We have had other moments in justice work when we have worked smart — the ordination of women was the last great effort.  From my perspective, the event that brought us here today had its genesis in the unlikely place of an empty stairwell outside a classroom at the University at Canterbury during the 1998 Lambeth Conference.

Each one of who gathered there were known BY but not TO each other, and it was the first time any of us had gathered together in the same place. We had certainly never worked together, although we all cared passionately and deeply about the same work of justice.

We were the old and venerable: Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, United Kingdom (LGCM UK) and Integrity USA. We were the new and upstart: UK Changing Attitude and The Oasis, Oasis/ California. I think it was the day after Lambeth officially opened and we finally opened our eyes to see each other and the reality of our opponents.

Clearly, it was not the first time they had met or gathered to work together. While we huddled in that stairwell, the conservatives had already been together on campus for two weeks. They had quickly seen the challenges of communication on that lovely, bucolic setting and had outfitted themselves with pagers and cell phones, fax machines and computers. They were well funded, well organized, and focused.

And so we did what humans do when we are frightened and overwhelmed — we turned on each other. Tempers began to flare and squabbling broke out.  Battles over turf wars began to surface. I remember standing in that stairwell, listening to the tension rise along with the anger in our voices, and it brought out the mother in me — in the full and 1Ú2 sense of that word — and I remember saying, "STOP! Stop it! Sit down! Stop squabbling! We have got to learn to work together or our work will die!"

There were a few moments of sobering silence as we realized that the most we could word for in that time was a modicum of damage control. We came away from Lambeth deeply wounded and limping, but still walking. Still determined. We are a persistent people of a most persistent God.

We came away outraged — and remain outraged! — that some members of this elite group of people in purple shirts dare to claim that they — and THEY ONLY — speak the mind of the world-wide Anglican Communion. What arrogance! What cheek! Last time I read The Outline of Faith there were four orders of ministry: bishops, priests, deacons and the laity.

Hello? Good morning! This is your wake-up call. Open your eyes and look around. We are the church, too. Our faces are part of the Imago Dei. Our work is central to the Misseo Dei.

We would not be here today if it were not for the collaborative efforts of the coalition of justice workers who have come together on this work known as Claiming the Blessing. The lead groups of this effort are Beyond Inclusion, Integrity and The Oasis, but we also represent EWC, UBE, EPF, ECPC/The Witness and more!

At this moment, we are focused and coalesced around a single task: to obtain authorization for the development of a liturgical rite of blessing of the faithful, monogamous relationship between two adults of any gender at General Convention 2003. (Would someone please tell the bishop of Pittsburgh that we do not bless ‘sexual relationships’? We are blessing faithful, monogamous relationships!)

But this is just the beginning. Our collaborative efforts for justice for LGBT people is what, we pray, will be the initiation or formalization of a network of communities and individuals who are striving to live out their baptismal covenant.  We hope to equip you here with information and theology; with opportunities to have conversations that are transformative and inspiring; with the impulse to go back to the 38 states and various countries and formalize the networks of justice where you live; and then link up with the national network of justice work.

There is much work to be done and the laborers are few. We can work hard or we can work smart. The work of Claiming the Blessing, I believe, calls us to a yet more excellent way.

I want to leave you with a story. It was written by the author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull and, as I remember the story, it is about the River Bottom Creatures. [Ed. note: from Illusionsby Richard Bach]

Way down, deep down at the very bottom of the riverbed live small beings known as the River Bottom Creatures. For centuries and generations they have lived their lives clinging to the rocks at the bottom of the river. They spend their days holding onto their rocks for dear life, as the current in the river whirls by them, threatening to tear them away and into the vast unknown of the water. They hold on in fear and trembling because they know their rocks, and they own their rocks. Every once in a while one of the creatures grows tired and lets go of their rock, only to crash into other creatures on other rocks and be carried off to another part of the river bottom — either to die, or to find another rock on which to cling.

One day, one of the river bottom creatures looked up at the current above and exclaimed: "THIS IS INSANITY! Holding onto these rocks is not life. I know that there is something else. Something more. Something beyond ourselves. Something greater than our lives here and now. I’m going to let go. I’m going to swim into the current. I’m going to fund what is beyond here and now. I’m going to find what is possible."

The other River Bottom Creatures were horrified. "FOOL!" they exclaimed. "You’ll kill yourself. You may kill others. Stay here. Stay with us. Avoid the current. It is dangerous. At least on the rock, we are safe."

But, the brave River Bottom Creature focused his eyes on the current and, propelling himself forward, began to swim into it. And lo! He discovered that he could not only swim, he could FLY!

The other creatures on the river bottom looked up and saw him. Some were afraid. Some were angry. Others were jealous. Some said to each other, "Look!  It must be the Messiah, come to save us!" They called to the flying River Bottom Creature, "Are you the Messiah? Have you come to save us?"

"No, I am a creature of the river bottom just like you. You are called into your own salvation. You have to let go of your rock. You have to let go of what you think is saving you. You must come into the water. Come into the current. Come! Follow me!"

Sisters and brothers, I believe that we are being called into the deep end of the waters of our baptism. We are being called away from the safety of our own turf, our own niche, our own understanding of reality — that we all may be one, even as God and Jesus are one.

We are being called into the dream of God. We are being called to live out the most fervent prayer for the sacred heart of Jesus — that we all may be one.

Come!

Welcome!

Let the church say, "Amen."

The Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton is a regular contributor to A Globe of Witnesses. Her monthly column is Another Word for Justice. Elizabeth may be reached by email at EMKaeton@aol.com

Related Links:

For more information on the Claiming the Blessing conference, including other speeches and the theology document that has been offered to the public for general feedback, visit www.integrityusa.org or www.everyvoice.net