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Metropolitan Community Churches

@mccdenomination.bsky.social

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Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) is a movement & a denomination that is open to all who wish to share & live into God's inclusive and life-changing love.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · Jan 28

We're Seeking You! - Metropolitan Community Churches

YouTube video by Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC)

youtu.be

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

Schedule: November 5 at 4PM ET / 1PM PT

REGISTER NOW: forms.gle/adirWC2bGxuB...

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

Come, be part of an MCC conversation about definitions of all these terms and relationships. We want your input as we consider the present and future of MCC's online presence. This conversation is hosted by Rev. Elder Hector Gutierrez, Elder Velma Garcia, and Rev. Colleen Darraugh.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

What is CHURCH?

➡️ How do we define Church in 2025?
➡️ How is this digital age changing what we mean by ‘Church’?
➡️ What’s the difference between a Church and a Spiritual Community?
➡️ What’s the difference between a Church and a ministry?
➡️ In digital spaces, what might accountability look like?

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

Advent Preaching | A CLGS Queering the Word Workshop with Revs. Lauren Bennett and Jakob Hero-Shaw - CLGS

clgs.psr.edu

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

Schedule:
➡️ Advent Preaching - November 26, 2025 at 1PM PT
➡️ Lenten Preaching - January 28, 2026 at 1PM PT
➡️ Preaching for Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals - March 18, 2026 at 1PM PT
➡️ LGBTQ+ Holydays/Holidays - May 20, 2026 at 1PM PT

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

Please note that 1 CEU is available for each class.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

The speakers for this workshop series will be: Rev. Lauren Bennett (Pastor of MCC Greater St. Louis, MO, USA); Rev. Dr. Tijuana Gray (studies the implications and applications of womanist thought for queer church); and Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw (Senior Pastor of MCC Tampa, FL, USA).

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

All of these classes will be online, and the workshops are designed for Christian preachers, seminarians, and anyone else interested in the art of preaching from a queer perspective.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

The Center for LGBTQ & Gender Studies in Religion (CLGS) has partnered with Metropolitan Community Churches to present a series of classes titled "Queering The World: Preaching Workshop Series."

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 2d

Queering the World: Preaching Workshop Series

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

Let the Spirit move you to be an ally!

#SpiritDay #GoPurple #MCC #HolySpirit #QueerYouth #EndBullying #GodIsLove

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

Today, we stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ youth to say: the Spirit of Love created you, loves you, and calls you good. No form of bullying or exclusion can extinguish the divine light and Spirit within you.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

The Spirit doesn't just fill churches; the Spirit fills people—all people. This Spirit is one of unconditional love, courage, and radical affirmation.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

At Metropolitan Community Churches, the color purple reminds us of the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of God that moves within and among us.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

She was a great inspiration to me as one who was just entering the Ordained Ministry.

Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

Rev. LaPaula was like our Commander In Chief; she kept us organized. I remember that Rev. LaPaula served for a good while as the District Coordinator for the Great Lakes District and I remember seeing her at General Conferences.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

We attended classes, workshops, panel discussions, or lectures every day; we planned and led Worship Services; we discussed and led Holy Communion; we talked about money, ethical leadership, setting good boundaries, and just everything one might need to be a good pastor of an MCC.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

Our resident leaders for my class included Rev. LaPaula Turner, her partner, Rev. Sandy Robinson, and a new Elder at that time, Rev./Elder Darlene Garner.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

In the early 1990's (1992 or 1993) I attended a two-week stay at Occidental College in the Los Angeles area, for an intensive training of new/incoming MCC Clergy. We jokingly but lovingly called it "MCC Boot-Camp".

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

Remarks by Rev Elder Caroly Mobley-Bowie:

I knew Rev. LaPaula and her late spouse (Rev. Sandy Robinson). They were two of the for what we now call REVM.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

During the speech, La Paula was the first to introduce me to Kwanzaa, a celebration of African American culture from Dec. 26-31.

(READ MORE: qspirit.net/la-paula-tur...)

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

My first memory of her was when she gave an illuminating lecture about racial justice as part of my clergy training at Samaritan Orientation to MCC Pastoring in 1989.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

From Kittredge Cherry's blog:

La Paula and I had a no-nonsense relationship built on caring and truth-telling. I was a younger white woman still finding her way and La Paula was a Black elder whose years had given her the wisdom that I needed.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

Turner ministered in many places around the United States, but lived in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, for the last 30 years.

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Metropolitan Community Churches @mccdenomination.bsky.social · 3d

La Paula Turner was a pioneering Black lesbian clergy and mother of six who supported LGBTQ Christians since the 1970s. She passed away on Aug. 4, 2025, at age 88. She was one of the first African Americans ordained by the LGBTQ-affirming Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) denomination.

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