Love one another as Christ loved us

On Saturday, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Amarillo celebrated the marriage of two women, long-time domestic partners. The ceremony was the traditional wedding liturgy from our Book of Common Prayer. It looked to anyone like any other marriage liturgy in the Episcopal Church.

Until.

Until the couple was to be “presented.” Normally, the presenters would be family members, maybe close friends. Not on Saturday. On Saturday, the entire Vestry, essentially the board of directors for our parish, presented the couple. On Saturday, the Vestry, the reflection of and representation of our church family and Christian community, presented these women on our behalf.

On Saturday, in that one moment, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church showed everything our parish is about.

Boycotting MIssissippi

The recent actions in Mississippi and North Carolina have raised a difficult question for me. While I generally don't like boycotts because they don't hurt the policymakers as much as the rank and file, what action is appropriate when an issue is so important as to require action?

In this case, a boycott is appropriate, as is notifying people who will be affected by it. So, this is what I wrote to Phil Bryant, the governor of Mississippi, using his Web contact page:

Wallace Bajjali double speak -- and look who's complicit

Here is a good example of the Wallace Bajjali double-speak. I found this rummaging through some old files.

The ethical bankruptcy of everyone on this email is obvious. Congrats to to the old city commission on being country bumpkins.

Wallace Pitner Email