Coming Out as Christian at GAAMC

On Monday, April 4th, three of us "came out" at a regular meeting of the Gay Activist Alliance of Morris County (GAAMC), the oldest LGBT community organization in New Jersey... as Christians.

Given  the ongoing controversy over what the Bible (and, thus, God) is really saying about same-sex attraction in the way we understand it today, it is not surprising that the intersection of these two worlds is a  thorny one, and there is considerable distrust or at least bemusement at those who claim to be both.  And yet, that is where many of us find ourselves.  Our visit was intended to witness to our own very different experiences, and also to let people know that there are many Christian congregations in the area of various denominations where they will be welcomed, as part of the Believe Out Loud welcoming congregation program.  Integrity, the national organization for LGBT Episcopalians, is working with its peer organizations in thirteen other denominations to identify and support congregations that are striving to be more welcoming and affirming.

As it turned out, there were members of three different Episcopal congregations in the audience.  They also shared testimony of how they had been made to feel welcome, some after very negative experiences in other churches.  Others expressed pleasant surprise that there were so many places taking intentional steps to be more inclusive.

Some good networking followed the event, and we hope to forge cooperation with folks that are already "believing out loud" in their own congregations to keep building the groundswell of inclusion.  Panelists were The Rev. Robert Solon, Vicar at St. Thomas' Church in Vernon, N.J.; Mary O'Shaughnessy, Convenor of Integrity NYC-Metro; and Christian Paolino, Diocesan Organizer (Newark) for IntegrityUSA and a member of the OASIS Commission, the Episcopal Diocese of Newark's ministry to LGBT persons.

Much thanks to Sherry Rase, the program coordinator at GAAMC, for her assistance and hospitality.

Film Honoring Byron Rushing to Air April 26th

On April 26th, a fifteen-minute documentary honoring Massachusetts State Representative Byron Rushing 's work for marriage equality in African-American communities will be screened as part of a film festival honoring Nelson Mandela in New York.

Marriage Equality: Byron Rushing And The Fight For Fairness describes how Rushing (who is heterosexual and an Episcopalian) presents marriage equality as a civil-rights issue to black faith leaders. It will have its world premiere on Tuesday, April 26, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. at Aaron Davis Hall, 135th St. at Convent Ave., in New York City.

• Buy tickets for the premiere
• Press release
• Read the article on Walking with Integrity 
• Watch a film clip
• Rep. Byron Rushing Biography

Céad míle beannachta

A hundred thousand blessings. They were certainly with Integrity NYC Metro when we marched in the St. Pat's Parade for All, an inclusive parade honoring Patrick of Ireland, held in Queens New York on Sunday, 6th March. The wind was howling but the rain stayed away until the end of the parade.

Hope to see you there next year.

Integrity NYC Metro to March in the Queens St. Patrick's Parade for All

Join with Integrity NYC Metro in New York's most diverse St. Patrick's Day Parade, embracing LGBT contingents, community groups, childrens' bands, Irish organizations and religious and civic groups, all in celebration of Ireland.

This year's Parade is on Sunday, the 6th of March. It begins at 2:00pm at the corner of Skillman Avenue and 47th Street in Woodside (closest subway station is 46th St. / Bliss on the number 7 line). Marchers should plan on being there by 1:00-1:30pm. The March Organizers will not give an exact location for each group until the day of the Parade. Look for the Integrity banner or call/text Paul at 646-456-8705 or Chap at 348-840-1700. It ends at Woodside Avenue and 58th Street in Woodside. (You can also stand at 48th Street and Skillman and join us as we pass by.)

Bring your friends. Wear something green. Join us for a good time (and maybe a pint or two at the end).

By Grace Alone

In the context of encouraging Presbyterians to vote for Amendment 10-A, which would drop restrictions on LGBT clergy, The Rev. Dr. Arlo Duba makes an excellent Biblical case for inclusion in a piece titled By Grace Alone.

The Presbyterian Church USA, under the auspices of the organization More Light Presbyterians, is one of the denominational partners of Believe Out Loud.  Rev. Duba is the Former Director of Admission & Director of Chapel at Princeton Theological Seminary and the Former Dean at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary.

Break the Silence Concert: More Details

Three renowned LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) choirs will come together for the first time to sing sacred and spiritual music, while lending their own unique voices to advance the existing Christian movement for LGBT equality.  The concert will take place in New York City at one of the oldest Christian institutions in the United States – Marble Collegiate Church.  The entire event is an initiative of the Believe Out Loud project, which is managed by the Collegiate Churches non-profit organization, Intersections International.

The three choirs are:

• The New York City Gay Men's Chorus, which has appeared at such venues as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall and performed alongside such stars as Liza Minnelli, Stephen Sondheim, Carol Channing and Eartha Kitt.  From Town Hall to City Hall, from the advent of AIDS to the struggle for marriage equality, the NYCGMC and its more than 250 members have been producing innovative programs and serving the LGBT community for more than 30 years.
• The Anna Crusis Women's Choir, the longest running women's choir in the United States, was founded in Philadelphia in 1975.  In addition to being a premier performing arts group, they are an agent for social change that tackles issues facing LGBT persons and other disadvantaged populations.
• Lavender Light Gospel Choir, a men and women's chorus, was founded in 1985.  The group consists of several ethnic and spiritual backgrounds, and provides a special ministry to African-American gays and lesbians—a constituency who have historically been pressured within their communities to choose between their race and orientation.

Sung Won Park, director of Believe Out Loud and all LGBT programming for Intersections International, called the coming together of the three choirs "a historical event to shout out God's love for all people, especially those who have been marginalized by the church as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.

"The time has come for us to take a stand," said Park, "and let the world know that being silent about our support of LGBT equality equals shutting the doors to the sanctuaries for these individuals."
Believe Out Loud, a trans-denominational movement to promote LGBT-inclusion in the Christian church, has begun a three-year drive to get one million progressive Christian voices to believe out loud and show the public that an all-inclusive Christian collective can save lives.  According to a recent poll conducted by Public Religion Research Institute, an astounding two-thirds of the respondents see a direct connection "between messages coming from America's places of worship and higher rates of suicide among gay and lesbian youth." (http://www.publicreligion.org/research/?id=426)

Within the Episcopal Church, IntegrityUSA, along with TransEpiscopal, The OASIS and other diocesan LGBT ministries, has adopted the brand"Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregations" for those churches who are intentionally welcoming and affirming of LGBT people.

"The church should serve to affirm life for all people," said Park.  "But if two-thirds of the public believes the church is not affirming life when it comes to LGBT people, it is a wake-up call to all churches to shift this perspective."

Believe Out Loud is an unprecedented coalition of the nation's leading religious and secular LGBT organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign (HRC); Gays & Lesbians Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD); the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force; Progressive Christians Uniting; Public Religion Research; Christian Community Inc.; The Religious Institute; Many Voices; The Association for Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (American Baptist Church USA); Gay, Lesbian and Affirming Disciples Alliance (Christian Church/Disciples of Christ); Integrity USA (Episcopal Church); Lutherans Concerned (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America); More Light Presbyterians (Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)); The Coalition for LGBT Concerns (United Church of Christ); and The Reconciling Ministries Network (United Methodist Church).

Bishop Christopher Speaks Out

Bishop Christopher Senyonjo wrote a poignant letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, and the other leaders of the Anglican Communion about the plight of LGBT people in Uganda, punctuated by the recent brutal murder of David Kato, an LGBT activist and member of the church.

Break the Silence Concert

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On Sunday, February 20th, Intersections International presents a spectacular concert to benefit Believe Out Loud, the multi-denominational revolution of welcome that's sparking new ways of thinking in churches across the country.

Join us for Break the Silence, an afternoon of spectacular music and celebration featuring the Anna Crusis Women’s Choir of Philadelphia, the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus and the Lavender Light Gospel Choir at the beautiful Marble Collegiate Church in New York City. Proceeds benefit the Believe Out Loud project, a collaboration of Intersections International, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force's Institute of Welcoming Resources, and twelve Christian denominations. Within the Episcopal Church, Integrity and the various OASIS diocesan LGBT outreach programs, along with TransEpiscopal, are working with congregations to promote inclusion. For more information on Believe Out Loud within the Episcopal Church, visit An Invitation to Become a Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation.

Tickets are $20.00 in advance; $15.00 for groups of five or more; and $25.00 at the door.

For more information, contact James Rowe at Intersections International.

WHEN:  Sunday, Feb. 20th at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Marble Collegiate Church, 3 W 29 St, New York, NY
PUBLIC TRANSPORT:
- Subway: 28th & Broadway (N,R) 28th & Lexington (4,6)
- Bus: X27 (5th Ave & W 30 St)


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Statement on the Murder of David Kato by the Bishops of the Episcopal Diocese of New York

Statement on the Murder of David Kato
by the Bishops of the Episcopal Diocese of New York

January 28, 2011

Like many around the world, we are horrified to learn of the vicious murder of Ugandan LGBT rights activist David Kato in Mukono, Kampala. Though the circumstances of Mr. Kato's death are still under investigation, we know that he, along with other activists in Uganda have lived under the threat of violence and imprisonment in recent times. Mr. Kato, who was the advocacy officer for Sexual Minorities Uganda, as well as Anglican Bishop Christopher Senyonjo and many others, was targeted last fall in a Ugandan magazine. All LGBT persons along with their advocates are at risk due to the general hostility toward them in Uganda and, in particular, due to pending legislation which would call for imprisonment or even death.
We call upon all people of good will, and especially the people of the Episcopal Diocese of New York and our sister and brother Anglicans around the world, to stand in solidarity with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons, and to resist language, laws and actions which marginalize and even criminalize their relationships. Further, given the current hostile climate in Uganda, we call upon the Anglican church of Uganda to speak up for human rights for all God's children. Further, we call upon the United States government to grant asylum to LGBT persons from Uganda and other nations where the threat of violence is great.
We pray for the repose of the soul of David Kato, for his family and friends as they mourn, and for the LGBT community in Uganda and their allies as they struggle for an end to the fear and violence, which threaten them every day.

+Mark
The Rt. Rev. Mark S. Sisk
Bishop of New York


+Catherine
The Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam
Bishop Suffragan of New York


+Andrew
The Rt. Rev. Andrew D. Smith
Assistant Bishop of New York

Two dads, two boys, a horse, and a lot of love

The New York Times has this article about Maurice Mannion-Vanover, his two dads, brother--and horse, in Montclair, New Jersey.

The love and support of their parish, St. Luke's in Montclair, comes across in the article as well. I was at Maurice's funeral, and the outpouring of affection from parish family, friends, and family was incredibly moving.

Integrity NYC-Metro Congratulates Erik Bottcher on NY Cabinet Seat

Members of the Integrity NYC-Metro steering committee were pleased to learn yesterday that Erik Bottcher, most recently the LGBT/HIV community liaison to New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, has been named to the cabinet of New York's recently-elected governor, Andrew Cuomo, as Special Assistant for Community Affairs, a new position.

"I've worked with Erik Bottcher--a fellow activist and New York City Council staffer--quite often over the past couple of years," said Integrity NYC-Metro Steering Committee member Michael Mallon, who is on the staff of Council Member Daniel Dromm. "Erik proved himself to be a tireless advocate for the LGBT community during his tenure as LGBT Liaison for NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn; I know he will continue the stellar work as a member of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's cabinet."

Bottcher, 31, is a native of Wilmington, N.Y., and a graduate of George Washington University. He was recently named to City Hall's "Rising Stars" list of 40 influential people under the age of 40.

Michael Mallon and Erik Bottcher at the "We Will Not Be Silent"
Community Rally in 2009

Short Films Encourage Acceptance by Families

Courtesy of the Impact Program blog, "Always My Son" is one of a series of short documentary films called are being produced by the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University to encourage the families of young LGBT people from a variety of cultural backgrounds to be supportive vs. judgmental.  Studies show a family's response can have a dramatic effect on a person's well-being.

Why Integrity/NYC-Metro? Why Now?

In its original incarnation, Integrity/NY served as a support and refuge for gay and lesbian Episcopalians who had very few welcoming parishes to choose from.

Today, we are blessed in the dioceses of Long Island, New York and Newark with a wide variety of parishes who have integrated LGBT people as members, leaders, and clergy.

You might well ask, “Why is Integrity/NYC-Metro needed?”

Our LGBT brothers and sisters need our support. There are many Episcopalian and Anglican LGBT people who are not as blessed as we are. This past fall, Integrity/NYC-Metro helped raise $6500 to support Bishop Christopher Senyonjo, a Ugandan supporter of LGBT rights who has been stripped of all his income and threatened with death, because he believes in our equality before God. There are U.S. dioceses in which no openly LGBT person can present themselves for vocational discernment, solely by virtue of their orientation or identity. We need to continue to stand with those in need.

There are LGBT Christians who are seeking welcoming churches. Many LGBT people who were raised in hostile churches or denominations still love Jesus Christ and want to follow him as Lord, even though they feel shunned or alienated by “organized religion.” Integrity/NYC-Metro wants to reach out to these Christians and offer them the same gift we have found for ourselves—membership in welcoming, truly integrated faith communities. Parents of LGBT people have also found themselves choosing their love for their children over the condemnation of their churches, and they too seek church homes. We are actively working to identify parishes who want to be part of this Integrity/NYC-Metro movement.

We need to be as out as Christians as we are as LGBT people. Many progressive people scoff at Christianity as a close-minded, ignorant refuge for the hate-addicted and self-righteous. We need to fight that stereotype by coming out as Christian and LGBT wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself. Integrity/NYC-Metro is a supportive group for coming out as Christian!

Please join Integrity today. A portion of every member’s dues comes back to our chapter. This is how you can support our ongoing outreach to the LGBT community and the church. Visit www.integrityusa.org and sign up at the Membership link. Be sure to specify Integrity/NYC-Metro as your chapter!

Peace,

Mary O'Shaughnessy
Convener

New website and survey

Greetings of about-to-be-Christmas, all!

I am writing to let you know that thanks to the hard work of the talented Christian Paolino of the Newark Diocese, we have a new website:

http://www.integritynycmetro.org/

Please go to the survey and take a couple of minutes to fill it out--we want to know what you think.

Peace,

Mary O'Shaughnessy
Convenor

Meet Bishop Christopher Senyonjo - December 19th - The Church of St. Luke in the Fields, New York

Join the members of St. Luke in the Fields and Integrity NYC Metro as we listen to Bishop Christopher tell his story.

Bishop Senyonjo is the retired bishop of Western Buganda and the chaplain to Integrity, Uganda. He is back in the U.S. to update his supporters on his efforts to create a more inclusive community in his homeland, which is torn apart by a controversial “kill the gays” bill in Parliament and by a tabloid paper’s campaign urging the hanging of homosexuals and their supporters, including Bishop Christopher.

His visit earlier in the year allowed Bishop Christopher to open the St. Paul's Centre for Reconciliation and Equality, hire an office manager and a women's development specialist. The center works with, among other groups, LGBT people, victims of domestic violence and people living with HIV / Aids. He is creating a very impressive “gay/straight alliance” through self help projects and an inclusive faith community. He needs additional funding to keep the center going.

Please come and hear his story. If you cannot attend but would like to contribute, you may send contributions to the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014. Please mark any checks with Bishop Christopher in the memo field.

The Church of St. Luke in the Fields is located at 487 Hudson Street, just south of Christopher Street, in Manhattan.

The event will take place in Laughlin Hall, through the gate just to the right of the church.

Refreshments will be served beginning at 1:30. The Bishop will begin speaking at 2:00pm.

Bishop Senyonjo will also be the guest preacher at both the 9:15 and 11:15 services that day. At the 11:15 service there will also be the dedication of a new icon to the Theotokos.

Please feel free to pass this invitation on.