WE HAVE MOVED to integritynycmetro.org

Through the wonders of technology our blog will now be part of our main site http://www.integritynycmetro.org.  We are still working the kinks out but please visit us there often for updates and upcoming events.

The OASIS (Newark) Honors Louie Crew, Presents Awards

The OASIS, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, honored Integrity's founder, Dr. Louie Crew for a lifetime of justice ministry and presented its first annual scholarship and grant awards at a reception on Friday, June 3rd.  IntegrityUSA Vice President for National Affairs, The Rev. Jon Richardson, Province II Coordinator Chap James Day and Newark Diocesan Organizer Christian Paolino were among the attendees.

The Right Rev.  Mark Beckwith, Bishop of Newark, and OASIS Commission Chair John Simonelli presented Dr. Crew with a hand-illumined certificate of appreciation and announced the first recipients of the scholarship and grant created in his honor.

Dr. Crew founded Integrity, the national organization for LGBT Episcopalians, in 1974. A retired professor of English (most recently at Rutgers University) he served on the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church from 2000-2006 and represented the Diocese of Newark as a member of the House of Deputies  from 1993-2011, among many other acts of service to the church.  He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama, Doctorates of Divinity from the Episcopal Divinity School and General Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Human Letters from the Divinity School of the Pacific. Dr. Crew is extensively published, on matters of English composition, social justice, faith, and poetry.  Dr. Crew is a three-time recipient of the National Endowment for Humanities, was honored by the Ragdale Foundation and the Wurlitzer Foundation, and received the Bishop’s Cross from the Diocese of Newark.

The first Louie Crew scholarship was presented to Darnell L. Moore, a writer and activist who is currently the Associate Director of the Newark Schools Research Collaborative (NSRC) and an Affiliate of the Institute on Education Law and Policy (IELP) both at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-Newark. He holds a BA in Social & Behavioral Sciences (Seton Hall University), MA in Counseling (Eastern University) and MA in Theological Studies (Princeton Theological Seminary). 

Moore also serves as the Chair of Mayor Cory Booker of Newark’s Advisory Commission on LGBTQ Concerns and Education, Chair of the Newark Pride Alliance, and has served appointments as a Visiting Fellow at Yale Divinity School and Lecturer in the Women & Gender Studies Department at Rutgers-New Brunswick, as well as Visiting Scholar at the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality at New York University.  Moore plans to use the scholarship money to participate in two writing retreats to further his first book, tentatively titled To be Black, Queer and Christian: Essays on the Black church and Sexuality.

The first OASIS Grant was awarded to the Montclair Protestant Chaplaincy, an ecumenical collaborative, to support the work of the Rev. Deacon Diana Wilcox as chaplain at Montclair State University.  A recent graduate of Drew Theological School in Madison, Wilcox provides a progressive Christian presence at the university with weekly prayer services, spiritual counseling and other programming.  Wilcox studied at Montclair State University and Fairleigh Dickinson University before pursuing her Master of Divinity at Drew. Her campus group, the Web of Life Christian Community, became a Believe Out Loud Congregation in 2011, and took part in the response to bias incidents on campus this fall and winter.

The OASIS, founded in 1989, is a justice ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark. Once providing “safe space” worship and spiritual counseling, the organization has evolved into an educational and advocacy role.  The Louie Crew Scholarship and Oasis Grant, which were first announced at the 2012 Diocesan Convention, will be awarded annually at the Oasis anniversary in June to individuals and groups working “at the intersection of sexuality and faith.”

Integrity Exec. Director Harry Knox Preaches at Intercession NYC

On Sunday, June 3, the Rev. Harry Knox, Interim Executive Director of IntegrityUSA, offered the sermon at the Church of the Intercession, the latest Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation in the NYC-Metro area.

Intercession describes itself as follows: "We are a community of followers of Jesus in the tradition of the Episcopal Church. As Episcopalians we strive to be a middle way between the Catholic and Protestant traditions of Christianity. At Intercession you will be surrounded by a beautiful building but more importantly in an open and welcoming community. Our community is multicultural and worships in English and Spanish."

Intercession is located at 550 West 155th St. (at Broadway).

Transit:

• 157 St. (Broadway)
• 155 St. (St. Nicholas)

Sunday services are as follows:

• 8 a.m. Said Mass in English
• 10 a.m. Sung Mass in English
• 12:30 Santa Misa en español 

 We commend it to you as a welcoming community of faith.


Integrity is in the midst of raising funds for its presence at General Convention, the triennial legislative gathering of the entire Episcopal Church.  Slightly more than half of the $110,000 budget has been raised.  These funds help us provide a diverse range of voices from the LGBT community, many of whom would not otherwise be able to attend.  Please give if you are able.

Queens Pride Today

Integrity NYC-Metro has a table at Queens Pride today, which takes place on 75th St at 37th Road in Jackson Heights.

TRANSIT:
74 St - Broadway (275 ft SW)  
Roosevelt Ave - Jackson Heights  

Heritage of Pride March, June 24th in NYC

 

Please see details below regarding the Episcopal presence in the Heritage of Pride March:

Dear Fellow Episcopalians,

 

For the past several years, the Committee on LGBT Concerns has organized a float in the annual LGBT Pride March, to be held this year on Sunday, June 24^th, 2012. Several hundred Episcopalians, from parishes large and small, from Staten Island to Sullivan County, march down Fifth Avenue with the float under the slogan “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You”.  For the past two years we have been by far the largest religious contingent in the entire March!

The Episcopal Church has, for years, been in the forefront of the full inclusion of LGBT persons in all of the sacraments.  While we may not yet have attained all of our goals, we are well on our way.  The annual LGBT Pride March is one of the most visual and important ways that we have of reaching out to the LGBT Community, many of whom have given up on or been driven away from any organized religion.

In order to do this again in 2012, we need your help.  The LGBT Pride March is not a budgeted item.  We rely on donations from individuals, parishes and groups in order to make it possible.  The cost is between $5000.00 and $6000.00 and our suppliers (float, music, registration) require payment in advance. 

The Church of St. Luke in the Fields has agreed to act as our treasurer again this year.  Please make your checks payable to The Church of St. Luke in the Fields, note Pride March in the memo field and mail to:

                Paul J. Lane

                c/o The Church of St. Luke in the Fields

                487 Hudson Street

                New York, NY 10014

 

The March takes place on Sunday, June 24, 2012.  It will proceed down Fifth Avenue from the lower 30s to its usual end point on Christopher and Greenwich Streets in the West Village.  Our exact meeting  time and location won’t be known  until about two weeks prior to the actual March.   You will not need to register your group separately.  We will take care of registration and marshals.  All you need to do to participate is show up.  We will post the information on the LGBT Concerns web-page:   and Facebook page:   as soon as the March organizers let us know.

If you have any questions, please contact Paul Lane at 646-456-8705 or LGBTConcerns@dioceseny.org

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you there,

Paul J. Lane - LGBT Pride March Coordinator

The Committee on LGBT Concerns of the Episcopal Diocese of New York

Screening of "Love Free or Die" in Morristown June 10

On Sunday, June 10 at 3 p.m., there will be a screening of Love Free or Die,  the award-winning biography of Bishop Gene Robinson, at the Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, N.J., an Integrity Proud Parish Partner.

The screening will be free.  A freewill offering will be taken to support further promotion of the film.  A discussion will follow the screening and refreshments will be available.   Redeemer is an easy walk from the Morristown train station (see map below).

Winner of a special jury prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Love Free or Die is "compelling storytelling, even for those familiar with the outlines of Robinson’s story: his 2003 consecration as a bishop, the backlash from conservatives within the U.S. and global church, and the Episcopal Church’s decision at its 2009 general convention to continue to ordain gay bishops and to develop blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples," as reviewed by Peter Montgomery in Religion Dispatch.

Others in the church - both for and against Bishop Robinson's ordination - are interviewed, including the Right Rev. Otis Charles, who came out and married his partner after retiring as bishop of Utah; the Right Rev. Barbara Harris, the first female bishop in the Anglican Communion; and a Ugandan woman living with HIV.

Footage from some of the major public events in Bishop Robinson's episcopacy are featured, including a dramatic confrontation with a heckler while preaching in England.

The first of a series of screenings around the Diocese of Newark, this event is co-sponsored by the Church of the Redeemer and St. Gregory's Episcopal Church in Parsippany, with assistance from The OASIS and Integrity NYC-Metro.

PLEASE HELP US spread the word about this event by sharing this flyer. Facebook users please RSVP and invite your friends here.

Reviews of Love Free or Die:

• First Gay Bishop? Give Me a Break -  Religion Dispatches
• Doers of the Word: Bishop Gene Robinson in Love Free or Die - HRC
• New film chronicles gay Episcopal bishop - Bay Area Reporter.

EVENT SNAPSHOT:

• WHAT: Screening of Love Free or Die
• WHEN:  Sun., Jun 10 at 3pm
• WHERE: Church of the Redeemer, 36 South Street, Morristown, NJ
• COST: Free (contributions welcome)

Click for Directions

IntegrityUSA General Convention Reception June 2

Integrity is hosting a wine-and-hors d'ouvres reception on Saturday, June 2 at noon, at St. Mark's Church in the Bowery in NYC to share information about our plans for General Convention 2012 and beyond.  The event will be hosted by Lis Jacobs, the Treasurer of IntegrityUSA. 

If you are curious about  Integrity's work and would like to know more, or have ideas about where you think we should be headed, Please attend or contact us for more information. We have offered some perspective on the relevance of Integrity's work in a recent post.  

St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery,  is located at 131 East 10th Street, on the corner of 2nd Avenue. It is the second-oldest church in Manhattan and the oldest continuously-operating place of worship in New York City.  They are an Integrity Proud Parish Partner and we are grateful to them for hosting this event.  We hope you will join us!

EVENT SNAPSHOT:

• WHAT: IntegrityUSA General Convention 2012 Reception
• WHEN:  Sat. June 2, 12-2 p.m.
• WHERE: St. Mark's Church in the Bowery
  131 East 10th Street  New York, NY 10003
  (Transit: 3rd Ave at 14th St.  )
• COST: Free (contributions welcome towards Integrity's General Convention 2012 campaign)

Free HIV Tests at Church of the Intercession this Saturday

This event, not sponsored by Integrity NYC-Metro, is shared as a public service.

The Church of the Intercession together with the National Black Leadership Coalition on AIDS, the New York City Council Faith Based HIV/AIDS Initiative, and Harlem United will be hosting their third HIV testing and awareness campaign at the Episcopal Church of the Intercession, 550 West 155th Street (located on the southeast corner of 155th and Broadway).

The public is invited for free testing and to receive valuable information on HIV/AIDS.

• When: Saturday, May 19th, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
• Where: Episcopal Church of the Intercession, 550 West 155th Street (located on the southeast corner of 155th and Broadway)
  TRANSIT: 157 St 

For Just Such a Time as This

 "Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this."

ESTHER 4:14

A question that seems to be in people's minds, if not verbalized, is "Why do we need Integrity around here?" Our bishops ride on Pride floats and speak out for the rights of LGBT people. We have numerous congregations who are welcoming and LGBT people are involved in all levels of ministry. We perform same-sex marriages and blessings in our churches.  And today, the sitting President of the United States announced in an election year that he personally supports same-sex marriage.

Amid all this progress, there's a temptation to sit back and be satisfied.  After all, for LGBT people in our area, finding a church where you can participate fully without your orientation presenting a barrier is easy.  We're past all that, aren't we?

And yet, we're not.

Yesterday, the people of North Carolina, egged on in large part by religious leaders, voted to enshrine discrimination against same-sex couples into their constitution.  Last week, a video circulated in which a pastor in that state advocated physical abuse of effeminate boys.  Our local pride events are frequently protested by "ex-gay ministries" and NYC's new cardinal has warned Catholic churches who dare minister to LGBT people without reminding them of their "disordered" state.

Despite efforts by many progressive Christian leaders to the contrary, the overwhelmingly dominant message on the American airwaves remains that if you're gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, there's no place in church for you.  As rapidly as America seems to be evolving in its acceptance of LGBT issues, the perception is that the institutional church is stubbornly staying behind, and the fact that a recent Pew study showed that over a quarter of young people claim no religious affiliation at all is a telling indicator of what this means for our relevance, leaving young people like this one wondering if the church will be around for them when they're our age.   Also, although in the same poll 70% of Episcopalians support LGBT inclusion, we still have dioceses -- including one nearby -- where people with a same-sex partner are not able to pursue ordination or have their relationships acknowledged by the church.

It will take witness from every single one of us to turn this tide. Some of this work happens at the congregational and even individual level, and our chapter continues to partner with The OASIS and the LGBT Concerns Committee of the Diocese of New York to make that happen here.  But a national voice is also needed.  Integrity is the largest advocate for the LGBT community within the church, and traditionally represents our interests at General Convention.  Our work is entirely supported by our members and partners, with no funding from the national church.  We've set an ambitious goal of $100,000 to mobilize a team of volunteers, of which nearly half has already been contributed, thanks be to God..

Integrity's platform for GC12 includes:

• Advocate for liturgical blessings for same gender couples throughout the Church.
• Support the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music's call for a church wide conversation on marriage.
• Fervently advocate for full inclusion of our transgender sisters and brothers, by supporting a resolution which adds "Gender Identity" and "Gender Expression" to the church's non-discrimination canons and
  
• Release Voices of Witness 3: OUT OF THE BOX. A video and study guide on transgender issues, and provide a copy to all bishops and deputies
  
• Call for strong church wide response to all aspects of bullying, especially that which is based on sexual orientation or gender expression.

If you are able to support Integrity in this work, please consider a donation of any size to our General Convention fund. We also seek to forge or re-establish ongoing partner relationships with congregations in the Dioceses of Long Island, New Jersey, Newark and New York. Our partners work with us to plan programming in the area, receive a voting seat on our national Stakeholders' Council, and we actively promote them as welcoming places of worship to our members. If you are not an official member of Integrity, please consider joining us.

Please contact us if you have any questions or ideas about Integrity's presence at GC12 or are willing to work with us to make these goals a reality. Our NYC-Metro Chapter is already helping with a fund-raiser next month, and we'd love to see you there (details soon). We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you!

Movie Night! "Taboo... Yardies" at General Seminary

Integrity NYC-Metro is not sponsoring this event. We are passing this relevant opportunity along as a courtesy.

GLBT at GTS and Students of Color are proud to present a screening of Taboo ... Yardies on Friday, April 28th at 7 p.m. in the Seabury Auditorium at General Theological Seminary. "The concept of the documentary Taboo Yardies is to explore the perception of Jamaica as an island that is saturated with homophobia by providing Jamaicans who are pro, con and everywhere in-between on this highly controversial issue an opportunity to share their own realities. Additionally, the film gives a voice to those Jamaicans who dare to speak up and out about the intolerance and violence towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, particularly as it pertains to an individual’s human rights.  We hope to give viewers an opportunity to decide for themselves whether to view Jamaica as a homophobic culture is perception or reality. More importantly, we hope Taboo ... Yardies becomes a vehicle that spurs an open an honest conversation that ultimately promotes respect and tolerance for all people regardless of sexual orientation. This documentary is unashamedly in support of human rights and against violence being advocated and/or perpetrated against LGBT Jamaicans." Enter the campus on 21st street between 9th & 10th avenues. Transit 23 St (8th Ave)

Love Free or Die Recap

Integrity Leaders at Screening of Love Free or Die:
(back) Christian Paolino, Paul Lane, Mary O'Shaughnessy, Marlin Mattson
(front) The Rev. Megan Sanders, Dr. Louie Crew, Chap James Day

We were pleased to welcome about 40 people from both sides of the river to a recent screening of Love Free or Die at Grace Church in the Van Vorst section of Jersey City. The film is a biography of The Right Rev. Gene Robinson, the first out gay person to be ordained a bishop of any church,

Among us were Integrity's founder. Dr. Louie Crew; the Rev. Liz Edman, Board President of the Hudson Pride Connections Center, which co-sponsored the event along with The OASIS, the LGBT ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark; and Michael Cudney, Chair of the LGBT Concerns Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.  Chapter President Mary O'Shaughnessy greeted everyone afterwards and shared news of upcoming Chapter events.

After the film and a short discussion, we were led in Compline (a short prayer service that is the last component of the Daily Office) by our chapter's recently-called Chaplain, The Rev. Megan Sanders.  Megan splits her time between the Seamen's Church Institute at Port Newark and St. Luke's Church in Montclair, N.J.

The film was a look back at Bishop Robinson's ministry and the world's reaction to it, beginning not at his consecration but the Lambeth Conference of 2008, to which he was specifically not invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury.  It presented not only his reactions and views, but gave a voice to those for whom his ordination was deeply troubling.  We enjoyed seeing many familiar faces in the film, including several people in the room.

If you were there and want to share your impressions of the film, please comment!  If you missed the screening, please stay tuned as we have had several offers to host another one.  Thank you to The Rev. Dr. Barrie Bates, Interim Rector at Grace Church Van Vorst, and parishioner Donald Gallagher, for their hospitality and assistance.

New Parish Partner: Trinity Church, Ossining, N.Y.

We're flushed with gratitude as we announce our fourth new Proud Parish Partner in under a week!  Joining the ranks is Trinity Church in Ossining, N.Y., part of the Episcopal Diocese of New York.

Trinity was founded in 1868 by veterans of the Union Army returning from the Civil War.  It met first in a basement, then was a tenant in a Presbyterian church which stood where the current Trinity structure is today.

Trinity is currently in a period of exploration in partnership with Ossining's other Episcopal parish, St. Paul's-on-the-Hill,  under the interim leadership of The Rev. Cooper Conway.  The parishes are celebrating Holy Week together with events scheduled at both locations, and examining new ways to cooperate as they plan their respective futures.  The schedule has been added to our list of Holy Week events at our Proud Parish Partner congregations in the area.

Thanks to Tam Hernandez for making this happen.

Holy Week Schedule at Our Parish Partners

Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday, is the most important time in the church year.   If you are looking for a welcoming place to commemorate Christ's death and resurrection, here is a list of our Proud Parish Partner congregations, with service times.  Click on the church name for details about its events. If you have any questions or notice anything which requires correcting, please do not hesitate to contact us for help.

Manhattan

• Church of the Holy Apostles
  296 9th Ave (at 28th St), Manhattan
  (212) 924-0167
  info@holyapostlesnyc.org
  Transit: 23 St (0.2 mi S)
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
  
  
  
  • SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 11 a.m. Liturgy of the Palms,  Palm Procession, Dramatic Reading of the Passion, and Holy Eucharist
  • WED 4/4  8 p.m. Tenebrae (Service of Darkness) a freewill offering will be taken for Episcopal Relief and Development's relief efforts in Japan 
  • THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 7 pm The Last Supper of Our Lord, with Foot Washing, and Stripping of the Altar (all-night vigil at the Altar of Repose follows)
  • FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 12 noon The Solemn Liturgy, including the Singing Passion According to St. John, Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion from Reserved Sacrament
  • SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 10 a.m. Holy Saturday service, 8 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter, concluding with congregational singing of the "Hallelujah Chorus" and a celebration follows.
  • SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday) 11:00 am Procession and Festival Eucharist. With full choir and musicians. Celebration & Easter Egg Hunt follow
    
    
• Church of St. Luke in the Fields
  487 Hudson Street (Christopher/Barrow), Manhattan
  (212) 289-4100
  info@stlukeinthefields.org
  Transit: Christopher St - Sheridan Sq (0.2 mi E), Christopher St (299 ft NW)
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
• SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 8 a.m. 9:15 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist
• THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 6:30 p.m. Choral Eucharist with Foot Washing, Agape Supper & and Stripping of the Altar, followed by vigil at the Altar of Repose*
• FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 12 noon The Solemn Liturgy, including the Singing Passion According to St. John, Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion from Reserved Sacrament*
• SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 10:00 a.m. Holy Saturday Service, 8 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter*
• SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday)  8 a.m. 9:15 a.m. & 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist
  
  * Celebrant & Preacher will be The Most Rev. Frank Griswold, 25th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church

• St. Mark's in the Bowery
  131 E 10 St. (at Bowery), Manhattan
  (212) 674-6377
  office@stmarksbowery.org
  Transit: 3 Av (0.2 mi N)
  
  SERVICE TIMES: 
  • SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist
  • WED 4/4  7 p.m. Tenebrae service
  • THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 7 p.m.
  • FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 12 noon Good Friday Blues - music, words and dance combine for a powerful telling of the Passion of Christ in the key of the blues.  Includes veneration of the cross and Communion from the Reserved Sacrament
  • SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 7 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter
  • SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday)  11 a.m. Holy Eucharist
   
• St. Michael's
  225 W 99 St (Broadway/Amsterdam)
  (212) 222-2700
  Transit: 96 St (0.2 mi SW) 
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
• SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 7:45 a.m., 10 a.m., 6 p.m. Holy Eucharist with the Liturgy of the Palms & the Passion According to St. Mark (performed by youth at 10 a.m.), Children's liturgy also at 10 a.m.
• MON 4/2 - WED 4/4 7:45 a.m. Morning Prayer & Eucharist, 7 p.m. Holy Eucharist
• THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 7 p.m. Holy Eucharist with Foot Washing and Stripping of the Altar, followed by vigil at the Altar of Repose
• FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 12 noon Good Friday Liturgy with Stations of the Cross, Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion from Reserved Sacrament
• SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 9 a.m. Morning Prayer, 7 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter
• SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday) 7:45 a.m. 10 a.m., 6 p.m. Holy Eucharist

New Jersey

• All Saints: Hoboken
  707 Washington Street, Hoboken
  (201) 792-3563
  Transit: 9th Street Station (0.6 mi NW) Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
  
• SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 8 a.m., 9:20 a.m., & 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Liturgy of the Palms)
• THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 8 p.m. The Last Supper with Foot-washing
• FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 7 a.m. Morning Service with Communion from the Reserved Sacrament, 10 a.m. Stations of the Cross for children, 12 noon Good Friday Liturgy, 7 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy at St. John's, 16th & Palisades, Union City
• SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 8 p.m. The First Service of Easter
• SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday) 6:15 a.m. Easter Sunrise Service at Castle Point (on the Stevens Tech campus), 8 a.m., 9:20 a.m., 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, 1 p.m. Holy Eucharist at St. John's, 16 & Palisades, Union City
  
  
• Church of the Redeemer
  36 South Street, Morristown
  (973) 539-0703
  redeemer11@verizon.net
  Transit: Morristown (0.3 mi E)Morris & Essex Line
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
  • SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist
  • THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 6:30 p.m. Eucharist & Supper
  • FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 7:30 p.m. Service & Candlelight Procession
  •  SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 7 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter
  •  SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday)  8 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist
  
  
• St. John's: Montclair
  55 Montclair Ave, Montclair
  (973) 746-2474
  Transit: Walnut Street (0.3 mi SW) Montclair-Boonton Line
  Grove Street & Montclair Ave.
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
  • SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 8 a.m. & 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Gather at 9:30 a.m. for palm procession. Children can bring percussion instruments) 6 p.m. Screening of Jesus Christ Superstar with pizza (youth group benefit)
  • THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) Maundy  7:30 p.m. Thursday Service
  • FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 2pm Good Friday service
  • SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 7:30 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter
  • SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday) 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist
   
• St. Mark's: Teaneck
  118 Chadwick Road, Teaneck
  (201) 836-7275
  info@stmarksteaneck.org
  Transit: Cedar Ln at Grange Rd(459 ft N) 175, 753, 755, 772, 780
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
  • SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 9 a.m. Child-centric Eucharist, 11 a.m.  Holy Eucharist, 6:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist with dramatic reading of the Passion by parish youth
  • THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 6:30 p.m. Potluck Supper 7:30 p.m. Service with foot-washing, reading of the Passion, & stripping of the altar; vigil at altar of repose follows
  • FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 12 noon & 7 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy
  • SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 7:30 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter
  • SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday) 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist

Downstate

• St. Augustine's
  6 Old Post Rd North, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.
  (914) 271-3501
  august@bestweb.net
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
  • SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist (later service includes palm procession)
  • WED 4/4 7 p.m. Service of Prayer & Light
  • THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 6:30 p.m. Agape Meal (potluck) 8  p.m. Maundy Thursday Liturgy with foot-washing, overnight vigil follows
  • FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 12 noon Good Friday service
  • SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 7:00 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter
  • SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday) 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. Holy Eucharist, 10:30 egg hunt


• Christ Church: Tarrytown
  (914) 631-2074
  43 South Broadway, Tarrytown, N.Y.
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
  • SUN 4/1 (Palm Sunday) 10 a.m. Palm Sunday Combined Service (English/Spanish)
  • TUE 4/3 7:30 p.m. Liturgy of Healing
  • WED 4/4 7:30 p.m. Candlelight Taize Service & Labyrinth Walk
  • THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 6:30 p.m. Agape Meal and brief "watch and pray" Liturgy
  • FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 9 a.m. Morning Prayer, 12 noon Meditation on the Seven Last Words of Jesus, 7:30 p.m. Stations of the Cross
  • SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 7 p.m. Great Vigil of Easter
  • SUN 4/8 (Easter Sunday) 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist followed by brunch, 12:30 p.m. La Santa Misa de Pascua (Easter Eucharist in Spanish) 
   
• Trinity Chuch: Ossining
  (914) 941-0806 ‎
  7 South Highland Avenue, Ossining, N.Y.
  TRANSIT:  Ossining (0.5 mi SW) Hudson
  
  SERVICE TIMES:
  • THU 4/5 (Maundy Thursday) 6:30 Maundy Thursday Liturgy (at St. Paul’s on-the-Hill), with potluck dinner, including the Maundy (the Washing of the Feet), followed by an all-night vigil at the Bethlehem Chapel at Trinity. 
  • FRI 4/6 (Good Friday) 12 noon Good Friday Liturgy with Stations of the Cross, the Solemn Collects and Veneration of the Cross 
  • SAT 4/7 (Holy Saturday) 7:30 p.m. Easter Even Liturgy with the Lighting of the Paschal Candle and renewal of Baptismal vows (at St. Paul’s-on-the-Hill)
  • SUN 4 8 (Easter Sunday) 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist, preceded by an organ prelude at 11 am; Festal Celebration of Eucharist (Rite One) followed by a reception hosted by our Vestry and an Easter Egg Hunt

New Proud Parish Partner: St. John's in Montclair, N.J.

Another day, another new Proud Parish Partner!  Today we welcome St. John's Episcopal Church in Montclair, N.J., part of the Diocese of Newark.  St. John's has been participating in Believe Out Loud, and is home to a P-FLAG chapter, but LGBT equality is only part of their efforts towards social justice and radical hospitality.  They also hold a special Eucharist twice monthly which is especially geared towards children, especially those with special needs, for whom a typical Eucharist is not ideal.  They have also done extensive work for the disadvantaged, and held an interfaith prayer service with a Muslim group to foster greater mutual understanding and respect.

We will be adding St. John's to our website and blog and their service schedule will be included in our upcoming guide of welcoming places to observe Holy Week and Easter.  There's still time to register as a P3 and get your congregation included, too!

Thanks to The Rev. Andrew Butler, and the vestry and wardens for your support!

Welcome to our latest Proud Parish Partner, St. Michael's in Manhattan!

Integrity NYC-Metro is pleased to welcome our newest Proud Parish Partner, St. Michael's Episcopal Church on West 99th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.  Founded in 1807, St. Michael's mission is "to witness—through worship, ministries and community activities—to the spirit, teachings and love of Christ; to offer strength & love to each other; and to reach out and draw others into our diverse parish family."

As a supporter of Integrity's work locally and nationally, St. Michael's will be added to our list of local partner congregations and listed in our upcoming guide to Holy Week  services at welcoming congregations.   If you'd like your congregation there, too, there's still time to register or renew and be included.

"This is a time of year in which people who have been away from religious services often think about returning, and checking the web is a very popular way of locating nearby faith communities," said Mary O'Shaughnessy, NYC-Metro Chapter Convener.  "This is just one more way to help seekers find you."


Our thanks to the Rev. Elizabeth Maxwell, Interim Rector; Warden Jim Sparks; and Parish Administrator Galina Koubassova for answering the call to join our efforts.

There's Still Time to Have Your Congregation's Holy Week Services on Our List

Integrity NYC-Metro will be publishing the schedule of Holy Week services at each of our local Proud Parish Partner ("P3") congregations later this week.  If your congregation is not listed as a "P3" on our website or blog there is still time to register or renew for a minimum annual donation of just $100 and be included in our guide.

Integrity is supported by its membership and private donations, and receives no funding from the national church.  If your congregation has a focus on social justice, we ask you to suggest that your leadership consider supporting our work by becoming a "P3".  As we approach General Convention this summer when the blessing of same-sex relationships will be debated by clergy and laity from throughout the church, Integrity hopes to have a strong presence advocating for the LGBT population.  In addition, we continue to encourage congregations to become more visibly welcoming through the Believe Out Loud campaign and representing the church at area Pride events.

If your congregation does decide to adopt or renew a "P3" commitment, please mention NYC-metro as your chapter, as a portion of your contribution will then be allocated for our work locally.  And of course we are also grateful for individual memberships and donations.

Thank you!

Cyndi Lauper to be Grand Marshall at Heritage of Pride

The Huffington Post has reported that award-winning pop diva and long-time LGBT-ally Cyndi Lauper will be the Grand Marshall of the 2012 Heritage of Pride March in New York on Sunday, June 24th.

Integrity NYC-Metro will once again be part of the Episcopal presence at the March, which is organized by the LGBT Concerns Committee of the Diocese of New York.  Area individuals, congregations and groups are invited to march with us or under their own banners as part of the church's representation.  The Committee will be announcing details in the coming weeks.

 Lauper, a native of Queens, won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1985 and has been recognized repeatedly by MTV, VHI, Rolling Stone and others. She has been a staunch ally of the LGBT population. In September, she opened the True Colors Residence, a supportive housing  facility in Harlem specifically for young LGBT adults with a history of homelessness. She also created the Give A Damn Campaign to educate heterosexual people about youth homelessness and how it disproportionately affects the LGBT population. 

Joining Lauper on the reviewing stand will be Chris Salgardo, president of the Kiehl's body care company which was recently recognized in AdWeek for its social responsibility, as well as Phyllis Siege and Connie Kopelov, the first residents of New York City to be legally married in the state.  The couple was wed on July 24, 2011 after 23 years together.

"Our choices for this year's Grand Marshals embody everything we look for in representatives that give back to the LGBT community and have made a huge impact on the overall movement," Mike Dunlap, March Director, said in a press release.

Screening of Gene Robinson Bio "Love Free or Die" Apr 13

On Friday, April 13th at 7pm, Integrity NYC Metro (along with The OASIS LGBT Ministry of the Diocese of Newark, and the Hudson Pride Connections Center) will be co-hosting a screening of Macky Alston's award-winning biography of The Right Rev. Gene Robinson, Love Free or Die, at Grace Church Van Vorst in Jersey City, NJ.

The screening will be free.  A freewill offering will be taken to support further promotion of the film.  Grace Church is an easy walk from the Grove Street PATH station.

Winner of a special jury prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Love Free or Die is "compelling storytelling, even for those familiar with the outlines of Robinson’s story: his 2003 consecration as a bishop, the backlash from conservatives within the U.S. and global church, and the Episcopal Church’s decision at its 2009 general convention to continue to ordain gay bishops and to develop blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples," as reviewed by Peter Montgomery in Religion Dispatch.

Others in the church - both for and against Bishop Robinson's ordination - are interviewed, including the Right Rev. Otis Charles, who came out and married his partner after retiring as bishop of Utah; the Right Rev. Barbara Harris, the first female bishop in the Anglican Communion; and a Ugandan woman living with HIV.

Footage from some of the major public events in Bishop Robinson's episcopacy are featured, including a dramatic confrontation with a heckler while preaching in England.

PLEASE HELP US spread the word about this event by sharing this flyer. Facebook users please RSVP and invite your friends here.

Reviews of Love Free or Die:

• First Gay Bishop? Give Me a Break -  Religion Dispatches
• Doers of the Word: Bishop Gene Robinson in Love Free or Die - HRC
• New film chronicles gay Episcopal bishop - Bay Area Reporter

EVENT SNAPSHOT:

• WHAT: Screening of Love Free or Die
• WHEN:  Fri. Apr. 13 @ 7 p.m.
• WHERE: Grace Church Van Vorst, 39 Erie Street, Jersey City, NJ
  (Transit: PATH to Grove Street)
• COST: Free (contributions welcome)

Jan Nunley's Sermon From Our Feb. 10th Eucharist

As promised, we have posted the sermon from our Feb. 10th Eucharist at St. Luke in the Fields, by the Rev. Jan Nunley, an award-winning journalist who helped bring the Episcopal News Service into the digital age.

Since our service was observing the Feast of Cornelius the Centurion, Jan explained what we know about the two men who the Bible identifies as  Centurions, positing they may have in fact been the same person, and - by exploring some variables in possible translation - positing that the relationship between Cornelius and the "slave" whom Jesus heals may have been slightly more romantic in nature than that between a soldier and his servant would imply. The Greek word pais, which modern English translations of the Bible take to mean "slave" or "servant" is argued by some scholars to actually be an affectionate term for the younger member of a male couple.

For further reading, Jan suggests the following:

• Jesus, the Centurion, and his Lover
  Jack Clark Robinson in the Gay & Lesbian Review
• The Gay Centurion: Did Jesus Bless A Gay Relationship?
  Gay Christian 101
  
• Cornelius the Centurion
  James E. Kiefer in Biographical Sketches of Christians of the Past

Committee Offers Preview of Report on Same-Gender Unions

The Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music of the Episcopal Church today published excerpts from a report on the blessing of same-gender unions that it will present at this summer's General Convention in Indianapolis.

The Commission was directed by the 2009 General Convention to collect and develop theological resources and liturgies for blessing same-gender relationships and report to this summer’s General Convention. They undertook a project of mammoth proportions to collect the work that has been going on for the last fifty years in parishes, Integrity chapters and dioceses across the country.

“This is a milestone on our journey to open the Episcopal Church to all people,” said The Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall, President of Integrity. “the Commission’s work not only stands as an example of exceptional collaborative church-wide study but brings us an important step closer to full equality. Their remit was to look at blessings for same-gender couples and they have done this with aplomb, offering not just a rite of blessing but a theological statement which will challenge us all to reconsider the theology of committed relationships, including traditional heterosexual marriage.”

In 2007, a Civil Union Task Force of clergy and laity commissioned by The Right Rev. Mark Beckwith, Bishop of Newark, undertook to understand how the availability of civil unions for same-sex couples in New Jersey impacted those in the Diocese. It reported on its findings in December of that year. The Task Force also produced suggested rites for the blessing of such services in both English and Spanish, which are included in the report. These were among the materials submitted to the SCLM for its work.

Integrity Director of  Communications Louise Brooks contributed to this article

Integrity NYC Metro to March in St. Pat's For All Parade in Queens

Integrity NYC-Metro is pleased to announce we will once again be participating in the St. Pat's for All Parade in Queens on Sunday, March 4th.

Founded in 2000, St. Pat's for All is an inclusive celebration that welcomes people of many ages and ethnic backgrounds. It was founded in response to a conflict regarding LGBT groups being banned from the better-known parade in Manhattan.

This year's theme is "cherishing all the children of the nation equally" and -- fittingly -- the parade will be led by a contingent of young people.  The principal honorees are the political historian and novelist Peter Quinn, author of the now-available book The Man Who Never Returned; and Mary Brosnahan, Executive Director of The Coalition for the Homeless. Mary was named by the New York Post this past year one of the “Fifty Most Powerful Women in New York.” Terry Golway of The New York Observer noted that if “compassion were an industry in New York, Ms. Brosnahan would be its chief executive officer.”

Individuals, congregations and others are invited to march with Integrity NYC-Metro. Participation is free, but any contribution to offset the cost of participating will be appreciated.

• WHEN:  Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 1:00 p.m.
• WHERE: Skillman Avenue at 47th Street in Woodside Queens
   
• TRANSIT: to 46th St. then walk two blocks north to Skillman Avenue and turn right.

Ash Wednesday Services at Our Partner Parishes

Ash Wednesday the beginning of Lent, is coming up this Wednesday, February 22nd. If you are looking for a place to observe the occasion and receive ashes, here is a list of our Proud Parish Partner congregations, with service times:

Manhattan

• Church of the Holy Apostles
  296 9th Ave (at 28th St), Manhattan
  (212) 924-0167
  info@holyapostlesnyc.org
  Transit: 23 St (0.2 mi S)
  
  SERVICE TIMES: 8 a.m. & 7 p.m.
   
  
  
• Church of St. Luke in the Fields
  487 Hudson Street (Christopher/Barrow), Manhattan
  (212) 289-4100
  info@stlukeinthefields.org
  Transit: Christopher St - Sheridan Sq (0.2 mi E), Christopher St (299 ft NW)
  
  SERVICE TIMES: 7:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., (corrected) 6:30 p.m.
  
  
  
• St. Mark's in the Bowery
  131 E 10 St. (at Bowery), Manhattan
  (212) 674-6377
  office@stmarksbowery.org
  Transit: 3 Av (0.2 mi N)
  
  SERVICE TIMES: 8:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 6:30 p.m.
  

New Jersey

• All Saints: Hoboken
  707 Washington Street, Hoboken
  (201) 792-3563
  Transit: 9th Street Station (0.6 mi NW) Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
  
  SERVICE TIMES 7:00 a.m., 3:30 p.m. (children), 8:00 p.m.
  
  
• Church of the Redeemer
  36 South Street, Morristown
  (973) 539-0703
  redeemer11@verizon.net
  Transit: Morristown (0.3 mi E)Morris & Essex Line
  
  SERVICE TIMES: 12:10 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
  
  
• St. Mark's: Teaneck
  118 Chadwick Road, Teaneck
  (201) 836-7275
  info@stmarksteaneck.org
  Transit: Cedar Ln at Grange Rd(459 ft N) 175, 753, 755, 772, 780
  
  SERVICE TIMES: 6:30 a.m., 12:00 noon, 7:30 p.m.

DOWNSTATE

• St. Augustine's
  6 Old Post Rd North, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y.
  (914) 271-3501
  august@bestweb.net
  
  SERVICE TIMES: 12:00 noon, 7:00 p.m.
  
  
• Christ Church: Tarrytown
  (914) 631-2074
  43 South Broadway, Tarrytown, N.Y.
  
  SERVICE TIMES: 9:00 a.m., 7:30 p.m.