The vote in January is to elect a new Diocesan Bishop. Our General Synod, which will be voting on changing the Marriage Canon, will meet in June of 2019.janura

Happy thanksgiving, Reverend Andrea Brennan says, greeting me with a warm smile and a hug. Dressed in black jeans and earthy tones, the Fernie church minister matches the fall colours around downtown. The neckline of her loose-fitting poncho reveals the white of a clerical collar.

She pushes open the heavy wooden doors to the old stone church, revealing a long traditional hall filled with pews. Heavenly light from colourful stained glass fills the room.

Brennan is one of the most recognizable faces around town for one particular reason - she香蕉视频直播檚 always smiling. For almost three years she has served as the minister of the Christ Church Anglican in Fernie.

Behind the everlasting smile is a person confident in what they believe in and not afraid to challenge the status quo.

Aside from breaking the stereotype by being a female minister, Brennan is also openly queer. She is also serving at a time when her denomination is considering marrying same-sex couples.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I came out to my Bishop, I don香蕉视频直播檛 think he had ever had anybody come out to him before,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan.

香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 of course, polite above all else, and he said, 香蕉视频直播榃ell, I know that you will manage the mission field as best appropriate香蕉视频直播�, which is Bishop speak for, you香蕉视频直播檙e not going to do an altar call, you香蕉视频直播檙e not going to stand up on a Sunday morning and say, 香蕉视频直播楪uess what! I香蕉视频直播檓 queer!香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

Something that Brennan doesn香蕉视频直播檛 understand is when people say that being homosexual is against God. She believes it all boils down to love. She admitted that there are several letters in the chapter of Paul where the prophet mentions, 香蕉视频直播楢 man should not lie with another man香蕉视频直播�.

香蕉视频直播淭aken out of context, you can make that as an argument against homosexuality,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan. 香蕉视频直播淏ut within context, that香蕉视频直播檚 not what he was getting at, at all.香蕉视频直播�

Brennan lives her life openly and has accepted that she is known as 香蕉视频直播榯he weird one in that church over there that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 wear shoes, sometimes with pink hair香蕉视频直播�.

香蕉视频直播淚 am who God made and for people that will tell me that I don香蕉视频直播檛 have a seat at the table, they香蕉视频直播檙e not going to say that to me simply because of my sexuality. They香蕉视频直播檒l also say that to me because of my gender,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan.

香蕉视频直播淏ut I keep having a seat at the table because God has called me to be there.香蕉视频直播�

Brennan香蕉视频直播檚 very first homily (reading of scripture) in Fernie began with an apology. This triggered some laughter in the congregation.

香蕉视频直播淚 said, 香蕉视频直播榣et me explain香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 do anything in a small manner, there香蕉视频直播檚 nothing small about me. Not my heart, not my mouth, not my backside. Everything I do is full on, and out there.

香蕉视频直播淪o I香蕉视频直播檓 going to say things that are offensive, most of the time it won香蕉视频直播檛 be intentional. Every now and then I香蕉视频直播檒l push you intentionally to make you uncomfortable, to start a conversation.香蕉视频直播�

Her speech concluded with an offer of private conversation, if someone is offended or upset by something she has said.

She recalled one day, a church goer who always sat with her arms folded, approached Brennan and invited her for tea at her home. Despite dreading a possible lecture, she agreed.

In conversation, the woman said, 香蕉视频直播淚 really didn香蕉视频直播檛 want to like you香蕉视频直播�.

The women went on to explain that she didn香蕉视频直播檛 like that she was coming from the east or that she was a woman. But when Brennan walked through the doors for the first time, the woman admitted it challenged all her preconceptions.

香蕉视频直播淪he香蕉视频直播檚 talking to me and she香蕉视频直播檚 watching me very carefully, and she香蕉视频直播檚 measuring her words very carefully,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan.

香蕉视频直播淚 said, 香蕉视频直播榮o how do you feel now?香蕉视频直播� And she said, 香蕉视频直播榳ell, I love you. Because I didn香蕉视频直播檛 realize that I really needed somebody to make me feel uncomfortable and to make me question why I do what I do香蕉视频直播�.香蕉视频直播�

The woman further explained that hearing Brennan say to them that they had permission to question why things were the way they were, opened up doors that had been closed shut for years.

From a young age, Brennan has been called to serve in some capacity and has always enjoyed helping others. As she grew older and finished her high school education, she decided to pursue a career in teaching. Almost finished university, Brennan discovered that she didn香蕉视频直播檛 have the grades to enter teachers college. Instead, she decided to study English and philosophy.

Now an educated woman with a resume to pursue a multitude of careers, Brennan froze, unsure what she wanted. During this time, she attended church again and realized how much she missed it. After some time she became a layperson, with a new goal of becoming a lay-minister. When she approached her Rector about becoming a lay-minister, he instead encouraged her to consider priesthood.

香蕉视频直播淚 started laughing, I didn香蕉视频直播檛 realize he was serious,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan. 香蕉视频直播淎nd I said, 香蕉视频直播榥o, I want to be a lay person, I don香蕉视频直播檛 feel that God would have a use for me any more than that香蕉视频直播�.香蕉视频直播�

Acknowledging this, her Rector told her to keep it in the back of her mind.

While on a retreat at a convent, Brennan spent five days in silence, pondering what she should do. She left feeling encouraged and returned a year later for another five days, with a new idea of pursuing monastic life.

On the second retreat and after much discernment (meditation), Brennan approached her Reverend Mother and told her that she was thinking of becoming an Anglican nun.

香蕉视频直播淪he said, 香蕉视频直播業 can香蕉视频直播檛 see you coming to us as a sister, as a nun, but I can see you coming back to us as our priest香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan.

Brennan rejected the idea at first but realized after leaving the retreat that her Reverend Mother was right 香蕉视频直播� seven years without privacy, as an extremely introverted person, was not the path for her. Not having materialistic wealth didn香蕉视频直播檛 bother her and neither did a limited wardrobe, but not having a place to be alone bothered her tremendously. It was at this point that she decided to apply to Seminary.

What ultimately cemented her decision to serve was something Brennan experienced while in meditation on the second retreat.

香蕉视频直播淚 was sitting on the ground and I heard a male voice call my name,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚 looked around and there was nobody around, and I thought, that香蕉视频直播檚 weird. So I continued where I was with my eyes closed in a time of prayer and meditation and then I heard, 香蕉视频直播榊ou will serve me香蕉视频直播�.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚 got up and ran because I thought, there香蕉视频直播檚 some strange guy around here.香蕉视频直播�

Writing down what she heard on a piece of paper, a sister confirmed that there were no other men on the grounds. Frightened and confused, Brennan returned to the same spot for several days, and waited.

香蕉视频直播淚 waited and I said, 香蕉视频直播榦kay, if in order for this to happen I need to surrender, then that香蕉视频直播檚 what I香蕉视频直播檓 doing香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan. 香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈ウ and then I heard again, 香蕉视频直播榊ou will serve me香蕉视频直播�.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淧art of me was elated to hear it again and part of me was really annoyed because now I have to do something about it.香蕉视频直播�

Making that decision and surrendering her life to that, Brennan explained, was very hard to do. But she said once she did, she felt an overwhelming sense of peace.

Brennan was ordained in October of 2007 at St. Paul香蕉视频直播檚 cathedral in London, Ont., the same cathedral where she was baptized 40 years earlier.

Before coming to Fernie, Brennan worked at the Anglican Diocese of Huron in southwestern Ontario in a small town called Dorchester.

Asked about her drive to help people, Brennan said that in order for the world to be a better place, we have to have relationships with each other.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 easy to say things that are hateful and negative about somebody that you香蕉视频直播檝e never met or somebody that you don香蕉视频直播檛 know. But if you have a relationship with that person, we香蕉视频直播檙e far more likely to be kind to each other,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan.

She added that if we could stop looking at our differences and start looking at our similarities, and see each other through the lens of love, then we can change the world.

香蕉视频直播淭he world is a broken place, a very broken place,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd we can get caught in (the mindset that) everything is so broken, I don香蕉视频直播檛 know what to do, or we can take our own corner of creation with our own selves and say, 香蕉视频直播榯oday I choose to live from a place of love香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈ウ香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播溝憬妒悠抵辈ウIncluded in that love is that we香蕉视频直播檙e all the same in God香蕉视频直播檚 eyes.香蕉视频直播�

In saying this, Brennan also explained that her congregation is a safe place for anyone to come.

香蕉视频直播淢y congregation is so loving and welcoming to people who are same gender to people who are transgender to people who are divorcees, to single moms, single dads, to folks that are tattooed and pierced.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淭hey called a priest who is tattooed and pierced,香蕉视频直播� continued Brennan, referring to herself.

Sometimes, Brennan says she has to explain to people why she has a certain piercing or tattoo behind her ear.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a matter of conversation,香蕉视频直播� she said.

Currently, the marriage canon for the Anglican Church says that the definition of marriage is between a man and a woman. June of 2019 will go down in history for the denomination when church leaders consider allowing same-sex marriage.

They will be voting to change the definition of marriage to 香蕉视频直播榯wo eligible people香蕉视频直播�.

香蕉视频直播淚 truly believe that love comes from God,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan. 香蕉视频直播淪o if God sends someone for me to love that香蕉视频直播檚 not traditional, does that make it any less valid than if God sends me someone who is traditional?香蕉视频直播�

Christ Church, Brennan explained, is known as an affirming congregation. Brennan cannot, as stated by the doctrine of the Anglican Church, marry two same-sex people. However, if they were to be civilly married, their marriage could be blessed at the church.

香蕉视频直播淢y great hope is that we change the canon,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan, adding that changing it requires a tremendous amount of work.

The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada meets once every three years. In order for the canon to be changed, the motion has to be approved at two successive Synod meetings, requiring a minimum of six years香蕉视频直播� time.

Since 2002, when gay marriage was legalized in Canada, the Anglican Church has been discussing changing the canon.

By comparison, the ordination of women into the Anglican Church took 18 years to complete.

Forty years ago, female lay-leaders started a movement to change the canon and allow the ordination of women. Brennan explained that this took some time because, according to scripture, a woman must remain silent and a woman must defer. Brennan noted that although it took 18 years, it was the male clergy who voted in favour of this.

香蕉视频直播淲hen the marriage canon changes, I don香蕉视频直播檛 think for a second there香蕉视频直播檚 going to be a line up of people banging on the door saying, 香蕉视频直播榩lease, can you marry us now香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Brennan.

香蕉视频直播淏ut it will be one more way that we can show we are open to all of God香蕉视频直播檚 children, regardless.香蕉视频直播�