This month is heavy with meaningful anniversaries.
May 1 was the third anniversary of my blog. I hardly realized it had arrived.
May 10 is the anniversary of my brother's death. It is also the date I sat down with our Adult Ed. pastor four years ago and asked him to begin the conversation in our church to welcome the LGBT community.
May 14 is the date three years ago when I sat with our senior pastor and said that it was time to be intentional in our welcome, and thus began my own journey in helping my church become open and affirming.
May 18 was my brother's birthday. He would have been 49 in 1996.
Today, May 10 will add another bead to its rosary. Today five presbyteries will vote whether to allow churches and presbyteries to ordain gay clergy if they so choose. Only one more vote is needed to reach the simple majority of 87, and one of the presbyteries voting has a history of always voting to approve the amendment. When the Twin Cities Presbytery of Minnesota votes today, the Presbyterian Church (USA) will pass Amendment 10-A.
There will be some fallout, and I plan to write about that. But the decision has been long coming—it is long overdue—and we will rejoice for this step of progress. It is not enough, but it is more. Let us take a moment to be thankful when it comes and gird ourselves for the continuing journey.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) has just ratified Ordination Amendment 10-A, which allows churches to ordain gay clergy, elders, and deacons if they so choose. The ruling becomes effective July 10. This is a great day in our denomination, joining the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America in God's overwhelming grace. Justice has been done today.
