GALA 2026: Sacred Rebels

Sunday, October 18, 2026

6 pm Eastern • 5 pm Central • 4 pm Mountain • 3 pm Pacific

Join us on Sunday, October 18, as LGBTQ-RAN celebrates 25 years of preserving and proclaiming LGBTQ religious history at our annual online GALA. This year's celebration will honor five extraordinary Sacred Rebels whose courage and leadership have transformed the lives of LGBTQ+ people of faith.

We'll also recognize the next generation of leaders by announcing our three 2026 Today's Changemakers. These emerging LGBTQ+ faith advocates and leaders are already making a lasting impact. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we introduce this year's Today's Changemakers!

We invite you and your friends to join us for this joyful online celebration featuring inspiring messages from our honorees, a celebration of 25 years of LGBTQ-RAN's work, and an opportunity to support our mission to preserve and proclaim LGBTQ religious history for generations to come.

Celebrate with us on Sunday, October 18, at 3:00 p.m. Pacific / 4:00 p.m. Mountain / 5:00 p.m. Central / 6:00 p.m. Eastern. Please RSVP Today!

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Honorees

The Rev. Dr. William (Bill) Johnson	When Rev. Dr. William Johnson (he/him) was ordained as a United Church of Christ pastor in 1972, he was the first out gay person to be ordained in any mainline Protestant denomination. He was a founding member of the UCC Gay Caucus (now the Open and Affirming Coalition) and served as its first National Coordinator. He founded the first UCC parish-based LGBTQ+ ministry, Maranatha, at Riverside Church in NYC, which is still active today. And Rev. Bill served on the UCC National staff for over a decade, where he established the United Church HIV/AIDS Network (now UCAN) and was involved in crafting numerous LGBTQ+ resources for congregations and UCC leaders, including curriculums, videos, Bible studies, and books – the impact of which is being felt to this day. Read more about Honoree.
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum	Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum has dedicated her life to promoting social justice, LGBTQ+ and human rights, and progressive values within Judaism. She served for 32 years as Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in New York City, the largest LGBTQ+ synagogue in the world, where she is now Senior Rabbi Emerita. Rabbi Kleinbaum serves as Director of The Beacon, a project of Union Theological Seminary. The BBC named her one of its 100 Women of 2024, and Newsweek named her one of the 50 most influential rabbis in America. President Biden appointed Rabbi Kleinbaum a Commissioner to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Read more about Honoree.
The Reverend Irene Monroe	The Reverend Irene Monroe is an African American lesbian feminist public theologian, ordained minister, and religion columnist. Read more about Honoree.
Mx Chris Paige, M.Div	Mx Chris Paige is a scholar, a chaplain educator, and an interfaith chaplain with more than 20 years of experience working around transgender and intersex spiritual care. Read more about Honoree.
The Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson	The Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson is the former Global Moderator of Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). Read more about Honoree.