logo
livingroom

decorative bar

biographies


corner Last update of this page: June 28th 2004 corner
Rev. Anita Carol Hill
(1951 - living) U.S.A.

Anita Carol Hill

Lutheran minister

separator

Anita Carol Hill was ordained to the Lutheran Ministry of Word and Sacrament in an extra ordinem service on April 28, 2001. One currently seated bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) participated in her ordination along with three retired bishops, nearly 200 clergy persons, and over 1,100 others in an extraordinary show of support for the ordination of gay and lesbian ELCA candidates who are in committed relationships.

Pastor Hill serves St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church, Saint Paul, Minnesota, where she first joined the staff of Wingspan Ministry in 1983, and became Pastoral Minister in 1994. She has also served as adjunct faculty in the field of sexuality and ethics at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities.

St. Paul-Reformation received a letter of censure and admonition from Bishop Mark Hanson (Saint Paul Area Synod) for calling and ordaining Pastor Hill. Terms of the censure required St. Paul-Reformation members to relinquish any elected office in the synod. Bishop Peter Rogness lifted the sanctions of censure in January, 2003, leaving the official admonition in place.

Pastor Hill continues to be actively engaged in outreach ministry based in community organizing and anti-racism efforts. She has served as a board member and president of the Lutheran Human Relations Association. Pastor Hill was approved for ordination by the Extraordinary Candidacy Project and is a Mission Partner of the Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministries. She is a member of the Lutheran Network for an Inclusive Vision, and a life member and former co-chair of Lutherans Concerned/North America.

Anita received her B.S. degree from Mississippi State University. She received her M.A. in Religious Studies and M. Div. from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, New Brighton, Minnesota. United Seminary recognized her as the recipient of two awards at graduation. She was honored with the "Spirit of Chrysalis" Award in August, 2001, for courageous witness and received the Lutheran Human Relations Association "Mind of Christ" Award in 2001. The Human Rights Campaign honored Anita with the 2002 Brian Coyle Award.

Anita and her partner, Janelle Bussert, share their townhouse on St. Paul's old Westside with two gender-bender cats, Ferris and Isabel.

separator

Source: The LGBT Religious Archives Network - http://www.lgbtran.org/Pioneers.asp

Click on the letter H to go back to the list of names

corner © Matt & Andrej Koymasky, 1997 - 2008 corner