Creating safe and welcoming spaces in our churches and community for LGBTQIA+ people and bearing authentic public witness to the loving, liberating, life-giving God that we follow.

The Episcopal Church is dedicated to full inclusion and equality in the church as well as in society as a whole.

Jesus calls us to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. In our Baptismal Covenant, we promise to respect the dignity of every human being. When we use the name and pronouns that someone asks us to use for them, we respect their dignity as a beloved child of God and we treat them as we would hope others would treat us.

2025 Episco-PRIDE Upcoming Zooms:

Fall 2025 (date TBD): Episco-PRIDE all teams debrief - connect with other teams and share learnings

Upcoming Safe Zone Training:

Tuesday May 6th

Online on Zoom

Safe Zone trainings are an opportunity to learn about LGBTQ+ identities, gender and sexuality, and examine prejudice, assumptions, and privilege. These trainings help us increase awareness and understanding of LGBTQIA+ experiences and the importance of creating welcoming environments. This training was adopted as an official resource for The Episcopal Church on all levels at the 80th General Convention (Resolution 2022-D072).

What Do Episco-PRIDE Teams Do?

Teams commit to:

  • Have at least 1 member from the team attend a Safe Zone Training and an online Zoom Training with Iowa Safe Schools

  • Participate in a community event (Pride events, community fairs, farmer's markets, etc.)...if it's not feasible for safety concerns to do a community event, let’s chat!

  • Have at least 1 member from the team participate in Zooms with other Episco-PRIDE teams

  • Receive the above trainings at no cost

  • Receive customized materials to handout at your community event along with the design files

  • Receive access to a shared Pride kit (tent, table, banner, etc.)

  • Be part of a community with other teams where we share ideas, resources, and more

Questions? Contact Amy amellies@iowaepiscopal.org or Traci tpetty@iowaepiscopal.org

Why is this ministry needed?

Because every person is a beloved child of God and deserves to be treated with dignity and affirmed in that belovedness, but that is not what is happening in many places across our state.

Iowa continues to pass anti-LGBTQIA+ laws that significantly limit queer individuals’, students’ and families’ ability to thrive in our state. From removing gender identity from Iowa civil rights protections, to book bans, forced outings of trans students without consent, bans on youth gender-affirming care, and bans on discussing gender identity or sexual orientation with K-6 students, these laws have a tremendously negatively impacting LGBTQIA+ lives. Nationally the Trevor Project reports that nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQIA+ young people said their mental health was poor most of the time or always due to the anti LGBTQIA+ policies and legislation. Nearly 2 of 3 young people said that hearing about potential state or local laws banning people from discussing LGBTQIA+ people at school made their mental health worse. The laws are supported by a growing network of Christian organizations in our state, and in far too many areas the local Episcopal church is one of the only safe and affirming places of faith where an LGBTQIA+ person might hear that they are a beloved child of God.

 

Local Events:

Teams are participating in the following events

2025:

Iowa Safe Schools’ 20th Annual Governor’s Conference on LGBTQ Youth: April 11

Boone Pride: April 12

Flamy Grant Live in Concert: May 9

Quad Cities Unity Pride (Rock Island, IL) June 6-7

Capital City Pride Fest (Des Moines) June 6-8

Riverside Pride (Fort Madison): June 13

Iowa City Pride: June 21

Fort Dodge Pride June 28

Valley Junction Pride (West Des Moines) June 29

Cedar Rapids Pride Festival: July 12

Mason City Pride: July 19

Cedar Valley Pride (Waterloo) August 22-23

Ames Pride

Episco-PRIDE Teams:

  • Ames, St. John’s by the Campus

  • Bettendorf, St. Peter’s

  • Boone/Fort Dodge/Harlan/Webster City

  • Cedar Falls, St. Luke’s

  • Cedar Rapids, Christ

  • Coralville, New Song

  • Council Bluffs, St. Paul’s

  • Davenport, Trinity Cathedral

  • Des Moines, St. Andrew's

  • Des Moines, St. Mark’s

  • Diocesan Team

  • Fort Madison, St. Luke’s

  • Grinnell, St. Paul’s

  • Iowa City, JustChurch

  • Iowa City, Trinity

  • Mason City, St. John’s

  • Muscatine, Trinity

  • West Des Moines, St. Timothy’s

  • Waterloo, Trinity

The following congregations are or have participated partially, either by attending a training or participating in a community event:

  • Des Moines, St. Paul’s Cathedral

  • Dubuque, St. John’s

2024 Recap: check out our narrative grant report to learn more about what happened and how this ministry was formed.

Engage with Public Policy

Legislation affects all of us and determines the way resources are distributed. To keep track and be involved with what’s happening in Iowa, check out:

One Iowa Action tracks LGBTQIA+ bills in the statehouse, send out action alerts, and offer other education and advocacy resources. Sign up for One Iowa Action Alerts

Faith in Action is our diocesan advocacy and public policy ministry; we have diocesan lobbyists who advocate and declare on bills, tips for contacting lawmakers and being involved, and other resources. Join our Facebook group to keep up with legislation & events.

Excerpt from a letter from Bishop Monnot to the Iowa House Subcommittee on HSB242. Read the full letter HERE

Resources

CONGREGATION GUIDES

Interfaith Alliance of Iowa created "Becoming an LGBTQ Ally in Your Faith Community: best practices for welcoming persons into sacred spaces," a guide designed specifically for helping faith communities become more welcoming to people who are LGBTQ

The Rainbow Initiative Toolkit for Congregations, for those who work with and for people who have been forced from their home countries in search of safety; from Episcopal Migration Ministries.

Courses + Trainings

The Safe Zone Project: a free online resource for powerful, effective LGBTQ awareness and ally training workshops; this training was endorsed by The Episcopal Church at the 2022 General Convention

An Introduction to Queer Theology - from Virginia Theological Seminary. In this online course - Oct 2024 - we will delve into diverse perspectives, reclaim sacredness of body, and foster inclusive communities.

CHURCH RESOLUTIONS & POLICIES

 From General Convention 2022

Gender Affirming Care for all ages 2022-D066

Bathroom Access 2018-C022

Full Inclusion 1976-A069

Equal Protection 1976-A071

Non-discrimination, equal access to the rites and worship of The Episcopal Church 1994-C020

 

Organizations

NATIONAL

PFLAG: the nation's first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them.

TransEpiscopal: a group dedicated to fostering the full embrace of trans and nonbinary people in life and worship of The Episcopal Church

Trans Equality: A trans-led nonprofit, we also help our community navigate the realities of law and policy through vital tools, knowledge, and services.

The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people. We provide information & support to LGBTQ+ young people 24/7, all year round.

Q Christian: Q Christian Fellowship is cultivating radical belonging for LGBTQ+ Christians and allies.

LOCAL

One Iowa: advances, empowers, and improves the lives of LGBTQ Iowans statewide.

Iowa Safe Schools: offers direct services and supports to students who have been bullied anywhere in the state of Iowa.

From Bishop Monnot
March 2, 2023

From Bishop Monnot
March 3, 2022

Questions? Contact:

Amy Mellies, Children & Youth Missioner

Traci Ruhland Petty, Communications & GILEAD Grant Missioner