Nothing could stop CNY Episcopalians and friends from celebrating Pride on June 10. Thanks be to God that poor air quality from the Candadian wildfires earlier in the week was cleared in time for the Pride Eucharist and parade at the Inner Harbor in Syracuse!
The day was full of joy and gifts. From the numerous volunteers who supported our efforts, to the friends who joined us; from people offering their time and talents to people singing their hearts out, blessings and love were abundant!
We’re especially grateful to Bishop Lee Miller of the Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Church of America for preaching and presiding at our Pride Eucharist. Bishop Miller reminded us that, “in the beginning of creation God – who, by the way, calls Godself a We, God’s pronouns are they/them – God says, “Let us make them in our image. And then God creates us in God’s own image. And we have to look a little bit in scripture to find out just what is the image of God because it’s not male or female. That’s a human-creation kind of image. We are created in the Divine’s image, not the other way around… God has created you and me to be in the image of God’s own Divine Image, that means that God has created us in the image of… loving kindness.” You can hear his whole message and bring your whole self to our Pride Eucharist at any time at this link. Remember, online or onsite, live or on replay, it’s all in person, it’s all connection, and it’s all holy.
Check out our full Pride photo album here.
Finally, we all know that Pride is not an event, a single day, or even a month. Again, as Bishop Miller reminded us, all around us, elected representatives are proposing and passing hate-fueled legislation against our LGBTQ+ siblings. Such legislation only emboldens people inclined to hate to act out in violence against others. Our baptismal commitment to respect the dignity of every human being means that we must fight for, honor, and celebrate all people – especially the oppressed and endangered – all the time.
We know that Central New York Episcopalians are active and vocal supporters of LGBTQ+ siblings, but today especially we want to celebrate the work of Rev. Lisa Busby of Church of the St. Lawrence in Alexandria Bay, St. John’s Episcopal, Cape Vincent, and Christ Episcopal, Clayton. Lisa has been chosen to be the keynote speaker for the LGBTQ Pride Flag ceremony in Clayton. 1000 Islands River Pride is organizing the event which will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 24, in Centennial Park in Clayton. Read more about the work that Rev. Lisa is doing in Clayton in this post.
