St. John's Metropolitan Community Church

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Saint John's Metropolitan Community Church
Religion
AffiliationMetropolitan Community Church
StatusActive
Location
Location622 Maywood Avenue
Raleigh, North Carolina
United States
Website
[1]

St. John's Metropolitan Community Church is a Christian church catering to the LGBT population in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. The church is a member congregation of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), a worldwide fellowship of LGBT-affirming churches. St. John's is also affiliated with the North Carolina Council of Churches and the Raleigh Religious Network for Lesbian and Gay Equality (RRNLGE). The church located on Maywood Avenue near downtown Raleigh.

St. John's was founded by Willie White and his partner Robert Pace in February 1976. In June of that year, members of St. John's voted to affiliate with the MCC denomination. The following year St. John's members began holding church services at the Community United Church of Christ and continued to use that facility for 17 years.[1] In 1981 White became the faculty advisor for the Gay and Lesbian Christian Alliance (GLCA) at North Carolina State University, now part of the LGBT Services organization.[2][3]

The second pastor of St. John's was June Norris, the first heterosexual woman to be ordained by the MCC. Norris served the church from 1981 to 1988, participating in NC Pride and testifying before Raleigh City Council in regards to nondiscrimination clauses. The third pastor, Wayne Lindsey, led St. John's purchase of the current church building on South Glenwood Avenue. During this time, the church became active with the RRNLGE and joined the North Carolina chapter of the Council of Churches.[1] Lindsey, who pastored from 1988 to 2001, was an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights in North Carolina.[4]

In July 2001, the church's fourth pastor[1][5] Belva Y. Boone became the first African American pastor of St. John's. The church is involved with local LGBT events, such as NC Pride, Drag Bingo, and AIDS awareness.[5][6] Vance Haywood became the church's fifth pastor in February 2018.[7]

See also[]

  • LGBT-welcoming church programs

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "History Of St. John's MCC". St. John's Metropolitan Community Church. Archived from the original on 2007-06-10. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  2. ^ "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Services". North Carolina State University. Archived from the original on 2008-01-16. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  3. ^ Rueda, Enrique (1982). The Homosexual Network: Private Lives and Public Policy. Devin Adair Co. p. 46. ISBN 0-8159-5714-9.
  4. ^ Lewis, Julia (1998-04-04). "Gays Say Churches Shut Them Out". wral.com. Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  5. ^ a b "Acts of Faith: 2007". The News & Observer. Retrieved 2008-05-05.[dead link]
  6. ^ "Schedule for NC Pride Weekend: Sept. 28-30". Q Notes. Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
  7. ^ Brache, Laura (July 2, 2021). "'Somebody is listening': Raleigh pastor gets meeting with Biden to talk LGBTQ issues". The News & Observer. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021.

External links[]

Coordinates: 35°47′26″N 78°38′50″W / 35.790455°N 78.647175°W / 35.790455; -78.647175

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