Sower and Reaper.

«He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, “One soweth, and another reapeth”. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.» (John 4:36-38)

In our context, this can be interpreted in two different manners:

A. In 1968, virtually all the Churches - TEC included - were far from inclusivity. What would one have expected, in the Episcopal Church, from a faithful and monogamous gay couple, in 1968? Well, to repent of their love, to get torn apart, and maybe to go to a so-called “conversion therapy” in order to damage their lives. However, in that very 1968 year, there was one dissenting voice in Christianity, and that was Rev. Troy Perry, founding the first MCC. The very existence of the MCC stood there, as a small lighter in a dark room, but helped us evolve. Since 1969, the MCC have been blessing committed same-gender partnerships, and have been raised their voices in the society, demanding equal rights for the LGBT. In 1975, when a MCC pastor and his thirty-two congregants were burnt to death by homophobes, a martyrdom that would lead to victory, the Episcopal Church was still in denial towards the LGBT. One had to wait 1976 for the first pro-gay Christian book, and for the Episcopal Church to begin to say shyly something positive about the so-called “homosexual persons”. The marriage equality of 2015, both in the USA and in the Episcopal Church would not have become a reality, if the MCC had not done the “dirty job” first. In this respect, the MCC has sown in 1968, while TEC is reaping now. It would be great if the sower and the reaper may rejoice together now.

B. During the English Reformation, the Anglican compromise meant to be able to accomodate both catholics and protestants. The Church of England made great efforts at that time in order to keep the historical episcopate. Last but not least, she had to call back to the homeland four expatriated bishops, and wait until all of them were there, in order to secure the catholic episcopate for the posterity. When the Episcopal Church had to severe her dependance upon the English mother-church, it took great ressources and time for Samuel Seabury to get finalkly consecrated as bishop in Scotland, thereby securing the catholic episcopate for the future generations. Episcopal priests' William Huntington 1870 book The Church-Idea serves, up to this day, as basis for the full communion agreements between organized Churches. On the other hand, the MCC are very young, and it would be great if they would let the historical episcopate “infuse” in them from the Episcopal Church. The Universal Fellowship of the MCC could reap a catholic episcopate whereon they bestowed no labour: the Anglicans/Episcopalians laboured, and the MCC would enter into their labours.