SEPTEMBER 24.2005 ,«|-^-;^0TES
Op-Ed
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mton
Rev. Elder Gill Storey addresses
MCC-Columbia's possible disaffiliation
1 wish Metropolitan Community Church
of Columbia the very best as they seek
divine guidance for their future as a wor
shipping community and as they decide
which ecclesiastical organization is best
suited to their needs, goals, and vision.
However, 1 am saddened that they are
considering leaving MCC. It would be pos
sible for them to have dual affiliation with
both MCC and another denomination; but
to take a church completely out of MCC
that has been built with the
love, labors and generosity of
members, friends, and sup
porters of the Metropolitan
Community Church move
ment is something that
grieves me deeply. If they are
unhappy with MCC, then
they could have requested
mediation. If their vision
included a dual affiliation,
then that too would be a pos
sibility. But to completely
leave the denomination that
has nurtured them to this
point is something that I would hope to be
both unnecessary and avoidable.
I also very much regret the way our
denomination learned of our Columbia
congregation’s possible desire to disaffili
ate. We received no direct word from the
pastor or board of directors, but rather
read of their plans in the press. A piore
Fellowship
Churches
direct and communicative approach might
have offered more possibilities, or at least
offered appropriate closure as a parish and
its parent denomination parted company.
That all parties were denied such closure is
something that I regard as unfortunate.
My final concern and regret over the
situation is that the United Church of
Christ did not contact the Universal
of Metropolitan Community
regarding our church in
Columbia. Had the UCC
used us as an information
resource in this process, we
could have shared informa
tion that the UCC might have
found useful.
As recently as July of
2002, Andy Bidden stood for
election to MCC’s Board of
Elders, our denomination’s
spiritual leadership body.
Mr. Bidden failed to achieve
the required votes in both
the Lay and Clergy houses to
be elected and soon there
after became the pastor of his present
church. Bo it has only been three years
since Mr. Bidden went from wanting to
help lead the denomination to possibly
leading a parish out of the denomination.
It might also be noted that MCC-
Columbia didn’t seek references from
UFMCC when Mr. Bidden was applying to
be their pastor. Whereas it may certainly
be the case that Mr. Bidden has served his
congregation well and to their
satisfaction, I can’t help but ■■■■■
believe that all parties would
have been better served by a
process of direct ^dealing and
open dialogue. As it is, we are
facing the loss of a beloved
congregation, and per MCC’s
policies, Mr. Bidden’s leading a
church out of our Fellowship
will be considered a de facto
resignation of his MCC clergy
credentials. ■■■■■
To paraphrase the vision of
Metropolitan Community Churches, we
as God’s liberated people boldly reclaim
our holy identity, believing that our sexu
ality is a holy gift from God so we no
longer distance our bodies from our expe
rience with God. We believe we are called
to the work of social justice and action.
We are committed to telling the story of
God’s transforming grace. We nurture the
value of community by living out the
message that no one is excluded from the
family of God. And we in MCC are bridge
builders who, though Christian followers
of Jesus, are also believers in everyone’s
holy privilege to work out their own sal
vation. We respect those of other faith
traditions and work with them to free all
who have been oppressed by hate, disre
gard and violence.
That is who MCC strives to be, and in
e acknowledge them as our
sisters and brothers and as chil
dren of our loving and all-inclu
sive God** r. T,, , „
—Rev. Elder GtU Storey
Metropolitan Community Church
support of that sacred vision, we value
each of our congregations and every indi
vidual who supports our churches with
time, talent, and treasure. We therefore
very much wish for every MCC to remain
part of our work and to prosper in their
local communities.
Finally, whereas I believe mistakes have
been made in this process and that more
open and direct communication would
have served all parties well, nevertheless I
will conclude as I began, affirming MCC-
Columbia’s right to prayerfully choose
their own direction. If they leave MCC, they
will be greatly missed. But whatever they
choose, we acknowledge them as our sis
ters and brothers and as children of our
loving and all-inclusive God.
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