St Matthew-in-the-City calls on Church to act
The newly appointed vicar of St Matthew-in-the-City, Rev Dr Helen Jacobi, is calling on the General Synod of the
Anglican Church to move forward on the blessing of same gender relationships and the ordination of those who may be in a
same gender relationship.
The General Synod meets every two years and is the place where decisions are made which affect the whole Anglican Church
of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
In her sermon for Sunday 11 May, Rev Jacobi says the Synod “have a clear choice in front of them – they can and try and
keep the church locked in the 1950s or the 1850s, thinking they can stop the movement for justice and inclusion of our
lesbian and gay sisters and brothers which our hearts yearn to see. Or they can come out from behind their fears and
prejudices and welcome all equally behind the altar, in the pulpit, and at the altar to be married.”
“We here at St Matthew’s have long had the doors open wide and we are richer for it,” says Rev Jacobi.
“We call today on our leaders to step up, to be without fear and to allow the voice of the Shepherd to call them
forward. The time of waiting is over, we will wait no longer.”
Members of St Matthew’s along with other churches and clergy will be travelling to Waitangi where the General Synod is
being held to show their support for the Synod moving forward.
ENDS