No religious institution has been more active fighting for marriage equality in Maryland than nearby St. George’s Episcopal Church, at least that I’ve noticed from here in Greenbelt.  So when I learned that St. George’s was planning a prayer service about Question 6 and history’s “Arc of Justice” for the night after the election, not knowing whether they’d be coming together to celebrate OR to mourn, I knew I wanted to join them.  Either way it turned out.  And I’m glad I did.

Hymns  included “Let Justice Roll Like a River” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing” – stirring stuff.  Prayers similarly focused on “struggles for justice and truth” and “confronting one another without hatred or bitterness.”

But most moving to me were the personal stories I heard.

– About how stressful the whole campaign has been for LGBT congregants, waiting for your state to vote on something that has a profound effect on your personal life, on your whole family.

– What it’s like to make phone calls asking people to support Question 6, always on guard that the person on the other end of the line may unleash sick, hate-mongering statements about YOU.

– About how degrading an experience it is to have to ask people to grant you civil rights that everyone else takes for granted.   “Hat in hand, asking ‘Would you vote for my civil rights, please?'”  Feelings of vulnerability and powerlessness were expressed.

– “How do people get to have that kind of power over us?”  Highlighting the inherent wrongness of having a majority vote on the rights of a minority.  Just imagine how much later voting rights would have been granted by referendum to blacks or women.

– Reverend Connie Reinhardt told of one church member whose partner was in surgery the day before Election Day.  She spent as much of her hospital-visiting time as possible urging the hospital staff to Vote for 6.   She made it the issue concrete and personal.

– The need for healing was mentioned several times.

– And of course, “Is it true?  Is it really over?” Before going to bed on  Election night Rev. Connie called Terry (sorry, I didn’t catch his last name), who I gather headed up the church’s campaign for 6 drive, to ask those questions.  His answer?  “Rachel Maddow just declared that we won, so it’s really true.”

And thus it was said.