Phyllis was ordained on January 20, 1990 and served as the Associate Pastor for Outreach and Evangelism at St. Francis Lutheran Church, San Francisco.

In 1990, she founded Lutheran Lesbian and Gay Ministry along with his colleagues, Pastors Jeff Johnson and Ruth Frost , to provide an outreach to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community of the San Francisco Bay Area. These three persons were the first openly lesbian and gay people to be ordained in the Lutheran Church.

Phyllis was ordained extra ordinem in January 1990 at a service at historic St. Paulus Lutheran Church in San Francisco that was attended by over 1000 persons, with participation by over 70 clergy members. She was considered ineligible for placement in an ELCA congregation because of a denominational policy that requires a pledge of celibacy from gay and lesbian pastors.

Phyllis has been elected to serve as one the ECP roster's chaplains.

Media: Gay Marriage Licenses Create a Quandary for the Clergy, New York Times, March 6, 2004 (photo to the left by Jim Wilson)

Sermons: check out the sermons posted on the St. Francis website)