Hattie Alexander-Key (She/Her/Hers) studied Education at the Ohio State University and Urban Ministry at the Ecumenical Theological Seminary (Detroit). In addition to being an educator, Hattie’s worked as a nurse over 30 years in the Detroit area. 

Most of her adult life, Hattie has served in ministerial leadership. Her faith tradition began with the Church of God in Christ but left after acknowledging her same-gender attraction and decision to live openly as a Queer woman.



Hattie was introduced to the Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit in 1989 serving in a variety of positions: Children’s Church Coordinator, Prayer Ministry Leader, Christian/Spiritual Education Lead, Altar Guild and Deacon. Currently she is the Administrative Pastor at MCC Detroit.

Hattie has occupied the role of friend, mentor, spiritual leader and community organizer for the Detroit African American and LGBTQIA community during the HIV/AIDS crisis and coordinated MCCD’s response and pastoral care during the COVID pandemic.

Reverend Mark R. Byrd (He/Him/His) is the Senior Pastor of New Life Metropolitan Community Church of Hampton Roads in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. He has 34 years of pastoral ministry experience - the last 19 of those years in MCC serving 5 MCC churches in associate, interim and senior pastor roles (the last 13 years at NLMCC). He currently serves as the Coordinator for the Hampton Roads LGBTQAI+ Interfaith Group and is a vocal passionate leader both in the church and community for human rights and justice issues. 

Mark grew up in the mountains of North Carolina and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, USA. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, USA. 



Mark currently lives in Virgina Beach, Virginia, USA, with his husband of 13 years, Rev. Alberto Najera, and their yellow lab Nica. He enjoys snow skiing, spending time on the beach and in the mountains, and most of all – time spent with their two-year-old grandson, Miles. 

Rev. Nokuthula Dhladhla (She/Her/Hers) works as a Regional Manager for Global Interfaith Network (GIN) on the Religious Dialogue Partner Project. She was ordained as MCC clergy in 1998 and serves as Pastor of Hope and Unity MCC, which has recently reopened. She was the first openly lesbian, black clergy to engage in religious work in South Africa.

Rev. Nokuthula is also a Spiritual Coach helping people to find their own journey of faith and how to integrate sexuality and spirituality. She has made a very important contribution to a process convened jointly by the Norway LGBTI organization, GIN, and the Fellowship of Christian Councils of Southern Africa (FOCCISA) to create greater understanding and tolerance for LGBTIQ+ people through the RDP project in Southern Africa.

Rev. Nokuthula’s life experiences have been documented in several book chapters, documentaries, magazines and even an exhibition held at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. She is a powerful, funny, deeply human speaker whose life’s work has been to make a difference for others.

Velma Garcia (She/Her/Hers) , has recently retired from her secular job and moved from Manor, TX to San Antonio, TX where she and her spouse, Darlene S. Hernandez attend. Together we raised two children, and have the great pleasure of being “Mamies” to our 6 grandchildren. 

Velma served on the previous Council of Elders and is grateful for an another opportunity to serve the wonderful saints of our beloved global denomination. Velma is a Laity Empowered for Active Discipleship (L.E.A.D.) 2 graduate and serves as a faculty member for L.E.A.D.

Velma loves bike riding, canoeing, snorkeling, American college football, and has a passion for prayer and spreading the “Good News” of God’s all-inclusive love to and for all of God’s creation! 

Rev. Rich Hendricks (He/Him/His) (B.A. Drake University; JD University of Virginia School of Law; M.Div. Emory University) works for equality for all as pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities in Davenport, Iowa, a part of the Quad Cities along the Iowa-Illinois Mississippi River.

He is in his 20th year as settled pastor at MCC QC with a deep love for all our local churches. Rich wears unmatched shoes to spark conversations around being different and has a passion for interfaith work and advocating for all of us to take care of planet earth. He is the co-founder of One Human Family QCA and of QC Pride, Inc. and a OneIowa 2023 LGBTQ Legacy Leader Awardee.

Rev. Aaron L. Miller (He/Him/His), after graduating from Yale Divinity School (MDiv), was ordained by MCC (2008) and began serving as the associate minister for Pastoral Care at MCC New Haven (New Haven, CT USA). Aaron became MCC Hartford’s Interim Pastor (2011) and then its Senior Pastor (2013). He is also serving as a trans/chaplain with the Yale Pediatric Gender Program supporting parents and their children on their gender journey. Aaron had a long and distinguished career in global logistics/transportation before ministry. 

Aaron has served on the MCC Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council, as a spiritual leader with MCC Oasis, and has partnered with emerging churches in Colombia and South Africa.

Aaron is passionate about MCC’s unfinished calling of love, inclusion, and justice as well as MCC Hartford’s outreach ministry TV365 (Trans Voice and Visibility 365 days a year) that provides emergent support to the trans/nonbinary community. Rev. Aaron was honored in 2023 by GLAD for social justice advocacy and activism. 

He resides in Middletown, Connecticut USA, with his cat Molly, and loves to take nature walks and spending time at the beach/pool with his sister.

Rev. Elaine Saralegui Caraballo (She/Her/Hers) began pastoral work in 2012 when the Somos group emerged in the Baptist church with LGBTIQA+ people interested in a liberating perspective. In 2014 the group became Somos Iglesia de la Comunidad Metropolitana en Cuba, and Rev. Elder Troy Perry praised them with the Founders award, "For having been MCC before being MCC." 

She is a graduate in Theology from the Evangelical Seminary of Theology of Matanzas, and holds a Master’s degree in Critical Gender Studies and Theology from the Theological Community of Mexico.

Elaine is a passionate promoter of spiritual growth, critical thinking, and the defense of the human rights of LGBTIQA+ people. As a founder and coordinator of the project Abriendo Brechas de Colores, she impulses Christian spaces free of spiritual violence, where people can freely express not only their gender identity and sexual orientation, but also their different faith experiences.

She lives in Matanzas city, with her elderly parents, her wife, and 12 furry family members.

Rev. Stuart Sutherland (He/Him/His) comes from Sydney, Australia, and is the Pastor of MCC Good Shepherd Western Sydney Australia. He was a Committee Member on the MCC Good Shepherd Mardi Gras Organiszng Committee and has worked for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras as a volunteer during the parade and as an Honorary Solicitor to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Constitution Committee.

He attended the Uniting Theological College, Charles Sturt University, Sydney Australia, and achieved the Academic Dean’s Award for outstanding academic performance. He enjoys practical theology and continues to attend the College.

Stuart is the coordinator for the MCC Office of Vocational Leadership in Australia and New Zealand. Assisting churches in Sydney and Brisbane Australia and New Zealand. 

He enjoys going to Bondi Beach and hiking in the many National Parks in Australia including Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales. He has a keen interest in Australian Aboriginal Culture and Art and attends Broken Hill in the Australian outback regularly.



He has been with his partner, Michael for 20 years, they have two children Lucy and Ruby.