Social - August 2003

Tensions run high over issues in the Episcopal church

Local ministers keep focus on Christianity

By DIANE TURBYFILL, LTN Staff Writer

Local Episcopalian ministers hope to ease tensions in their congregations over the appointment of a gay bishop.

Decisions made in Minneapolis last week during the tri-annual Episcopalian General Convention continue to cause conflicts in the church.

Lines have been drawn between those who applaud and those who disagree with confirming the first gay bishop, Bishop-elect V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, and permitting same sex blessing services.

Local Episcopalian ministers are trying to keep their parish members focused.

“These issues are not what unify us as Christians. They can’t. The thing that unifies us is Christ,” says the Rev. Ron Taylor of St. Peter By-The-Lake in Denver.

Taylor says there was an immediate reaction following the decisions made on Thursday, Aug. 7.

“I have lost some members over it already, and I am personally grieved and saddened by those losses,” he says.

Most of the calls and conversations Taylor has had address the confirmation rather than the issue of same sex unions.

The Rev. Jane Kempster of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Lincolnton says same sex blessing services have been allowed in North Carolina even before last week’s convention. But such ceremonies have several hurdles to jump before they may be performed.

Same sex blessing services must be approved by the bishop, the priest and parishioners.

“Even if a bishop decides that such ceremonies are OK in their diocese, no priest of an individual church is compelled to do such services,” says Taylor.

“Even with marriages, I don’t have to do them,” says Kempster.

The decision to perform a union ceremony of any kind is up to the individual minister and parish. Neither Kempster nor Taylor have ever been approached about performing same sex union services.

More concern has been expressed about the newly elected gay bishop than the ceremonies.

Attendance was up in both churches Sunday. Episcopalians turned to their priests for answers.

“Many of my parishioners wanted to hear what was going to happen from the pulpit,” says Taylor.

Kempster and Taylor both addressed the concerns during their sermons.

The ministers tried to ease tension and tell church members to trust their faith.

“Somehow God will sort this out in a way that will bless us all,” Kempster says.

The recent decisions have affected the Episcopalian church globally and has threatened its unity. Nine dioceses are meeting in Texas to discuss breaking off from the Episcopal Church, says Kempster.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has called a meeting for October to further discuss the unity of the church.

“It’s church politics at its messiest,” Kempster says.

Taylor and Kempster try to keep informed on what’s happening in the church on a national level but agree they must focus on their parishes.

“I will continue to do what I hope I’ve always done — do a lot of listening and provide a lot of pastoral care to folks that are on both sides of this issue,” Taylor says.

Kempster says that regardless of which side of the issue an Episcopalian is on, traditionally the church welcomes everyone.

“We tend to take people as they are and not as we wish they were,” says Kempster. “We try not to judge.”

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

Terms and Conditions