Claiming the Blessing — A rite of passage
by Elizabeth Kaeton

There are events in the life of a community which become rites of passage as well as marks of maturity and growth. Like a Bar/Bat Mitzvah or Confirmation for the individual, the gathering known as "Claiming The Blessing" was one such event which marked the spiritual maturation of the movement for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the life of the Episcopal Church.

For the first time since the movement to ordain women, many justice-seeking groups – including the Episcopal Women's Caucus, the Episcopal Church Publishing Company, the Union of Black Episcopalians, and the Episcopal Peace Fellowship – gathered together with Beyond Inclusion, Integrity and The Oasis with a single purpose and focus: to secure, at General Convention 2003, the authorization of a liturgical rite of blessing for two adults of any gender.

It has been over 25 years since this level of collaboration has been attained with such enthusiasm and energy. Clearly, a new generation of the progressive movement is being launched in the Episcopal Church and it is emerging with a clear, unified and prophetic voice. The excitement about that rebirth was palpable and began to grow at every liturgy, workshop and plenary session.

Moreover, it was abundantly clear that the LGBT community has not only made great strides in the work of justice, we have also reached a level of spiritual development previously unseen and considered by many to have been unattainable. Now, some in our community would "pooh-pooh" that as evidence only of our "assimilation" and our "aping the cultural stigmata." I suppose that's as valid a perception as any other, but it comes from a particular location "on the fringe" that does not even have in its sight a pew in the Episcopal Church – or, if it does, it's one that has neither been comfortable nor welcoming. Acknowledging the blessing of our baptism is one thing – being able to claim that blessing for ourselves is an undeniable mark of maturity.

That spiritual maturation was visible on the faces of the people in attendance who listened to the presentations. It was in our eyes as we sang, "I want to follow Jesus" at Morning Devotions and in our tears as we sang, "Just as I am" at the altar call. It was in the enthusiasm in the room as people were making plans to go home to organize. It was in the commitment to take responsibility for our own lives.

Even the two members of the conservative press who were in attendance were not unaffected by it. Indeed, the press coverage in those venues has been fair and balanced. I don't think that would have been possible if they, too, hadn't seen and experienced the level of this community's spiritual development and growth for themselves.

As one attendee said to me, "We may not have ‘come a long way, baby' but we certainly have come a pace, though, haven't we?" Indeed. We have made it through a rite of passage to claim a liturgical rite of blessing. No matter what happens in Minneapolis at General Convention 2003, our spiritual goal is this: that we may become even more of the blessing we seek – for ourselves, our church and the world.