Dean Nicola’s Pride Blog
St. Paul’s is celebrating Capital City Pride this month. Our ecologically diverse campus in the heart of the downtown also proclaims a message. Credit: Nicola Chase.
A member of St. Paul’s recently asked me why we are walking in the Capital City Pride Parade. There are several factors that led me to taking this step this year, of encouraging St. Paul’s presence in this downtown community event. First, I am proud to be an ordained priest in a Christian denomination that has been a leader in upholding the call to ministry of underrepresented groups; including women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Second, I am proud to be an ordained priest in a Christian denomination that upholds the sanctity of marriage between two people of any gender. I respect the deep theological work undertaken by the Episcopal church on marriage equality and I am grateful for the fact that in the same year (2015) as the supreme court ruling that guaranteed same-sex couples the fundamental right to marry nationwide, the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church approved two marriage liturgies for trial use, along with a revision of the marriage canon, allowing same-sex couples to be married in the Episcopal Church beginning on First Sunday of Advent 2015. This provision was made permanent in 2018. The sanctity of marriage is upheld in these rites. Two parties presenting themselves for marriage in the Episcopal church are canonically required to receive instruction in the “nature, purpose, and meaning, as well as the rights, duties and responsibilities of marriage” by a member of the clergy or someone else qualified. Prior to marriage the parties must sign the Declaration of Intention, that summarizes the teaching of the church in relation to Holy Matrimony:
“We understand the teaching of the church that God’s purpose for our marriage is for our mutual joy, for the help and comfort we will give to each other in prosperity and adversity, and, when it is God’s will, for the gift and heritage of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of God. We also understand that our marriage is to be unconditional, mutual, exclusive, faithful, and lifelong; and we engage to make the utmost effort to accept these gifts and fulfill these duties, with the help of God and the support of our community.”
In turn, the gathered community promises to “do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage.”
It is my view that St. Paul’s participation in the Capital City Pride Parade in 2026 is an act in fulfilment of our Vision Statement “Grounded in Worship. Deepening in Faith. Reaching Out in Love.” Our goal is to show Des Moines that we follow Jesus’ example of walking with and among people as one way of expressing what is captured in the slogan “The Episcopal Church Welcomes You.”
At the same time, the Episcopal Church is not a single-issue church! The Episcopal Church recognizes sacraments as “outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we receive that grace” (BCP, p. 857). The two great sacraments given by Christ to his Church are Holy Baptism and the Holy Eucharist. In addition to these two, there are other spiritual markers in our journey of faith that can serve as means of grace (https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe/sacraments/):
Confirmation: the adult affirmation of our baptismal vows
Reconciliation of a Penitent: private confession
Matrimony: Christian marriage
Orders: ordination to the diaconate, priesthood, or episcopacy
Unction: anointing those who are sick or dying with holy oil
I can reassure you that as your Dean I have the privilege of being frequently involved in ministering all of the sacraments. I also have a strong appreciation for the Prayers of the People, Form III (BCP, p. 387),
“We pray for all bishops, priests, and deacons;
That they may be faithful ministers of your Word and Sacraments.”
Therefore I appreciate your prayers and I welcome your thoughtful questions as we walk the path of Christian discipleship together.
Faithfully,
Amma Nicola
