<p><img alt= src=/sites/default/files/images/Madison_0.jpg style=float:right; height:103px; margin:5px; width:150px />By Jim Smith DignityUSA Program Manager</p> <p>The Dignity community in Madison brings fresh air to a beautiful city. From their inception they have joined with the Episcopalian LGBT group Integrity to worship serve and build relationships together. Taking very seriously Vatican II&rsquo;s clarion call to build bridges between communities of different denomination and faith Integrity/Dignity Madison didn&rsquo;t waste time. Through these many years they have managed to sustain this ecumenical community and their worship and prayer reflects this wonderfully.</p> <!--break--> <p>I/D Madison recently invited me to lead a presentation and discussion on the Minnesota efforts to defeat the 2012 anti-marriage amendment and then to pray with them at their weekly Saturday liturgy. A Capuchin priest presided with gorgeous prayerful force and the congregation of young middle-aged and elder women and men seemed to flow into the ecumenical prayer with ease.</p> <p>The next morning I joined several I/D Madison members to attend another ecumenical liturgy. The &ldquo;Sunday Assembly&rdquo; of over 250 at Holy Wisdom Monastery filled this bright new beautiful worship space and we were led by a Presbyterian minister who is also a Benedictine Nun. Yes you read it right. The monastery was formerly home to exclusively Roman Catholic Benedictines until the 90s when they requested to separate from the jurisdiction of the local bishop but remain within the Benedictine Federation. They then embarked on a campaign to cultivate a truly ecumenical Christian community. Wow. Have they ever succeeded.</p> <p>On that Sunday of my visit the community baptized the infant of a lesbian couple and when the presider proclaimed the words &ldquo;This Christian community welcomes you with great joy&rdquo; the integrity of that statement was obvious to me! We heard a powerful homily by a lay woman in the community who unapologetically called the Church to stand actively with their LGBT sisters and brothers in the work toward full equality and dignity. It was Solidarity Sunday and I was proud of DignityUSA&rsquo;s initiative in creating this moment a number of years ago.</p> <p>And then yet another special moment in that Eucharistic liturgy occurred. As we settled back into our chairs after Communion we were led in the song &ldquo;For All the Children&rdquo; the same song performed for the music video a number of us produced back in Minnesota last year. It is a song of our prayer and support for our LGBT youth. When we reached the words in the 4th verse &ldquo;...as against all hate we stand&rdquo; Donna Miller also a member of Dignity/Madison actually stood. Within ten seconds everyone in that church was standing. It was one of those graced moments when the Spirit of spontaneity and love was powerfully present.</p> <p>Here&rsquo;s to a &ldquo;big tent&rdquo; church where all saints and sinners are truly welcomed where there is room for anyone with a hunger for mercy and justice a thirst for God. Here&rsquo;s to Integrity/Dignity Madison and to Holy Wisdom Monastery.</p>