The Diocese of New Westminster held its annual Gay Pride Day Holy Eucharist last weekend, complete with a rainbow candle holder and over 100 people in attendance, not one of whom noticed the oxymoron contained within “Gay Pride Day Holy Eucharist”.
Reverend Laurel Dykstra – please note my restraint in saying nothing about the reverend’s surname – was not only the preacher at the service but organised the Anglican contingent at the Pride parade later in the day:
The marching Anglicans felt right at home with polyamorists:
Sin City Fetishists:
Justin Trudeau:
And a plausible candidate for the next bishop:
I am unclear as to whether the Sin City Fetishists participated in the Holy Eucharist or not.
Rev. Dykstra chose to preach on Genesis 32: 22-31, Jacob wrestling with the angel. I am sure that you are well aware that Jacob’s homoerotic wrestling with the angel until he received a blessing is a prophetic foretelling of the struggle between gay Anglicans and the church: the wrestling will continue until a blessing is obtained. What else could it possibly mean?
From here:
Let there Be Light
The 6th Annual Gay Pride Day Holy Eucharist took place on the Sunday of the second long weekend of the summer, August 3, 2014, again at Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver.
As has now become traditional at this liturgy, after the processional hymn (for 2014 it was Morning Has Broken led by harpist/vocalist Clare Morgan) and the Dean’s welcome the Service of Light is offered. The presider opens with these words:
“The lighting of a candle is a simple act yet becomes a powerful sign. For when we don’t have the words or don’t know how to pray, a small candle burning brightly expresses our prayer that is always with us – and becomes more powerful with each candle lit.”
Two candles on the Altar and six candles on a rainbow candle holder placed on the Altar were lit: in the face of fear; in the face of violence; in an age of AIDS; for hope; for healing; for courage; for community and for resurrection.
As a buffer between the Eucharist and the Raunch, a “complimentary continental brunch prepared and served by members of the Christ Church Cathedral faith community” was offered before the march. How civilised. How Anglican.
To coincide with Vancouver’s Pride Day, Christ Church Cathedral has a “Pride Day service”. It managed to draw 80 people this year – in a facility that will hold 600. So you can see by the numbers it is attracting how successful the Diocese of New Westminster has been in tapping in to the spiritual pulse of the nation.