OASIS Plans for Heritage of Pride NYC June 29th

The Episcopal Diocese of New York has invited The OASIS to participate with them in the annual LGBT Pride March on Sunday, June 29th 2008.

The meeting place for the March is 53rd Street between 5th and Madison Avenues. Step off time is expected to be 1:30 PM

Integrity New York City will sponsor a Street Eucharist on 53rd Street prior to the March at 12:45 PM. The Most Reverend Carlos Touché-Porter, Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Church of Mexico, will be celebrant.

After the march (at 6:30 PM) there will be a Festive Choral Evensong at the Church of St. Luke in the Fields, located at 487 Hudson Street just below Christopher Street. The Most Reverend Carlos Touché-Porter, Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Church of Mexico, will preach, and a reception will follow on the grounds.

Let My People Go: A Service of Liberation

Come join us Sunday, January 13th, 2008, at 3pm for a celebration of Lessons & Carols Commemorating the U.S. Bicentennial of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

The Right Rev. Mark Sisk, Episcopal Bishop of New York, will be joined at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine by actors, dancers, musicians, readers and a mass choir in an inter-denominational, cross-diocesan celebration.

On display will be multimedia scenes from slavery in New York from the New York and Brooklyn Historical societies, and clips from the New York Reparations Committee's resource guide to Katrina Browne's documentary Traces of the Trade.

Supporting organizations include the Diocese of New York, the Diocese of Long Island, the Diocese of Newark, the Diocese of New Jersey, the Riverside Church, Episcopal Social Justice Ministries, the Episcopal Church's Washington office, and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine. The Cathedral is located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in New York City.

World AIDS Day Service Dec. 1st

The World AIDS Day Eucharist service for the Episopal Diocese of Newark will take place Saturday, December 1st, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity & St. Philip's Cathedral, 608 Broad Street, Newark, N.J.

The celebrant for the service is the Very Rev. C. David Williams, Dean of the Cathedral. The Rev. Joseph Harmon, Rector of the Church of the Incarnation in Jersey City will preach.

In the midst of the service will musical offerings by the gospel choir of the Liberation in Truth Unity Fellowship, a congregation which is resident at the Cathedral.

The plate at the offering will benefit "Loving in Truth" the HIV/AIDS Ministry of Liberation in Truth.

A luncheon will follow at 24 Rector Street, Newark.

A free HIV testing van will be available at both the service and the lunch.

The service is sponsored by the OASIS Commission (the LGBTi ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark), the Justice Ministries HIV/AIDS Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, and the Liberation in Truth Unity Fellowship.

A Retreat with Dr. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott

The OASIS Commission, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark for the LGBTi communities, presents a facilitated weekend retreat Jan. 11th-13th with Dr. Virginia Ramey Mollenkott (Author, Feminist Theologian, Scholar and Academician) at beautiful Mt. Paul in Oak Ridge, N.J. The theme of the retreat -- which is available to and appropriate for anyone -- is "Trans-Spirituality, Trans-Religion, Trans-Gender & Transforming"

Dr. Mollenkott offers these definitions: "I understand 'trans-gender' to be an umbrella term for all people who transgress our society's dominant gender paradigm: gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, intersexual, unconventional-heterosexual, and any other transgender people. By 'trans-religious' I refer to the themes of universal compassion and justice common to the great world religions. By 'transforming' I refer to both personal and societial healing."

The facilitated retreat begins with supper on Friday night and continues through Saturday afternoon. Personal retreat and reflection time follows on Saturday evening and Sunday, concluding with lunch.

Retreat cost is $125 including workshops, two nights accommodation and five meals. Advance registration and payment is required. Register at oasisnewark.org today.