I was present in the gallery of the House of Deputies today as the final vote was taken on a rite for same-sex blessings. The Deputies voted to concur with the Bishops in approving the rite.
As you know, over the past three years I have exercised the authority given me by the 2009 General Convention to allow the blessing of same-sex couples, and have stipulated the use of the rite developed in the Diocese of Washington, D.C. In the intervening years a number of our parishes have used this pastoral provision to minister to same-sex couples, and some are planning to do so in the near future.
What has happened now is that General Convention has issued its own rite that will be published shortly, and as of its effective date, that is the service that will be used by those parishes in our diocese who wish to bless unions.