A Service of Solidarity with Exeter Pride will take place in St Petrock’s Church on the High Street at 10.45am on Saturday 11th May.

Fr Nigel Guthrie writes:-

Exeter Pride has become an established annual event in the city. The Christian churches find it hard to agree (to put it mildly) on matters of sexuality, yet there are members of many churches who want to signal that all people, regardless of orientation, are welcome as part of church communities.

Sadly this is not always apparent from Christians who are quite keen to throw the first stone (metaphorically) at people who do not conform to a perceived ‘norm’. At the very least I wish our churches to be seen as safe places where people of all sexual orientations can come without fear of prejudice to find God’s grace

St Michael’s Church has for a number of years offered a service of Matins before Exeter Pride, but the main organiser of that event, David Beadle, has now moved away. So I looked into the possibility of holding a service before Exeter Pride at a church nearer the parade and the PCC of Central Parish kindly offered St Petrock’s Church for the service.

This year there will be a somewhat shorter service of Blessing on Saturday 11th May starting at 10.45am at St Petrock’s and finishing by 11.30 in time for participants to join the parade if they wish. The Revd. Hannah Alderson has helped to plan the service along with Phil Baker, Reader in St Thomas Parish. An address will be given by Canon Chris Palmer, Chancellor of Exeter Cathedral. Do please come and join in this service if you are able to.