Protocols, Guidelines and Evaluation Document for The Celebration of a Civil Marriage
With same-sex Couples
November 26, 2009
The Bishop of Huron has called for appropriate liturgies to celebrate the love, mutual fidelity and support that gay and lesbian Anglicans model every day for the church and wider community. This following liturgical resource is approved for use in the Diocese of Huron together with the following protocols.
Protocols
1. These celebrations are understood to be a pastoral response to same-sex couples in our communities. The rite is to be part of a Celebration of Holy Eucharist. It is noted that there is to be no exchange of vows, no exchange of rings and no nuptial blessing.
2. The clergy involved must seek the Bishop’s support and written permission a minimum of sixty (60) days before the proposed celebration.
3. Matters pertaining to the use of facilities, ceremonial planning and local arrangements will be made with the approval of the Rector of the parish in which the celebration is to take place.
4. It is required that at least one member of the couple be a baptized member of a congregation in the Diocese of Huron.
5. Appropriate pastoral support and instruction must be given at the local level in order to prepare the couple for the celebration and their ongoing Christian life in relationship.
6. As with all liturgical celebrations of the church, these events will be entered into the Parish Register (Vestry Book).
7. Clergy from beyond the Diocese of Huron shall obtain permission from the Bishop of Huron and their own Bishop.
8. Any member of the clergy may decline to preside at these celebrations.
Guidelines
The Eucharistic Rite for the Celebration of Civil Marriage is the same as all other Eucharistic celebrations except for PART 3 which is prescribed in the attached document. No part of the text (in PART 3) may be altered.
Structure of the Rite:
PART 1: The Gathering of the Community
a) a song, hymn, or piece of music (where possible)
b) a gathering responsorial prayer or greeting
c) a collect
PART 2: The Proclamation of the Word
a) one or more readings from the Holy Scriptures
b) a song, hymn or piece of music (if desired)
c) a sermon or homily
PART 3: The Prayers of the People (attached)
a) exhortation and proclamation (presider)
b) litany (prayer leader)
c) blessing of God and recognition of relationship (whole assembly)
d) the Peace
e) song, hymn or piece of music
PART 4: The Celebration of the Eucharist
PART 5: Blessing and Dismissal
a) doxology and/or blessing of the congregation
b) final song, hymn, or piece of music
Evaluation
1 The Bishop’s office (Church House) will keep a record of the celebration and any comments, concerns, suggestions that may come forward to improve these celebrations. Clergy are asked to send a copy of the liturgy and any additional materials shortly after the celebration.2. Guided by the Bishops, the Doctrine and Worship committee of the Diocese of Huron will carry out an ongoing evaluation.
Click to view the Celebration of Civil Marriage, with Same-Sex Couples Liturgy
A note from The Rt. Rev. Robert Bennett, Bishop of Huron
I email you in the early days following our 167th Synod. One of the key messages I shared in my charge was where I am at on the issue before the Church regarding Same Sex Blessings.
I want to emphasize that nothing has changed in Huron since General Synod of 2007 as it relates to same sex blessings. The Diocese of Huron Doctrine and Worship Committee will meet and develop appropriate prayers for my consideration as per the House of Bishops Statement to members of General Synod 2007. As the House of Bishops Statement says, “When a civilly married gay or lesbian couple seeks our church’s reception of their civil marriage and asks their parish’s recognition, it may be possible, with their bishop’s knowledge and permission, to celebrate a Eucharist with the couple, including appropriate intercessory prayers but not including a nuptial blessing.”. Let me reiterate and be perfectly clear, that as we await General Synod 2010, the Diocese of Huron will maintain the moratorium agreed to at Lambeth. +Bob
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"Our mission is to reflect Gods abundant love as we call people into lives of generosity and wholeness"
Huron Stewardship Statement
June 28, 2007
The Right Reverend BruceH .W . Howe
Bishop of Huron
to the clergy of the Diocese of Huron
From: The Bishop of Huron
Greetings everyone. Trust you are beginning some well needed vacation or anticipating
some. Bishop Bob is beginning vacation for the month of July.
As I write this I have been home for just 24 hours with 'lots of catch up' to do. We had a
strong delegation who were faithful in attendance throughout the very long days with no
free time. In addition to our first email for those, without web cast or internet, I wanted
to write a few notes on the subject of sames ex/gender blessings. While Bishop Bob and
I discussed and agreed what needs to be said, he hasnot seen these actual words. Our
House of Bishops, with divergent views, continue to walk together as a community. We
were all there for Archbishop Fred's installation and we were together for our first
meeting with our new Primate on Tuesday.
Let me share what I believe is obvious:
The prohibition on same sex blessings is still in effect in the Diocese of Huron. General
Synod did not approve it and even if it had we haven't discussed it in the Diocese.
Having said that the Bishops in session on Tuesday had consensus that the Statement
from the House of Bishops to the Members of General Synod stands and is in effect. Let
me quote from part of the statement and you can read the full text on the internet or
request it from this office.
When a civilly married gay or lesbian couple seeks our church's
reception of their civil marriage and asks their parish's recognition,
it may be possible, with their bishop's knowledge and permission, to
celebrate a Eucharist with the couple, including appropriate intercessory prayers but not including a nuptial blessing.
When a gay or lesbian married or committed couple seeks to hold a
reception or celebration in a church for their life in Christ, again
intercessory prayers for their mutual fidelity, the deepening of their
discipleship and for their baptismal ministry may be offered, not
including the exchange of vows and/or nuptial blessing.
MEDIA RELEASE - THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2005 - 11:00 AM
The Right Reverend Bruce Howe, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Huron and host of the current joint meeting of Canadian and American Anglican Bishops in Windsor, Ontario, says he is pleased with the statement made by the Canadian House of Bishops to the Anglican Church of Canada. The statement comes as the Anglican Church of Canada's Council of General Synod, which meets May 6-8 in Mississauga, prepares to respond to a request from the Primates of the 38 member Provinces of the Anglican Communion, in light of current disagreements around the issues of homosexuality and the blessing of same sex unions. The Primates asked the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Church of the United States to voluntarily withdraw their members from this June's meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council, in Nottingham England. Bishop Howe suggests that the House of Bishops wanted to be sure it was clear the decision would be made by Council of General Synod. "We are governed synodically and it is important that we as Bishops assure the church the decision will be made by CoGs." Council of General Synod is made up of Bishops, Clergy and Lay members, elected at the General Synod of the Anglican Church, last held in 2004. Bishop Howe also stated his support for the position of Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. "Andrew told the other Primates of the Communion that he would use his best efforts to encourage the Anglican Church of Canada to comply with the request to withdraw from Nottingham, and I support him in that." The Canadian and American Anglican Churches have instead been invited to send delegations to Nottingham to help the rest of the Communion in understanding their position. Bishop Howe feels this is "an opportunity to step back" and see how everyone is feeling on these issues. "We must take seriously the family nature of the Anglican Communion and understand that what one province of the church does, necessarily has an impact on others in the Communion. "
The Canadian House of Bishops, in it's statement, also called for a moratorium on the blessing of same sex unions, until the next meeting of General Synod, in 2007. Bishop Howe points out that this means, "no further movement, but this is not retroactive." The Diocese of New Westminster is the only Canadian Diocese that currently authorizes a Rite for the Blessing of Same Sex Unions. Under Anglican structure, New Westminster, as a Diocese, will have to consider what impact the Bishops statement will have on them. "Again, this is key to our worldwide Anglican relationships" said Bishop Howe; "It was a unanimous statement by the House, and it is important that we weigh in on these issues."
The full text of the Canadian Bishops Statement is attached to this release.
The meeting of Canadian and American Bishops continues in Windsor through Sunday.
For further information or comment can be arranged through:
The Rev. Keith Nethery
Media Relations Officer
Anglican Diocese of Huron
Radisson Hotel - Windsor, Ontario
519-977-9777
or
keith.nethery@sympatico.ca
Canadian Bishops issue statement
April 27, 2005 -- The following statement was unanimously adopted by the Canadian House of Bishops meeting in Windsor, Ont., on April 27.
Statement of Commitment by the Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada April 27, 2005
“If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Romans 12:18
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada, meeting collegially in Windsor, Ontario, April 25-27, 2005, send warm greetings to the Church. We met together in an atmosphere of prayer, which was hallmarked by charity and generosity of spirit.
In the midst of current tensions and disagreements within the Anglican Communion, we endeavoured in our conversation to be guided by the counsel of St Paul writing to the Romans, “if it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Rom12:18)
Having considered the Report of the Lambeth Commission on Communion commonly known as the Windsor Report and the communiqué from the Primates of the Anglican Communion issued in February 2005, we make the following statement:
1. We affirm our continuing membership in the worldwide Anglican Communion. Our Church regularly supports the work of the Communion and a number of Canadians have served and continue to serve in significant roles through the work of the Anglican Communion Office in London, England. In partnership with other Provinces we remain committed to evangelism, a compassionate response to the needs of suffering humanity, and to programs in world relief, justice and peace for all. With humility we seek to honour our commitments, knowing our need to listen and learn from the experiences of our brothers and sisters in faith in other Provinces of the Communion.
2. We recognize that synodical decisions in some parts of the Canadian Church, and the response to these, have caused distress in some parts of the Communion. We are sorry for the pain that this has caused and we regret that together we have not achieved a level of consultation deemed sufficient to the magnitude of the issues under consideration.
3. In October 2004, we received with thanks the Windsor Report. Recognizing its importance we commended it for study throughout the Church. We requested our Primate to write a pastoral letter inviting response from Anglicans across Canada. Many responded to this
invitation. Their responses were drawn together and formed the basis of the Canadian Response to the Windsor Report.
4. In acknowledging the collective desires expressed in the Primates’ Communiqué we commit ourselves to respond as fully as possible to those of their recommendations as lie within our respective contexts and jurisdictions.
5. We appreciate the commitments of the Primates to “neither encourage nor to initiate cross boundary interventions” by Primates or other Bishops in Provinces other than their own. This commitment is in keeping with the Councils of the early Church, statements of successive Lambeth Conferences and the Windsor Report. We have already adopted a procedure for Shared Episcopal Ministry.
6. On the matter of a moratorium on the authorization of public rites for the blessing of same sex unions, we commit ourselves neither to encourage nor to initiate the use of such rites until General Synod has made a decision on the matter.
7. In our consideration of the request of the Primates that the Anglican Church of Canada voluntarily withdraw its members from the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in Nottingham in June 2005, we see the value of the opportunity for reflection and response called for in the Windsor Report, but we also see risks inherent in honouring the request. We recognize that within our constitutional polity it is the responsibility of the Council of General Synod to consider and make a decision regarding this request. We support our Primate’s statement that he will do all in his power to persuade the Council to honour it. We ask for the prayers of the whole Church, for the Primate and the members of the Council as they meet May 6-8 in Mississauga.
8. We are pleased to note the opportunity extended through the Primates’ Communiqué to send a delegation to the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in June “to set out the thinking behind the recent actions of their Provinces”, including the diversity of views on the matter of the blessing of same sex unions held by a number of constituencies within our Church, including ourselves, and the manner by which we endeavour to remain in dialogue and communion.
9. In keeping with resolutions of the General Synod and previous statements of the House of Bishops, we affirm the place of gay and lesbian persons in our church and give thanks for their contribution to its life and witness. We agree with the words of paragraph 6 of the Primates’ Communiqué which reads “the victimization or diminishment of human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex is anathema to us”. In our struggle to consider the blessing of their unions, we recognize that their various voices need to be heard more fully. We are grateful to note that in paragraph 17 of the Primates’ Communiqué that the Anglican Consultative Council is asked “to take positive steps to initiate the listening and study process called for by Lambeth 1998 and earlier Conferences”
10. In conclusion we wholeheartedly affirm our adherence to the Lambeth Quadrilateral which states:
1. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as ‘containing all things necessary to salvation,’ and as being the rule and ultimate standard of faith.
2. The Apostles’ Creed, as the Baptismal Symbol; and the Nicene Creed, as the sufficient statement of the Christian faith.
3. The two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself - Baptism and the Supper of the Lord - ministered with unfailing use of Christ’s Words of Institution, and of the Elements ordained by Him.
4. The Historic Episcopate, locally adapted in the methods of its administration to the varying needs of the nations and peoples called of God into the Unity of His Church.
11. We uphold the Archbishop of Canterbury, The Primates’ Meeting, The Lambeth Conference, and The Anglican Consultative Council. We further affirm the Ten Principles of Partnership adopted by the Anglican Consultative Council in 1993 and the Anglican Cycle of Prayer as sources of unity in the cause of mission.
12. In the endeavour to live peaceably with all, we pray for humility, wisdom and compassion.
13. Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ who calls us into communion for the sake of his mission in the world.
House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada
Mission and Evangelism: Ten Principles of Partnership (Anglican Communion website)
For more information, please contact:
Canon Sue Tite - Executive Officer, Bishops' Office
Diane Picard - Administrative Support Assistant; Bishops' Office