Episcopal Presence at NYC Pride 2012

Please see details below regarding the Episcopal presence in the Heritage of Pride March, which is organized by the LGBT Concerns Committee of the Diocese of New York.  Your congregation or group can march as part of the Episcopal group without registering separately or sending someone to the marshal training.  You may bring your own banners, t-shirts, etc. and walk together.


In a year that has had a lot of anti-LGBT messaging from the pulpit, it is more important than ever that we have a strong progressive presence at this very visible parade.   If your congregation has not marched in some years, please consider retuning... we'd love to see you there!  Details will be posted here as they arrive.

Dear Fellow Episcopalians,

For the past several years, the Committee on LGBT Concerns has organized a float in the annual LGBT Pride March, to be held this year on Sunday, June 24^th, 2012. Several hundred Episcopalians, from parishes large and small, from Staten Island to Sullivan County, march down Fifth Avenue with the float under the slogan “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You”.  For the past two years we have been by far the largest religious contingent in the entire March!

The Episcopal Church has, for years, been in the forefront of the full inclusion of LGBT persons in all of the sacraments.  While we may not yet have attained all of our goals, we are well on our way.  The annual LGBT Pride March is one of the most visual and important ways that we have of reaching out to the LGBT Community, many of whom have given up on or been driven away from any organized religion.

In order to do this again in 2012, we need your help.  The LGBT Pride March is not a budgeted item.  We rely on donations from individuals, parishes and groups in order to make it possible.  The cost is between $5000.00 and $6000.00 and our suppliers (float, music, registration) require payment in advance. 

The Church of St. Luke in the Fields has agreed to act as our treasurer again this year.  Please make your checks payable to The Church of St. Luke in the Fields, note Pride March in the memo field and mail to:

                Paul J. Lane

                c/o The Church of St. Luke in the Fields

                487 Hudson Street

                New York, NY 10014

The March takes place on Sunday, June 24, 2012.  It will proceed down Fifth Avenue from the lower 30s to its usual end point on Christopher and Greenwich Streets in the West Village.  Our exact meeting  time and location won’t be known  until about two weeks prior to the actual March, but you are welcome to join us at 11 a.m. for Eucharist at the Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E 29 Street, and proceeding to the muster location from there.  

Anyone is welcome to join us.   You will not need to register your group separately.  We will take care of registration and marshals.  All you need to do to participate is show up.  We will post the information on the LGBT Concerns web-page:   and Facebook page:   as soon as the March organizers let us know.

If you have any questions, please contact Paul Lane at 646-456-8705 or LGBTConcerns@dioceseny.org

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you there,

Paul J. Lane - LGBT Pride March Coordinator

The Committee on LGBT Concerns of the Episcopal Diocese of New York