Michigan Bishop Bonnie A. Perry celebrates her ordination with her family. Photo: Mechelle Sieglitz-Castelli

[Diocese of Michigan] The Rev. Bonnie A. Perry was ordained and consecrated as the 11th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan on Feb. 8 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn. Perry is the first woman bishop as well as the first lesbian bishop in the diocese since it was formed in 1836; she is the 39th woman to be consecrated bishop in The Episcopal Church. More than 3,900 people have viewed the service, which was originally live-streamed and is available on-demand below.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry was the chief consecrator and the Indianapolis Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows was the preacher. The ceremony included prayers and readings in Arabic to celebrate the diocese’s ministries in the local Arab-American community.

On Feb. 9, the newly consecrated bishop will be formally welcomed and seated at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Detroit.

Perry was elected bishop on June 1, 2019, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. Previously, Perry was the rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Chicago, Illinois. Perry earned a doctor of ministry degree from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the College of the Holy Cross. She was ordained in 1990 in the Diocese of Newark.

Perry succeeds the Rt. Rev. Wendell N. Gibbs Jr., who has served as bishop since 2000 and retired in December 2019.

The Episcopal Diocese of Michigan was established in 1836 and is comprised of 77 congregations and more than 16,000 baptized members.