MCC’s Ecumenical/Interfaith History – A Brief Sketch



A Resource Document on MCC’s Involvement with the World Council of Churches (WCC)

The World Council of Churches is the largest and most international of ecumenical bodies, and therefore is a very important and strategic body for MCC to relate it. The WCC brings together 349 churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 560 million Christians and including most of the world's Orthodox churches, scores of Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches, as well as many United and Independent churches. Website:

At this time, MCC is not a full member of the WCC, though we do now have observer status which allows us to attend, participate and dialogue within this body. In addition, the pastor of our MCC church in Uruguay (Diaconia Cristiana en la Diversidad MCC), the Rev. Dr. Araceli Izzatti, who has joint clergy credentials in MCC and the United Methodist Church, has been a long time participant on the WCC Commission on Faith and Order, and on a WCC team focusing on the “Decade to Overcome Violence.”

Contents on the document

1) Introduction and brief timeline of our involvement with the WCC

2) Message from Rev Elder Nancy Wilson on why MCC was going to the Ninth Assembly of the WCC in 2006

3) On site report #1 from MCCers at the WCC Assembly (February 16, 2006)

4) On site report #2 from MCCers at the WCC Assembly (February 18, 2006)

5) A sermon from Rev Elder Nancy Wilson reflecting MCC’s participation in the Ninth Assembly of the WCC

(1) Introduction and brief timeline of our involvement with the WCC

March 5, 2007

Rev. Nancy Wilson

General Introduction:

From the time MCC was founded in 1968, ecumenism was in our DNA, even though the concept was foreign to our Founder, Rev. Troy Perry. But, from the very first day, Troy had looked to ecumenical friends, outside of MCC (UCC, Episcopalian, others) who advised him not to organize MCC on too narrow a basis, but to be ecumenical in style, format and content. From the beginning, MCC was self-consciously ecumenical internally, recognizing that MCCer’s would come from many different Christian backgrounds, and that people of different faiths, or no faith, would also be drawn to MCC.

MCC’s open communion was really born out of a reaction to the closed, or somewhat closed communion of other churches, and the need to be radically inclusive at the most critical moment in MCC worship. The fact that communion was served every week, from the beginning, was also something quite new to Rev. Perry, and yet became a powerful signal to those from a Catholic or “liturgical” church background, that they were welcome.

Also, in those early years, Jews attended MCC because there was no synagogue, and MCC was a community center as well as a church. Two years after MCC started, a group of Jews attending MCC approached Rev. Perry about starting a synagogue. He helped them find their first rabbi, and the synagogue, Beth Chayam Chadashim, met at MCC Los Angeles until the building was destroyed in a fire. They were the first LGBT synagogue in the world, and now belong to the Reformed movement. Rev. Perry’s position was not to try to convert those Jews to Christianity, but to support their religious needs. Again, this was in great contrast to his fundamentalist upbringing.

MCC enshrined in its first By-laws the desire to be in fellowship with other denominations, but made no official steps towards that until 1974, when, at the General Conference, Nancy Wilson made a motion that MCC should seek to join the National Council of Churches of Christ in the US and the World Council of Churches. The motion passed without debate, as most people thought this was impossible!

Here are some milestones, set-backs and explanations: (NOTE – subset of only the World Council of Churches items)

July 1983: Colleen Darraugh, an MCC seminarian from Toronto, Canada, becomes the first MCCer to attend a WCC Assembly as part of the youth/seminarian program in Vancouver. Rev. Wilson visits the Assembly as well, for a couple of days.

1991: MCC is given observer designation for the World Council of Churches Assembly in Canberra, Australia. MCC sends a delegation of 5 people, with Nancy Wilson serving as the observer. We sent our AIDS Field Director, Steve Pieters, and Greg Smith (new to MCC, and Sydney MCC’s pastor) spoke at the WCC as part of a panel on HIV/AIDS – he was the first person with HIV/AIDS to address the WCC, and the first MCCer to speak before the whole assembly. Nancy was invited to speak the Women’s Tent. We held an impromptu worship service with about 50 or 60 people, held informal workshops, made hundreds of contacts for MCC, got to know many from the WCC staff. Nancy and other MCCer’s help lead the US NCC delegation’s “hour” of the 24 hour prayer vigil against the first Gulf War (which was in progress during the assembly).

1998: We have a delegation to the World Council of Churches, in Harare, Zimbabwe. This was a very controversial Conference, because of GALZ (Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe) and the homophobia of President Mugabe. We offered a worship service (Elder Hong Tan preached) several workshops (official ones, on the WCC program this time!), lobbied our embassies for help with human rights and LGBT people. We held a press conference off campus with GALZ and other LGBT African activist and some of our group marched in a human rights march. We met nightly with 100 or more LGBT visitors to the assembly, organizing our presence. We did a lot of press interviews.

February 2006: MCC sent a delegation, lead by the Moderator, to the World Council of Churches meeting in Proto Alegre, Brazil. Two other Elders were part of the delegation. There were 11 people, about half of whom funded their own participation and volunteered their time. We had an excellent booth, several excellent workshops, cooperated with the European Forum on events and a daily LGBT meeting; we held a wonderful worship service, and handed out thousands of piece of literature, in several languages. We met new MCC folks from Brazil, and included them in our work. We marched with Desmond Tutu, and heard the President of Brazil speak to the Assembly. MCC got local newspaper coverage.

September 2006: Nancy Wilson and her assistant, Connie Meadows, visit the WCC headquarters in Geneva. Nancy preaches that the morning chapel service to about 150 people. We have an hour long meeting with the General Secretary, and spent the day in appointments with WCC staffers, healing them to understand MCC and our interest in the world of the WCC. We talk about the issues in Jamaica, and have a conversation with several staffers that leads us to believe they might want to help us.

(2) Message from Rev Elder Nancy Wilson on why MCC was going to the Ninth Assembly of the WCC

A Message From

The Reverend Nancy L. Wilson

Office of the Moderator

Metropolitan Community Churches

"Why MCC Is Going to the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches"

World's Largest Predominantly-Gay Church Group Sending Delegation to WCC's International Gathering in Brazil

February 12, 2006

Last year, in Calgary, MCC's General Conference adopted a Strategic Plan for Metropolitan Community Churches that included the following statements of purpose:

"As God's Liberated People, We Boldly:

Reclaim our Holy Identity...

Advance our Call to Social Justice...

Tell the Story of God's Transforming Grace...

Nurture the Value of Community...

Build Bridges that Liberate and Unite..."

All of these purposes are well served by MCC's attendance and participation in the upcoming Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Brazil during February 14-23.

The World Council of Churches was formed in 1948 in Amsterdam. The international WCC Assemblies are held once every 7 or 8 years, and draw 5,000 people representing more than 347 denominations and regional and national councils of churches, along with representatives from churches that are not members of the Council (including the Roman Catholic Church and Metropolitan Community Churches). Most of WCC's member churches identify as Protestant or Orthodox. It is "one of the broadest global gatherings of its kind," according to the WCC.

MCC first attended as a denominational visitor to the Vancouver Assembly in 1983. I had the opportunity to attend a portion of the Assembly, and Rev. Colleen Darraugh was MCC's seminary student representative. By the time of the Canberra Assembly in 1991, MCC requested, and was granted, Official Observer status. At that Assembly, I addressed the women delegates at a special program of the "Women's Tent," and Rev. Greg Smith, then from Sydney, Australia, and new to MCC, was featured in a drama /dialogue about HIV/AIDS.

MCC took a full delegation to the WCC Assembly in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1998 -- our participation was funded in part by a grant from the Ford Foundation. It was especially helpful to have Jim Birkitt, MCC's Communications Officer, as a member of the MCC delegation. LGBT issues had exceptionally high visibility at that gathering, fueled by the international controversy over the human rights group Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) and whether they would be allowed to participate in the WCC Assembly. There were about 200 openly LGBT visitors to the Assembly and MCC presented several workshops and hosted a well-attended press conference for international media. Rev. Elder Hong Tan preached at a worship service that was organized and presented by MCC, and which generated significant interest among WCC Assembly participants.

This year, the Would Council of Churches' Ninth Assembly will take place in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and will last for 10 days -- from February 14-23. For the first time, I have been invited by the WCC to be the facilitator for one of the daily small group Bible Studies on the Assembly theme, which is "God, in Your Grace, Transform the World." The entire Assembly, as the conference program book notes, is a spiritual experience of prayer, encounter, reflection and discernment. Much like our own MCC World Jubilee, there are gatherings for morning and evening prayers, a chapel, a daily newspaper, and numerous workshops. Additionally, members of MCC's delegation will take the opportunity to worship with local Brazilian congregations on Sunday.

Reclaim our Holy Identity: In the midst of 5,000 Christians, whose points of view around homosexuality and the church diverge enormously, members of MCC's delegation will be ourselves! Our delegation will participate fully in worship and service, in study and reflection, around all the issues before the Assembly. We will meet thousands of people over the 10 day period, and we pray that they will see Christ in us as we see Christ in them. The members of MCC's delegation are wholly committed to being catalysts for changing hearts, minds and spirits, as God has called us to be.

Advance our Call to Social Justice and Action: We will bring to the table -- both to our formal and our informal conversations -- the justice needs of our communities and our concerns for LGBT human rights the world over. We will find ways to share the urgent plight of our sisters and brothers in Jamaica. We will also have opportunities to learn about social justice issues in a global context. We will hear some of the finest speakers and church leaders talk about globalization, poverty, war and peace, HIV/AIDS and human sexuality. I am especially pleased that 16 workshops will be held during this Assembly to focus on the on-going global pandemic of HIV and AIDS. And, as has been true in the past, there may again be opportunities for direct public actions to focus attention upon serious issues of global concern.

Tell the Story of God's Transforming Grace: This WCC Assembly will provide amazing opportunities to witness to thousands of faith leaders about our experience of the liberating gospel of Christ. Our delegates will lead a workshop about the story and message of MCC. We will offer a public worship service during the Assembly. We will meet scores of news media people throughout the world, who will interview us and want to learn more about MCC. We will have hundreds of opportunities, one on one, to tell our personal stories to delegates and visitors from around the world who ask, "What is MCC?" We will be bringing with us copies of our literature in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and copies of Rev. Troy Perry's new book. There will be regular reports from the MCC Communications Office on news of the Assembly and our participation, for our MCC family -- as well as regular external media updates for members of the press.

Nurture the Value of Community: We will meet daily with other LGBT delegates and visitors to the Assembly, hearing about the struggles of Anglicans and others around issues of sexuality. We will make new friends, and will find valuable new allies from all over the world who can help us in our vital mission, and with whom we, in turn, can partner and provide mutual support.

We will find ways to welcome and thank the new WCC General Secretary, Sam Kobia, from Kenya, who recently "came out" about the fact that several of his family members have HIV or AIDS. He is an advocate of open conversation about issues such as human sexuality, and is a person of courage and conviction.

We will have opportunity to meet with MCC leaders within Brazil, who will be visiting the Assembly as well, and we will meet with long time friends from Other Sheep, in Latin America, who will also be present. And as always, we will have many opportunities to meet with still-closeted LGBT Christians, clergy and laity, who are eager to learn about MCC and the inclusive gospel we preach.

Build Bridges that Liberate and Unite: At this Assembly, we will explore and be challenged about the ways in which we truly have common cause with the World Council of Churches, even with people and denominations who have not yet heard of MCC, and we will encourage and facilitate open dialogue with those who aren't sure they accept MCC specifically, or LGBT people of faith in general, "as church." We will look for ways, as we leave Porto Alegre, to follow up on the experiences we've had, and continue to grow in our relationship with the churches and the ministries of the WCC.

One of MCC's delegates, Dr. Araceli Izzatti, from Uruguay, is a highly respected, long time participant, as a Methodist, on the WCC Commission on Faith and Order, and on the team dedicated to focusing on the WCC Decade to Overcome Violence. Dr. Izzatti, who is now MCC clergy and the parent of a gay person, will be a wonderful addition to our team this year, helping us to build bridges.

I am asking for your prayers as our MCC delegation -- including Elders, staff and volunteers -- travels to Brazil for this very important moment in the life of the WCC and in the life of MCC.

Together, let us pray that God’s transforming grace will be abundantly at work within and through us all!

Grace and peace,

/signed/

The Reverend Nancy L. Wilson

Office of the Moderator

Metropolitan Community Churches



MCC'S DELEGATION:

You are invited to offer prayers for the work and ministry of MCC's delegation to the 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches during February 14-23, as well as prayers for all participants who will gather from 347 different Christian denominations and councils.

The members of the MCC delegation are:

Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson

Rev. Elder Darlene Garner

Rev. Elder Diane Fisher

Rev. Jim Birkitt

Rev. Araceli Izzatti

Rev. Paul Fairley

Lynn Farrand

Connie Meadows

Gelson Piber

Hilde Scheibe

Ann Vassilaros

(3) On site report #1 from MCCers at the WCC Assembly (February 16, 2006)

On-Site Report from MCC's Delegation at the Assembly of the World Council of Churches

MCC Hosts Largest Delegation of LGBT Allies at WCC's International Gathering in Brazil

February 16, 2006

INDEX:

1. Introduction

2. Rev. Wilson Leads Bible Study For

International Church Leaders

3. What Does The MCC Delegation Do?

4. MCC Hosts Events To Build Bridges and

Foster Openness and Learning

5. Remember MCC's Delegation With Your

Prayers

6. WCC Quote Of The Day

7. Members of MCC's Delegation

1. Introduction

MCC's delegation to the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches is on-site in Porto Alegre, Brazil and busily engaged in the work of the 10-day international conference.

Led by MCC's Moderator, the Reverend Nancy L. Wilson, MCC's delegation is:

-- Working to build bridges of understanding with other Christian denominations;

-- Advocating for the full acceptance of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons in other church groups;

-- Offering both formal and informal opportunities for learning and education;

-- Meeting one-on-one with a wide range of church officials, including some closeted church leaders who want to learn more about MCC's ministry.

There have been only nine international Assemblies since the WCC's founding in 1938 -- this marks the fourth WCC Assembly at which Rev. Nancy Wilson and MCC have participated, and this year's Assembly has offered new opportunities for outreach.

Rev. Wilson Leads Bible Study For International Church Leaders

A key feature of every WCC Assembly is small group Bible study at which delegates get to know one another more deeply -- it is in this setting that much of the week’s "bridge building" takes place across denominations. For the very first time, the WCC extended an invitation for MCC's Rev. Nancy Wilson to serve as a leader of these daily Bible studies. The WCC assigns delegates to the small groups -- among those assigned to study the Bible under Rev. Wilson's leadership are the General Secretary of the Church of Norway, the General Secretary of the Church of Sweden, the Anglican Primate of Canada, the head of the United Methodist Church in Ghana, and a Methodist leader from Zimbabwe!

What Does The MCC Delegation Do?

Because MCC holds Official Observer Status with the WCC, Rev. Wilson serves as MCC's official delegate to the WCC Assembly. She takes part in the official business sessions of the WCC. As MCC's representative, she also engages in the official ecumenical dialogues. For example, of the more than 4000 participants gathered for the WCC Assembly, only 65 will take part in the ecumenical dialogue on sexuality -- and one of the 65 will be MCC's Rev. Nancy Wilson.

Other members of MCC's delegation are categorized as "mutirao" -- these are registered participants and representatives who are not engaged in official WCC business. Mutirao registrants take part in worship and Bible study, engage in more informal dialogues, and participate in the more than 200 workshops that take place over 10 days.

Jim Birkitt, MCC's Communications Director, is sharing MCC's work with journalists who are covering the Assembly on site, and sending news stories to religion editors and the LGBT press around the world.

MCC Hosts Events To Build Bridges; Foster Openness and Learning

MCC is hosting several events at this WCC Assembly. On February 20, the WCC has provided space for Rev. Elder Darlene Garner and Rev. Elder Diane Fisher to conduct a workshop on MCC's ministry. And the WCC is providing public space for MCC to conduct an open worship service, which is being organized by Rev. Paul Fairley and at which Rev. Wilson will preach.

For the first time, MCC has a public booth in the exhibition hall and the delegation is distributing MCC materials in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, and some limited information in German.

Each afternoon of the Assembly, MCC's delegation holds an open meeting with other LGBT Christian leaders and allies to further our ecumenical dialogue, provide support, and develop strategies for our work with the World Council of Churches.

Remember MCC's Delegation With Your Prayers

MCC's delegation asks for your prayers for:

-- Their work and ministry as they share MCC's message of God’s unconditional love for all people;

-- Hearts and minds to be opened to LGBT people within other faith communities;

-- Church leaders from many denominations who continue to struggle with issues around homosexuality and the Church, and others who in this setting are open to dealing with their own personal issues around sexuality and ministry.

WCC Quote Of The Day:

The following was overheard by a member of Europe's Lesbian and Gay Christian Groups: "I'm taking the response to my name badge as a positive sign that more and more churches are opening to LGBT people. At previous ecumenical gatherings, people would lean in to read my name badge, then lift their eyes, look at me and say, "Oh...you are a lesbian." More and more now, people will lean in to read my badge, then look at me and say, "Oh...you are Norwegian!"

MCC Delegation:

The members of MCC's delegation to the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches are:

Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson

Rev. Elder Darlene Garner

Rev. Elder Diane Fisher

Rev. Jim Birkitt

Rev. Araceli Izzatti

Rev. Paul Fairley

Lynn Farrand

Connie Meadows

Gelson Piber

Hilde Scheibe

Ann Vassilaros

4) On site report #2 from MCCers at the WCC Assembly (February 18, 2006)

Latest On-Site Report from MCC's Delegation at the Assembly of the World Council of Churches

MCC Hosts Largest Delegation of LGBT Allies at WCC's International Gathering in Brazil

February 18, 2006

INDEX:

1. Prayer Request: Monday Is Key Day At WCC Assembly

2. Rev. Wilson Participates in Ecumenical Dialogue on Sexuality

3. Rev. Elder Diane Fisher Notes How Responses Vary Widely To MCC's Ministry

4. WCC Quote Of The Day

5. Members of MCC's Delegation

1. Prayer Request: Monday Is Key Day At WCC Assembly

MCC's delegation to the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches is on-site in Porto Alegre, Brazil and requests your prayers for God's blessing on Monday, February 20.

Monday will be a key day for the MCC delegation, as MCCers host three major events at the WCC Assembly site. Please be in prayer for these events:

-- The MCC delegation has reserved a main auditorium and will host a 9 AM showing of "Fish Can't Fly," a firsthand look at so called "ex-gay" ministries by LGBT people who have experienced them first hand.

-- At 11 AM, MCC will conduct an open worship service on-site. The worship service has been prepared by Rev. Paul Fairley and MCC's Moderator, Rev. Nancy Wilson, will preach.

-- Then, at 1:30 PM, Rev. Elder Darlene Garner and Rev. Elder Diane Fisher will host a workshop for WCC participants. The workshop will share information on MCC's history and ministry, and invite questions and discussion by participants.

-- Later the same Day, many MCCers will join delegates from the European Forum of Lesbian and Gay Christian Groups, as the European Forum presents an additional workshop on LGBT issues

Please join in prayer that God will use these events to touch the lives of many church leaders with the message of God's unconditional love for all people.

2. Rev. Wilson Participates in Ecumenical Dialogue on Sexuality

The Ecumenical Dialogue on Sexuality is the "hot topic" at this WCC Assembly -- and MCC's Rev. Nancy Wilson is taking part in this dialogue this week. The dialogue was to be limited to only 65 participants -- out of the more than 4000 present -- but due to major interest, opened the event to 85 people. Rev. Wilson notes that, due to excellent preparation by the WCC and healthy ground rules for debate, hostility has been minimal and authentic conversations about sexuality -- still difficult in many faith traditions and cultures -- has been taking place.

Delegates have discussed the possibility of publishing WCC-sponsored theological reflections on sexuality, which would be a significant step forward and to which MCC writers and researchers might contribute -- and thanks to the work accomplished at this Assembly, an even more open discussion seems to be a very real possibility at the next WCC Assembly.

3. Rev. Elder Diane Fisher Notes How Responses Vary Widely To MCC's Ministry

Among the many photos at MCC's booth in the WCC Exhibition Hall are photos of MCC's participation, led by Rev. Elder Diane Fisher, in the firstever Pride Parade in Bucharest, Romania, and the MCC worship services that took place as part of the Pride events. On Thursday, a teenage boy, a visitor from Romania, stopped by MCC's both and beamed in recognition of the sights from his homeland. His father joined him, affirming the son with a pat on the back and a hug. The boy's sister then stopped by -- but at the site of the pride flags showed discomfort and quickly moved on. Finally, the mother joined her family at the MCC booth -- looking first at the photos, than at Rev. Fisher -- and finally saying, "Is that you in the photos?" to which Rev. Fisher answered, "Yes, that's me." The woman scowled, wagged her finger, repeatedly said, "Shame, shame, shame!" -- and then spit at Rev. Fisher. The teenage boy was crestfallen, the father was silent -- and somehow the scene was a snapshot of the many different responses LGBT people still find in other faith communities.

In reflecting on the event, Rev. Fisher wrote the following poetic musings:

A young man walks up, stops, looks --

sees a poster from his country;

sees people smiling behind a booth.

His eyes light up,

A smile lifts the corners of his mouth.

He has hope.

His father follows,

looks at his son, looks at the poster;

he smiles and pats his son's shoulder.

His sister walks on by,

embarrassed.

Then his mother, strong in her silence

reviews the poster,

looks from me to the poster

and back to me.

"Is it you?" she snaps.

"Yes," I reply.

"Shame!

shame!

shame!"

she spits.

Her son's eyes cloud over,

he looks at the floor;

his hope leaves.

Are we needed?

Is MCC a beacon of hope?

For one fleeting moment,

in a young Romanian's man's life,

he tasted acceptance and freedom.

I hope -- I pray -- it was enough!

-- by Rev. Elder Diane Fisher

from Porto Alegre, Brazil 2006

4. Quote Of The Day:

The following comment was made this week at the WCC Assembly by a LGBT member of another denominational group: "Our own denomination is moving toward more openness, and we believe the day is coming when our church will fully accept LGBT people. It probably will not happen in my lifetime, but it will happen." What a reminder that ours is an unfinished world -- and ours is an unfinished calling. How we thank God for Metropolitan Community Churches -- a Christian church that already fully welcomes the participation and leadership of LGBT people in every area of worship and ministry. By God's grace, and thanks to the faithfulness of those who came before us, MCCers do not need to wait for inclusion and acceptance, but are able to experience it now.

MCC Delegation:

The members of MCC's delegation to the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches are:

Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson

Rev. Elder Darlene Garner

Rev. Elder Diane Fisher

Rev. Jim Birkitt

Rev. Araceli Izzatti

Rev. Paul Fairley

Lynn Farrand

Connie Meadows

Gelson Piber

Hilde Scheibe

Ann Vassilaros

(5) A sermon from Rev Elder Nancy Wilson reflecting MCC’s participation in the Ninth Assembly of the WCC

|"God, In Your Grace, Transform The World" |[pic] |

|This sermon by The Reverend Nancy L. Wilson, Moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches, | |

|contains reflections of MCC's participation in the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of | |

|Churches. | |

|Reflections from the World Council of Churches |

by The Reverend Nancy L. Wilson, MCC Moderator

SERMON TEXT:

"When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was so longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."

"Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say “Rise, take up your pallet and walk.” But that you know that the Son of Humanity as authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic -- "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet ad go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God saying, "We never saw anything like this!" (Mark 2: 1-12)

This was the Scripture lesson that was read in the church service many of us from MCC attended on Sunday, February 19, 2006, in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

It was about half-way through our World Council of Churches experience. We had spent the week handing out MCC literature and running out of MCC literature in three languages at our booth, which had been handsomely decorated in purple by Paul Fairley and Diane Fisher, complete with the MCC logo and draped in beautiful fabric.

The MCC booth in the Mutirao (Portuguese for "community gathering place,") was our gathering place at the Pontifical University which was hosting nearly 5000 WCC delegates and visitors from all over the planet -- participants from over 127 countries and 384 denominations.

On Friday of the Assembly, we had listened to President Lula of Brazil, as he praised the work of the World Council of Churches and courageous Christians in Brazil who had managed to sneak out of the country top secret documents that implicated the previous government in illegal schemes, including torture and repression and fraud. While the President spoke, communists protested just outside the hall, and supporters danced and rallied.

It was democracy at work!

There were huge crowds, and at one point MCC’s organizer in Brazil, Gelson Piber, grabbed me and said, "Mira! (Look up)!" and right above us, on the stairway was the President of Brazil. Gelson, who is a sometime critic of President Lula, was beaming with Brazilian pride at the evidence of all this renewed and thrilling democracy.

There had been worship services, intense conversations on Human Sexuality (a first for the WCC) and hundreds of conversations with attendees, some of whom had walked past MCC's booth five or even ten times before stopping!

And the great moment of coming together was when the Dalits of India (the untouchable people, mostly Christians) organized a mid-day parade through the conference hall. When our MCC folks saw the Palestinian Christian Youth group join them, they joined in too -- the queers, the young Palestinian Christians and the Dalits -- what a parade! Jesus would have loved it!

A group from Brasilia, who had read all about us on the MCC website and who have been worshiping together for a year, drove two days to meet us at the Assembly. It felt so New Testament! The very first day they arrived, they were so excited to meet "their" Elder Darlene Garner and the new Moderator of MCC that they were teary and too excited to even try to speak English! They volunteered immediately to staff the booth, which they did for the remainder of the Assembly. This plunged them into MCC with new intensity and really helped the WCC to know "We are everywhere."

Eventually we also met a young theologian from Porto Alegre and members of his group, who were also very drawn to MCC. We quickly became a community, along with our friends from the European Forum for LGBTs. WCC staff, especially music and worship staff, also became friends, and they volunteered to provide the music for our service! We also made several friends in the Ecumenical Disabilities Forum, particularly a young man in a wheelchair from Lebanon, who urged us to "come and start an MCC in Beirut!"

But back to Sunday...

Sunday was the day WCC Assembly guests were to find our way to local Brazilian churches, who were getting ready for us. Because our own Araceli Izzatti is also a Methodist pastor in Uruguay, we were going to go with her to a Methodist Church.

But, after a very long, exhausting Saturday, we found, slipped under our hotel room doors, an invitation to a Lutheran Church just across the street! The conference planners took great pains to point out that they had placed MCCer’s with others they thought would be "friendly," namely the Canadians! We were housed with folks from the Untied Church of Canada, the Anglican Church of Canada, Canadian Lutherans and other LGBT folks from Europe. All of us in our hotel decided we would go to the Lutheran Church in the morning.

So, taking the path of least resistance, we walked across the street to the little Lutheran Church. Blonde Brazilians! Brazilians of all colors. Elderly folks and young families.

As it turns out, this was a church planted by the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, USA. Their denomination does not practice an open communion. They did not even have communion with the other Lutherans in Brazil, but we did not know this at the time! We had also heard a rumor that they did not ordain women. So all of us women clergy wore our collars as a quiet witness.

The church was quaint German Lutheran architecture, a sweet building that would barely hold 150 people. There were more than 100 visitors that morning. It is impossible to convey all that happened, or that we felt, but I will summarize:

1) We were warmly greeted, by church members, in English (most Brazilians do not speak English), and handed a bulletin that contained the entire liturgy and all the songs in English, which was the primary language spoken at the Assembly. Darlene and I did our best to sing in Portuguese!

2) We were welcomed from the front of the church by a translator, who explained that for the regular members the words would be in Portuguese on their PowerPoint in the front.

3) There were not enough seats, so about half or more of the members stood outside or in the narthex throughout the service, leaving seats for us to find.

4) The sermon was from today’s text, found in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 2. The pastor preached in Portuguese, ably translated for those us who were visitors. The young pastor beamed as he spoke about sin and forgiveness. (He was a Lutheran, after all!) He told a touching story about a dearly beloved member who was at death’s door. He did not preach to us, specifically, he preached to all of us together. We were invited into their congregation’s reality, and to hear the Gospel as a gathered community that day.

5) At communion time, the pastor made an emotional and special announcement - that on this day they would serve an open communion. He took some time to express to us what that meant, but basically, we were to self-select as "believers in Christ," with no litmus test. We had no idea at the time, what an incredible stretch this was for that church, who had never even dared share communion with the Lutheran church down the street! But here we were - from every continent, and many denominations, straight, LGBT and everything else - sharing Jesus’ common loaf and cup.

6) Before the service ended, they welcomed us again and invited people to bring greetings. The Canadians were very emotional in their thanks - some of their denominations brought gifts to give. The lesbian pastor of a German Lutheran Church and her partner from Norway greeted them on behalf of the LGBT community in Europe and for all of us at the Assembly. I could feel her heart pounding as she spoke, and my heart was pounding with her. The translator had no difficultly translating. No one died from her greeting - though I did think the woman next to me breathed in a little sharply at that point. She recovered nicely, and smiled no less sweetly at me.

7) As we left, the pastor greeted each of us warmly, and those of us from MCC and the European LGBT group were photographed. A lot. Especially by young people at the church! It was a big day for this little church in the southernmost city in Brazil.

For me, this experience was a parable. I thought of how easy it is for us to take an open communion for granted, among other things.

I thought of what the equivalent of that Lutheran service would be in our local MCC churches - what would it mean to print our bulletins in a language most of us did not speak, just to make newcomers feel welcome and at ease and not lost in the service?

What would be the moral equivalent of that in your church?

Who of us would be willing to stand outside, offering others our seat, perhaps lifting them through the roof?

What would it mean to preach in a way that met the needs of our "regulars" but also spoke to those who were new or very different? How might we not take our open communion for granted, but find new ways to make it fresh and inviting, and full of Jesus’ style of innovation and imagination. What might be our equivalent "leap of faith and inclusion" that they took on our behalf that day?

And are we willing to let first timers voice their identity, needs and thanksgiving?

Risky business!

A few days later, at morning worship, I just "happened" to sit next to a man from India. He was connected with a seminary, and after I found out about him, he asked where I was from, and what church. I told him about MCC’s ministry. And then he asked if we had any churches in India. When I told him no, his eyes filled with tears, and he said, "May I have your business card for my daughter? She will be in touch with you, I promise." We shared a song book and smiled deeply at each other the rest of the service.

I am holding his promise in my heart -- will you hold it with me? -- for our LGBT sisters and brothers in India?

I was deeply impressed with the generosity and genuine holiness I felt in that little Lutheran church -- a church that does not ordain women and normally does not open its communion table. I was touched and humbled by those lay members who gathered around the grieving family of a dying man, as would be done in every good church everywhere. Even in the midst of great assemblies, life and death still go on just across the street.

Later in the week, we would hear sounds coming, every night, from that little church -- a band practicing, a choir singing, a mid-week service. The sounds were all of joy and praise and gospel power.

I am sure they will talk for a long time about the strangers in their midst who worshiped with them, brought them gifts, let them take pictures, challenged them, and gave them an opportunity to make history for themselves.

Can they ever go back to a "closed" communion without remembering us?

I hope not.

by The Reverend Nancy L. Wilson

Moderator

Metropolitan Community Churches

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