Chautauqua VP of Religion, Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson to Speak at St. Luke's on November 4th

St. Luke's Episcopal Church will welcome the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson on Sunday, November 4th as he marks the 15th anniversary of his consecration as Bishop of the Episcopal Church. The community is invited to attend an Adult Forum presented by the bishop at 9am in the church Undercroft. Bishop Robinson will also preach at the 8 and 10am services.

Bishop Robinson has served as Chautauqua Institution's Vice President of Religion since 2017, where he also serves as Senior Pastor and Chair of the President's Advisory Council on Faith in Society. During the forum at St. Luke's he will reflect on his journey as a bishop and the future of two of his cherished institutions - The Episcopal Church and Chautauqua Institution.

"I am looking forward to meeting all my Episcopal "relatives" at St. Luke's." Robinson says. "One of the best parts about now being at Chautauqua is getting to know my neighbors in the surrounding area."

Widely known as the first openly gay and partnered bishop in the Episcopal Church, Bishop Robinson was consecrated as the Bishop of New Hampshire on November 2, 2003 and served there until his retirement in 2013. Before coming to Chautauqua, he served as a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC. He is also a Senior Fellow at Auburn Seminary in NYC.

More recently the bishop has gained national recognition for his involvement in a project to inter the ashes of Matthew Shepard at the National Cathedral in Washington. Shepard, a 21-year-old college student from Wyoming, became a symbol for violence against the LGBTQ community after he died in 1998 as the result of a hate crime. As a final resting place for Shepard's remains, the National Cathedral will offer visitors from around the world a chance to reflect on his life's impact on human rights and civil issues affecting our world today.

"St. Luke's is delighted to welcome the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, and we are honored to celebrate the legacy of an individual who has embodied grace and gentleness." says the Rev. Luke Fodor, Rector of St. Luke's. "He has shown us that change is the one constant.  As institutions struggle to keep pace with change, Bishop Robinson invites us to allow our faith to be a dynamic and to lead us through life's ever-shifting landscape-seeking God's truth and a deeper relationship with our neighbors.  We are excited to hear his vision for the future of our beloved institutions, the Episcopal Church and Chautauqua Institution."

St. Luke's Episcopal Church is located at 410 North Main Street, Jamestown. Committed to the life and vitality of the city of Jamestown, St. Luke's works to bring informative and timely programs to the local community. For more information about the programs and other ministries of St. Luke's visit www.stlukesjamestown.org or call the church office at 716-483-6405.