A newly elected bishop within the Lutheran church clergy has progressive plans to advocate for the LBGTQIA community.

Rev.Paul Egensteiner, the new bishop elected to lead the Metropolitan New York Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church, is working to break the barriers between the LGBTQIA community and the church with hopes of creating more diversity.

“In a sense to be welcoming and to be inclusive is not just a choice, but a mandate because that's how God treats us,” says Rev. Paul Egensteiner.

That mandate to welcome others is what Rev. Egensteiner believes the ministry of the church should be about.

“We hope to be leading the church in the direction with a very progressive social ministry agenda that is very sensitive to the needs of her neighbors,” says Rev. Egensteiner.

Last year the Metropolitan New York Synod walked alongside LGBTQIA members at the New York City pride march.

“There's a sense that the church then becomes home, and there's a really positive response from the LGBTQ community,” says Rev. Egensteiner.

The organization hopes to encourage other churches from various denominations to join in.

Rev. Egensteiner says he has plans to participate in the New York City pride march at the end of the month alongside more Brooklyn pastors.