VIRGINIA BEACH
An Episcopal church in Virginia Beach is the only one in the region and one of two in the state to join a national group calling for full inclusion of gay and lesbian people in the church.
Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church on Laskin Road recently formed a chapter of the Episcopal group Integrity. Last month, the church's vestry also approved a statement called "Believe Out Loud" that welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in its congregation.
"Words are great, but you've got to put some action to the words," said the Rev. Chris Thompson, the rector at Eastern Shore Chapel. "The time was appropriate so we're going full speed ahead."
The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion of which it is a branch have faced internal division over homosexuality.
Acceptance is not new, however, for the Episcopal Church. In 1976, its General Convention passed a resolution saying gay and lesbian people are "children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the Church."
The first openly gay Episcopal priest was ordained in 1977, and in 2003 the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson became the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church.
A group of Episcopalians left and formed the Anglican Church in North America after the Episcopal Church endorsed Robinson's ordination. They contended the Episcopal Church had strayed from an orthodox interpretation of the Bible. Some churches in Hampton Roads have joined Anglican groups.
Ann Turner, the communications director at Eastern Shore Chapel, said she remembered the rector meeting with two groups after Robinson's election - those who were happy and those who were upset. The group of those who were happy consisted of Turner and one other; about 15 to 20 were upset.
The Episcopal Church in March approved the election of the Rev. Mary Glasspool as assistant bishop in the Diocese of Los Angeles. She will be the second openly gay bishop when she is consecrated in May.
Glasspool's election has been "a nonissue" for Eastern Shore Chapel, Turner said.
"The attitude here has changed so much," she said.
Likewise, no one in the congregation has complained about the church's movement toward publicly accepting the LGBT community, church staff members said.
There are some in the approximately 1,300-member congregation who don't agree, but they're willing to co-exist, said Kay O'Reilly, a staff member who helped push the church to form an Integrity chapter.
"From the pulpit, they have heard time and time again, part of our baptismal covenant is to respect the dignity of every human being," said Bryan Mitnaul, the church's music director, who also has pushed for the public stance.
The Integrity chapter at Eastern Shore Chapel will hold its first meeting at 7 p.m. April 19 at the church. It's open to anybody, Turner said.
Patrick Wilson, (757) 222-3893, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com
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