Rev. Christine Oscar leaves St. Mary^s MCC
after 17 1/2 years of continuous service
by Tony Philpott
Special to Q-Notes
tSt. Mary’s MCC of Greensboro said fare
well April 21 to its longest-serving minister,
the Reverend Christine Oscar. Rev. Oscar has
decided to strike out on a new and unknown
path with a new mission and new goal. Oscar’s
service with St. Mary’s culminated on the 19
year anniversary of the church. She delivered
her last sermon on April 15 at the Easter
evening service.
Oscar’s service as pastor of St. Mary’s began
17 and a half years ago on December 4, 1983.
The church was originally located at St. Mary’s
House at the Episcopal Church near UNCG
campus. Its attendance was between 12 and 15
people.
As the church prepares events to honor their
anniversary, they are also preparing their hearts
for Oscar’s departure. Diana Eisenhard, church
member and long time friend, is among those
on the committee in charge of events.
“She has given all that she is and grows to
be everyday. She has given her struggles, her
joys, knowledge, experience and humanness to
us,” said Eisenhard. “I never imagined that she
would not be at St. Mary’s.”
The entire church is busy preparing for the
celebration. Many people have expressed con
cern for Rev. Oscar’s departure and how it will
affect the church, but most have been reassured
with the knowledge that she is doing God’s will.
Rev. Oscar stated, “It’s time for new leadership
to rise up and new challenges for me.”
“My departure is due to the fact that I be
lieve that God has called me to step down so
that other leadership can step up. I don’t have a
clue where I am going; I do want to seek an
other pulpit because I love pastoring,” said
Oscar.
Oscar’s service as minister at St. Mary’s came
about in the midst of uncertainty in the gay
culture and overt racial campaigning in the city
of Greensboro. Efforts to organize gay people
around religious issues had failed in previous
attempts.
When asked of her greatest accomplish
ments as pastor in Greensboro, Oscar, re
sponded, “I helped to build a gay/lesbian Chris
tian presence in the Triad. My work with people
with HIV/AIDS is probably the most visible
thing I did. The thing I am most proud of is
the fact that I had the opportunity to touch so
many lives and let them know that God did
love them,”
St. Mary’s was an effort that made a lasting
impression. “We wouldn’t- have made it [as a
church] without her,” said Janelle Lavelle.
Lavelle is one of 12 founding members of
the church. She is the only remaining founder
attending. “It was her preaching that made us
pick her [Oscar]. She was both scholarly and
mindful of others...she took complicated theo
logical stuff and put it in words that students,
bank tellers and nursing assistants could un
derstand,” said Lavelle.
Eisenhard and Lavelle believe Oscar’s success
as minister is due to her above average ability to
deal with a variety of people. Both spoke highly
of Oscar’s gift. Lavelle stated, “Christine is ex
tremely good at dealing with a wide diversity of
people.” Eisenhard commented, “I have never
seen anyone with her ability to access people and
situations. She considers where a person is in any
given situation, what their history is and is able
to deal with things accordingly. She seems to
possess endless patience and encouragement. She
also has a way of making being in an uncom
fortable place, comfottable.”
Dan Triece, vice-moderator for the board of
directors at St. Mary’s, applauds Oscar for “her
stamina in the face of controversy and apathy.”
He states “it has helped her to establish St.
Mary’s and Triad Health Project.” THP is an
organization focused on AIDS prevention and
education in the Triad. Oscar was instrumen
tal in its fotmation.
“I am someone who learns by example. If
words do not match actions, I run the other
way. But I have nevet felt the desire to run the
other way [when it came to] Christine. There
has not been a time when I haven’t learned
something from Christine” added Eisenhard.
According to Triece, one of Oscar’s most
important contributions to St. Mary’s has been
her willingness to do whatever it takes for the
good of the church. “She has put in limitless
numbers of hours at St. Mary’s. That is hardly
heard of in [this day].”
Oscar stated, “People’s lives were changed
throughout our community. The many awards
that I received were simply tokens of the work
that we did that I am proud of”
Reverend Oscar’s presence at St. Mary’s will
be missed. The church has reiterated that they
will continue on in her absence and seek to find
a new minister to carry on the mission of St.
Mary’s. ▼
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Q-Notes ▼ April 28, 2001 ▼ PAGE 3
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