Safely included?

Last night I went to the first Inclusive Church Roadshow, just up the road in Gloucester...An excellent evening, with input from the Inclusive Church Chair, Giles Goddard and Co-ordinator, Clare Herbert...both good speakers with so much that was worth hearing.
Early in the evening we were invited to say something of why we were there...
a lesbian spoke of feeling excluded and unwelcome in the church that had nurtured her, another of losing her home in the Anglicanism into which her grandfather had baptised her...people spoke of a God who welcomes...of a resistance to any individual pressure group, because to say "I stand WITH you" is to say "I stand AGAINST you" - and the hope that Inclusive Church might be a a path to something rather different.
For me it brought back all the welter of feelings that were roused when Jeffrey John stood down as Bishop of Reading before ever he had been consecrated....It was the final summer of vicar school and overnight my world changed from one of excitement at the ministry ahead to anxiety about the church into which I was due to be ordained. As appalling vitriole was hurled at Jeffrey John, who seemed to me to be exactly the sort of wise and gifted priest whom the Church needed among her Bishops, what shocked me most was that nobody from within the insitution seemed prepared to censure those who were expressing themselves with such vehemence. How could it be acceptable for anyone to say such things and yet claim it was done "in love"? Were we all reading the same gospel?

And then someone told me about Inclusive Church, and I signed the online petition, thankful that there were others who shared my feelings (ever the "F" the clear rationale was secondary for me - I was overwhelmed by the sheer injustice as much as anything...) I followed the progress of the group, rejoiced when it did not simply cease to be after petitioning General Synod, read all that was offered, attended any diocesan gatherings (heavens, I even preached at one, to probably the smallest congregation at any "diocesan" event EVER)...I also failed lamentably to speak out at one uncomfortable clergy chapter
and beat myself up about that duly for some time afterwards. I'm disturbed, still, at how important it seems to be to feel "Safe" and "approved of".
Well, maybe I'm growing up...I'm blogging this, knowing that members of my congregation read my blog. I don't want to hide in the undergrowth when the church I love, for all her brokenness, is perceived as an agent of hurt and not of healing. How can I?

There were people there last night whom I would not have expected to be part of any remotely liberal gathering...They may have been there simply to gather information, or perhaps the tide is turning. Perhaps we are noticing what kind of church we might become, and are disturbed by that.
Certainly Inclusive Church is in no way wishy-washy in theology or praxis.
The initial statement which headed the online petition in 2003 is, as someone observed last night, pretty much in the category of motherhood and apple pie
Who could object to it?

We affirm that the Church's mission, in obedience to Holy Scripture, is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every generation.

We acknowledge that this is Good News for people regardless of their sex, race or sexual orientation.

We believe that, in order to strengthen the Gospel's proclamation of justice to the world, and for the greater glory of God, the Church's own common life must be justly ordered.

To that end, we call on our Church to live out the promise of the Gospel; to celebrate the diverse gifts of all members of the body of Christ; and in the ordering of our common life to open the ministries of deacon, priest and bishop to those so called to serve by God, regardless of their sex, race or sexual orientation

Well, clearly several do object - but I have no sense of whether this is a real issue for my congregations or not...Whether they'd accede "on the nod" or whether there are people for whom this is a real struggle..I need to know, I guess.
In my training parish it wasn't my call to ask the PCC to sign up to this or anything else. Now, of course, the responsibility is mine.
So I'm going to wear my Inclusive Church badge and hope people ask me about it.
I'm going to table this as an agenda item for debate in the New Year
I'm going to try to put my money where my heart, if not my mouth is...because after all, this is what I believe

For everyone born, a place at the table,
for everyone born, clean water and bread,
a shelter, a space, a safe place for growing,
for everyone born, a star overhead,
and God will delight
when we are creators of justice and joy, :
yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice, justice and joy!

For woman and man, a place at the table,
revising the roles, deciding the share,
with wisdom and grace, dividing the power,
for woman and man, a system that’s fair,
and God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, :
yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice, justice and joy!

For young and for old, a place at the table,
a voice to be heard, a part in the song,
the hand of a child in hands that are wrinkled,
for young and for old, the right to belong,
and God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, :
yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice, justice and joy!

For everyone born, a place at the table,
to live without fear, and simply to be,
to work, to speak out, to witness and worship,
for everyone born, the right to be free,
and God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy, :
yes, God will delight when we are creators of justice, justice and joy!
(Shirley Erena Murray)