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FT. WORTH: All Saints Episcopal Church Celebrates Same-Sex Blessing

FT. WORTH: All Saints Episcopal Church Celebrates Same-Sex Blessing

By Michael Heidt
Special to Virtueonline
http://www.virtueonline.org
May 14, 2015

Self-described as a "diverse but traditional parish," All Saints, Fort Worth, played to its diverse side on April 18, 2015, when its Rector, Rev. Christopher N. Jambor, presided over a same-sex blessing ceremony in the church's nave.

Photos on Facebook show Jambor blessing Blake Macon and Drew Martin, in the crowded sanctuary of one of Fort Worth's society churches, which is a popular venue for weddings. While the homosexual ritual was not officially a gay marriage but a same-sex blessing, commenters on Facebook thought otherwise.

"I thought of this picture of the Kennedys on their wedding day when I saw the photo of you two," said one well-wisher, who posted a picture of John and Jackie Kennedy kneeling at their wedding. Another supporter was moved by what she considered a marriage. "I think this is my favorite picture from the entire wedding," she stated on social media, "The look of both of your faces is so reverent and beautiful."

Lyncca Harvey, the wedding photographer, agreed, "There is another one that is really cute that I debated posting instead (it will make the blog). It had you both praying, heads down, with grins on your faces. I loved it." Macon and Martin weren't sure about what made them grin, "Oh dear! Wonder what Drew whispered to make us laugh," posted Macon. "There was so much going on up at that alter [sic] that NO ONE has any idea about. Lol," replied his gay partner, Martin.

Same-sex blessings aside, there's been no shortage of activity at All Saints, which has been prominent in the Episcopal Church's (TEC) lawsuit against the traditionalist Diocese of Fort Worth, led by Bishop Jack Iker.

In 2008, All Saints threatened to have Bishop Iker arrested for "trespassing" if he entered the wealthy church's property. Then, after a contentious Annual Parish Meeting in January, 2009, Jambor led All Saints out of the traditionalist Diocese of Fort Worth and into a new entity of the same name, created by TEC's Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori. In doing so, Jambor rejected Bishop Iker's proposal to utilize Diocesan Canon 32, which would have allowed All Saints to leave the Diocese of Fort Worth, provided certain conditions were met, such as a majority consensus to change affiliation.

In 2010, All Saints sued Bishop Iker, personally, for trademark infringement, because his diocese recognized a group of former parishioners from the church as "All Saints." This lawsuit has been tabled, pending a final ruling in TEC's lawsuit against the Diocese of Fort Worth.

That litigation has been going badly for Episcopal Church parties, with Tarrant County District Court Judge John J. Chupp issued ruling on March 2, 2015, in favor of the Bishop Iker's diocese. However, All Saints-Fort Worth was cut out of the Court's judgment and asked to reach a separate agreement with the diocese concerning ownership of property. A final hearing in this dispute is expected on June 3, 2015.

Meanwhile, All Saints remains with its property intact and on the side of the Episcopal Church in Fort Worth, which claims to be the Diocese of Fort Worth. That diocese, under the leadership of Bishop Rayford High, is in favor of same-sex blessings, which were authorized by High in an August, 2015, letter to clergy (http://episcopaldiocesefortworth.org/bishop-highs-letter-on-covenant-blessings/). According to High, the decision to allow same-sex blessings, which he calls "covenant blessings" in his letter, was made out of a "deep heartfelt commitment to Jesus' summary of the Law and our baptismal covenant."

As of April, 2015, All Saints, Fort Worth, under Rev. Christopher Jambor, has apparently decided that its traditionalism extends to High's "covenant blessings," which Facebook commenters believe to be gay marriages. In doing so, the parish is following its own diocesan guidelines and those of the Episcopal Church which it belongs to.

This allows individual dioceses to bless gay partnerships at the discretion of their bishop. It is presumably without irony that the curiously named High, and by extension Jambor, should decide to do so based on the Law of the Bible.

All Saints is supported by the Bass family, which donated $5 million dollars to the church's school in 2012. According to Suzanne Gill, spokeswoman for the Diocese of Fort, the Bass family has also helped to fund TEC's lawsuit against Bishop Iker's diocese. Judge Chupp's ruling against TEC's diocese in Fort Worth is currently being appealed by the Episcopal Church and its local adherents.

The Rev. Michael Heidt is the editor of Forward in Christ and a contributor to Virtueonline. He is a priest in the Diocese of Ft. Worth under the Rt. Rev. Jack Iker

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