SAN DIEGO — Saturday, July 19, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) first openly gay Bishop Guy Erwin will walk in San Diego’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Pride parade. Joined by members of First Lutheran Church San Diego, San Diego’s only LGBT open and affirming ELCA Lutheran Church, Bishop Erwin and his husband Rob Flynn will join the other two California Bishops and their spouses, Bishop Murray Finck and Bishop Mark Holmerud, marking the first time all three California bishops will be represented in a Pride Parade. All ELCA Lutheran congregations in the region have been invited to join the contingent in this historic occasion.
First Lutheran Church’s Pastor Wilbert Miller said “Bishop Erwin is not only the first openly gay Bishop, but also the first Native American bishop elected to office in the ELCA. We are so excited to have him preach on the Sunday after the Pride Parade at our 9am and 11am services, and invite all to join us for the service.” First Lutheran Church is located in downtown San Diego at 1420 Third Avenue. This year the congregation celebrates 25 years of being an open and affirming church for LGBT people. More information about First Lutheran is available at http://www.firstlutheransd.org/
In 2009, the ELCA adopted a more inclusive policy on human sexuality, ending a rule which required LGBT clergy to remain celibate, prompting Bishop Erwin’s ordination in 2011 and election in 2013 to a six year term as bishop of the Southwest California synod. This coupled with the ELCA’s Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Program supports congregations, synods, colleges, seminaries, and other Lutheran organizations that publicly welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender believers. More information is at http://www.reconcilingworks.org.
San Diego’s LGBT Pride Parade is on Saturday, July 19th and begins at Normal and University in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego, and continues down University to Sixth Avenue, ending in Balboa park. The parade starts at 11am, and more information can be found at http://sdpride.org.
