Life-giving, loving, faithful God - Prayers for the Church of England's Living in Love & Faith process
The Living In Love And Faith logo
AS THE Church of England is in the process of sharing its Living in Love and Faith (LLF) resources on identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, we offer these prayers for everyone involved, and those who feel unable to be involved.
AS a partnership of Christian worship communities from different traditions which affirm and empower LGBTQIA+ Christians, the Open Table Network as an organisation is not directly involved in conversations about sexuality and gender identity in any of the national churches in England and Wales.
We do, however, support our members in those churches in their choices about whether or not they can be part of these conversations. The Open Table Network trustees prayerfully reflected on the publication of the LLF resources in November 2020, and offered this response.
Since then, our Co-Chair Sarah Hobbs and Co-ordinator Kieran Bohan have each been appointed as Advocates for the LLF process, in the Church of England Dioceses of Leeds and Liverpool respectively.
There is at least one LLF Advocate in each diocese, more than one in many dioceses. Their role is defined by the LLF ‘Next Steps Group’ as ‘to encourage as much participation as possible in their diocese’.
Many of these Advocates are senior clergy (Bishops, Archdeacons). Most are ordained - Sarah and Kieran are among the minority who are not.
It’s unclear how many of the Advocates are LGBTQIA+ or affirming. However, the Open Table Network trustees are encouraged that two of our team have been appointed to help, inform and guide the process locally and nationally.
The Diocese of Liverpool, where the first Open Table community began in 2008, has also commissioned Chaplains to pray for and support those who are facilitating conversations locally, and those who are taking part in them.
Our Coordinator Kieran wrote the following prayers for the service of commissioning for these LLF Chaplains, which took place online on Thursday 11th March 2021, led by Bishop of Warrington Beverley Mason, who is a member of the LLF Next Steps group. The prayers draw on Biblical language about God and Jesus as the source of life, love and faith.