Integrity USA

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Integrity USA, also stylised as IntegrityUSA, Integrity: the Episcopal Rainbow and Integrity, Inc is a nonprofit organization that claims to work with the Episcopal Church in the United States (TEC) for the full inclusion of LGBTQ members and their allies.

Beginning in 2018, following a series of board resignations and controversy over allegations of recent mismanagement, financial misconduct, and lack of transparency,[1] the organization and its future is a focus of scrutiny within the Christian press, nonprofit corporate law,[2][3] and members of the LGBTQ community.[4]

At its zenith, Integrity USA had been the leading grassroots voice for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in The Episcopal Church and for equal access to its rites, securing most of its goals in 2015.

Founding[]

Integrity was founded in 1974 by Louie Crew in rural Georgia, US.[5][6]

Crew, who was on a teaching fellowship in San Francisco, telephoned the reportedly progressive Grace Episcopal Cathedral, asking if they could help him and his partner meet other gay Episcopalians. The derisive laughter he heard in response prompted him to start a newsletter to help LGBTQ members of the Episcopal Church support each other in a hostile ecclesiastical environment.

Crew penned the lead editorial himself:[7]

Integrity derives from integer, Latin for 'entire.' All Christian wholeness demands affirmation of God ordained sexuality; and gays and straights alike are Charged with the responsibility of using their sexuality in healthy human sharing rather than perversely trying to change or exchange the Gift of God.

Across the country, people saw the newsletter advertised in both church and LGBTQ publications. They organized into a handful of chapters and gathered 200 Episcopalians the following year for a national convention. The newsletter grew into a magazine, which was published in print format until 2007.

Often working in coalitions[8] with both secular and other faith-based groups, Integrity had been instrumental in advancing the claim LGBTQ Episcopalians were making for equal protection and opportunity. Through its many ministries, Integrity stood at the forefront of LGBTQ acceptance[9] within The Episcopal Church.

2018–2021: "Instability and Uncertainty"[]

Integrity USA elected a board president to a three-year term in June 2018, but late that year she went on leave, which Integrity USA's board didn't announce to membership for over a year. Integrity's president did not return to serve upon the board until September 2019.

In 2018, the Illinois Secretary of State involuntarily dissolved Integrity USA's incorporation status after Integrity's board failed to file their annual financial report.[10] A 2019 Episcopal News Service investigative report revealed that nearly $400,000 in lost Integrity USA net assets remains unaccounted over the course of two years.[11]

Between March and June 2019, three Integrity USA board members had resigned, leaving only one elected board member. Integrity announced via Twitter that two employees of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina had been appointed to the board.[12] Integrity USA's address changed to Kinston, NC, the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina.

By October 2019, Integrity USA was described by the Episcopal News Service as "a shadow of its former self, beset by struggles with leadership, finances, and communication,"[13] with the board's term marked by "instability and uncertainty."[14]

In late November 2019, ten days after her published statement defending homophobic and misogynistic slurs used by Integrity's leadership against membership,[15] Integrity USA's president resigned, citing the need to spend more time with her family.[16] Integrity USA Founder Louie Crew Clay died two days later on November 27, 2019.[17]

As further appointments to the organization's board were made in contravention of Integrity USA's bylaws, the legitimacy of Integrity USA's leadership and future elections have been placed in doubt by some remaining membership.[18]

In 2020, multiple former presidents called for Integrity USA's dissolution.[19][20][21][22]

1974–2018: "Programs and Activities"[]

Integrity has had official representation at every triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church since 1977.

The organization's members have helped draft and gather support for the legislative resolutions by which the church's official stance has evolved from denial to tolerance to welcome.[23] The Integrity Eucharist at General Convention, once held on the margins, became an event that at its zenith in 2012 drew nearly 2,000 worshipers. Some resolutions towards equality that Integrity had helped to achieve included:

  • Official prohibition of discrimination against gays and lesbians in 1976.[24]
  • Ordination of the first openly gay priest in TEC in 1977.
  • Passage of a resolution apologizing for past "sins" against gay and lesbian people in 1977.
  • The General Convention spoke out against hate crimes based on sexual orientation and encouraged federal officials to take action against such violence in 1985.
  • Public denouncement of the then-popular belief that AIDS was "the punishment of God upon homosexual persons" in 1985.
  • A resolution explicitly affirming that gay, lesbian and bisexual people could not be refused ordination in the Episcopal Church for that reason alone in 1994.
  • The election, confirmation and consecration of the first openly gay bishop in 2003.[25]
  • Passage of a resolution supporting the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), inclusive of gender identity in 2008.
  • Adoption of four resolutions addressing gender identity and transgender individuals in 2009. Two of them supported enactment of civil sector anti-discrimination and hate crimes legislation protecting transgender people at local, state, and federal levels.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Episcopal LGBT Advocacy Group Head Resigns amid Allegations of Mismanagement". www.christianpost.com. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  2. ^ "Leadership with Integrity". 2020. The board must engage its membership and open board meetings to allow for normal governance with appropriate input from all classes of membership. The board must call for an open board meeting with all classes of membership no later than May 22, 2020 to allow all classes of membership and stakeholders to hold the board accountable to the questions surrounding transparency and governance. Should the deadlines pass without action, I will seek remedy by filing a formal complaint with the Illinois Attorney General and other legal recourse as allowed under Illinois law.
  3. ^ "General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986". Illinois Compiled Statutes. (805 ILCS 105/): Ch. 32, par. 108.35. 1986 – via Illinois General Assembly. Sec. 108.35. Removal of directors. (c) In the case of a corporation with members entitled to vote for directors, no director may be removed, except as follows: (2) No director shall be removed at a meeting of members entitled to vote unless the written notice of such meeting is delivered to all members entitled to vote on removal of directors. Such notice shall state that a purpose of the meeting is to vote upon the removal of one or more directors named in the notice. Only the named director or directors may be removed at such meeting. (4) If a director is elected by a class of voting members entitled to vote, directors or other electors, that director may be removed only by the same class of members entitled to vote, directors or electors which elected the director.
  4. ^ "Facing financial struggles and board resignations, Integrity apologises for lack of transparency". www.episcopalnewsservice.org. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  5. ^ Peterson, Kirk (November 29, 2019). "Pioneering LGBT Activist Louie Crew Clay Dies at 82". The Living Church. Louie Crew, as he was known most of his life, founded IntegrityUSA, a gay-acceptance group within the Episcopal Church, in 1974. This began a career as both a champion of the LGBT community and a target for opponents of the burgeoning gay rights movement.
  6. ^ Written at The Archives of the Episcopal Church. "Gay Leader Asked to Leave His Local Church". Episcopal News Service (Episcopal News Service. April 8, 1976 [76125]). 606 Rathervue Place, Austin, Texas 78705. April 8, 1976. FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Vestry of St. Luke's Episcopal Church here has written to communicant Dr. Louie Crew telling him: "We would all be pleased if you would find some other place of worship that may be more in sympathy to your thinking and efforts towards Gay people."CS1 maint: location (link)
  7. ^ "November 1974 [HTML]". Integrityusa.org. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  8. ^ Meredith Bischoff (June 12, 2012). "Organizational Partners of the Institute for Welcoming Resources". Welcomingresources.org. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  9. ^ "LGBT in the Church". Episcopal Church. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  10. ^ Fry, Rev. Gwen. "An Update from Integrity USA's President – November 15, 2019". www.integritylistensandspeaks.org. Integrity Listens and Speaks.
  11. ^ Millard, Egan (October 18, 2019). "Facing financial struggles and board resignations, Integrity apologizes for lack of transparency". Episcopal News Service. ...Integrity’s struggle to stay afloat in a radically changing environment runs deeper. According to IRS filings, Integrity had $516,152 in net assets at the start of 2013 and had been taking in well over $200,000 per year for the preceding several years. By 2015, the last year it filed a full return to the IRS, Integrity reported $134,029 in net assets.
  12. ^ "Twitter: Integrity USA". June 18, 2019. In May, we appointed a new Treasurer, the Rev’d Fred Clarkson, & a new Secretary & Director of Communications, Lindsey Harts. Both Lindsey & Fred are on staff in @EpiscopalECDio
  13. ^ "Facing financial struggles and board resignations, Integrity apologises for lack of transparency". www.episcopalnewsservice.org. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  14. ^ "Facing financial struggles and board resignations, Integrity apologises for lack of transparency". www.episcopalnewsservice.org. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  15. ^ Fry, Rev. Gwen (November 15, 2019). "Statement by Integrity USA's President Regarding Bruce Garner's Private Facebook Comments – November 15, 2019". An Update from Integrity USA President – November 15, 2019.
  16. ^ "Episcopal LGBT Advocacy Group Head Resigns amid Allegations of Mismanagement". www.christianpost.com. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  17. ^ "RIP Louis Crew Clay, Integrity Founder and Champion of Inclusion, dies at 82". www.episcopalnewsservice.org. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  18. ^ "Integrity President Resigns amid Mounting Criticism". www.episcopalnewsservice.org. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  19. ^ "former presidents call for group's dissolution". www.episcopalnewsservice.org. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  20. ^ Walton, Jeffrey (September 29, 2020). "Integrity Renamed "The Episcopal Rainbow"". Anglican. Juicy Ecumenism. Update: Two years after this post was originally published, Integrity USA continues to identify with its historic name rather than “The Episcopal Rainbow” announced at the 2018 Episcopal General Convention. The Episcopal News Service (ENS) reports that Gwen Fry resigned from the organization in November 2019 after criticism from members over perceived mismanagement. Fry was replaced in January 2020 with seminarian Ron Ward and currently serves in the Episcopal Diocese of Maine as well as on the church’s Task Force to Develop Model Anti-Sexual Harassment Policies & Safe Church Training. Several former Integrity USA officials have called for the organization’s dissolution.
  21. ^ Barrett, Rev. Dr. Ellen Marie (January 11, 2020) [2020]. "From the Reverend Doctor Ellen Marie Barrett, First Co-President of Integrity". Integrity USA. Facebook. In response to the upcoming so-called election Integrity is about to hold, let me say this as one of Integrity's original co-presidents: The last few years have been an increasingly shambolic travesty of the organization Louie founded and I was honoured to help grow from its infancy. It is no pun but a simple truth to say that its mission, its heart, and especially its integrity has been utterly lost. I am convinced that it is time and past time to admit IntegrityUSA is dead and to stop pretending anything else. We can end the fiasco while the memory of Louie's vision and our good work is still alive, or allow it to decompose in dishonour. The work that still needs doing can only be accomplished by something born from these ashes. But that can only happen if we bury the corpse.
  22. ^ Ellis, Fred (2020). "selection from: Integrity USA: Time to Let Go". To date I have observed, and reserved comment. As a former President, 1994–98, I can no longer do that. It is time for us to sunset Integrity USA as we currently know it. Several of us proposed that prior to GC 2018, but were told the board had a plan. Didn't happen. We are now being asked to give it more time. Time has passed. It is time to move on, honoring our past. Hopefully a new group can continue the work that remains. Many of us care too much about Integrity to continue the current sham.
  23. ^ "Where The Episcopal Church Stands on LGBT Issues". Integrityusa.org. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  24. ^ "Acts of Convention: Resolution # 1976-A069". Episcopalarchives.org. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  25. ^ "Acts of Convention: Resolution # 2003-C045". Episcopalarchives.org. Retrieved March 11, 2017.

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