Integrity USA

Integrity USA is a U.S. not-for-profit organization working in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (TEC) for the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) members and their allies. Integrity was founded by Louie Crew in rural Georgia in 1974 and it has been a leading grassroots voice for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in The Episcopal Church and for equal access to its rites.

Mission and Vision Statements[1]

Mission

Integrity USA's mission is to inspire and equip The Episcopal Church, its dioceses, congregations, and members to proclaim and embody God's all-inclusive love for LGBTQ persons and those who love them.

Vision

Integrity's vision of its success is that The Episcopal Church thrives as a beacon of love, justice, and compassion, where ALL people are equally embraced and empowered.

Founding and history

In 1974, Louie Crew who was on a teaching fellowship in San Francisco telephoned the reportedly progressive Grace Cathedral in that city, asking if they could help him and his partner meet other gay Episcopalians. The derisive laughter he heard in response prompted him to start a newsletter that November to help gay and lesbian members of the church support one another in what was then a fairly hostile environment.

A gifted writer, Dr. Crew penned the lead editorial himself:[2]

"Integrity derives from integer, Latin for 'entire.' All Christian wholeness demands affirmation of God ordained sexuality; and gays and straights alike are Charged with the responsibility of using their sexuality in healthy human sharing rather than perversely trying to change or exchange the Gift of God."

Across the country, men and women saw the newsletter advertised in both church and gay publications. They organized into a handful of chapters and gathered, 200 strong, the following year for a national convention. The newsletter grew into a magazine, which was published until 2007, by which time the Internet was providing more immediate, interactive and cost-effective means of communication with Integrity's members.

Over the years, its ministry has expanded beyond the Episcopal Church. It has also become a respected voice for equal civil rights. Often working in coalitions[3] with both secular and other faith-based groups, Integrity has been instrumental in advancing the claim LGBT persons are making for equal protection and opportunity. Through its many ministries Integrity stands at the forefront of LGBT acceptance[4] within The Episcopal Church and continues to work for progress towards full inclusion of its people.

Current and Past presidents[5]

Since 1978, Integrity has elected officers every three years,to coincide with the triennial calendar of TEC's General Convention.

Here are the presidents of Integrity USA since its founding:

1974–1975: The Rev. Ellen Barrett and Jim Wickliff (Co-Presidents)

1975–1976: Mr. Jim Wickliff

1976–1978: The Rev. Ron Wesner

1978–1981: Mr. John Lawrence

1981–1982: Mr. John Fortunato

1982–1984: Ms. Marsha Langford

1984–1987: Mr. Robert Armstrong

1987–1990: Mr. Edgar K. "Kim" Byham

1990–1994: Mr. E. Bruce Garner

1994–1998: Mr. Fred Ellis III

1998–2003: The Rev. Michael W. Hopkins

2003–2009: The Rev. Susan Russell

2009–2011: The Rev. David Norgard

2011–2014: The Rev. Dr. Caro Hall

2014–2015: Mr. Matt Haines

2015-present: Mr. E. Bruce Garner

Organization

Integrity is organized through over 60 chapters[6] across the nation. Integrity's chapters are groups of 10 or more members in an area or diocese who gather monthly or quarterly to promote welcome and inclusion in their areas. They may work in just one parish, in a city, or in an entire diocese. Here are some things that Integrity's chapters provide.

Episcopal Congregations can affiliate with Integrity in several ways:

Integrity organizes its advocacy through Provincial Coordinators,[9] each of whom serves one of the eight domestic provinces[10] of The Episcopal Church. Provincial Coordinators appoint and work with Diocesan Organizers,[11] who serve as liaisons for information and resources in each of the church's 100 domestic dioceses. Integrity's key leaders, past and present, maintain connection to the organization through the Stakeholders' Council[12] – a group that offers support and advice to the organization and to its members.

Programs and Activities

Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregations

Since 2010 Integrity has been the principal voice within the Episcopal Church of the ecumenical Believe Out Loud welcoming church movement.[13] Episcopal parishes which have taken visible steps to be LGBT-inclusive are known as Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregations. An Integrity Believe Out Loud Episcopal Congregation is a mission or parish that publicly welcomes and affirms LGBT people by completing a six step process. Integrity provides workshops[14] and other learning opportunities for people and parishes to take this step.

The steps are as follows:[15]

General Convention

Integrity has had official representation at every triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church since 1977. The organization's members have helped draft and gather support for the legislative resolutions by which the church's official stance has evolved from denial to tolerance to welcome.[16] The Integrity Eucharist at General Convention, once held on the margins, now is an official event that draws nearly 2,000 worshipers, many of them straight allies for whom the celebration has become a highlight of their Convention experience. Some resolutions towards equality that Integrity has helped to achieve include:

The General Convention of 2012

At the 2012 General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Indianapolis, nearly every resolution which Integrity supported was affirmed by the church leadership:

Affiliated Organizations

Integrity USA is the fiscal sponsor of TransEpiscopal,[19] an organization founded in 2004. TransEpiscopal is a group of transgender Episcopalians and their significant others, families, friends and allies dedicated to enriching their spiritual lives and to making the Episcopal Church a welcoming and empowering place that all truly can call their spiritual home. In 2012 the two groups collaborated on a video, Voices of Witness: Out of the Box,[20] featuring transgender people of faith telling their own stories.

Several Integrity chapters are joint chapters with Dignity, the pro-LGBT group working with Roman Catholics. Unlike Dignity in the Roman Catholic Church, Integrity does not act as an alternative to a parish (primarily because gay and lesbian Anglicans are not normally refused the Eucharist in parishes like their Roman Catholic counterparts). Most Integrity members are active in TEC parishes in addition to their Integrity activities.

International Affiliations

Integrity USA has members in The Episcopal Church outside of the USA, wherever TEC has congregations. Other organizations work in churches that are part of the Anglican Communion, but they are not part of Integrity USA's official structure. Many of them are loosely affiliated with Integrity USA, as they share similar missions. For instance, LGBT members of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) have formed local Integrity groups, beginning with Integrity Toronto, which are loosely connected. There is no national Integrity organization in Canada. Integrity also has independent chapters in Australia.

See also

References

External links

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