offer parents the resources and counsel they need if their child is LGBT?
These are but a few of the questions Oasis California could explore if we refocus on ministry that creates a “community of love” within this region.
St. Aelred writes of how the gift of Christian friendship can lead us in the way of holiness. Based on his teaching, we can now see the church as a “community of love” open to all the baptized. And we can work to find how to better minister to LGBT people within our “community of love.”
May we have the courage to hold each other’s hands; the joy of love given and returned; and the grace to form a beloved community that stands as a shining city upon the hill to give hope to all who see. And may many be drawn together in Aelred’s community of love.
May the people say Amen.
Preached by Oasis California President the Rev. Thomas C. Jackson On St. Aelred’s Day, Jan. 12, 2011 in Grace Cathedral
Where can I get an icon of St. Aelred?
Robert Lentz has created an excellent icon of St. Aelred that is available from Trinity Stores on a wide variety of media.
