A Letter from the Bishop for Pride Month

Dear friends, 

Happy Pride. We are so glad to see many of you taking part in Pride celebrations in your communities. St. Paul had an earlier service a couple of weeks ago so they could join the Nanaimo parade, St. Peter, Quamichan walked in the Cowichan parade this past week, and the Cathedral and St. John the Divine will have a Pride service as part of Victoria celebrations later this month.  So many of you are also taking part in your local celebrations and it is wonderful to see.  

When the church takes part in Pride we participate in the work of becoming the beloved community that fully reflects the image of God. As we join in these celebrations, it’s important to do so while also remembering the full history of the church’s treatment of queer people and committing ourselves to the ongoing work of inclusion.    

Let us take a moment to give thanks for all the 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, and their families and communities who have been faithful to the church over the years, even when the church has not been faithful to you. We are a church that is fuller, deeper, and more reflective of God because of you. 

Every one of us is made in the image of God, and because of that, we only see the fullness of God when we are all welcome at the table. Every person excluded is a loss to us all — we all miss out on a glimpse of the wonder and beauty of God.  

Each parish, each community, and each of us is in a different place on our road to living into the fullness of who God created us to be. We encourage all of you to recommit to intentional conversations about how your parish may more fully embody the beloved community to which we are called. We as the church are called to show the world the community we were created for — where all are welcome, all are equal, all are loved because all are children of God. Together, may we make it so. 

Peace and blessings,

The Right Rev. Anna Greenwood-Lee
The Ven. Jenny Replogle