Rev. Dr. Dusty Pruitt has served for 31 years as a Christian Minister.  She is currently retired from the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, and is now an active ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC).  In August, 2007 she moved from Yuma, AZ to Delaware after pursuing a Clinical Pastoral Education Internship for one year.  She now serves as a hospice chaplain.  She is still available to perform weddings and Holy Unions (commitment ceremonies), to lecture on her lawsuit with the military, preach, and conduct seminars on healing the inner child.  

Rev. Dr. Pruitt was educated at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree there.  She received the Master of Divinity (M. Div.) degree from Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado.  She received her Doctor of Ministry (D. Min) degree from Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California.  Her doctoral project was entitled "But Thou Shalt Forget the Shame of Thy Youth: a Study of Authoritarianism, Religiosity and Child Sexual Abuse". 

She served as Assistant Pastor of Agape MCC in Fort Worth, Texas and Denver, Colorado. She served as Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church in Long Beach, California from 1980-1995 and served as interim pastor of MCC San Diego, Gentle Shepherd MCC in Phoenix, and served as sole pastor of MCC Family in Christ in Fort Collins, Colorado.  She is currently serving as forming Pastor of Safe Harbor United Church of Christ in Sussex County, Delaware and is serving MCC Rehoboth in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware as Interim Pastor.

She has co-authored a book of devotional/meditations on the gospels titled The Road to Emmaus, available directly from her through this website or through Chi Rho Press for $12.95 plus shipping.

Dr. Pruitt was a plaintiff in a gays in the military lawsuit which garnered her a part in a TIME Magazine story.  She has appeared on the Sally Jesse Raphael show and Good Morning America.  She was the ADVOCATE's Woman of the Year in 1991.  She was featured in the Barbra Streisand-directed film "Serving in Silence - The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story".  To contact her or to order a copy of the book or DVD of Serving in Silence,  email her.

NEW!!!!  The Iliff School of Theology, where Dr. Pruitt graduated with her Master of Divinity Degree in 1980, has established a scholarship in her name.  Dr. Pruitt was the first openly gay or lesbian person to graduate from Iliff.  The Carolyn Dusty Pruitt scholarship fund will award grants once the fund reaches $25,000.  This amount will allow Iliff to award about $1200 per semester to qualified students studying to minister in the GLBT community, GLBT students, or students preparing for the military or hospital chaplaincy.  To pledge to this ministry, email Mary Underwood at Iliff.       

Mail to: munderwood@iliff.edu

Contact Information

For more information please contact the Rev. Dr. Dusty Pruitt through the following channels: