Episcopal churches celebrate Pride Month with special worship services, parade participation, fundraising events

Following the Gay Pride parade, St. Paul’s Cathedral, San Diego has an Interfaith Pride Celebration. After the service, the cathedral is lit in rainbow colors. The “Light Up the Cathedral” event takes place each year since 2014. Photo/courtesy St. Paul’s Cathedral

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Following the Gay Pride parade, St. Paul’s Cathedral, San Diego has an Interfaith Pride Celebration. After the service, the cathedral is lit in rainbow colors. The “Light Up the Cathedral” event takes place each year since 2014. Photo/courtesy St. Paul’s Cathedral

Episcopal News Service

By Shireen Korkzan

Episcopal churches across the United States will be celebrating the 52nd annual Pride Month in June with events ranging from special worship services and festivals to hosting LGBTQ+ proms and advocacy discussions.

This June’s Pride Month events will take place as anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment continues to rise in the United States. Currently, bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights introduced by state legislatures have more than doubled since 2022.

Additionally, hate crimes targeting marginalized groups, including LGBTQ+ people, are predicted to rise in 2024 consistent with an ongoing trend in reported hate crimes during U.S. election seasons, according to a report by The Leadership Conference Education Fund. The current political climate is “rife with opportunities for the trend of increased hate to continue,” the report says. The Leadership Conference Education Fund is the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the oldest and largest civil and human rights coalition in the United States.

A number of Episcopal churches are hosting Pride Month events. Check online for additional events hosted by local dioceses and parishes. To see a list of churches and read the rest of this story, click here.

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