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The OASIS - The LGBT Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark

WELCOMING CONGREGATIONS

On this page:

INTRODUCTION

Once upon a time, members of the OASIS undertook a massive effort to compile a national list of Episcopal parishes that were welcoming of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. In light of the current political situation confronting the church, and the amount of time that has past since the list was compiled, we no longer felt comfortable maintaining the list without first verifying that the conditions that affirmed a parish as "welcoming" were still in place.

Therefore, the list below contains only those parishes who are currently affiliated with an Integrity or Oasis ministry, identified as a Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation, or have contacted us and asked to be included. We will be adding additional congregations to the list as they can be re-verified. Additional disclaimers may appear below. We have not visited most of these parishes ourselves and are providing this material only as a reference. This is by no means a complete list, and the absence of a parish from the list does not mean it is NOT welcoming.

This work is an ongoing project and it is impossible for us to know categorically what is happening at every church across the country. We strongly encourage you to contact a parish and speak to the rector before visiting.

what Does it MEAN TO BE WELCOMING?

So your church has decided to declare itself welcoming. What next? The OASIS has compiled some guidelines to help congregations truly live into what it means to be welcoming of LGBT people. There are more tools for congregations striving to be more inclusive available from our ministry partners at the Institute for Welcoming Resources.

Why Isn't My Church Listed?

If your church considers itself a Welcoming Congregation but is not listed here, it is probably becasuse we don't know about you! To be added, theRector, Vicar, Priest-in-Charge, Warden or equivalent should contact THE OASIS, or (better yet) become a Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation.

believe out loud episcopal congregations

Believe Out LoudBelieve Out Loud is a multi-denominational effort to identify, uphold and equip congregations that are or seek to be fully welcoming and inclusive of LGBT persons. Episcopalians join their bretheren in the American Baptist, Congregational UCC, Evangelical Lutheran, United Methodist, Presbyterian and other mainline denominations, along with secular partners, in creating a network of congregations where everyone can feel safe, valued and included regardless of whom they choose to love.

We strongly encourage welcoming Episcopal congregations to adopt the Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation marque and to put the above symbol on your website and other communications.

The goal of this program is a recognizable, frequently-seen and trustworthy symbol of a church that is safe, welcoming and inclusive. Unlike other mainline Protestant denominations who have specific branding for their welcoming churches, the Episcopal Church has never done so. Along with our ministry partners at Integrity and TransEpiscopal and our peer OASIS programs, we believe calling these churches Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregations will help further this movement both within our church and the world. There is no cost to join... find out more about this program here or contact us if you would like to learn more about Believe Out Loud.

THE LIST

These are Episcopal (ECUSA) churches unless otherwise noted.

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California
Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia
Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa
Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland
Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey
New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio
Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina
South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont
Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Alabama

(from Integrity-Alabama website)

"The below listed parishes have not declared themselves as safe spaces for GLBT Christians but are parishes where members of Integrity claim they have received welcome."

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Diocesan/Regional Ministries:

Congregations:

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Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

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Maine

Maryland

Parishes followed by this symbol Welcoming and Affirming - Diocese of Maryland have self-identifed as welcoming and affirming according to the following statement on the Diocesan website:

"The Bishop’s Information Officers for LGBT Concerns believe this statement identifying Episcopal churches throughout our diocese includes everyone. However, the parishes listed below have confirmed this statement and have identified themselves as being open and inclusive to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. Any LGBT person should feel comfortable at any of these parishes. We estimate that no person in the Diocese of Maryland is more than an hour’s drive to one of these parishes. You can also contact them directly for assistance in your quest to be included in a Christian ministry."

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Massachusetts

Michigan

The Oasis of Michigan has identified as "open and affirming" those parishes followed by OASIS Michigan Welcoming Parish

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Minnesota

The symbol Welcoming and Affirming Congregations - Diocese of Minnesota following denotes Welcoming and Affirming Congregations was assembled by the LGBT Ministry of the Diocese of Minnesota.

The symbol following The Living Waters denotes participants in Living Waters LGBT Ministry.

Mississippi

Missouri

Diocesan/Regional Ministries:

Congregations :

Montana

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

Diocesan/Regional Organizations:

Congregations:

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New Mexico

New York

Diocesan/Regional Organizations:

Congregations:

Nevada

  • Las Vegas - Trinity (Integrity)
  • Virginia City - St. Paul the Prospector Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

  • Tulsa - St. Dunstan's (Dignity/Integrity)

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Integrity of Rhode Island identifies the following churches as "affirming"

  • North Providence - St. James's
  • Providence
    • Cathedral of St. John (Integrity)
    • Sts. Peter & Andrew

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

A denotes a congregation described thusly on the Integrity-Austin Website:

"These churches have either openly identified themselves as being "gay-affirming/welcoming", or, are so in the experiences of Integrity members. Being open and affirming communities, a wide range of values, attitudes and assumptions may be encountered among the laity--BUT, among the predominant values of these Churches are the inclusiveness of all people. Lesbigays may confidently approach any of the clergy of these parishes for pastoral support of themselves as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered persons."

Utah

There is an Integrity chapter in Utah but the site was not working at the time this page was created.

  • Midvale - St. James's (Integrity)
  • Salt Lake City - All Saints (Integrity)

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

  • Charleston - St. John's Integrity Proud Parish Partner
    • SAGA (Straight & Gay Alliance)
  • Wheeling - St. Luke's-on-the-Island (Integrity)

Wisconsin

 

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Other lists of welcoming congregations

 
 
The OASIS is the LGBT Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark with offices at 31 Mulberry Street, Newark, NJ 07102
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