Integrity/Knoxville Gathers to Celebrate

by Nancy Mott
Integrity/Knoxville Convener
The Rev. Michael Hopkins, president of Integrity, Inc., will be celebrant and preacher Tuesday, February 6, as Integrity/Knoxville gathers to celebrate the organization's sixth birthday. The special Eucharist will take place at 7:00 p.m. at St. Michael and All Angels' Episcopal Church(Tyson House), Knoxville.

The theme of the service, also marking the Feast of St. Cornelius, will be the Spirit's embrace of all persons. The outpouring of the Spirit on Cornelius, his wife and his household was the first example to the Church of the Spirit's surprising inclusion of "outsiders."

Fr. Hopkins has served for the last ten years as vicar of St. George's Episcopal Church in Glenn Dale, Maryland. During this time the congregation has experienced extraordinary growth: At present they anticipate the completion of a 2+ million dollar multi-purpose facility and the process of attaining parish status.

Fr. Hopkins has served as president of Integrity's national organization since 1998, having been Director of Communications prior to that. His life partner, Mr. John Clinton Bradley, is vice president for Integrity's Southeastern Region.

Integrity, founded in 1974 by Dr. Louis Crew in rural Georgia, is the leading grassroots voice for the inclusion of all persons regardless of sexual orientation in the full life and ministry of the Church. Its membership, both locally and nationally, includes a large percentage of straight Episcopalians as well as lesbians and gay men.
The birthday celebration February 6 will be followed with refreshments, fellowship and an opportunity for discussion with Fr. Hopkins.

All are cordially invited to participate in this or any Integrity service. St. Michael and All Angels is located at 824 Melrose Place on the U.T. campus. (Exit I40 to Seventeenth Street which becomes Melrose after crossing Cumberland. Church is on the left at the end of a short block.) Parking is available in the U.T. parking lot at the southwestern corner of Cumberland and Melrose. For further information, call 637-8801.