Jefferts Schori, who was in San Francisco to help celebrate the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, voiced her support for gays and lesbians several times during her visit. However, at a church forum Sunday morning, parishioner Christopher Hayes \u201d\u201c who’s in a long-term same-sex relationship \u201d\u201c told her, “I want to hear that we’re not satisfied with where we are right now.”<\/p>\n
The Reverend Susan Russell, president of Integrity, a national organization of LGBT Episcopalians and their straight friends, told the Bay Area Reporter the bishops’ pledge treats gays and lesbians as “expendable.”<\/p>\n
Tom Jackson is the president of Oasis, the LGBT ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of California. The diocese consists of San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin counties, and part of Santa Clara County. The diocese, which has 27,000 members, has seen many blessings for same-sex unions over the past 30 years.<\/p>\n
The church’s next general convention is in July 2009. Jackson said the bishops’ controversial pledge has “energized a lot of people.” Russell said Integrity is working with other organizations to address same-sex unions at the convention. Many have expressed optimism that things will change after that meeting.<\/b><\/p>\n