Rev. Elder Nancy L. Wilson

Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy Wilson is the former Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC). She was elected to that position in 2005, following the retirement of the Founder of MCC, Rev. Elder Troy Perry, and in July 2010, she was re-elected for a term of six years. She is the second person, and the first woman, to serve in that role since the founding of Metropolitan Community Churches in 1968.

Nancy Wilson grew up on Long Island, New York, and first attended Hicksville United Methodist Church on their building dedication day, Palm Sunday 1950, in her mother’s womb, a few months before her birth on July 13, 1950. She is the daughter of Ralph and Barbara Wilson. Her dad grew up in the Baptist Church in New England, and her mother’s family were Quaker and Presbyterian. She grew up with two brothers and a very large extended family with historic roots on Long Island.

Nancy loved everything about church growing up, singing in one of many choirs, teaching Sunday School, becoming a leader in MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship), going to church camp. While outwardly successful at school and church, she struggled with issues about gender and sexuality. At about the age of 11 or 12, battling loneliness and depression, she had a spiritual experience, in which she heard God speaking to her, saying, “I am your Friend. Someday you will have other friends, but for right now, I am enough.” That word was a singularly life-changing experience, that gave her hope, that things would “get better.” In the next few years, Nancy began to explore a call to ministry, not something that young girls were encouraged to do in the 1960’s.

Later, Nancy would come to believe that MCC, and the movement to which she has given her life, were the “friends” that God had promised.

Nancy obtained her B.A. from Allegheny College, her M.Div. from SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, and her D.Min. from Episcopal Divinity School (EDS). She received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from EDS in 2016, and an honorary Doctorate from Allegheny College in 2019.

Nancy found MCC in 1972, and became a licensed pastor at the new MCC church in Boston, as well as an activist in the community. She helped start an MCC in Worcester, Massahusetts In 1974, and was ordained in MCC in Dallas, Texas, in 1975.

Rev. Wilson served as pastor of MCC Detroit. Michigan from 1975 to 1979; as Clerk of the Board of Elders of MCC from 1979 to 1985; the pastor of MCC Los Angeles—now Founders MCC—from 1986 until 2000; and as Pastor of Church of the Trinity MCC in Sarasota, Florida from 2001 through 2005. Rev. Wilson was elected an Elder of MCC in 1976, at the age of 26, and served as the denomination’s Vice-Moderator from 1993 to 2001. She also founded MCC’s Ecumenical Ministry in the 1970’s, and served as the Ecumenical Officer for 23 years. She has been the official delegate of MCC to the World Council of Churches General Assemblies in Canberra, Australia (1991); Harare, Zimbabwe (1998); and Porto Alegre, Brazil (2006). She led MCC’s controversial application to the US National Council of Churches for fifteen years.

Rev. Wilson is also an Associate Minister with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, which Dr. Yvette Flunder serves as Presiding Bishop.

In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Rev. Wilson to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Their work culminated in a report of recommendations to the President: "Building Partnerships to Eradicate Modern-Day Slavery." Following President Obama’s re-election in 2013, Rev. Wilson gave a Scripture reading at the Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and was the first openly gay clergy member to participate.

In 2014, Rev. Wilson was named as one of the spokespeople for Blessed Tomorrow, a team of twenty-one top ecumenical and interfaith leaders in the United States to spearhead an effort to mobilize religious communities to address environmental concerns.

In May 2014, Rev. Wilson was one of four honorees to be recognized byIntersections International for her humanitarian work in the area of social justice. In honor of International Women’s Day in 2014, HuffPost selected Rev. Wilson as one of 50 “powerful religious leaders…making change in the world.”

Rev. Wilson’s published works include: “Trust is a Queer Thing,” in Stars Shine Upon the Road of Hope" (繁星照耀希望路); “A Queer Theology of Sexuality,” in On the Way of Acceptance: Christianity and Queer Community; Outing the Bible: Queer Folks, God, Jesus, and the Christian Scriptures (LifeJourney Press); Outing the Church: 40 Years in the Queer Christian Movement (LifeJourney Press); Nossa Tribo: Gays, Deus, Jesus e a Bíblia (Metanoia); Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus and the Bible (Alamo ); with Fr. Malcolm Boyd, Amazing Grace. Rev. Wilson’s prayers and poems are included in Race and Prayer, edited by Malcolm Boyd and Chester Talton (Morehouse Press). Her most recent publication is I Love to Tell The Story, 100+ Stories of Justice, Inclusion and Hope, published by Books to Believe In, 2016.

Rev. Wilson has been interviewed by various local, national, and international news agencies about matters related to the LGBTQI community and social justice issues. Rev. Wilson has spoken at colleges, national, and international conferences on the topics of eradicating human trafficking, a queer response to climate change, global LGBTQI human rights, racial reconciliation and economic justice; HIV/AIDS, women’s reproductive freedom, religion and social change, and marriage equality.

Rev. Wilson served as Pastor of SunCoast MCC in Venice, Florida, from 2017, until her retirement in May, 2026. Rev. Wilson is a popular preacher and speaker. She is an avid birdwatcher.

Rev. Wilson resides in Bradenton, Florida, with her wife, since 1977, Dr. Paula Schoenwether a retired teacher, therapist and artist. Together they worked for Marriage Equality, and have been legally married for 22 years.

(This biographical statement provided by Nancy Wilson.)

Biography Date: November 2003; revised 2026

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