April 13, 2005

Dear MCC Friend:

Rev. Troy Perry recently said, "36 years ago, I had only started to dream of building churches where LGBT people could worship freely and openly -- and I hardly dared to dream that we would be able to be legally married in any city. Now, in California and Massachusetts and New York and Canada, courts are ruling in our favor. God is blessing us with not only fulfillment of these dreams, but more. I praise God for these blessings and I thank God for a very special group of people who have been so faithful to help us secure these advances: our MCC Founder's Circle members."

The MCC Founder's Circle began in 2001 to create a sustainable giving program for the important work of Metropolitan Community Churches. Since its inception, funds from the Founder's Circle have helped to plant new churches, provide scholarships for individuals in need to our leadership conferences and provide support for a wide range of educational programming for both the laity and clergy within MCC.

About two months ago, I met a young man named Sean at one of our churches. He was eighteen and attending MCC for the first time. He recently founded a Gay and Straight Alliance at his high school. He was searching for a community of like-minded people and a place where he could further develop his skills as a community leader.

He met Troy Perry on the first day of his experience at MCC because Troy was preaching at the church. You would have thought he had met Brad Pitt! A few weeks later, he joined the church and in July, he will join us at General Conference.

We've chosen a mentor for him, a young pastoral candidate from another MCC church. His name is Wes. This young man was cast out of his seminary when he and his partner had their Holy Union. He had to start over at another seminary in another city. He will be interviewing for his first MCC church assignment at General Conference this year.

Both of these young men will serve as volunteers at Conference. I have no doubt that both of these young men will bless us all in the future with their many gifts. They already bless us with their courage and integrity. I hope you will take the opportunity to meet Sean and Wes at General Conference. They are our future generation and support from the MCC Founder's Circle and the MCC Legacy League will make it possible for us to help them take their next steps as young leaders.

They remind us of another young man who just stood up one day and said that he was going to create a church for gay people. You can honor that courageous moment in Troy's life with your enrollment in the MCC Founder's Circle or the new MCC Legacy League.

Until we have a MCC presence in every home via the Internet and in every city that can sustain a church, young people will not have safe spaces to practice their leadership skills and to grow their faith. In my own hometown, as in many smaller cities, MCC is the largest -- if not only -- LGBT organization. Even with MCC, these cities can be lonely and scary places for young people who may be at risk each day both physically and psychologically.

We have so much work yet to do!  With our excitement and enthusiasm come challenges:

-- Too many powerful and corrupt lawmakers perceive LGBT Christians to be an insignificant "fringe" movement that can be easily ignored.

--  Powerful mainstream media groups prefer to spin gays in the most outrageous and controversial ways possible, while the growing gay Christian movement is rarely spotlighted.

--  Too many LGBT people find themselves victims of hate crimes in a culture still riddled with homophobia and prejudice often fueled by religious rhetoric.

--  Too many LGBT people are still being disenfranchised from religious institutions that condemn, browbeat and denounce them.

--  Even more frustrating, there are so many LGBT people who still do not realize there is a spiritual house of worship, like MCC, that can offer love, hope, acceptance and celebration as both spiritual and sexual beings. We need to get the word out and keep it out!

It is up to millions of people of faith who are LGBT and gay-friendly -- people like you and an organization like MCC -- to build a positive bridge to the future, a future where LGBT Christians are empowered, respected and embraced.

MCC must be the destination location for young people who are just coming out of the closet.  In the absence of this safe space, crystal meth is a quick fix for depression and isolation. We can offer healthy alternatives through community support and activity.

We want to be the church of choice for people who are reintegrating their sexuality and their spirituality as sacred parts of who they are, rather than secret parts of who they are.

We want to carry MCC's prophetic voice over and over again to mainline denominations. This must be our bold message: "God loves us and God knows we are gay. We are believers just like you. How can you deny the love of God for any person much less an entire group of people? Tear down the walls that serve as your barriers to LGBT people. Open your doors to all of God's people!"

To accomplish these goals, we need your help.

As an MCC Founder's Circle or Legacy League member, you are adding your name to a long list of MCC supporters who have gone the extra mile in taking a stand for Christians who are "living out loud" in faith.

Each level of the MCC Founder's Circle and Legacy League offers unique and rewarding ways to become more deeply engaged in your understanding and support of MCC events and activities. Choose the level that works best for you and invite a friend to join you in supporting MCC's mission and ministry in the world.

I'm inviting you to join the MCC Founder's Circle or the new MCC Legacy League today. To take this important step, simply go to www.MCCchurch.org. On the opening page, click on "Make A Donation" on the left side of the page. There you can read about the benefits of membership in either the MCC Founder's Circle or the new MCC Legacy League. Choose your giving level -- and join a special group of people who are leading the way for positive change in our world.

Won't you take this vital step today?

Sincerely,

Cindi Love
Executive Director
Metropolitan Community Churches

P.S. These wonderful programs are accessible to everyone! The MCC Founder's Circle is open to everyone who pledges between $5 (US) and $99 per month. MCC Legacy League membership is open to everyone who pledges $100 or more per month. To learn more about the benefits of membership, visit www.MCCchurch.org.

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