Rev. Dr Megan Rohrer has joined the growing list of individuals making LGBTQ+ history within the church.
On Saturday (11 September), Rohrer became the first out transgender bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The ceremony took place in San Francisco and saw the attendance of nearly 65 bishops from an array of ELCA synods.
Under their new role, Rohrer is set to serve a six-year term as the bishop of 200 congregations in both California and Nevada.
Before their confirmation, they opened up about the history-making position in a press release.
“I step into this role because a diverse community of Lutherans in Northern California and Nevada prayerfully and thoughtfully voted to do a historic thing,” Roher said.
“My installation will celebrate all that is possible when we trust God to shepherd us forward.”
The two-day induction also included a charity roller skating event, an interfaith memorial service for 9/11 and a listening session from the first Latinx transgender pastor, Rev Nicole Garcia.
“During all the difficulties we have encountered through the pandemic, it is more important than ever to celebrate joy, hope and love everywhere that we find it,” they said.
Rohrer’s induction has been praised by numerous church officials including Ross Murray, the ELCA deacon and senior director of the GLAAD Media Institute.
In a statement to The Advocate, Murray praised Rohrer and their long history within the church.
“While Bishop Rohrer’s installation is a historic step in LGBTQ leadership in the church, it is a continuation of the ministry that Bishop Rohrer has been doing for their whole ministry,” they said.
“They recognize the face of God in the marginalized and the privileged and focus their ministry on youth, the homeless, people of colour, LGBTQ people, and others historically left out of the life of the church.”
We love to see this LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church.
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