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Justice Ministry

: Rev. Karla Fleshman, Barbara Gittings, Rev. Troy Perry

As members of a spiritual community, we are called to live out our shared values, to "walk our talk". MCC strives to create justice and equality among its membership through its denominational programs as well as in local churches.

UFMCC is at the vanguard of civil and human rights movements, including efforts in the mid-1990s to end the ban on lesbians and gays in the U.S. military, respond to human rights violations in Brazil, and fight the radical religious right. Since its earliest years, UFMCC led marches, promoted demonstrations and staged sit-ins to gain justice for lesbian and gay people. Down through the years there have been many who understood their calling to be that of standing with those who are oppressed and marginalized by society. Countless members of Metropolitan Community Churches live their faith in action - working to change unjust laws, to feed the hungry, to protest injustice and to work for the coming of God's realm.

In witnessing to God’s call for justice and human dignity, the Imago Dei Metropolitan Community Church joins with the Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches in seeking to celebrate diversity, build inclusiveness, and ensure equity for God’s people locally, nationally and internationally.

Imago Dei MCC and PRYSM Youth Center

Rev. Karla was the guest speaker on March 10th with this LGBTQI high school and college age group of young adults. Almost 30 crammed into the room to learn about Queer Stories in Scripture.

Imago Dei MCC and Equality Ride 2010

Rev. Karla enjoyed standing in solidarity with the Equality Riders while they launched their Equality Ride 2010 at Valley Forge Christian College on March 5th 2010. She was joined by one other congregant from Imago Dei MCC ~ Monica!

The Riders worshiped with Imago Dei MCC on Sunday, March 7th and were most grateful they chose to do so…a few had not worshiped in a church for a very long time and were grateful to learn about a welcoming and accepting Christian congregation.

MCC Focus on Haiti

Recently, over 168 individuals and churches raised $32,000 for Haiti - with those resources, our new MCC church plant in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic brought food, clothing, water, medical supplies to 22 families, and members of the LGBT community who were devastated by the earthquake. MCC leadership has moved funds from MCC's Disaster Relief appeal for Haiti! Our leaders were...

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MCC on the front line for Marriage Equality

Washington D.C. approves marriage equality!

Watch the first marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples online! Sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign, these videos offer viewers a shared experience of how love can be recognized for all people! Click here to learn more and watch the videos!

: Darlene Garner (L) and Candy Holmes embrace after they exchanged marriage vows during their wedding ceremony at the Human Rights Campaign building in Washington on March 9, 2010.

Imago Dei MCC and the YES! Coalition

The YES! Coalition seeks to nourish the spiritual expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and same-gender-loving people, and our families and friends. Volunteers carry out this mission in partnership with affirming faith communities in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties that welcome people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and same-gender-loving). The YES! Coalition works under the fiscal sponsorship of the Interfaith Working Group, a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit organization.

Reverend Karla Fleshman has been appointed as the Moderator of the Council for the Yes! Coalition

MCC and the National Equality March

MCC Moderator Reverend Nancy Wilson had the joy of speaking at a panel on Global Justice and Faith at Foundry Methodist Church on October 10th, along with people from other denominations, facilitated by Cluster leader Rev. Joe Cobb, from MCC (who also directs Would Jesus Discriminate?). The room was crowded, the discussion was great! In the evening, she gave the closing prayer at the HIV/AIDS candlelight rally on the Mall.

Reverend Wilson had the joy of preaching at MCC DC the next morning, and laying hands on Troy Perry as we blessed him in preparation for his opening remarks and invocation at the rally. Reverend Wilson did not march, but went right to the staging area. As 30 or so religious leaders gathered, she and Troy looked as a rainbow appeared in the sky just as tens of thousands began pouring on to the lawn. The Gay Men's chorus sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," then the national anthem, and Troy and all gathered to open the rally. Troy read a beautiful greeting from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and then powerfully opened the rally with his invocation, which you can read on the website. C-SPAN carried the whole thing live. Everyone was grateful for MCC's early and energetic support for the March.

The best part was seeing 250,000 people united and thrilled to be there, especially the overwhelming number of young people. The MCC simple message of equality rang out!!

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Imago Dei MCC and Zimbabwe

During the 2008 Season of Advent, Imago Dei MCC asked members to place their loose change, or more, into a jug collecting much needed cash for a church planter in Zimbabwe. During 2008 the church planter successfully transferred clergy credentials into MCC; and earlier in the year Zimbabwe’s government was unable to complete successful presidential elections leaving the country in a state of chaos and turmoil.

The Pastor has been encouraged to leave the country due to safety concerns, but is unwilling to leave the house church.

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Imago Dei MCC Environmental Stewardship

Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." Genesis 1:26-28

Whether you believe that God created the universe in six days as described in Genesis, Darwin’s theory of evolution, or that “God created evolution,” it’s obvious that, outside of the forces of nature, we’re in charge of everything, including, to a large extent, our own destinies, and that of our planet. Dominion comes from the Latin word for God, Dominus, and such is the generosity of our God that we are deemed gods of this earth in Genesis 26. That’s a lot of responsibility!

There are a variety of ways individuals can reduce their carbon “footprints” on a daily basis and many other ways they can preserve our environment and influence the larger economic systems that also need to change. As part of Imago Dei’s initiatives to create a “Culture of Generosity,” three simple ways have been identified by which Imago Dei MCC can effect positive change:

Education on the importance of environmental stewardship

Practicing the “Three R’s” of environmental stewardship: Reduce, Re-use and Recycle

Implementing the most cost-effective ways to reduce consumption of paper and oil, re-use resources whenever possible, and recycling all paper, cardboard, glass, plastic and aluminum waste.

Click here for information on how you can help Imago Dei MCC when you recycle.

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MCC Asian Pacific Initiative

MCC Philippines

Did you know there are now two MCC churches in the Philippines? The original Manila church was affiliated in 1991 (now known as Makati) and is currently pastored by Regen Luna (pictured left). Two years ago, a satellite branch was planted in Quezon City. This church is currently pastored by Rev. Ceejay Agbayani (pictured right) and under his leadership, the church has grown tremendously! Rev. Elder Ken Martin and Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong attended the affiliation service and Rev. Agbayani's ordination on September 14.

MCC Quezon City is settling into its new worship space, thanks to your generosity! We have also been able to provide a $50 monthly stipend toward Rev. Ceejay's salary.

The local news station did a feature on the church in their new facility. Attendance continues to grow, especially from the neighboring university, attracting straight allies as well. MCCQC has become a church for all God's children! There has also been a desire to start study groups in cities like Baguio, Cebu, and Davao. Rev. Agbayani has been busy training the next generation of MCC leaders in the Philippines

Pakistan

While most LGBT people enjoy relative freedom in North America, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand, queer people literally have to live in fear that their lives would be in danger just by stepping outside the door. Islamic Fundamentalists frequently send "enforcers" to keep sexual minorities in the closet, or worst yet, "eliminate" them completely. It is not uncommon for a lesbian to be raped by the enforcers or for a gay man to be beaten and tortured. Consequently, many gay men end up marrying women, or in some rare cases, gay men marry lesbians.

Lesbians are often referred to as "those who wish not to marry" and are left with little economic alternatives in a patriarchal world. This is why MCC wants to partner up with CARE Pakistan, to offer training for women to become self-sufficient and to provide a safe environment for lesbians to learn a marketable trade.

USD$1,500 would be able to sponsor the vocational training for one lesbian. API has a goal of training three women. Please e-mail Stedney Phillips to make a commitment today.

: The API Team: Rev. Elder Ken Martin, Rev. Ed Paul, Stedney Phillips, Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong.

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Imago Dei MCC and The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund

The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (DVLF) strives to increase philanthropy and grantmaking to support the community needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex (LGBTI) and straight-allied communities. DVLF advances philanthropy for the LGBTI community through endowment building, fundraising, community outreach and education.

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Imago Dei MCC and Equality Forum

Each spring Equality Forum presents its Global GLBT Event. The Annual Equality Forum comprises seven days of substantive programs, parties and special events—including an international focus; the International Equality Dinner at the National Constitution Center; an annual art exhibit; SundayOUT!, Pennsylvania’s largest annual GLBT street festival; and more—in collaboration with over 65 regional, national and international organizations.

Members of Imago Dei MCC joined activists and straight allies from across the nation for the National Equality Rally to demonstrate at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell—the site where the Gay Pioneers launched our movement in 1965.

: Reverend Fleshman holds the banner used by the IDMCC Team for the march to the National Equality Rally.

Rev. Susan Russell, national president of Integrity, delivered the sermon at the 5^th Annual Interfaith Service and was joined by representatives of major faiths and the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware for the spiritual celebration at historic Christ Church Philadelphia, the sanctuary where George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross worshiped.

: Reverend Fleshman leads the prayer at the 5th Annual Intefaith Service

A workshop, “Would Jesus Discriminate? A Campaign to Counter Religious-Based Bigotry” – was led by Reverend Fleshman of Imago Dei MCC, offering a conversation for people of all faiths and no faith, to help equip and empower participants to speak out against religious-based bigotry.

The Imago Dei MCC Sunday OUT team gathered together to set-up, pray, and reach out at a pride event for the ninth consecutive year. Terri, our fearless organizer for the day, at one point had the bubble machine perched on her shoulder standing between the anti-gay protestors and a group of very young adults. As the megaphone blasted how homosexuals were going to hell...the bubbles flew!

Angry kids start to laugh and shout out "bubbles!" All of a sudden the mood became very festive; and no amount of anti-gay rhetoric could squelch our self-made rainbow in the midst of rain!

: Reverend Fleshman is interviewed by Itay Hod of Logo's 365Gay News during Sunday OUT!

HRC Clergy Call

Reverend Fleshman of Imago Dei MCC joined with other clergy who were being called out and called upon to go to our Nation's Capitol and walk the halls for justice.

MCC's very own Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson and Rev. Dr. Cindi Love also participated. This year's HRC Clergy Call was in Washington, DC, May 4-5 and covered topics such as:

marriage equality

adoption advocacy

transgender education in our communities, and

building stronger coalitions for justice.

: It is difficult to see, however above my hand is the phrase: "Equal Justice Under Law"

The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson launched these events with a plenary speech on May 4th and the day concluded with a Spirit-filled interfaith service.

Rev. Dr. Mona West, our MCC Director of Formation and Leadership Development, writes:

"As spiritual activists the clergy of MCC need to join their voices of moral and spiritual authority to the voices of clergy from all denominations and faith traditions in the prophetic speech that claims justice for all people. More specifically we must affirm the worth and dignity of LGBT people not just in our congregations but in our laws, our workplaces and our families."