A Wedding Like No Other

It was a beautiful sunny Vancouver day in mid-September. The kind of day that still feels like summer even though we all know that these types of glorious days are numbered and fall is just around the corner. Nevertheless there is sunshine, warm temps, and amazing energy in the air, so we'll take it!

It was a beautiful sunny Vancouver day for a wedding. This particular service had all the elements that comprise a nice, traditional wedding. A large, downtown, gothic-style church building. The longest centre aisle of any church in the entire city of Vancouver. 10 attendants. A flower girl and ring bearer. A pipe organ to provide beautiful fanfare for such a special occasion. And of course 2 grooms joining their lives together in holy matrimony. What a minute!! OK maybe it isn't an ENTIRELY traditional wedding. I have to admit that since British Columbia legalized same sex marriage in 2003 (with the entire country of Canada following suit in 2005), I had not been to a same sex wedding ceremony of this scale. Most of my gay friends who married (including David and me) had very intimate, small, non-traditional ceremonies held in big homes with ocean views, in Stanley Park, or in the privacy of a downtown condo. But this wedding on Saturday had all the bells and whistles that one could possibly think of. My part was to play the piano during the ceremony, lead 2 congregational hymns, and sing a solo during the Signing of the Registry. Everything was ready to go for a prompt 2:00pm start. The 2 grooms - Kevin and Ryan - looked dapper in their tuxedos. The beautiful sanctuary was full of family and friends. And I was all set to be a part of this wonderful occasion in the life of my 2 friends.

It was a beautiful sunny Vancouver day in which to unexpectedly and profoundly witness God's Kingdom revealed, advanced, and experienced. One of my favourite Bible stories is that of Peter and the vision of the unclean animals (Acts 10: 9 - 48). In this vision, Peter sees a sheet descending from heaven full of unclean animals - animals that Peter would never touch or eat because they were considered unclean. Unacceptable. Sinful. Yet a voice commanded Peter to eat all the animals that were on the sheet. Peter said no. The voice said yes. Peter said no. The voice said yes. When Peter continued to resist, he heard this powerful statement from the heavens: "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." That is my favourite line from this entire story. What God has made clean, you must not call profane. A new era had arrived in the early church. Previous understandings of what's clean and what's not......who is clean and who isn't.......what is accepted and what isn't........were being turned upside down. Those who previously were thought to be outside the Christian community were now being accepted into the community of faith.

I'm so grateful that the story of Peter and the unclean animals did not stop in the Book of Acts. This amazing story of the inclusion of those who were previously thought to be outside the kingdom of God has continued throughout history. Groups and classes of people who had been denied any type of full participation in the life of the church were being welcomed in as more chapters of that vision were being written. Their gifts, callings, and contributions were being recognized. Previous understandings and readings of certain Scripture passages were being re-interpreted. The circle was being enlarged and widened. Because of Galileo's courage in the 1600s against the prevailing geocentric position of the organized church, we came to see that science and faith are not enemies, but 2 sides of the same coin. Because of the outspoken witness of many women with obvious gifts to ordained ministry in a time when they were denied their full calling, we now welcome women into the leadership and ordained ministry of the church. Because of the bold witness of mixed race couples in a time when the church named their love as sinful because "it's against the Bible", we now celebrate mixed race marriages in our communities. And I witnessed on Saturday another chapter being written in that vision of the unclean animals. Same sex love - in many churches today still considered "unclean" - was blessed, affirmed and celebrated! In a transcendant way, the love, the blessing, the tangible sense of Spirit filled me to overflowing with joy, gratitude, and a sense that the vision of God's Kingdom - including and blessing those who were previously considered unclean - moves forward! I was in tears just taking in the significance of that vision moving forward here in my lifetime in this time and place.

It was a beautiful, sunny Vancouver day.........