New York congregation’s LGBTQ+ ministries inspire off-Broadway musical ‘Saturday Church’

[Episcopal News Service] Welcoming and supporting the LGBTQ+ community of New York’s West Village is nothing new for St. Luke in the Fields Episcopal Church.

The congregation has been an active and affirming presence in its neighborhood at least since the 1980s, when it was known for openly ministering to people living with and dying from HIV/AIDS. And for decades, on Saturday evenings St. Luke in the Fields has been a hub for activity through its community dinners, now promoted as Art and Acceptance gatherings.

What’s new now is the spotlight: St. Luke in the Fields’ ministries have inspired an off-Broadway musical, “Saturday Church,” which is based on a 2017 movie of the same name.

The production at the New York Theatre Workshop tells the story of the New York teen called Ulysses. “A chance encounter on the subway introduces him to the world of Saturday Church, a sanctuary for LGBTQ+ youth,” according to the production’s plot summary. “Caught between two worlds, Ulysses wrestles with family and faith as he strives to find the place where he can love and be loved—in all his fabulousness.”

For church members and leaders at St. Luke in the Fields, that theatrical spotlight has been a pleasant surprise — and an affirmation of their call to be an inclusive Christian presence in their urban neighborhood.

Until the show opened, “we had no idea … that this was in the works,” the Rev. Caroline Stacey, St. Luke in the Fields’ rector, told Episcopal News Service, adding that the musical’s significance is bigger than just their church. “Anything that connects the world that most people live in and the joy of the Gospel is a good thing.”

Last week, Stacey and other church staff members attended a performance of “Saturday Church” and were joined by New York Bishop Matthew Heyd. The production is due to run through Oct. 24, after which, time will tell whether it is able to move up to a Broadway theater.

“It’s a spectacular show,” the Rev. Andrew Ancona, senior associate priest, told ENS. He oversees outreach ministries at St. Luke in the Fields, including the Art and Acceptance dinners on Saturdays that inspired the musical. Ancona called the show “a wonderful representation of … the kind of chosen family that exists within the queer community, and the way that the church comes alongside that.”

“Saturday Church” was created by Damon Cardasis, who wrote and directed the original 2017 movie after visiting St. Luke in the Fields’ Art and Acceptance dinners. Cardasis describes himself as “the gay son of a female Episcopal priest,” and it was his mother who first suggested he check out the church’s gatherings.

“I thought it was fascinating that there was a program that was helping and providing social services to a lot of at-risk, LGBTQ+ youth, especially given the sort of contentious relationship between Christianity and this community,” Cardasis said in an interview with NY1’s “On Stage” TV show.

Cardasis’ movie caught the attention of Australian pop music star Sia, who signed on to provide the music and lyrics for the stage adaptation at New York Theatre Workshop, which opened on Aug. 27.

Its message is simple but timeless. “God loves each of us for who we are,” Ancona said.

That also is the spirit he and other church leaders bring to the Art and Acceptance dinners. They draw people from the neighborhood and across the city, usually 50 or more each Saturday from 4-7 p.m. The event starts with the meal, sometimes provided by local restaurants. It then transitions to fellowship time and various arts-influenced activities, from painting and music to fashion and dancing — “anything that allows us to express the fullness of who we are,” Ancona said.

“We also want to take care of the folks who come to us in other ways,” he said, and for those living on the economic margins of the city, that might mean opportunities to learn about local social-service supports or the congregation’s other feeding and clothing ministries.

For St. Luke in the Fields, being LBTQ+ inclusive “doesn’t mean just saying we’re glad you’re here,” Ancona said. “It means uplifting the experiences of queer people and making sure they’re loved.”

The congregation’s Sunday services draw about 160 worshippers a week. And though the Art and Acceptance dinners on Saturday aren’t intended to fill the pews the next morning, Stacey said she thinks “Saturday Church” will help raise general awareness about ways church can still bring people together in an increasingly secular society.

“It’s about uplifting and celebrating the work of the Holy Spirit in the world today, creating communities of belonging,” Stacey said. “I hope it becomes a gateway for people to see the reality of God’s work.”

– David Paulsen is a senior reporter and editor for Episcopal News Service based in Wisconsin. He can be reached at dpaulsen@episcopalchurch.org.