page_title: St. Thomas' Parish (Washington, D.C.)
section_title: Traditions
hierarchical_section_title: St. Thomas' Parish (Washington, D.C.) / Traditions
caption_attribution_description: English: St. Thomas' Parish located at 1772 Church Street, NW in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
context_page_description: St. Thomas' Parish is an Episcopal church in Washington, D.C.. It is part of the Diocese of Washington.
context_section_description: St. Thomas' has long considered itself "an inclusive and welcoming congregation." It played a supportive role in the movements for civil rights for blacks and women as far back as the early 1960s, and later for gays and lesbians. During the 1970s, St. Thomas' was one of the few churches that welcomed IntegrityUSA, the organization of gay Episcopalians who did not feel welcome in their own parishes, to celebrate Holy Eucharist in its worship space. As a result, the parish became the spiritual base for a number of gay and lesbian Episcopalians. St. Thomas' also distinguished itself as a place for memorial services and funerals for people who died from AIDS, whether or not the person had been a member of the parish.
  In 1992 St. Thomas' called as its senior minister, or Rector, the Rev. James Holmes, an openly gay priest in a committed relationship with his partner of more than 15 years. Then in 1998, St. Thomas' developed one of the earliest liturgies in the Episcopal Church for the blessing of same-sex unions.
  After Rev. Holmes retired in 2002, the parish was served for the next two years by an interim rector, the Rev. Elizabeth Carl. Rev. Carl was the first woman openly living in a lesbian relationship to be ordained by the Episcopal Church in June 1991.
  In December 2004, The Rev. Dr. Nancy Lee Jose was called to be St. Thomas' eighth rector, and the first woman to hold that position. Jose retired the summer of 2016. In October 2016, the Rev. Alex Dyer became the Priest in Charge.
  The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, has long been a friend and supporter of the ministries of St. Thomas' Parish.  Following his election as the first openly gay bishop in the Anglican Communion, Bishop Robinson visited St. Thomas' to talk about his personal experiences and his perspectives on the leadership of gay and lesbian persons in the church.
  Today, St. Thomas' is transforming once again to reflect the diversity of the Dupont Circle neighborhood. Young, single and married persons—both straight and LGBT—make up a growing percentage of the population, and as a result more infants, children and youth have become members of the congregation. The parish provides opportunities for education and spiritual formation for all parishioners, including Sunday activities before and after worship, events throughout the week, and special seasonal programs.
caption: Remains of the original sanctuary
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