Episcopal Church: Was it something I said?
Growing up in Virginia I considered myself Episcopalian. We weren’t particularly church-going or anything, but I remember asking my Mom what we were and she said “Episcopalian,” her family was Episcopalian and we went to a few Easter and Christmas services. So that’s what I considered myself. Later in my teenage years, I went and studied more about the Anglican faith.. but then became Mormon instead, at 18.
After finding a soulmate, being excommunicated from that church (in that order 
) and adopting a child, we have been on a journey to find a congregation and faith. We’ve attended and have been leaning towards several Episcopal congregations in the area and this Christmas season we’ve been incorporating more ‘Anglican’ traditions like Advent sundays and celebration, Epiphany observance, etc.
Was it something I said? or did?
Well, kinda, in a weird round-about-sort of way, I guess it was.
Well, not me, ‘us’ as in GLBT people. You see, these eight Virginian congregations that are leaving are doing so because they oppose the larger Episcopal church’s acceptence of gay and lesbians, as parishioners, clergy, married couples, etc. They reject the accepting and tolerant view of homosexuality and our inclusion in the full life of faith.
It is their perogative to leave if they so desire. It’s sad, but their perogative. They are entertaining being adopted by another Anglican diocese (The Anglican church is divided by ‘dioceses’ of which the Episcopal church is the American one), namely the Nigerian one headed by powerful archbishop, Peter Akinola. It’s sad that they find gay and lesbians in their midst so distasteful they’d be willing to join the Nigerian diocese, whose archbishop (and leadership)
… supports legislation in his country that would make it illegal for gay men and lesbians to form organizations, read gay literature or eat together in a restaurant.
(uh, not just illegal, but punishable by 5 years in prison)
Wow. Well, what can you say?
I do find it kind of ironic (interesting? strange? coincidental? cosmic karma?) that I was kicked out of one faith because of my relationship with my soulmate and now I’m considering another faith that some members are kicking themselves out of because of relationships like ours.
About The Author
My partner and I have been together for almost 14 years. I was born and raised Catholic (needless to say we were not welcome in my Church – unless we hide)….my partner was raised Methodist….
We have been trying to find a Church that would be open and accepting of our relationship but havent been successful….
Its discouraging…..but we try to laugh at the “ignorance”….
good luck to you
Reply to LauraYou can try the Congregational Church which is a Protestant church & is part of the United Church of Christ. They are a welcoming congregation. I use to be a Mormon until they stopped accepting me because of my lifestyle. Graduated from BYU, got married in the Temple, then found out that I love women. My timing has never been good! Love your blog, by the way
Reply to >^..^<First of all, Welcome Back!!!! I’ve missed your family in the blogsphere so much!
Second, I’m Episcopalian, and I have mostly found the congregations I’ve been in to be extremely accepting and loving. However, I think each congregation has its own makeup, its own flavor.
The reason I chose the church I attended until we left for Japan (and in which I was married) was because the first time I attended a service, the collection was taken up by four people: an older man in a three piece suit who looked like a Conservative Republican out of Central Casting, a young career woman in a mini-skirted suit and high heels, a very large African-American woman in a muumuu with a brilliant smile, and an effeminate young man with a ponytail and a blazer. I thought “HERE is God’s diversity, God’s beauty.”
The congregation in that downtown church is rich and poor, gay and straight, young and old, single and married, birth families, adoptive families, blended families, families with one mother and no father, families with two fathers, families with three mothers, from all faith backgrounds and from all ethnic backgrounds. I was one of three straight people in a choir of over 30 people. None of that matters…we’re all there for God and for fellowship.
I miss it. http://www.st-peters.org
I wish you luck in your search for the right congregation for you. And I’m SO glad you are back!
Reply to Caroliep.s.–I agree with >^..^p.s.–I agree with >^..^< that the Congregational Church, or UCC, as she mentioned above, is also a wonderfully welcoming and non-judgemental denomination as a general rule.
Reply to CarolieSorry…I meant to say I agreed with the previous poster (it won’t let me type out her name) that the Congregational Church, or UCC, is very non-judgemental and welcoming.
Reply to CarolieGay Nigerian Mormons
Yep, they exist. Lots of them. Nigeria is one of the places in the world were Mormonism has been growing by leaps and bounds (well from near 0 a couple decades ago to 120,000 today) . Inevitably, there are gay…
Reply to Daddy, Papa and MeVirginian Episcopalians
As Nigeria is about to pass the new draconian anti-gay laws (outlawing, with 5 year prison sentence, _any_ contact between gay people… even talking in a cafe or visiting), the Virginia Episcopalian congregations that voted last month to join the…
Reply to Daddy, Papa and MeEpiscopals stand up, Christlike, to Anglicans
The Episcopal Church opens up to gay and lesbian members with full fellowship and elects a gay bishop. Several congregations split off and join the Nigerians and the Anglican church issues a stern pronouncement and demand to the Episcopals…
Reply to Daddy, Papa and Me