Pride Month is coming in June and with it, many opportunities to gather with our LGBTQ+ neighbors and share the life-giving and limitless love of God!
Earlier in March, clergy and laity from around the diocese gathered in a Zoom meeting to begin preparing for our Episcopal Church presence at Pride festivals around the diocese. If you missed this meeting, it is not too late to get involved!
Please read below this note for more information on connecting for support and collaboration to enable your community to show up and represent at your local Pride festival. Please contact me with any questions.
Yours in Christ,
Canon Julie Murray
Canon for Community Engagement
jmurray@diosohio.org
RESOURCES AND ASSISTANCE FROM THE BISHOP’S OFFICE
Our office is here to support and resource faith communities that have identified a Pride festival in which to participate and want to represent the inclusive love of the Episcopal Church for all of God’s creation!
- First, there are four vendor tents, one in each region of the diocese, that are available for congregations and groups to use at no charge for community events. More information and how to reserve the tents can be found here.
- The bishop’s office has budgeted monetary resources related to participating at multiple Pride festivals, both as festival sponsors or vendors. We are sponsoring partners with the three largest metropolitan Pride festivals, in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton, and are working on sponsorships or paying entry fees for several of the smaller festivals. Contact Canon Julie Murray as soon as possible for more information on sponsorship.
- We will purchase a variety of giveaway items (“swag”) for all festivals to draw attention to our presence and message.
- We are also available to help with organizing and scheduling volunteers to work at our booths.
Those gathered at our organizing meeting identified over 20 festivals scheduled to be held in many of the communities where we live and worship. Several people have agreed to serve as area leads for many of the events, but not all.
| Date | Festival | Other opportunities | Lead identified |
| June 1 | Worthington Pride | yes | |
| June 6-7 | Athens Pride | yes | |
| June 7 | Beavercreek Pride | ||
| June 6-7 | Dayton Pride | Parade 6/7 | yes |
| June 7 | Delaware Pride | yes | |
| June 7 | Hamilton Pride | yes | |
| June 7 | Hilliard Pride | ||
| June 7 | Hillsboro Pride | yes | |
| June 7 | Westerville Pride | yes | |
| June 8 | Rainbow UA Pride (Upper Arlington) | yes | |
| June 13 | Kettering Pride | ||
| June 13-14 | Stonewall Columbus Pride | Pride Mass 6/12, Parade 6/14 | yes (mass only) |
| June 14 | Westwood Pride | yes | |
| June 21 | Portsmouth Pride | yes | |
| June 21 | Fairborn Community Pride | yes | |
| June 28 | First Capital Pride (Chillicothe) | yes | |
| June 28 | Cincinnati Pride | Parade 6/28, Pride Mass 6/29 | yes (parade), yes (mass) |
| June 28 | Granville Pride | yes | |
| June 28 | Springfield Pride | yes | |
| June 28 | Zanesville Pride | yes | |
| July 12 | Glendale Pride | yes | |
| July 12 | Lebanon Pride | yes | |
| date unknown | Bexley Pride Walk | ||
| date unknown | Grove City Pride | ||
| date unknown | Minerva Park | yes | |
| date unknown | Pride New Albany |
If you know of a Pride Festival not listed and would like to help coordinate a presence there, contact Canon Julie Murray.
NEXT STEPS
As a next step, we must identify leaders to help coordinate in the areas that have not been claimed, and begin to form cohorts of Episcopalians who will step out in solidarity and love for our LGBTQ+ siblings to spread the good news of God’s love for ALL of God’s creation. Many hands make light work!
If you are interested in being an area lead, please email Canon Julie Murray. If you are interested in being part of a cohort, sign up here.
If no interest is indicated for an area, we will not have a presence there. It is important to identify the number of festivals where we will be present as soon as possible to make sure we have enough handouts available.
Questions about getting involved with Pride?
Contact Julie Murray, canon for community engagement, at jmurray@diosohio.org.
AFFIRMING CHURCHES LIST
Congregations in our diocese who proudly identify as affirming of all God’s children are listed on the LGBTQ+ Ministries page of our website. Congregations must self-identify to be placed on the list. If your church is not on the list and would like to be added, please contact Canon Julie Murray.
