wfn.org | The Oasis celebrates 10 years

[Daphne Mack <dmack@dfms.org>]

For more information contact:
Episcopal News Service
Kathryn McCormick
kmccormick@dfms.org
212/922-5383
http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/ens

99-102
The Oasis celebrates its 10th anniversary 

by Elizabeth Kaeton

(ENS) The temperature hovered in the high nineties
on Tuesday evening, June 1, as the Rev. Bill
Gannon's Dixieland band led the procession down
the main street of Hoboken, New Jersey, with its
rendition of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."
They joined the rest of the congregation at All
Saints' Church for the celebration of the 10th
anniversary of The Oasis, the mission and ministry
of the Diocese of Newark with all those who
experience prejudice and oppression because
of their sexual orientation.

The celebration was bittersweet, however, as it
also marked the last time Bishop John Shelby Spong,
who is to retire next January, would be with the
congregation as diocesan bishop.  As preacher, Spong
noted the record over the past 10 years: Openly lesbian
women and gay men now make up 16 percent of the clergy
of the Diocese of Newark, two-thirds of the lay
diocesan staff, and half the lay membership of the
Standing Committee.

Slightly more than 40 percent of the congregations
in the diocese are sponsoring congregations of The
Oasis, and lesbian and gay people actively serve in
their congregations as lay leaders.  Many of these
leaders found their way back into the church because
of the witness and evangelism of The Oasis.

The Oasis has developed curricula to promote
congregational discussion of homophobia, has developed
a bible study of homosexuality and is currently
providing diversity training and education for
faith-based communities that examine the connections
between prejudice based on sexuality, race, sex, and
physical ability. A curriculum to raise awareness about
the specifics of sexism in the church is due to be
completed this fall.

Spong said that there is still a long way to go, however.
"Institutions are not changed by rhetoric. Hearts are not
converted by study groups," he declared. "The church has
never thought its way into new ways of acting.  It has
always acted its way into new ways of thinking.  The work
of The Oasis will not be complete," he said, "until there
is justice across the land for every one of God's lesbian
and gay people."

The bishop and his wife, Christine, were honored for their
courageous love and worldwide evangelism on behalf of the
lesbian and gay community.  A special award was given to
Michael Rehill, diocesan chancellor and chief respondent
in the presentment charge against Bishop Walter Righter,
who was charged with heresy after ordaining an openly gay
man to the diaconate in the Diocese of Newark. 

The proclamation with Rehill's award stated that he
"settled once and for all the canonical question of the
ordination of lesbian and gay people, freeing the people
of God to wrestle with the issue in their hearts and souls."

--The Rev. Elizabeth Kaeton is diocesan canon missioner
to The Oasis.