During the 2001 inaugural conference that launched CLGS we were pleased to acknowledge and honor a number of outstanding individuals with the Center’s Leading Voice award. For all of us in attendance that day, it was a powerful moment of realizing anew that none of us undertakes the work of justice and inclusion alone. We are indeed “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses,” as the biblical writer put it, many of them pioneering the work CLGS undertakes today.

Many more people than any of us will ever know by name contribute to the Center’s mission. Throughout the Center’s programs CLGS staff members encounter many such individuals and communities working hard every day to advance the well-being of LGBT people and to transform faith communities for justice. Many of these will likely never receive an award for their efforts – though they certainly deserve one.

This portion of the CLGS website is devoted to those Leading Voices, all those we wish especially to acknowledge and publicly thank and honor for their outstanding witness and support for LGBT people. Some of these have given generously of their time or their money or both. Others have offered their witness at a price that has no dollar amount attached – with vocations denied, families split, or even physical safety threatened. These Leading Voices will soon appear here in this space and with our heartfelt gratitude.

CLGS Leading Voice Honorees

The CLGS Leading Voice Award honors those who lead us into the work of social justice and into broader visions of welcoming faith communities. We honor these voices as a way to lift up such courageous and inspiring witness in a religious and secular culture where such voices are far too often overlooked or unheard.

 Upcoming Leading Voice Award Events:

None Currently

Previous Honorees:

Rev. John Auer

Pastor,
First United Methodist Church
San Rafael, CA

Rev. Mary Elyn Bahlert

Lake Merritt United Methodist Church
Oakland, CA

Rev. Frank Baldwin

Senior Pastor, Orinda Community Church
Orinda, CA

Ms. Jeanne Barnett and Ms. Ellie Charlton

Folsom, CA 95630

Ms. Selisse Berry

Executive Director, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
San Francisco, CA

Rev. Gerry Brague

Mr. Jimmy Creech

Rev. Robert W. Cromey

Rector (retired), Trinity Episcopal Church
San Francisco, CA

Rev. Pat DeJong

First Congregational Church of Berkeley

Rev. Renae Extrum-Fernandez

Pastor, United Methodist Church
Walnut Creek, CA

Rev. Don Fado

St Mark’s United Methodist Church
Sacramento, CA

Professor Eliyahou Farajajé

Starr King School for the Ministry
Berkeley, CA

Bishop Yvette Flunder

Ark of Refuge United Church of Christ
San Francisco, CA

Rev. Ruth Frost

St Francis Lutheran Church
San Francisco, CA

Sister Bernie Galvin

San Francisco, CA

Mr. William Glenn

Mr. Scott Hafner

Hafner Vineyards

Rev. Nobuaki Hanaoka

Japanese United Methodist Church
Sacramento, CA 95823-1872

Rev. Esther Hargis

First Baptist Church of Berkeley
Berkeley, CA

Mr. Edwin Hawkins

Love Center Ministries
Oakland, CA 94603

Mrs. Mitzi Henderson

Menlo Park, CA

Rev. Glenda Hope

San Francisco Network Ministries

Rev. H. James Hopkins

Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church
Oakland, CA

Rev. Jeff V Johnson

St Francis Lutheran Church
San Francisco, CA 94114

Professor Joel Kahn

The Center for Jewish Studies
Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley, CA 94709

Mr. Jim Lowder

Executive Director
Habitat for Humanity

Ms. Phyllis Lyon

San Francisco, CA

Ms. Del Martin

San Francisco, CA

Rabbi Sydney Mintz

Congregation Emanu El
San Francisco, CA

Ms. Janice Mirikitani

Poet Laureate, City of San Francisco
Glide Memorial United Methodist Church

Rev. Elder Jim Mitulski

New Spirit Community Church
Berkeley, CA

Rev. Dr. Randle R. Mixon

Oakland, CA 94602

Rev. Dr. Penny Nixon

Former Senior Pastor,
Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco

Rev. Elder Dr. Troy D. Perry

Founder and Former Moderator
Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches

Rev. Lynice Pinkard

Pastor and activist

Mr. Phil Porter

Body Wisdom, Inc.
Oakland, CA 94612

Rev. Roger Ridgway

St. John’s United Church of Christ
San Francisco, CA 94127

Rev. Jim Schexnayder

Oakland, CA

Rev. Bradley E. Schmeling

Atlanta, GA

Father Zachary Shore

Most Holy Redeemer Church
San Francisco, CA

The Rt. Rev. Christopher Senyonjo

Retired Anglican Bishop of West Buganda, Uganda

Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith

Senior Pastor,
Allen Temple Baptist Church
Oakland, CA

The Rt. Rev. John Shelby and Christine M. Spong

Retired Episcopal Bishop of Newark, author, and activist

Ms. Sharon Stone

The Rt. Rev. William Swing

Episcopal Bishop of California (retired)

Lisa Thomas and Sue Swanson

Rev. Fran Tornquist

Grace Cathedral
San Francisco, CA

Rev. Cecil Williams

Pastor Emeritus
Glide Memorial United Methodist Church
San Francisco, CA 94102

Rev. Dr. D. Mark Wilson