Mount Vernon church embraces Pride Month with gallery exhibit from LGBTQ+ artists

BALTIMORE -- Emmanuel Episcopal Church, in Baltimore's Mount Vernon community, is embracing Pride Month by celebrating LGBTQ+ artists.

Inside the church is a gallery exhibition that highlights love and identity in the community. Rev. Anne Marie Richards told WJZ the mission is to welcome everyone with compassion.

"Really trying to highlight the inclusion of all gods, people, because we believe that love is love is love," Richards said.

Throughout Pride Month, the outward expression of the church's mission will be through the  exhibit titled "Pride by Gallery Blue Door."

"We started thinking about things we could do," Richards said. "We have done a concert for a couple of years and we are doing that again this year. And Chris, my music director, said, 'We should do a gallery show' and I immediately said, 'Yes, great idea,' and I know exactly who to call."

Scott Goergens, director of Gallery Blue, is excited to showcase the work of local LGBTQ+ artists throughout the month.

"It's important personally because, being a gay man, I feel like I wanted others to have that space like I have," Goergens said. "The galleries in the city, at a point and time, they were diminishing, and I wanted to bring that to the city and to the neighborhood."

Richards says the exhibit is curated and designed to welcome and affirm all people.

"Emmanuel has a long history of being an open and inclusive and affirming congregation," Richards said.

The exhibit at Emmanuel Episcopal Church opened Friday and will be open for the remainder of the month.