Candidate Biographies

David Norgard, Candidate for President

Nominated by: Susan Russell

Qualification/Platform: Through a college chaplaincy, David joined the Episcopal Church as a young adult and joined Integrity soon thereafter. He was the first openly gay individual to be ordained to the priesthood in the Diocese of Minnesota. Since Ordination, he has lived and worked in several dioceses of the Episcopal Church, including California, Los Angeles, Minnesota, New York, Newark, and San Diego. Over the years, he has exercised his ministry and leadership in a variety of organizational contexts, including diocesan, parochial, and institutional roles.

Prior national volunteer commitments include:

• Secretary and Director of Development for Integrity;
• President of the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition (NEAC);
• Vice Chair of the Executive Council’s Committee on HIV/AIDS;
• Chairman of the General Convention Standing Commission on Evangelism; and
• Participant in the Presiding Bishop’s Task Force on Domestic Poverty.

Prior diocesan-level volunteer commitments have included the Cathedral Chapter in Minnesota, Clergy Compensation Task Force and Diocesan Council in California and Newark, and Evangelism Commission in California.

Professionally, David has served as Managing Director of the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in New York, Executive Director of The Oasis in Newark, Rector of Church of St. John the Evangelist in San Francisco, Executive Director of Episcopal Community Services in Minnesota, and Director of Development for St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego. At present he is the Principal of OD180, a management consulting practice to membership, community and faith-based nonprofit organizations. His specialties include board training and development, constituent relations programs, and strategic planning.

David believes the biblical truth that “No good thing will God withhold from those who walk with integrity” and he has always been steadfast in his conviction that all the Church’s Sacraments must be open to all the baptized according to God’s call to each individual.

David is persuaded that the best means by which to bring about the full inclusion of all the baptized in the communities and organizations of the Episcopal Church is through sustained education and advocacy. He is aware that Integrity is uniquely positioned to be instrumental in this transformative work – in full cooperation with its many friends, allies, partners, and supporters.

Based on his experience of serving as management and development counsel to the Board of Directors over the past couple years, he is persuaded that the best strategy for that work at this time is for Integrity to focus on broadening the base of its individual members and church partners.

David lives in West Hollywood CA with his partner of thirty years, Joseph Oppold.

He is canonically resident in the Diocese of Minnesota and is licensed to function in the Diocese of Los Angeles where he is a priest associate at All Saints Church in Pasadena. He is a longtime Friend of the Society of St. John the Evangelist.

Louise Brooks, Candidate for Secretary/
Director Of Communications

Nominated by: Randy Kimmler

Qualification/Platform: In addition to her many years of active leadership in LGBT advocacy in the Episcopal Church, Louise brings decades of experience as a communication professional. A founding member of the All Saints, Beverly Hills Gay & Lesbian Ministry, she has served on the Diocese of Los Angeles Commission on Gay & Lesbian Ministry, as media coordinator for the Integrity General Convention 2006 team and as Communication Director for the Integrity Lambeth Conference 2008 team. She will be serving as a member of Integrity’s Executive Committee in Anaheim at General Convention 2009, coordinating media, messaging and communications.

Her communication background includes media and messaging training as well as television and radio production. She has her own media consulting business – L.E.B Media Consulting – and is presently working with California Faith for Equality.

Her production credits include the 2006 Award Winning documentary “Voices of Witness” and the 2009 “Marching to Anaheim” DVD. She is committed to helping Integrity grow in its communication witness in both traditional and new media outlets and to bringing new, younger voices into leadership at the local and national level. An active member of All Saints Church in Pasadena, Louise is a life-long Episcopalian who whose knowledge of both the church world and the communication world make her a great candidate for the important communication opportunities facing Integrity in the triennium ahead.

David Cupps, Candidate for Treasurer

Nominated by: Self

Qualification/Platform: David Cupps currently serves as Treasurer of Integrity USA. He has served as Treasurer of numerous local and state non-profits over the last 15 years, including the state LGBT equality organization in Kentucky.

After being a financial advisor at Prudential Securities for six years, David went into non-profit development work, including a stint as Development Director for the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington. He now serves as Executive Director of Arts Kentucky, a statewide arts advocacy and services non-profit.

David and his partner, Ross (an attorney) live in Lexington, Kentucky, where they will have their commitment ceremony at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in early June, 2009. They have both served on various Vestries over the past decade, and David has been treasurer of two different parishes, as well as serving on the diocesan endowment investment and planned giving committees.

David believes strongly that Integrity's continuing work within ECUSA and beyond is vitally important. He hopes that his current service as Treasurer will enable him to help Integrity maintain a sound financial footing for the work ahead.

Rev. Canon Albert Ogle, Candidate for Vice-President For National Affairs

Nominated by: Canon Christopher Harris

Qualification/Platform: Rev. Canon Albert Ogle has lived and worked in Southern California since 1982, when Integrity sponsored his immigration from Ireland and helped to establish a program for high risk street youth in Los Angeles. Albert has served in the Diocese of Los Angeles as one of the first openly gay clergy (with Canons Malcolm Boyd and William Leeson).

He was Youth Director of the LA Gay and Lesbian Center and Acting Executive Director in 1985. He co-authored the first comprehensive statewide plan for California's response to the AIDS epidemic in 1986 and put the model in place in All Saint's, Pasadena. The AIDS Service Center now serves an eighth of Los Angeles County. He shared his AIDS experience with the Anglican Church of Uganda and worked closely with Archbishop Okoth and many Ugandan bishops before the current breakdown of relationships within the Anglican Church. He has served as a founding Board member of the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition. He was Rector of St. George's Laguna Hills for eight years and helped to found the Gay Men's Chorus of Orange County, Men Alive.

He has just returned from a two year sabbatical study and work program in Ireland where his M. Philosophy thesis was on the relationship between reconciliation and the World Heritage Program. He was invited to be an expert consultant on the Galilee Christian Sites nomination to be included on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. His academic work on identity-based conflicts will be published later this year by the University of Luval, Quebec. Upon returning from Ireland in July 2008, Albert was one of the religious leaders active in the San Diego/Orange County region for Marriage Equality. He worked closely with his community of St. Paul's Cathedral where he is Residentiary Priest. Albert has been very active with the local Integrity group at St. Paul’s and also serves on the California Council of Churches Impact Board (working on social justice legislative action throughout California).

Neil D. Houghton, Candidate for Vice-President For Local Affairs

Nominated by: Self

Qualification/Platform: Neil says, “It would be a privilege for me to continue to serve Integrity in this new role of Vice President for Local Affairs. I see this role as listening to the needs of locals through the Provincial Coordinators and facilitating their communication with each other and the national board.

“The new structure of Integrity’s leadership offers an opportunity to re-examine the balance between our national and local structures. It has been a passion of mine to look at our local structures with a eye toward creatively meeting local needs with a broader and more flexible interpretation of what structure may accomplishes that. I feel strongly that given our triennial cycle we can move from strengthening local structures and increasing local membership to build broad support for for a ground-up developed national vision. In simpler words over 3 years we should move from the local level to the provincial level and on to General Convention 2012, always with the overarching goal of including all the baptized in all the sacraments.

“I know that we can accomplish our mission while modeling “best practices” that make organizations successful as well as retain and build membership: building community, maintaining open communication, support each other, and provide caring feed-back. We are all volunteers and need to be reminded that what we do is valued.

“Working in secular and religious groups to promote LGBT rights, it has become apparent that building relationships among and between these groups to work towards common goals is vital.

“After prayerful consideration, God willing, and with your support I hope to help to accomplish that as the Vice President for Local Affairs, working closely with Provincial Coordinators and other members of the Board of Integrity.”

Church Related Experience:

• NE Regional VP (6 years)
• Integrity Volunteer at General Convention (1994, 1997, 2000, 2003)
• Deputy to General Convention 2009 (Rochester)
• President and Member of Standing Committee (Rochester)
• District Warden (Rochester)
• Chair, Member of Diocesan Committee for Gay and Lesbian Ministry (Rochester)

Secular Experience in LGBT Advocacy:

• New York State United Teachers - Committee on Civil and Human Rights (15 years)
• National Eduction Association - Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identification (2008-2011)

Other Leadership Experience:

• President and VP for Grievances Penfield Ed. Association (33 years)
• Delegate to NYSUT Rep Assembly (30 years)
• Delegate to AFT National Convention (3 times)

Education:

• BS in Education (N-6 certification), SUNY College at Geneseo 1973
• Additional Post-grad courses for professional advancement.

Sara Hamlen, Candidate for Province 1 Coordinator

Nominated by: Self

Qualification/Platform: Sara Hamlen resides in the Boston area and is a member of Trinity Church Copley Square in Boston. She earned her Masters degree in Theology from Andover Newton Theological School, and did her research thesis on the work of the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry (RCFM)'s work during the six year battle to win same-sex marriage rights (and rites) in Massachusetts. She has volunteered for Integrity since 2003 when she attended General Convention in Minneapolisi, and again during GC06 in Columbus Ohio. Her interests include helping Province I chapters and networks at the parish level get to know one another, and extend pastoral care and partnership protections for married couples and/or civil union couples throughout their spiritual lives. She is also a volunteer for various Episcopal arts-related programs including ECVA and Ecclesia Ministries free lunch program Common Art program each Weds. in Boston at Emmanuel Church.

She is a lobbyist, philanthropist and community activist in Boston in her spare time when not studying theology and religious American history.

Chap James Day, Candidate for Province 2 Coordinator

Nominated by: Michael Mallon

Qualification/Platform:  Chap James Day, 27, an openly-gay man, is a cradle Episcopalian, born in Ashtabula, OH, raised near Atlanta, GA.

He has called New York City home since August 2004, and has been in a committed relationship with his partner, Michael, since January 2005.

Never one to be a "pew warmer," Day is an active member/aspirant in the Episcopal Church of St Luke in the Fields, NYC, and serves on the parish's Altar Guild, Ushers Guild, Acolyte Rota and LGBT Life Committee.  Day is also on the steering committee of Integrity NYC (iNYC), which is currently a chapter in formation.  He has been instrumental in the group's re-formation, which has currently gained momentum, and is in charge of organizing the iNYC contingent for the NYC Heritage of Pride Parade, one of the largest pride parades in the world.

Day is also active in several other LGBT organizations outside of The Episcopal Church, including the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, NYC's largest LGBT democratic club, and Out Astoria, an LGBT social networking group based in Queens, NY, on which he serves as a board member. He is also a member of Marriage Equality New York, and the Civil Rights Front.

Day strives to share God's message of inclusive love with ALL people, but has a particular burden for the LGBT community.  Day has seen far too many souls wounded by those who either do not understand, or do not wish to understand the LGBT community-- the Christian LGBT community in particular.  He longs to help heal these wounds by being a witness to Christ's all-encompassing love through word and deed, and by spreading the message that sexuality is a gift from God.  Day believes that The Episcopal Church is, on the whole, a welcoming place to LGBT people, and shares this blessed fact with everyone; however, has TEC "arrived" in this respect?  Day answers in the negative.  Is there work to be done, particularly in Province 2?  Day believes so.

LGBT Episcopalians need representation at General Convention; B033, potentially pernicious piece of legislation that it is, needs to be dealt with.  The secular realm of LGBT acitivism desperately needs LGBT people of faith to come forward and proclaim the message that there ARE welcoming Christian congregations in the USA!  Integrity can and does play a major part in all of this; Day believes he is called to help carry out and lead this important ministry-- and, God willing, he will.

Education

• BA Music – Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC 2000

Additional Information

• Cursillo, Diocese of Atlanta, #50
• Happening, Diocese of Atlanta, #25, #27, #28
• Sacristan, Kanuga Conferences, Summer 2002, 2003

Parish Membership

• St. Peter's, Ashtabula, OH, baptized 1982
• St. Simon's, Conyers, GA 1994-2005, LEM, Lector, Acolyte, Choir, EYC
• All Saints, Clinton, SC, during college, 2000-2004, LEM, Lector, Acolyte, Choir, Sunday School Instructor, Canterbury Club
• St. Bartholomew's, New York, NY 2005-2008: Choir, Morning Prayer Officiant, LGBT Committee *St. Luke in the Fields, New York, NY 2008-Present: Altar Guild, Acolyte, Usher's Guild, LGBT Life

Mimi Walters, Candidate for Province 3 Coordinator

Nominated by: Self

Mimi Walters grew up in a military family and lived in several cities in her early years; her family eventually settled in Northern Virginia. She attended Virginia Tech and was confirmed at Christ Episcopal Church in Blacksburg, VA. She has been an Episcopalian since that time, and the Episcopal Church has been an important part of her life and faith. As a young adult, she struggled to embrace her sexuality and faith. Though this process of embracing both sexuality and spiritually was, and still is, at times, difficult, it also brings great joy.

Last summer, Mimi joined Witness@Lambeth in order to be part of the listening process at Lambeth. Upon returning to the U.S., she had an even stronger desire to work for full inclusion of all people in the Episcopal Church, as well as in the Anglican Church worldwide.

Mimi currently teaches K-5 physical education and coaches both soccer and basketball at a private school in Baltimore, MD. Mimi and her partner Cynthia exchanged vows at St. Paul and St. James Episcopal Church (New Haven, CT) in 1998. Last summer, on their 10th (religious) wedding anniversary, they were legally married in Massachusetts. They attend Memorial Episcopal Church in Bolton Hill (Baltimore). They have two children, ages 8 and 6. Both children have been baptized in the Episcopal Church. She wants to feel that the Episcopal Church is a welcoming place for all families and wants her children to be able to claim their Episcopal identity without qualification.

Mimi is eager to work within Integrity to help in whatever ways she can.

Keith Bliven, Candidate for Province 4 Coordinator

Nominated by: Trey Mangum

Qualification/Platform:

Keith will strive to increase the visibility and infrastructure of Integrity in Province IV. Each diocese and parish needs to be more aware that Integrity exists and the benefits that it has for its community of members. He will work with the parishes and dioceses to encourage their support of the organization and to help in creating new chapters. Province IV is one of the hardest areas for someone who is LGBT to live because of oppression and discrimination. That struggle shouldn’t transcend to one’s church or religion. It should be a welcoming place, and Keith will work to help Integrity become a part of that welcome. He will also work with existing chapters to grow their numbers and increase their visibility within their diocese.

Keith is a TV journalist of 15 years. He and his partner, Trey Mangum, reside in Jackson, Mississippi. He has also worked and lived in Mobile, Alabama and Tupelo, Mississippi. He is originally from Fayette, Alabama. Through his journalistic profession he has developed the needed talents in public relations, media, and organizing to communicate with others on a variety of levels.

The Rev. Deacon Deniray Mueller, Candidate for Province 5 Coordinator

Nominated by: Self

Qualification/Platform: General Convention 2003 was a turning point in Deniray’s life. After showing up unannounced at the convention, Susan Russell and Michael Hopkins quickly put her to work with Claiming the Blessing and Integrity. In 2006, she coordinated the Integrity Eucharist held at Trinity on Capitol Square, her home parish.

After attending the 2003 convention, she answered a long-ignored call to the Vocational Diaconate. Although many obstacles were put in front of her ordination because she was a partnered lesbian, she kept faith in her calling and in June 2008 was ordained in the Diocese of Southern Ohio.

Part of her ministry is active participation in the church and wider world to bring fuller acceptance and inclusion of God’s LGBT children in the church and world. She currently sits on the Central Ohio Gay Leadership Board, Equality Ohio Faith Leadership and Stonewall Union Faith Forum; she moderates and writes a ‘Out in Faith’ column for a local newspaper. She has just been appointed Assistant to the Canon for Public Policy, responsible for monitoring state and local legislation and mobilizing the diocese on critical issues.

Integrity has been a source of support for her and a venue for her ministry. She currently serves as the Integrity Network Coordinator for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Now that she has finished school and been ordained, it is she desires to step into the wider world. Although as a whole, the Episcopal Church is inclusive, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all churches are inclusive and welcoming. As the Province 5 Coordinator, she would visit the many dioceses in the province and use existing and new resources to bring more people into Integrity, working for the inclusion of all in God’s church. She is determined to make it easier for others to find the love and acceptance of local churches and the church at large.

Deniray is very organized and can juggle multiple balls without dropping any. She has a background in organization development which will help in activating new and strengthening existing chapters. She looks forward to getting reacquainted with old friends and meeting a lot of new and wonderful people. There is still a lot of work to do, and she is ready to roll up her sleeves and get going.

Integrity has a wonderful group of people and there is nothing that can’t be done with a plan and the love of God. She looks forward to being a more active part of this organization.

Pr. Gretchen R. Naugle, Candidate for Province 6 Coordinator

Nominated by: Self

Qualification/Platform: Pr. Gretchen has recently transferred to the Diocese of Nebraska from the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, where she was ordained as a pastor in 1994. Her journey to the Episcopal Church began in 1996 when she, along with a Episcopal priest, served the ecumenical American Indian Church of Omaha for 5 years, and in 2002, served her first interim for the diocese--and has served two more interims and is about to begin yet another! Bishop Burnett has been wonderfullly supportive and encouraging throughout. Over the years, both before and since being ordained, she has had many close relationships with LGBT people and finally joined Integrity last summer, and would welcome the opportunity to become more involved--as a straight person who has a deep love for her many friends who are gay.

The Rev. Susan McCann, Candidate for Province 7 Coordinator

Nominated by: Barbi Click

Qualification/Platform: Because of her proven leadership abilities and passion for working for full inclusion of all the baptized in all the sacraments, Susan would help to strengthen Integrity’s presence and witness in Province VII. As Rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Liberty, Missouri, she has helped to transform a faith community into one that is radically welcoming and affirming of all people. Her belief that we are all created in God’s image and all perfectly and wonderfully made to love one another is lived out in every aspect of her life and ministry.

Susan prays and works for the day when the Church will move beyond tolerance to the joyful celebration of the diversity of the people of God. She “strives for justice and peace among all people” and believes that we are called “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with [our] God” (Micah 6:8). She initiated the development of the Grace-Liberty Integrity^USA Chapter and, as a catalyst for change, has empowered its members to become more actively involved in both the Church and the wider community to end discrimination against LGBT persons. Her parish hosted the “Inclusion Activism” training and recently she was interviewed for a film that is being prepared in preparation for General Convention 2009.

In May she will participate with clergy from across the country in HRC’s Clergy Call in Washington to lobby Congress for equal rights for GLBT persons. The vestry of the parish she serves, with the support of the Integrity Chapter, submitted a resolution to their Diocesan Convention for the establishment of a Listening Process. After it was adopted she was appointed by her Bishop to chair the committee that is developing and implementing the Listening Process so that the voices and faith journeys of LGBT persons can be heard by clergy and laity throughout the diocese. She is a strong advocate for marriage equality and recently went to California with three couples so that they could be married both in a civil ceremony and in an Episcopal Church.

Susan is recognized not only in the Church but also in the broader community for her tireless and passionate commitment to achieving equality and justice for all persons. Several years ago she received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Award and this year she was the recipient of the Kansas City Northland Diversity Award.

In the Diocese of West Missouri, Susan is the Dean of the Northern Deanery, and serves on the Commission on Ministry, Diocesan Council, Diocesan Finance Committee, Chair of the Academy for Lay Education and Formation, Sexual Abuse Prevention Co-Chair, Co-Chair of the Newly Ordained Clergy Program, and Chair of the Listening Process Committee.

Susan holds a B.A. from Mt. Holyoke College, an M.S.W. from the University of Kansas, and an M.Div. from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. She is married to John, also an Episcopal priest, and is the mother of two sons and a daughter.

Matt Haines, Candidate for Province 8 Coordinator

Nominated by: Bart Bartosh

Qualification/Platform: This year our membership voted to update the bylaws, streamlining the leadership structure of Integrity. Until recently, our regional vice presidents had the Herculean responsibility of both board governance and regional outreach. Provincial Coordinators can now focus more energy building relationships across diocesan lines. The creation of the more nimble Provincial Coordinator position allows for greater focus on supporting local efforts and a chance to better coordinate provincial efforts.

Successful church leaders require a team which can provide mentorship, skill building, and spiritual support. Chapter officers, Network Coordinators, and Circle leaders have much to share with one another. Facilitating discussion within this team will better equip these leaders for success in their respective ministries. Provincial Coordinators should build working relationships with leaders and consider hosting periodic retreats, trainings, and social functions to build team cohesion.

Covering sixteen dioceses in nine western states, Navaholand and the Diocese of Taiwan, Province Eight is one of the most diverse provinces of the Church. Honoring diversity calls for each of us to stretch outside of our ‘safe zones’. For some of us, this might require more actively listening to the voices of our bisexual, transgender, and heterosexual members. Reaching out to other groups on the margins is also necessary to live out our baptismal call. A Provincial Coordinator must find a way to honor the gifts of all people and encourage every local leader to ask the question, “Who is not represented at our table today?”

Matt Haines is a thirty-three year old gay man living in Salem Oregon and a member of Prince of Peace Episcopal Church. A life long Oregonian, he enjoys good coffee, good beer and great friends. Matt has helped facilitate a non-religious outreach for LGBTQ teens in Salem since 2001. For several years he helped coordinate Salem’s World AIDS Day observances. Matt has served in many parish ministries such as youth ministry, lay reading, communion ministry, and chairing the Stewardship Committee. He’s served as a delegate to Diocesan Convention and has served on committees at the convocation (deanery) level. Recently, Matt helped coordinated with other LGBT outreach groups to organize discussions of the film For the Bible Tells Me So throughout the Diocese. He attended Integrity’s “Inclusion Activism” training, which dove-tailed with his previous community organizing experiences. Matt enjoys serving as a Integrity Network Coordinator for the Diocese of Oregon and looks forward to volunteering as part of Integrity’s Core team at General Convention in Anaheim this July. Matt feels honored to be nominated for this position and looks forward to meeting and working with the communities of Province Eight.

Joshua Blackwood, Candidate for Stakeholders Council Chairperson

Nominated by: Self

Qualification/Platform: Josh joined integrity in the early part of 2007 and from the get go has been fired up about full inclusion of everyone. Josh became the Diocese Network Coordinator for the Diocese of Oregon and during his time he submitted (with the help of a deputy), supported, advocated, and saw the successful passage of a resolution advocating for a dialogue between Integrity and the Diocese as well as recognition of Integrity, its mission, and of the contributions of GLBT faithful in the diocese, to the 2007 diocese convention.

In 2008 Josh handed over the reigns of Oregon Integrity to Matt Haines and moved to the Diocese of Washington where he serves as the current Diocese Network Coordinator. His current projects include working on a diocese wide participation for DC’s Capitol Pride 2009. Josh hopes to be at GC 2009 to help support the repeal of B033, as well as advocate for a change in the current marriage rites to from gender specific to gender neutral to allow the church to bless and marry committed same sex couples.

Josh has many strengths and weaknesses, but we are not talking chocolate here. When he gets passionate about a cause, he puts blood, sweat and tears into it and sees it through to the end. It is his greatest strength and greatest weakness. In the past he has gotten burned out because he puts so much into his beliefs and causes. Josh has learned many a great thing over the past 33 years, and feels he is in a much better place now to really get behind those things he cares about and be a driving part of Integrity’s future and mission in the Episcopal Church.

God has called Josh to set aside any doubt he may have about his future in the church. We can not hold Christ hostage or use him as a bargaining chip when it comes to full inclusion. If we continue to deny all of the sacraments to all of the baptized, we run the danger of loosing the sheep to the wolves. Christ is the same, unchanging person who gave up his life so that ALL might be saved and we have a duty to continue to work towards full and complete inclusion without strings attached and without conditions. Josh’s work with Integrity is only the beginning of this path that God has placed before him.

As the chair of the stakeholder’s council, Josh will represent the council to the board of directors of Integrity USA and Integrity to the council. He will be a voice of reason to ensure that everyone who has something to say is heard, listened to and have their opinions matter to the entire organization. Josh will continue his goal to see that when the church says “we welcome you”, that it is not only meant, but put into action.

Gretchen Renfro, Candidate for Stakeholders Council Vice-Chairperson

Nominated by: The Rev. Susan McCann

Qualification/Platform: Gretchen and Kim, parents of three young boys, have shared a committed relationship for seventeen years. Accompanied by their children, parents, and priest, they married in California in a civil ceremony. Gretchen says, “The greatest blessing was our marriage that afternoon in an Episcopal Church. The day would have been perfect if our marriage could have been in our home parish with all our friends.

I am committed to Integrity’s mission, thankful for progress that has been made, and optimistic about the future. But still so much must be done to achieve full inclusion, certainly in our part of the country. We live in Missouri, a state with a constitutional amendment that prohibits marriage by LGBT persons. We live in the suburbs of a large metropolitan area dominated by voices who condemn people created by God to love someone of their own gender. My family found an oasis of inclusion and I welcome the opportunity to work with the Integrity Board and stakeholders to help create a Church that welcomes all in all dioceses and invites all into full participation in all the sacraments.”

Gretchen is Convener of Integrity Grace-Liberty. She is facilitating greater community involvement and helping members find their role and voice in working for justice. The highly diverse Chapter continues to grow. Her organizational skills are superb, and, coupled with her outstanding people-skills, Gretchen is an able consensus builder. She is a great listener and helps all group members feel that their voices are heard and opinions considered. Gretchen participated in Integrity’s Inclusion Activism workshop and her family is part of a film that will be distributed to Bishops and General Convention deputies.

Gretchen says, “My faith journey led me to the Episcopal Church after years of cautiously searching for a welcoming church that would provide a safe, spiritual home for our family. Since becoming active, our lives have changed significantly. We are growing in our knowledge and love of God and find great joy in being part of an affirming faith community. Our family is very active in the church. Kim chairs our Feeding Ministry and our boys love the church. They participate in Sunday School, two serve as acolytes, and the oldest is active in youth group. I serve on the Vestry, co-chair Radical Welcome, and am Convener of Integrity. Our Bishop appointed me to serve on a committee to develop a Listening Process for LGBT persons to share their faith journeys throughout the Diocese. I was a delegate to Diocesan Convention in 2008 and was elected again this year. In the community I am active in the Kansas City Welcoming Ministries Coalition, the AIDS Walk, and PRIDE.

I am a nurse practitioner who has cared for patients for twenty years, many affected by AIDS. I have worked extensively in Infectious Diseases in the VA Healthcare System. I am passionate about making the Episcopal Church and society places of justice for all people so the younger generation will know we are All One in Christ.”