If you are not a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida, we appreciate your interest and conceivable support, but we ask that you NOT sign this letter. It must be from people within the Diocese. Thank you. Those of you willing to add your name to the letter we ask that you encourage other family members – anyone 16 and over – to sign.

The Most Reverend Michael Curry
815 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017-4594
January 25, 2019

Dear Bishop Curry,

After much prayerful consideration we, the undersigned, believe you should know how resolution B012 is being implemented in the Diocese of Florida. While Bishop Howard met with clergy well in advance of the first Sunday of Advent, we believe the process he outlined is not in keeping with the spirit of resolution B012. Rather, it is intimidating, unduly cumbersome, and unfair to our brothers and sisters in Christ who seek to be married in this church.

The process demands that the rector AND wardens meet with him and further requires the rector to look into the bishop’s eyes and tell him he/she is defying his pastoral directive. It is only then that another bishop will be made available to support the couple, clergy and congregation. He further stated that the alternate bishop’s stipend would be the congregation’s responsibility.

Clergy seeking to live out their baptismal covenant and ordination vows must put their ministries, as well as the ministries of their parish, at risk by stating they are defying their bishop. Bishop Howard was clear that vicars and interims would not be included in the implementation of the resolution given that he is the de-facto rector of said parish. Retired/ inactive clergy were not invited to the bishop’s meeting thus their process is unclear.

Resolution B012 was supported by all of our deputies to the General Convention. The resolution answered the prayers of many in this diocese and gave our GLBTQ community hope that they could finally experience justice, peace and dignity. Once again they wait and suffer due to the parameters imposed upon us in the Diocese of Florida. We suffer with them.

Faithfully,