Mary Glasspool - "...the inclusiveness of Jesus' love for all people"

From an interview with Mary Glasspool in the Baltimore Sun:

With respect to the Archbishop of Canterbury, he has a personal relationship with the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, and I leave that in their realm. Certainly, I’m not ignorant of issues in the culture and the church, so yes, I can say I anticipated some kind of reaction. You never know what kind of reaction.

Isn't that the truth? Although the Archbishop of Canterbury is getting to be more predictable.

I want to be quick to say that personally, I have received hundreds, maybe a thousand at this point, and one negative e-mail among all of them. I’ve received e-mails from all over the world – from an 18-year-old gay man in Auckland, New Zealand, who said how proud and thrilled he was for the church. Episcopalians in the Diocese of Dallas, which is one of our more conservative dioceses, and a married couple, lay people, who wrote and sent their congratulations. A Lesbian couple who are Roman Catholic in England who said they were having such difficulty in their own church and they were so proud that the Episcopal Church was taking leadership in this way, demonstrating not only the reality of who we already are, but the inclusiveness of Jesus’ love for all people.

One negative email? That is amazingly good news. There's a hunger out there for justice and equality all over the world by folks of every color, creed, no-creed, gender, and sexual persuasion. The train is leaving the station. Those who do not get on board will be left behind.

I’ve made it a point throughout my ministry of seeking out very intentionally people who think and feel and believe differently than I do. So right now, I meet once a month with a brother in Christ, a fellow colleague in Christ, who may in fact be in pain. I’ve not talking (sic) with him since the election. But we meet once a month faithfully to engage with one another. And my message to my more conservative sisters and brothers is I need you and the church needs you and you are part of this wonderful family that we hold dear. That in the Episcopal tradition we call the Episcopal Church. So I don’t know what kind of pain is out there yet, and I’d like to talk and say, keep talking, know that what is most important is that we continue to come together around the table on Sunday in celebration of the Eucharist.

Amen! Bishop-elect Mary is right. As weary as I am of listening to words of judgment and condemnation, I know, in my heart of hearts, that Mary is right, and we must remain engaged with those with opposing views, if they will engage with us, and that we must continue to come together around the table in the celebration of the Eucharist. It is in sharing the body and blood of Our Lord, that we shall be healed.

So I’m excited. I’m excited about the future. I think this is a real hopeful sign to the world. You know, especially to young people, who sometimes look at the church and especially the institutional church and say, 'What are they talking about? What is all this stuff?' I think the Episcopal Church is particularly poised to offer hope, to engage with the future, both in terms of new technology, and art and music and science with the story of the people of God.

I agree, but not in a prideful way, because I know that the road ahead will be rough and the journey difficult.

Prayer For Travelers

O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel; surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer, p. 831)

(All emphases are mine.)

H/T to Ann Fontaine at The Lead.