For more than 30 years, Pilgrim Congregational UCC has been Open and Affirming, which means that it welcomes people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions into the full life and ministry of the church. When the congregation voted to become Open and Affirming in 1993, it was the first UCC in greater Cleveland to become “O&A” and the fourth in the state.

Many LGBTQ+ people looking for a spiritual home have found one at Pilgrim. Approximately one third of the active membership and leadership identify as LGBTQ+. Over the years, Pilgrim has:

• participated in Pride activities for decades
• hosted its first holy union in the mid-1990s
• celebrated same-sex marriages since they were legalized
• played a role in the formation and ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy, including George Graham, who was called as our pastor in 2024.

The Pilgrim congregation continues to grow in its understanding of its Open and Affirming identity. In 2025, the congregation voted to add “gender identity and gender expression” to its church covenant to make our support for the transgender community explicit during a time when the trans people are targeted with threats of harm, lack of government recognition, and removal of health care.