LGBTQIA+ MINISTRY
Christ Church NYC is an open, affirming, & reconciling congregation of the United Methodist Church. We believe that God created every body as part of a cosmos colored by the vibrant spectrum of love & life, which is to say: we are each and all queerly & wonderfully made.
Our LGBTQIA+ ministry hosts opportunities to celebrate and connect around this good news from small groups & socials for LGBTQIA+ folk & allies to church-wide events that lift up the queer gifts within and beyond our community of faith.
Find out more about the ministry and our upcoming events below.
Berlin 2026
The LGBTQIA+ Ministry Trip to Berlin, Germany, starts next weekend. A team of 8 from our church community will be traveling from July 19-26 to spend a week exploring Berlin, learning about Christian anti-fascism in early 20th century German history, and celebrating Pride with Berlin area churches. Led by Rev. Tyler Heston Wolf and Hillary Bylund, who is a part of Christ Church and a scholar of Christian ethics, this unique trip will be a formative opportunity for the team to learn more about what our faith looks like lived out in tangible and transformative ways.
Stay tuned for updates from our Berlin trip on this webpage and on our Instagram at @ccnyc.pride!
Tuesday, July 21: We spent the morning brunching with Dr. Bertold Höcker, the former Superintendent of the Evangelical Church District of Berlin City Center, learning about his ministry over the decades and his experience as and advocating for LGBTQIA+ clergy and inclusion across the church and interfaith circles. After a hope-making morning of connecting, Hillary led us on a walking tour of Berlin. We saw some important sites of German history, thinking about the complex layers—the good, the horrific, the mundane—and about what it means to faithfully tell our own collective stories.
Monday, July 20: After storms in NYC grounded half of our team, we had our first official day in Berlin on Monday. We visited the Berliner Dom (the city’s cathedral) and enjoyed an opening dinner at the oldest bier garten in the Berlin. Not even sleepless flights could keep us from being present to the city, to each other, and to the questions and curiosities we’re bringing as we begin learning about Berlin through the life and work of activist and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Our closing circle at the end of the night unlocked just how much we have to learn about what faith looks like lived out in queer ways in our contemporary world.
Wednesday, July 22: In a rich morning workshop, Hillary taught us about different ways in which we relate to the past: What do we do with the past? What does the past do for us? What does the past do to us? These questions helped us frame our afternoon visit to the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum outside of Berlin, one of the first concentration camps built in the 1930s. We prayerfully walked the grounds, learning about the stie’s horrific history before a debriefing dinner together.
Co-hosted by the LGBTQIA+ ministries at Christ Church NYC and Marble Collegiate Church, the 2026 ILLUMINATE Day Retreat is a half-day opportunity for LGBTQIA+ and allied folk to withdraw from a typical weekend routine and connect in celebration of queer spirituality.
The retreat includes a conversation with special guest and Emmy-Award winning actor Jeff Hiller about what church to LGBTQIA+ people. Hosted by Rev. Tyler Heston Wolf, Minister for LGBTQIA+ Development at CCNYC, the day will begin with contemplative worship and conclude with opportunities to interact and reflect in community.
LGBTQIA+ Ministry Programming at Christ Church NYC:
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![LGBTQIA+ Ministry Brunch]()
Monthly Brunch
Every second Sunday, join friends old and new from the LGBTQIA+ ministry for brunch after church. Meet at 12:45 pm in coffee hour to walk to a restaurant nearby.
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![Queering the Dialogue]()
Queering the Dialogue
Our monthly interfaith dialogue group with Temple Emanu-El. Stay tuned for information about our 2026-27 programming to launch in September.
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![Berlin 2026]()
Berlin 2026
Our first-ever LGBTQIA+ ministry trip to Berlin is July 19-26, 2026. Registration is closed, but stay tuned for opportunities to learn about what the Berlin team is up to and for future travel opportunities!
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![The Bridge]()
The Bridge - Wednesday nights at CCNYC
Our Wednesday night gathering of supper, worship, and small groups includes an LGBTQIA+ small group. Find out more information here.
ILLUMINATE PODCAST:
A Storytelling Podcast from
the Christ Church NYC LGBTQIA+ Ministry
The ILLUMINATE podcast explores stories at the intersection of queerness and spirituality as Rev. Tyler Heston joins in meaningful conversations with members and friends of Christ Church NYC. Find episodes from season two here; all of our episodes are on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.