Cedrick D. Bridgeforth (born in Decatur,

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

) is an American

United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelical ...

clergyman who was elected

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

by the Western Jurisdictional Conference in November 2022. He is the first openly gay

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

man to be elected bishop in the United Methodist Church.

Life

Since he is openly gay and married, he was elected in defiance of the denomination's ban on openly gay and non-celibate clergy. He was assigned to the Greater Northwest Episcopal Area and began serving it on January 1, 2023. He was elected on the 18th ballot at the conference held at Christ United Methodist Church in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

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. At the time of his election, Bridgeforth was director of innovation and communication in the denomination's California-Pacific Conference. His previous ministry appointments have included serving as pastor of Crenshaw United Methodist Church in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

(2003-2008); district superintendent in

Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...

(2008-2015); and lead pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Los Angeles (2015-2017, 2018-2021). A native of

Decatur, Alabama Decatur () is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County, Alabama, Morgan County (with a portion also in Limestone County, Alabama, Limestone County) in the U.S. state of Alabama. Nicknamed "The River City," it is located in North Alabam ...

, and graduate of Danville High School. He served in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

for four years before enrolling in

Samford University Samford University is a Private university, private Christian university in Homewood, Alabama, United States. It was founded by Baptist Church, Baptists in 1841 as Howard College and located until 1887 in Marion, Alabama. It is governed by an in ...

from which he received a B.A. in religion in 1997. He received the M.Div. from

Claremont School of Theology Claremont School of Theology (CST) is a private graduate school focused on religion and theology and located in Los Angeles, California. It is one of the thirteen official theological schools of the United Methodist Church, and also has close r ...

in 2000, and the EdD from

Pepperdine University Pepperdine University () is a private university, private Christianity, Christian research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ, with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Pepperdine's main campus consists ...

in 2006. He is married to Christopher Hucks-Ortiz and is the author of ''Alabama Grandson: A Black, Gay Minister's Passage out of Hiding'' (Precocity Press, 2021).

External links

Umc.org: Alumni profile reverend Cedrick Bridgeforth
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridgeforth, Cedrick D. African-American Methodist clergy American United Methodist bishops Samford University alumni Pepperdine University alumni People from Morgan County, Alabama LGBTQ Methodist bishops LGBTQ people from Alabama Living people Year of birth missing (living people)