Inaugural Prayer Service Includes First Out Gay Clergy Member

The Reverend Elder Nancy Wilson of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches gave a Scripture reading at today's event.

Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.

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Trudy Ring

January 22 2013 5:57 PM EST

November 17 2015 5:28 AM EST

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The LGBT-inclusive nature of President Obama's inauguration festivities carried over into today's Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., with the first participation by an openly gay clergy member.

The Reverend Elder Nancy L. Wilson, moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, a largely LGBT denomination, gave the first reading of Scripture, a passage from the book of Isaiah, at this morning's event. She was one of a diverse group of interfaith clergy to participate in the service, which was attended by President Obama and Vice President Biden.

In a blog post she wrote for the pro-LGBT interfaith group Believe Out Loud before the event, Wilson said she expected to be "exalting" at the service. "This exaltation is not for myself but for the millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people who have longed for a safe place to call home," she wrote. "Whether spiritual or physical, we need safe homes." In a statement released through GLAAD, she added, "President Obama prayerfully and respectfully stood up for LGBT equality during his campaign, and I am proud to stand with him."

This was the 57th inaugural prayer service, and officials with the National Cathedral confirmed that Wilson was the first openly gay clergy member to participate. Video of the entire service is available at the National Cathedral's website; it can be viewed with Microsoft Silverlight or Windows Media Player.