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2010 LGBT PRIDE MONTH 
EVENTS Bishop Christopher, Chaplain of Integrity Uganda, to Visit St. Luke’s 
On June 6th, The Right Reverend Christopher Senyonjo will preach at St. Luke’s at the 10:30 a.m. Eucharist. Bishop Christopher, as he prefers to be called, is the retired bishop of West Buganda, Uganda in the Anglican Church of Uganda and is now the chaplain of Integrity Uganda. Sponsored by Integrity USA, Bishop Christopher is touring the United States to denounce homophobia world-wide and in particular the “Anti-Homosexuality Bill” that is still before the Ugandan Parliament, despite world-wide outcry against the legislation. While current Ugandan law allows for the imprisonment of LGBT persons, the proposed legislation calls for more severe punishments, up to and including the death penalty. The law would also require families and friends of LGBT persons to report them to the police or face imprisonment themselves. This law was proposed after a series of visits by American anti-gay Evangelicals.
Bishop Christopher has paid a high price for his consistent advocacy for LGBT persons. In 2006, he was stripped of all church responsibilities and financial support and he is no longer recognized as a bishop in the Anglican Church of Uganda. Instead of bowing to church intimidation, his courageous response has been to speak out even more strongly for the human rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people as the tide of persecution in Uganda is rising.
Integrity USA, a 35 year old LGBT advocacy group within the Episcopal Church is the sponsor of Bishop Christopher visit. Integrity Uganda could soon be outlawed if the proposed law is passed.
The GayAttitudes – Blessed are the Fabulous… A Concert to Benefit Pride Month Events
June 15, 2010 - 8 PM
In the church
Todd Frizzell - Tenor
Andrew Andela - Piano On June 15th, the inimitable Todd Frizzell, long term choir member and chanteur extrord inaire will present this year’s rendition of his ever-popular LGBT Pride benefit recital. The evening is sure to be a crowd pleaser, judging by previous events in which entertainments of a sophisticated nature have delighted and illuminated. For the past several years Todd has satiated our sensibilities with fantastical and eloquently selected music, magic and metamorphosis, mischief and mayhem. Most memorably perhaps was the transformation of the gentleman of the choir of St. Luke in the Fields into the ladies of the chorus, and Todd himself - by way of a Kafkaesque transformation - into a praying mantis via the medium of French art song. This year’s recital Gay-attitudes – Blessed are the Fabulous…, will certainly not disappoint. So save the date, invite all your friends, and come with pride on your sleeve and music in your heart. Tickets are $20.00 and may be purchased at the door. All proceeds will go to support the LGBT Pride programs this June at St. Luke’s. A wine and cheese reception will follow.
Reasonable and Holy – Engaging Same-Sexuality An Evening with Rev. Tobias S. Haller, BSG
Monday June 21, 2010, 7 PM On Monday, June 21st at 7:00 p.m. in Laughlin Hall Rev. Tobias S. Haller, a Brother of Saint Gregory and Vicar of Saint James’ Episcopal Church Fordham, and also a former St. Luker, will discuss his recent book “Reasonable and Holy – Engaging Same-Sexuality”. Reasonable and Holy addresses the conflict over homosexuality within the Anglican tradition, demonstrating that the church is able to provide for and support faithful and loving relationships between persons of the same sex, not as a departure from that tradition, but as a reasonable extension of it. It offers a carefully argued, but accessible means of engagement with Scripture, the Jewish and Christian traditions, and the use of reason in dealing with the experience and lives of fellow-Christians. Unlike most reflections on the topic of homosexuality, Reasonable and Holy examines same-sex relationships through the lens of the traditional teaching on the “ends” or “goods” of marriage: procreation, union, the upbuilding of society, the symbolic representation of Christ and the Church, and the now often unmentioned “remedy for fornication.” Throughout, it responds to objections based on reason, tradition and Scripture. Admission is free. Refreshments will follow.
Gay Pride Week-End – 2010 Saturday, June 26 We are Family Picnic  On Saturday, June 26th, St. Luke’s will, for the 22nd time, play host to the Pride Family Picnic, held annually by Center Kids / Center Families from the LGBT Community Center. Fun, food and games for the entire family. Times are still being worked out as of this writing. Stay tuned for more information.
Sunday, June 27 Pride Day
The Committee on LGBT Concerns of the Diocese of New York, along with Integrity NYC Metro and Oasis Newark invite everyone to join us in the 2010 LGBT Pride March on Sunday, June 27th 2010.  This year we have a float with music. The float is very basic. Our people will add the color, so dress accordingly and don’t forget the sunscreen. Please bring your parish banner or a sign identifying your parish. As we celebrate the consecration of the Rt. Rev. Mary Glasspool as the second openly LGBT bishop in the Episcopal Church, marching with our brothers and sisters from other parishes will make us more visible as a welcoming church. We will still have our banner, and we will still have our distinctive St. Luke’s T-shirts. Our meeting place is on East 38th Street, between Madison and Park Avenues. Everyone should be there and ready to go at 12:30 p.m. The March NYC Pride will do their best to get us moving shortly thereafter. Due to security regulations, you may not join the March en route. If you will be unable to attend your local Sunday service you are warmly invited to join with Integrity NYC Metro and Oasis Newark in worship at the Church of the Transfiguration, One East 29th Street for their 11:00 a.m. Eucharist. Meet in front of the church after the service and walk the 9 short blocks to the March staging area together. (about 10 minute walk). Festive Choral Evensong 6:30 PM Presider: The Rt. Rev. Herbert Donovan
Preacher: The Rev. Altagracia Perez
The Choir of The Church of St. Luke in the Fields - David Shuler, Director
Setting: Robert Parsons - 1st Service
Anthem: Orlando Gibbons - O Clap your hands After the March, we will all gather at 6:30 PM, as is our tradition, for a Festive Choral Evensong. If you have never been to a Pride Evensong, you don’t know what you are missing. The singing in the church is just amazing. The Rt. Rev. Herbert Donovan will preside, and music will be provided by the cho ir of St. Luke in the Fields, under the direction of David Shuler. Our preacher this year is the Rev. Altagracia Perez. A native New York, Mo. Perez is the Rector of Holy Faith Episcopal Church in Inglewood, CA. Mo. Perez and the congregation at Holy Faith are actively engaged in supporting workers in their right to dignity and justice in the workplace. Mo. Perez has been actively involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS since 1985. Focusing primarily in the areas of education and prevention, she has worked diligently to stem the tide of this pandemic, especially among youth and Latinas. She served as writer and consultant for the educational resource Episcopal Guide to TAPS: Teens for AIDS Prevention. She was a member of President Clinton’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and served as co-chair of the Racial and Ethnic Minorities Subcommittee. Her work with youth fighting against HIV/AIDS was noted in the May 25, 1998 edition of Newsweek Magazine. Following Evensong, all are invited to a Festive Reception on the grounds.
All of St. Luke’s Pride Events are self-funding. Please be generous so that we can continue our mission to let our light shine to all.
LGBT Life at St. Luke's Mission Statement
In keeping with the Baptismal Covenant which calls upon us to "seek and serve Christ in all persons" to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being", the mission of the LGBT Life Committee is to promote the visibility, equality and well-being of LGBTQ persons and their families in the parish, the Episcopal Church and the wider community and to work toward the full inclusion of all the baptized in all the sacraments as well as the full acceptance of LGBTQ persons in society at large.?
The LGBT Life Committee at Saint Luke's is that it is open to all who wish to participate. You do not have to be named to be on the committee, you just have to show up. We have two co-chairs, Paul Lane and Michael Wilhelm, and a core group of parishioners who are instrumental in the planning and execution of our events, however we welcome all: gay, straight, bi, trans or other, to all meetings and events.
In 2009 our LGBT Pride Month events were many, most are described below. Also during the warmer months, we staff an information table in front the church on certain Saturdays, opening up the church to visitors and answering questions about all of St. Luke's missions and ministries.
The LGBT Life Committee is self-funding, however, over the past year, not only were we able to pay for all of the events surrounding Pride Month through donations, a benefit concert given by choir member Todd Frizzell, and the sale of T-shirts and hats, we were also able to support St. Luke's outreach to LGBTQ street youth, "The Church." St. Luke's is a Proud Partner Parish (3P) of Integrity, an organization that has, since 1974, been a voice for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the Episcopal Church. For more information about Integrity, please go to http://www.integrityusa.org. We also support Changing Attitude U.K. and Nigeria, permitting them to support an African LGBT presence at the Lambeth Conference. For more information about Changing Attitude, please go to: http://www.changingattitude.org.uk.
 Pride Month Events at St. Luke's in 2009 | Thursday, June 4, 2009
Pride Concert: "Batter My Heart"
Todd Frizzell, Tenor
Andrew Andela, Piano
In celebration of LGBT Pride Month, the Church of St. Luke in the Fields presented tenor Todd Frizzell, long time member of St. Luke’s choir and a New York audience favorite, in a concert of gay-related, sin-conflicted and life-affirming music by Britten, Poulenc, Copeland, Debussy and others.
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Thursday, June 18, 2009
40 Years after Stonewall - How Far Have We Come?
 Steven Incontro hosts a panel discussion with longtime parishioners Richard Bentley, Manuel Garza, Phyllis Jenkins, Dean Ostrum and Bob Phillips. Members of the panel retold their stories and reflected on events in and around the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, and discussed the impact and meaning of Stonewall at that time as well as today.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
21st Annual Pride Family Picnic Each year St. Luke’s play shost to the Pride Family Picnic, held annually by Cener Kids / Center Families from the LGBT Community Center. Fun, food and games for the entire family.
Pride Day
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Each year we join Episcopalians from across the city to march down Fifth Avenue in celebration of how far we have come and how much work still needs to be done, in New York and throughout the world.
Annual Festive Choral Eucharist
 On Sunday evening, we will join together in prayer and thanksgiving at the famous St. Luke’s Annual Festive Choral Evensong for Gay Pride.
As a final note, all of our events are self-funding. We ask that you please be generous in contributing to all of our endeavors by using the donation envelopes in the pews and purchasing our 2009 T-Shirts.
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