Very soon after Sherod became rector at All Saints, he led what amounted to a “coming out” process in the parish.  There were many same gender couples; most everybody knew that, hardly anyone acknowledged that truth about who we were.  The silence carried an unbearable lie.  Finding a way to come out to ourselves was not easy.  I watched my husband and our community struggle, falter, sometimes get overwhelmed, and yet persevere.  Until one day, we were truly one in Christ, open and honest and real.  We started this a number of years before the ordination of Gene Robinson and way before any state had legalized same gender marriage.  I am filled with awe today when I consider my husband’s courage and the faithfulness of the people of All Saints.

In the past few years, a number of our same gender couples have been able to go to other states to have their covenanted relationships sanctioned by law.  One couple are the proud parents of the most beautiful little boy imaginable, who has the best dads in the world, in my mind.  And Bishop Frade has approved a liturgy for the blessing of same gender marriages for the Diocese so anyone who has been married out of state can now receive the official blessing of the church.

Tomorrow, 9 couples are going to have their marriages blessed at All Saints.  As Sherod himself said earlier today, “The nine couple total over 214 years of committed life together. I am humbled to find myself in such a role. Amazing arc of life and ministry for a guy who grew up in Selma”.  Yup.  That’s our church.  That’ my husband.

I pulled out one of our wedding pictures and while he’s off rehearsing with all these amazing people, I’ve been fixing a nice meal, polishing some silver and taking out the nice tablecloth.   LM is out till the late evening today and we are going to celebrate marriage tonight, Sherod and I.  It hasn’t been easy—in fact, these past years have been quite horrid for us as a couple, with all the stress and pressure.  But the yeses being said tomorrow are a call and the response is, yes.  Mallowman, after almost 24 years you can make me absolutely weak-knee’d. Still. Marriage: a most admirable estate.