Episcopal Church blesses, commissions Pride Month celebrations

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe, right, presided over a June 1, 2025, Eucharist at the Chapel of Christ the Lord at the Episcopal Church Center in New York, New York. The worship service served as a blessing and formal commissioning for Episcopalians and Episcopal congregations to observe Pride Month throughout June. Photo: Screenshot

[Episcopal News Service] The Episcopal Church kicked off Pride Month celebrations and affirmations of LGBTQ+ people with a special livestreamed Eucharist at the Chapel of Christ the Lord at the Episcopal Church Center in New York, New York.

Watch the service on the church’s website or Facebook page.

Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe presided in person at the June 1 service, which served as a blessing and formal commissioning for Episcopalians and Episcopal congregations to observe Pride Month. The Rev. Cameron Partridge, rector of St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in San Francisco, Diocese of California, and a trans man, preached remotely.

“Let us love one another, not even thoughor despite our queerness, our transness but because of the unique human beings God has created us to be and to become,” Partridge said during his sermon. “In the face of so many who refuse to know us, may our love, our lives reflect the glory of God upholding us, transforming us, strengthening us, and charging us to make our way forward in this moment, together.”

Read Partridge’s entire sermon here.

Pride Month has been celebrated nationwide in June since 1970. It began after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests that took place one year prior between June 28 and July 3, 1969. The riots started in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village neighborhood. In 1999, former President Bill Clinton commemorated the Stonewall riots’ 30th anniversary by declaring June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. June 28 is International LGBT Pride Day, though celebrations are held throughout June.

“LGBTQ+” stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning, with the “+” sign representing the many other sexual orientations and gender identities that are not explicitly included in the acronym, including intersex, asexual, two-spirit and more. The inclusive terms and its variations – such as “LGBTQIA2S+” and others – are meant to acknowledge the diverse and expansive spectrum of human sexuality and gender expression.

The service began with a recorded performance by Trinity Church Wall Street’s choir of “Epilogue: Meet Me Here” from “Considering Matthew Shepard,” Craig Hella Johnson’s Grammy-nominated three-part oratorio. Johnson composed the work as a musical response to the murder of Shepard – a young gay man who in 1998 was beaten and tortured to death because of his sexuality. Shepard’s parents held onto his ashes for 20 years out of fear his grave would be vandalized before they were safely interred at Washington National Cathedral.

This year’s Pride Month is taking place as hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ people continue to increase worldwide; and as anti-LGBTQ+ bills continue to be introduced nationwide, with six additional anti-trans bills passing since May 30.

The Rev. Cameron Partridge, rector of St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in San Francisco, Diocese of California, and a trans man, preached remotely during The Episcopal Church’s June 1, 2025, Eucharist at the Chapel of Christ the Lord at the Episcopal Church Center in New York, New York. The worship service kicked off Pride Month celebrations and affirmations of LGBTQ+ people. Photo: Screenshot

Since The Episcopal Church formally began to welcome and affirm LGBTQ+ people in 1976 through acts of General Convention, Episcopal dioceses, congregations, organizations and individuals continue to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. LGBTQ+ people also now serve in multiple clergy and lay leadership roles, including bishops. Many churches sponsor and march in their local Pride parades and festivals, while many others display the rainbow flag despite the risk of vandalism.

The rainbow flag – designed by Gilbert Baker and other artists in 1978 by commission from Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California – reflects the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community and the spectrum of human sexuality and gender. More Episcopal churches are also now flying the Progress Pride flag, a variation on the traditional Pride flag with added white, pink and light blue stripes to represent the transgender community, a brown stripe to represent communities of color and a black stripe in remembrance of the 42.3 million people who have died by HIV/AIDS since 1981 – many of whom were LGBTQ+.

“Pride gives us an opportunity to remember the struggles, celebrate the joy, and give thanks for the love of God that binds us together and makes us one,” Rowe wrote in a message printed in the service bulletin. “Especially this year, Pride provides an opportunity to stand against injustice and fear by proclaiming that LGBTQ+ people are beloved children of God and cherished members of The Episcopal Church and the Body of Christ.”

New Testament readings included passages from Acts 1:1-11 and Revelation 22. The Gospel reading was John 17:20-26 – Jesus prays for all believers.

The service also included a recording of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California’s choir performing “In the Midst of New Dimensions,” a hymn written and composed by Julian B. Rush, an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church.

During the commissioning, adapted from the Book of Occasional Services, Rowe addressed the congregation: “You have been called to ministries of the church, to be carried out in communities, congregations, dioceses and all the places in which you serve. Will you faithfully do so to the honor of God and the benefit of the church?”

The congregation replied: “We will.”

Shaneequa Brokenleg, the presiding bishop’s staff officer for racial reconciliation and a Lakota “winkte,” or “two-spirit,” sang an original work called “Creator God, We Cry to You.”

“Hear our prayer for all who serve across your church, for all who doubt and all who search, for all who seek, for all who find, for open hearts and open minds, for justice, peace and equity… .”

Native American cultures generally have a broader understanding of gender identity than European cultures. As an example, the Lakota language does not use gendered pronouns, and two-spirit are seen as reconcilers and healers.

The service also included a reading of Prayers of the People written by the church’s Task Force on LGBTQ+ Inclusion: “For communities that honor queer and transgender lives, and for voices that proclaim your gospel of love and transformation. Strengthen your Church with power through your Spirit, especially where it has caused harm or withheld blessing. Teach us to walk in love, as Christ loved us, and to be faithful stewards of your reconciling grace. … For all who carry hidden wounds, who live with chronic pain, illness, addiction, or despair. For LGBTQ+ youth and elders, especially those cut off from family or care. Let your Spirit bring healing, courage, and companionship.”

The Episcopal Church has special Pride Month resources available on its website, including a downloadable Pride shield, short videos highlighting the church’s advocacy and support, social media graphics and more.

During his sermon, Partridge recalled while a student at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania interviewing an openly gay priest for an essay on the conflict of sexuality in The Episcopal Church in the 90s. Partridge asked the priest, “Do you see [being gay] as integral to your ministry or do you see it as somewhat a part of you that isn’t necessarily in the forefront?”

The priest replied, “People say to you, ‘oh, I love you even though you are gay.’ And my answer is, ‘on the contrary, you love me because I am gay. That the things that you love about me – my warmth, my empathy, my identification with the marginalized, my passion for justice, my humor – all of those things have been shaped by the experience of being gay. So if you love me, not only is being gay part of the package. In a very, very real spiritual sense, gay is the package.”

-Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.