Warren Zeh

This is one of about thirty stoles donated to the collection over the years by the members of Rutgers Presbyterian Church in New York in honor of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members, many of whom hold leadership positions within the congregation and in the Presbytery of New York City. 

Warren Zeh was an ordained Presbyterian minister who devoted his heart and soul to advocacy on behalf of people with AIDS.  He worked for the Gay Men's Health Crisis in New York, chaired the AIDS Task Force for the Presbytery of New York City and served on the national Presbyterian AIDS Network for several years.  Warren passed away in 1996.  At his memorial service, Rev. David Cockcroft said of Warren, "Never did he deny his Christian calling in a work environment which was often hostile to the Church."  And I would add: Never did he deny his sexuality in a church which was often hostile to his very being.

A second stole was donated to the Shower of Stoles collection in Warren's honor by Presbyterian Welcome in 2002 (stole #898).

Established in 1798 in lower Manhattan, Rutgers has a long history of involvement in social justice and community development issues.  Rutgers is a More Light congregation, working for the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the life and leadership of the Presbyterian Church.  Along with More Light Presbyterians, Rutgers is a sponsor of Presbyterian Welcome (an affiliate of That All May Freely Serve) and the Covenant Network in their common pursuit for the end of discrimination against LGBT persons in the Presbyterian Church.

Martha Juillerat
Founder, Shower of Stoles Project
2006