Maybe, just maybe.

I feel a hope that I have not felt in so very long, and it almost hurts. Following is the response I posted to Goodsoil.org after reading the ELCA Church Council's proposal to allow partnered gay and lesbian pastors to be granted exceptions to the church's discriminatory policy. This just might be enough to keep me in the ELCA and get me ordained. It's not perfect, but IF it is passed - and that's a HUGE if - it would make the ELCA the largest body of Christians anywhere to have some process for formally ordaining gays and lesbians.

Here's to hope!


--

I have actively discerned a call to ordained ministry for the past nine years - much of my life - and have gone through the ups and downs of my church's struggle on the question of whether, finally, it can fully include glbtq people in the life of the church. For the first time in years, I am going to bed in whatever is the next best thing to peace. I have just finished reading the ELCA Church Council's recommendations that would implement an exception to V&E "in much the same manner as other roster exceptions are currently processed," and would permit gay and lesbian pastors granted the exception to be formally rostered on equal footing with straight pastors. In essence, the Church Council has bravely charted a path by which "continuing dialogue" means just that - not an excuse to put off change for another year or decade. The Church Council has crafted a compromise that just might have a chance at passing the 2/3 majority necessary to amend the bylaws - just maybe. No, the solution is not perfect: it still retains language that I find utterly incompatible with the Gospel. But it takes one medium step towards the church we all dream of, by creating a single standard for same-sex and opposite-sex relationships (even if they still cannot be called marriage), and by creating a process by which pastors in same-sex relationships can serve as legitimately rostered ministers without fear of discipline solely on account of their sexual orientation.

For the past six months, I have been preparing for the day I must leave the ELCA. Tonight, I have the first evidence that I might be able to stay. No, it's not perfect; but it's about the only acceptable start that has any chance of passing.