HEADLINE NEWS
11 October 2018
Metropolitan Community Churches Turns 50!
Above: Rev. Elder Troy Perry, accompanied by his husband Phillip De Blieck, speaks at the 50th Anniversary dinner. Rev. Perry founded Metropolitan Community Churches in 1968 and was the first pastor of MCC Los Angeles. Below, left: Founder's Voices perform "Gospel Hallelujah." Below, right: Rev. Alejandro Escoto, Pastor of Iglesia Comunidad Fundadora, Rev. Elder Rachelle Brown, MCC Interim Moderator, and Rev. Onetta Brooks, Founders member, MCC Governing Board, consecrate communion. (photos by Mark S Hahn)
Left: Rev. Elder Rachelle Brown, MCC Interim Moderator, joins historic gathering of Founders pastors.
From left: Rev. Don Pederson, third Senior Pastor; Rev. Keith Mozingo, current Senior Pastor; Rev. Dr. Neil Cazares-Thomas, previous Senior Pastor; Rev. Lee Carlton, second Senior Pastor.  (photo by Rev. Tory Topjian)
Rev. Elder Troy Perry brings the 50th Anniversary message at Founders MCC, in Los Angeles, California, USA. Many of the former senior pastors of Founders MCC, formerly MCCLA, attended the weekend events. (photo by Mark S Hahn)

Watch the video of the Anniversary Sunday service held at Founders: https://youtu.be/DET-wRDq5oE
Governing Board Announces
Newest Appointments
by MCC Governing Board

As a Governing Board, we affirm our commitment to the Gospel and MCC’s Core Values of community, inclusion, spiritual transformation and social action. In our work as Governors, we ensure the organization and finances support MCC’s Mission of transforming ourselves as we transform the world . 

The current Board have all personally experienced ways in which MCC lives into the Mission by being people who:

• Show God’s love
• Reconcile
• Forgive without retribution
• Build and rebuild relationships
• Work together in the midst of our differences

Newly appointment Board members bring skill sets and temperament needed over the next eight (8) months as we all prepare for General Conference 1-5 July 2019.  New Governing Board members are listed in alphabetical order below.

The Governing Board will continue to provide updates as we prepare for a world-class General Conference 1-5 July 2019, in Orlando, Florida, where we elect our next Moderator and Governing Board during the Business Meeting. 

Thank you to all who applied for the Governing Board. Welcome to those who have been appointed. 

May God bless all of MCC as we move forward together. 
Rev. Onetta Brooks (She/Her)
Member, Founders MCC, Los Angeles, California, USA
Onetta Brooks has served on other professional boards and previous MCC Governing Boards. Her knowledge of MCC governance, experience in General Conference Business Meeting planning, and historical view of MCC meet key governance needs.
Bob Niehaus (He/Him)
Member, aChurch4Me MCC, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Bob Niehaus is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) with over 20 years of association management experience, 30 years experience of building teams and financial management. Bob is completing a Masters of Divinity at Chicago Theological Seminary. He will be working with the Development Committee and governance.
Christy Temples (She/Her)
Interim Pastoral Leader (IPL), Thrive MCC, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
Christy Temples is a U.S. Government auditor and holds an Accounting Degree. Her skill sets in auditing and analysis are an asset to finance and governance committees of the Governing Board. Additionally, Christy has served in the role of IPL at Thrive MCC for two years.
Marsha Warren (She/Her)
Member, Metropolitan Community Church of San Antonio, Texas, USA
Marsha Warren is a CPA and tax professional. She has served MCC locally and is a prior treasurer of MCC Churches. Marsha is currently a volunteer on the Governing Board Finance Committee. Marsha’s experience in finance allows her to participate in many Governing Board committees. 
Thank you
to the Pacesetters!

MCC BOSTON
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Paul Moyer, Clerk

CORNERSTONE MCC
Mobile, Alabama, USA
Rev. Sara Sills, Pastor

HOLY REDEEMER MCC
College Park, Maryland, USA
Rev. Gail Minnick, Interim Pastor

THE VILLAGE MCC
Brighton, UK
Rev. Michael Hydes, Senior Pastor

BEYOND THESE WALLS MCC
Punta Gorda, Florida USA
Susie Brenner, Pastor

MCC OF GREATER SAINT LOUIS
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
Rev. Wes Mullins, Senior Pastor

MCC OF THE SPIRIT
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Rev. Dr. Lori E. Hatch-Rivera, Senior Pastor

MCC TOPEKA
Topeka, Kansas, USA
Rev. Paul Whiting, Pastor

IMAGO DEI MCC
Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, USA
Rev. Dexter Brecht, Pastor

SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE MCC
Fort Myers, Florida, USA
Rev. Steve Filizzi, Pastor

MCC SACRED JOURNEY
Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA
Rev. Dr. Joan M. Saniuk

MCC PORTLAND
Portland, Oregon, USA
Rev. Nathan Meckley, Pastor

NORTHERN LIGHTS MCC
Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE MCC
Fort Myers, Florida, USA
Rev. Steve Filizzi, Pastor

REFLECTION MCC
Folsom, California, USA
Rev. Sharon Henry, Pastor

ADD YOUR NAME!
Celebrate MCC's 50th Anniversary by taking a special offering in October!

Become a PACESETTER.

Lilly Endowment Makes Grant to MCC for over $400,000 USD 
for Thriving in Ministry Program

Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) Office of Formation and Leadership Development (OFLD) received a grant of $418,135 USD as part of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Thriving in Ministry initiative.
 
The initiative supports a variety of religious organizations across the nation as they create or strengthen programs that help pastors build relationships with experienced clergy who can serve as mentors and guide them through key leadership challenges in congregational ministry. 
 
The Endowment is making nearly $70 million in grants through the Thriving in Ministry initiative.
 
The OFLD proposal will support MCC pastors in the formation of vital vocations of ministry through the development of collegial relationships with other ministers – MCC as well as ecumenical partners – who can serve as intentional mentors and collegial support systems.
 
 In order to do so, MCC will focus on pastors at key times of transition in their ministerial careers such as those in first-call situations, those who are moving to new calls, transitioning from staff to senior leadership, or those transitioning to bi-vocational ministry.
 
To accomplish this, the grant will fund a series of retreats over a period of five years for MCC clergy in vocational transition and their mentors as well as offer ongoing support through clergy Communities of Practice.
 
....Spiritual leaders in MCC’s movement, including primarily pastors, have served with distinction amidst the realities of poor-to-no compensation, social isolation, and active and/or violent threats to their lives. MCC leadership believes its pastoral leaders and churches are precisely the type that the Thriving in Ministry initiative can most benefit.
 
Read full article:
Special General Conference Business Forum
Hosted by MCC Governing Board


22 October 2018
10:00 am ET / 14:00 UTC (GMT)

AGENDA
Ballot Option: 10% Assessments
Impact on UFMCC 2019 Budget
Voting Procedures
Questions and Answers for Voting Delegates

Webinar Link:

Registration is not required.

Please consider viewing the webinar with your church or small group. MCC is charged additional fees when more than 100 participants attend. 

This webinar will be conducted in English. A recording will be uploaded to YouTube where viewers can add subtitles in a language of choice.

In Memoriam
Remembering
Rev. Houston Burnside, Jr.

Rev. Houston Burnside, Jr. passed away earlier this week, surrounded by his husband Bruno Giebultowski, step-mom Connie Burnside, other family members, and Pastor Dan Koeshall.

Rev. Burnside was an associate pastor at Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego, California, USA, for over 25 years. Information about the date and time of a memorial celebration will be announce

Read the full article and leave your message on MCC's Memory Wall:
MCC Staff Updates
Shannon Young
Shannon Young
MCC Staff Member Shannon Young resigned in September to pursue another job opportunity. She joined the staff in 2013 to provide executive support in the Office of Emerging Ministries. She then provided administrative support to the Office of Church and Ministry Development, and most recently, has been responsible for database management in Operations.
Janine McCarthy
Janine McCarthy returned to MCC Staff in September and joined the Operations Department with a focus on database management. Janine originally joined the staff in 2014 as an administrative assistant in Operations. She then provided administrative support to the Office of Church Life and Health, and more recently became an assistant in Communications.
Employment Opportunities

The links below list churches seeking a transitional pastor or settled pastor, in addition to national secular jobs. 


An apology: The Communications Team extends an apology to New Governing Board Appointee Bob Niehaus whose name was misspelled in the 9 October 2018 announcement.