DETROIT, Aug 31, 2026 — Fifty years after The Episcopal Church affirmed “full and equal” treatment for gay and lesbian people, Bishop Bonnie A. Perry will be speaking at a three-day gathering commemorating the historic milestone and reflecting on the church’s ongoing journey toward LGBTQ+ inclusion.
“Full & Equal: 50 Years in Pursuit of a Promise” will bring together church leaders, clergy, parishioners and others Sept. 3-5. The event takes place in Minneapolis, site of the 65th General Convention in 1976 where the church adopted its landmark resolution that “homosexual persons are children of God who have a full and equal claim with all other persons upon the love, acceptance, and pastoral concern and care of the Church.”
Perry, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, will be part of a discussion on Friday, Sept. 4, titled “The Story of Next,” covering what lies ahead as the church embraces new opportunities and challenges.
“It’s easy to forget there was a time when the LGBTQ+ community didn’t have the rights and protection we have today,” said Perry. “While The Episcopal Church’s leadership was important in 1976, we still have work to do to in making sure all members of our community know they are seen, heard and valued.”
Perry made history in June 2019 when she was the first woman and first openly lesbian priest elected as an Episcopal bishop in Michigan. She is expected to be joined on the panel by The Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. In 2003 Robinson became the church’s first openly gay priest to be consecrated a bishop.
About The Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
Organized in 1832, the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan consists of 76 worshipping communities and more than 14,000 baptized members in the southeastern and south-central regions of Michigan. The Rt. Rev. Dr. Bonnie A. Perry was consecrated on Feb. 8, 2020, as the 11th bishop of the diocese. Prior to her election as bishop, Perry spent 27 years as rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Chicago, one of the largest and the most active congregations in the Diocese of Chicago.
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