Years ago, my congregation decided to publicly invite and then welcome gay and lesbian Christians in a liturgical peace offering. Recognizing the abuse they had received at the hands of the Church, we asked for their forgiveness as we welcomed them into our community. We did this at a time when (and because) the authorities in our diocese were putting forth a very different message of moral judgment against homosexuals. For this public act, the diocesan authorities angrily and publicly punished us by withdrawing a low-interest construction loan for our new house of worship.
— Brian C. Taylor, Becoming Human