The long-promised “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” bill was approved yesterday by the Senate Judiciary Committee: 13-5 with both Republican and Democratic votes in support. The crowd in the room broke into the “Si se puede,” “Yes, we can,” chant in celebration. The bill now goes to the Senate floor where the full Senate will have a chance to tinker and amend the legislation. But compromise has already been required, specifically the elimination of spousal privileges for legally married gay and lesbian couples.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called it “one of the most excruciatingly difficult decisions I’ve had to make in 30-plus years in public office.” Still, the Democrats on the committee withdrew the amendment in order to gain support for the broad bill. That decision has been denounced by the Human Rights Campaign and other BGLT advocacy groups.

What do we make of this, as religious people? Our commitments to equal rights for LGBTQ persons could not be clearer. So, too, at least in principle, are our commitments to justice for recent immigrants? How do we relate to a political process that is not capable of understanding that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”?

One response is to simply distance ourselves from the “sausage making” and the advocacy that can impact it. Perhaps the Supreme Court will strike down the Defense of Marriage Act in a few weeks, rule broadly in the California Prop 8 case and Marriage Equality will become the law of the land. Perhaps.

What I know is that social change movements often made the judgment that compromise was required. This was so in the early days of the struggle for women’s right to vote. You may not know that initially many of the suffragette leaders wanted to include African American voting rights in their advocacy. Frederick Douglass was present in some of the early organizing meetings. The final decision was to separate the issues. Their decision was not to allow the “perfect” (voting rights for all) to stand in the way of the “good” (voting rights for white women).

What I believe is that change to our clearly dysfunctional immigration system is a “good.” A path to citizenship is important for millions of our undocumented neighbors.

But we have not yet found a way, or the will, to hear the call of the Beloved Community in all its elements. So, I join the LGBTQ groups in their denunciation of yesterday’s compromise. If this bill does become law, this will be yet one more part of the edifice of discrimination that will need to be dismantled.

But I applaud the possibility of some version of immigration reform becoming law as well.

For religious people, we need not only to be able to hold both those points of view in our hearts but also to maintain the energy to strive for fairness and wholeness for us all. Our work is far from done.

Si se puede!

Bill

“Spiritual Depth” was the top priority articulated in the search process when I was called as Sr. Minister. “Help us develop spiritual depth.” This is no small assignment in a community of over 1500 adults with widely diverse theological points of view and equally diverse life circumstances. I hope that everything we do at First Church—our justice work, our religious education for children and adults, our music, pastoral care and worship—is grounded in spirit. But a focus on spiritual development requires…well, focus.

Last year, we offered the Wellspring Program for the first time. It is an intentional and intensive commitment to spiritual deepening, developed at University Unitarian in Seattle and now being used more and more widely within Unitarian Universalism.

Wellspring invites participants into a spiritual journey dedicated to claiming, re-imagining, and practicing the ever-evolving living tradition of our faith. One participant described it as an “amazing experience” in which “we learned to trust each other with our souls. Now we are building on our beliefs.”

Wellspring is not for everyone. Taking part requires not only the commitment to two evening meetings/month, but also the development of a personal spiritual practice, monthly spiritual direction and regular reading. But for those who make those commitments, the rewards are great as well.

There will be an information session about Wellspring on Sunday, May 26, after the 11:15 service, in the Channing Room. You can learn more about the program to determine whether Wellspring is a commitment you would like to make. Bring your questions and your open hearts.

Blessings,

Bill

Former Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina is probably best known for his affair with an Argentinean woman. Sanford told wife, staff…and the public…that he would be hiking the Appalachian Trail alone while in fact he jetted off to South America to be with his lover. Despite the very public duplicity involved, romantics among us may see this as a love story. Those who value fidelity may see his decision to leave his wife as betrayal. Those who long for honesty and integrity in our elected leaders may wish he had just managed to tell the truth. All these points of view may well co-exist in some of our hearts.

Sanford has decided to return to politics, running for Congress against Stephen Colbert’s sister.  He says, to the voters, that he is sorry for his behavior and asks for forgiveness. Redemption is possible, he argues. That Sanford initially asked his former wife to be his campaign manager added to the complexity. This could be an episode of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”

This week Sanford received a probably unwelcome endorsement from Larry Flynt, the publisher of Hustler magazine. Flynt said "no one has done more to expose the sexual hypocrisy of traditional values in America today."

He added: "His open embrace of his mistress in the name of love, breaking his sacred marriage vows, was an act of bravery that has drawn my support."

Oh, my.

At First Church we say that we stand on the side of love. And we do. This does not mean we celebrate the harm done when a marriage or relationship ends. It does not mean we condone duplicity.

Also this week, pro-basketball player Jason Collins came out, very publicly, as being gay—the first active male member of a professional sports team to do so. This affirmation is an act of courage we can celebrate. The church staff decided to send him a card of support and encouragement. Honesty about who we are and how we live is a demanding standard, but a standard we can affirm.

Perhaps the standard to which we should hold our elected leaders need not be more complex. Honesty would be a very good start.

Update at 4pm on 5/2/2013: Word just came through that the Rhode Island House of Representatives has approved marriage equality. The governor is expected to sign the Bill shortly. This is another one for us to celebrate!