During our 11:00 a.m. celebration of the Holy
Eucharist on Sunday, April 2, we will dedicate and bless our third stained
glass window. The so-called “Integrity” window commemorates St. Stephen’s
pioneering ministry as a welcome congregation and church home for GLBTQ people.
St. Stephen's has a long and proud history
of advocacy for and ministry with the LGBTQ community in Fargo-Moorhead and is
a member of Integrity, a national association for LGBTQ
Episcopal ministry. We are currently the only Episcopal congregation
in the Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota authorized to offer the
marriage liturgy for GLBTQ people.
Commemorating St. Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167),
the patron saint of Integrity, the window will also feature an overarching
rainbow, the Pride flag, and the St. Stephen’s Noah’s Ark float used each year
in the Pride Parade. The message of the window of “Will you strive for justice
and peace among all people and respect with the dignity of every human being?’
comes from the Baptismal Covenant of the Book of Common Prayer. A verse of
scripture from the book of Galatians is also included in the window.
The window is designed by our own Gin Templeton
and is being built and installed by the Michael Orchard Studio in Fargo.
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