Ministerial vestments, or stoles, are silky, regal and, in a traveling exhibit, represent "a radical welcome for LGBT people of faith." The new exhibit opens Friday at Clearwater's Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

It all started when, in 1995, Presbyterian minister Martha Juillerat was threatened with being defrocked after she came out as a lesbian. On the day she was scheduled to set aside her ordination, she asked gay and lesbian colleagues to send their stoles to be displayed to show just how many LGBTQ clergy members existed.

Overnight, she received a "shower" of 80 stoles. The stoles of support kept coming and now number more than 1,300 from many religious denominations. The collection has been named the Shower of Stoles Project, a touring exhibition.

Now, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church will host a portion of the exhibit.

"We were looking for a way to show we love everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation," said Karen Owen, a Holy Trinity church council member and exhibit organizer. "We came across the Shower of Stoles exhibit and thought it would be an opportunity to demonstrate our radical welcome for LGBT people of faith in the community."

This portion of the exhibit features 30 liturgical stoles accompanied by the stories those who once owned them.

"Each stole has a story, some very poignant," Owen said. "Yet some of the stoles have been donated as thanksgiving and have stories of welcome, love and the ability to openly serve."

Knowing June is Pride month, the church council decided to host the exhibit in May to give the community time to reflect on their own sexuality and know Holy Trinity is a safe haven for worship.

"Holy Trinity has always said we are a welcoming congregation," said the Rev. Randall Hehr. "In an atmosphere where the LGBT community may be dealing with one church and feel condemned, there are other churches on the other end of the spectrum. "We want to use this opportunity to be clearly identified in the Tampa Bay community as a welcoming, loving place."