Pride 2024
LGBTQ+ Pride Month is here! Saint Mark’s always goes big for Pride and this year is no different. We have many Pride-related events for folks to attend and opportunities for parishioners, LGBTQ and ally alike, to volunteer to support our efforts this month. For more information on everything listed here, please visit ourcathedral.org/pride
Volunteers Needed: Steps Painting
Each year Saint Mark’s paints our steps in the colors of the Progress Pride flag to make visible our ongoing commitment to supporting, affirming, and uplifting LGBTQ people in our faith community and beyond.
However, The steps do not paint themselves so we need volunteers to help paint them! We’ll be painting on Friday, June 14th and Saturday, June 15th. If you would like to contribute to this fabulous artistic endeavor, please email lgbtq@ourcathedral.org and let us know that you would like to pitch in. No amount of time that you can contribute is too large or too small. LGBTQ people and allies are all encouraged to volunteer. Many hands make light work!
Book Discussion: Austen Hartke’s Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians
As part of Racial Equity and Justice’s on-going work, this June all members of our congregation are invited to read scholar Austen Hartke’s book, Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians. Then, once you’ve read the book, join fellow Saint Markans on Thursday June 20 from 6 -7:30 p.m, in the Heritage Room for a discussion about the book facilitated by Conrad Larson.
Transforming is available for sale in the Cathedral Bookshop. Find out more about the book and the discussion event here. LGBTQ people and allies are all encouraged to participate. Let’s learn together!
Participants Needed: Marchers in the ECMN Contingent of Twin Cities Pride Parade
Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church and The Episcopal Church of Minnesota are excited to be participating in the Twin Cities Pride Parade on June 30. Specific location within the parade will be shared soon.
If you would like to meet at Saint Mark's and then walk together to the start of the parage, we’ll meet in Saint Mark’s parking lot no later than 10:30 am. From there, we will walk together to our assigned location in the March, which begins at 11 am (on Nicollet Mall).
If you would like to join in the March, please message lgbtq@ourcathedral.org for any further details and so we can watch for you!
Pride Shirts
Saint Mark’s Pride shirts are back! This year’s design features the Episcopal Church’s amazing new LGBTQ Pride Shield. Loving our God by loving our neighbor is at the heart of everything that we do at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, this year’s Pride shirt puts that message on full display.
We will be selling the shirts at Saint Mark's on June 23, 29, and 30. The suggested donation is $20 but you are welcome to share what you can with us.
Pride Service
Encountering Christ through the Eucharist is at the heart of our spiritual life as Episcopalians. Too often in the Church Universal, LGBTQ people are denied equal dignity, equal respect, and equal access to the sacraments, including communion. At Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral we believe that all humans, including and especially LGBTQ people, are made in the image of God and that LGBTQ people give us a unique and wonderful glimpse at the Divine through their witness, ministry, gifts, and presence among us. Our annual Twin Cities Pride Worship Service is a bright and shining example of what we mean by this.
On Sunday, June 30 at 4 PM, we will come together as Saint Markans, as Minnesota Episcopalians, as Christians of many backgrounds, and as LGBTQ community members and allies to celebrate the Eucharist in honor and celebration of LGBTQ people—past, present, and future— with our Twin Cities Pride Worship Service. Our Pride Worship Service is a joyful, solemn and affirming gathering for all of us, led by queer clergy, and supported by members of our LGBTQ Ministry. This is truly an act of worship made possible by LGBTQ people for LGBTQ people.
Parking will be limited on the Cathedral grounds. We encourage all who are able to carpool, get a ride from a ride sharing app, or to take public transit. We hope you will come to worship with us. At God’s table, all are welcome and all are loved. More information here.
Volunteers Needed: Pride Festival Lawn Hospitality
There is no day of the calendar year when we will have more Twin Cities community members on our Cathedral lawn than on Pride Weekend, Saturday June 29 and Sunday June 30. It is our goal to make them feel as welcome and loved as possible in their brief time at our beloved church. In order to fulfill this goal, we need the help of Cathedral volunteers, LGBTQ+ and ally alike.
If you would like to volunteer to help with our Lawn Hospitality efforts on Pride Weekend, please email lgbtq@ourcathedral.org and let us know! We will have opportunities to help on Saturday and Sunday, for as long or as short as you would like. Some potential tasks that you may help with are: setting up or tearing down the event, taking photos of people in front of our Pride Steps, greeting and meeting people at an information table about the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, holding a sign in support and affirmation of LGBTQ passers-by, and more! If this sounds intimidating at all, don’t worry, we’ll train you. We need all the help that we can get!