This week!

It has been momentous to be in San Diego of two historic and far reaching votes.

First of all, the most wonderful, exciting, and thrilling election in America that I can remember (the campaign was like a roller coaster) and I was nervous right until Pennsylvania and Ohio went blue. Now, I feel as though America has come to its senses and elected the best person, and I am going to commit myself to pray for and send good energy in the direction of Barak every day. He is going to need it.

At the same time, and on the same night, there was a kick-to-the-stomach feeling when we heard that Proposition 8 was likely going to pass. Knowing that the churches had been behind this campaign made it even harder. I found myself unable to fully appreciate the joy of the election given the larger than life "Stay Out" sign so many Californians had hung on the doorway of marriage - which I see as a sacrament - a visible sign of an invisible grace. I could not believe how sad I felt, even though Canada has not changed its laws.

I could not believe that a state would allow a majority to determine the rights of a minority. That has never worked in history. I also could not believe that the church would do this once again to a community it has already hurt so much.

Then this morning I went to church at MissionGathering, a Disciples of Christ church that meets in Hillcrest. The pastor got up and acknowledged that this has been a bittersweet week. He said we were going to be together in this time of pain and struggle. Then he said, "Bring in the light of Christ." As the lights dimmed and the small candle-light came forward, the tears started to run down my face, as they did for the next 15 minutes or so as we sang our hope and pain.

The sermon was moving, particularly when he explained how hard it had been to find words to say, but how as he was driving to church, he saw a bumper sticker that spoke to him. It said, "Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes."

The most powerful moment for me was when the pastor, a gay man, got up to do communion. He started to pray for those on the other side of the debate, for God’s love and grace to be theirs. He prayed for his father and others, who had celebrated while we wept, Then he took the bread, and broke it, and said ”The body of Christ broken for you!”

The light of Christ is still not dimmed by the broken body! But the battered GLBT community needs to hear it said loudly and clearly that there are followers of Jesus who believe in a Christ and God who love us as we are. So be it.