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Rev. Elder Hong Tan
Metropolitan Community Churches remembers the Rev. Elder Hong Tan. It is with deep sadness, we share that this bright light left this world on Thursday, February 9th, 2023.
A service in memory and celebration will be held Monday, March 6 at 1pm GMT / 8am EST. It will not be an MCC service although it is being led by retired MCC Rev. Elder Gill Storey. The service will be at the Islington Burial Chapel at 278 High Rd, East Finchley, London. N2 9AG.
Join with other MCCers to watch the live stream on ZOOM and share remembrances in the chat.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82699075579?pwd=UlBDU3p4ZW9BN1diRUUxZHFBZFpDUT09
Meeting ID: 826 9907 5579 Passcode: 407725
Hong Tan left his mark on MCC and beyond. He was the first Asian ordained clergyperson and the first (and only) Asian person to be an Elder. He served as an Elder for a decade (1993-2003). He was the District Coordinator for the European North Sea District from 1990-1999. Hong was the founding Pastor of MCC North London and served as Senior Pastor for two different time periods in addition to being a Staff Pastor. Hong also served MCC as a Faith, Fellowship and Order Representative and as the European North Sea District Ethnic Minorities Representative.
Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston shares this memory of her colleague: “Rev. Elder Hong Tan served as the European District Coordinator when I first came to MCC. He supported me and Rev. Elder Maxwell Reay, as we planted and then led Living Spring MCC in Bath. His wisdom, gentleness and wonderful humour were a delight. It was an honour to serve with Hong on the General Council when I became District Co-ordinator a few years later. He was a great mentor to me and, I know, to many others around the world.”
Many who were active in MCC in the 80’s and 90’s will remember his gentleness and boundless energy, his delightful smile and humor, and the seriousness and attention he would give to conversations. His sermons were insightful, challenging and caring.
His secular training and work as a cancer researcher and as an HIV/AIDS advisor carried over into MCC. His impact was broad and diverse as he worked with the National Health Service for many years. As an AIDS activist, he worked alongside Princess Diana and was a great fan of her.
Clergy colleagues have been remembering Hong in the Clergy Facebook group. Here are a few remembrances that further capture his impact:
- He indeed is one of the Giants on whose shoulder I have the honour to stand. I would not be where I am without him and his generation.
- He was a consequential worldwide figure in AIDS healthcare and advocacy, and many threads of queer Asian movements and churches will find him at the beginning.
- I still use part of a sermon he preached at one of our General Conferences… he said, “It’s time for us to stop trying to get a place at someone else’s table! It’s time for us to build our own table and invite everyone else to join us!”
- I owe much of my journey to him.
“Be bold! The powers of hate may cause us pain, sorrow, some suffering, but the power of love will and is already overcoming. Arise as we have not arisen before! Proclaim God’s millennial, timeless pride in us, in our communities — the eternal, sacred pride that comes with lovers, justice-makers and peace-seekers.” ~ Rev. Elder Hong Tan, from a Pastoral Letter from the MCC Elders in the 90s
https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/profiles/hong-tan
https://archive.wfn.org/1999/01/msg00024.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImBwHGShVSU
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