St. Mark’s calls gay priest to be new rector

 

Defying a recent trend toward schism in the Episcopal Church over admitting gays to the priesthood, St. Mark’s in-the-Valley in Los Olivos has called a gay priest to be its new rector, apparently without splitting the parish asunder.

“He’s a priest, not a gay priest, he’s a priest,” St. Mark’s Senior Warden Olivia Flisher said in defense of Reverend Randall Day, who will start his position as the new church-elected rector in October.

There was a formal announcement of Reverend Day as the new rector during a joint service Sept. 7 at St. Mark’s, though a letter was sent to the members of the congregation Sept. 3 informing the parishioners of the decision. Flisher said that out of the 27 applicants, Day was the favorite, and the search committee, a parish-appointed group dedicated to researching applicants to find the right rector, unanimously voted to recommend Day for the position.

 

Flisher said the search committee did discuss Day’s sexuality, but he so possessed the qualities St. Mark’s wanted that the committee knew he would lead the church where it wants to go.

“Apparently the search committee talked about it a lot, but he kept rising to the top of the pile,” Flisher said. “When they went and saw him in his parish they became calm about it and realized he was the best person.”

Flisher said that Day is a highly educated man and accomplished writer and speaker.

She said after learning about his good work in his current parish in Teaneck, New Jersey, she knows he will be able to help St. Mark’s congregation development and help the church grow in a positive direction for the future. Day is so admired in his current parish in New Jersey, also named St. Mark’s, that, since his arrival there a decade ago, Sunday attendance has grown by 77 percent.

St. Mark’s Junior Warden Carl Johnson said most parishioners are very excited about Day’s arrival and working with him.

 

“Having somebody new come in will reinvigorate the church, and I think Randall Day will bring experience with him from beyond the valley that will benefit all who live here,” Johnson said.

Some St. Mark’s members, however, are not so enthused about the new rector. Flisher said there were several people at the service on Sunday voicing concerns about Day’s sexuality and the role of Day’s companion, William Hurbaugh, who also will become part of the church.

“There was one man there who was quite outspoken who said he was opposed to hiring Randall Day, and there was a person who expressed concern about how we would tell children about this,” Flisher said. “One person said, ‘Well are they coming to California to get married?’”

This situation is not uncommon in America. Unfortunately, many churches, most notably Episcopalian, Methodist, and Presbyterian, have been arguing and dividing over the issue of gay clergy.

 

Two St. Mark’s parishioners, who refused to speak on the record unless guaranteed anonymity, said they would leave the church when Day becomes rector. One person described it as “a total takeover” and said, “You expect this sort of thing in San Francisco or Hollywood but not here in the Santa Ynez Valley.” Another one said that many members of the church are deeply hurt and upset by this decision.

Flisher said that Day is a priest above all else, and he was chosen because he best fit St. Mark’s needs.

“Nobody told us to find a male priest, or a white priest, or a heterosexual priest … the label that somebody else wants to apply to it is not our concern,” Flisher said.

Johnson said he spoke in favor of Day during the service Sept. 7, and responded specifically to the fear about explaining Day’s sexuality to the children.

“I have no reservations about having my children around Randall — he’s a wonderful, very inspirational person,” Johnson said.

 

“Randall is in a committed relationship with a man, and when my children ask me about that, I plan to tell them, ‘That’s okay, that’s the way a lot of people live, and what God wants us to do is love one another, and if Randall is in a loving relationship, that can’t be bad,’” Johnson said.

Johnson said he hopes his generation can discuss things more openly with the next generation without projecting any fear or bias on it, and that doing so will help the movement of the church.

“I think the message, if there is one, is that St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, and the church in general, is open to everyone,” Johnson said. “We’re not into categorizing people; the spirit of Christianity was acceptance beyond categories.”