- Our History
- MCCNL
- UFMCC
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Background "Know yourself, know your history, and take pride in your identity" so goes a quotation on Inventive Women! Perhaps that should be the motto of every LGBT person! These pages seek to sketch out the history of MCC from its inception to date. This includes the history of our church here in North London, but it's a work in progress because every week we are history makers. Included in these pages are edited excerpts are from "The Lord Is My Shepherd, And He Knows I'm Gay" authored by MCC Founder and Moderator, Rev. Troy D. Perry. There is a link to the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches website for up to date developments across the world. Finally, there is a history of MCC North London with links to current information about staff, board members, and other groups and members. We hope you find these pages informative and inspiring, and most of all that they help you know your history, know yourself, and are a source of pride in your identity. |
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Brief History of MCC North London
Metropolitan Community Church of North London began as a Bible Study in the early 1980's, sponsored by the then existing MCC London church, quickly gaining chartered church status within the Universal Fellowship of of Metropolitan Community Churches. The founding pastor was the Reverend Elder Hong Tan who continues to be active today, primarily working within the NHS developing ground-breaking community-based health services with a special emphasis on HIV/AIDS affected communities.
In response to the early AIDS pandemic, MCCNL launched a programme called 'God's Love We Deliver', which became the seed from which 'The Food Chain' susbsequently developed into the independent charity it is today, delivering hot meals to home-bound people living with AIDS. The Reverend Elder Jill Storey, Rev. Tan's successor, was instrumental in continuing the social justice ministries of MCCNL throughout much of the 90's, and the church often took a lead in publicly speaking out for inclusivity in religion and society for all people of all sexual orientations. Members were involved in many ground-breaking ministries with inclusive Prison Ministry and partnering with Oasis North London, a support service for those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
The Reverend Elder Hong Tan became pastor again following Rev. Storey until the Reverend Pressley Sutherland became pastor beginning Easter 2001. Before legalised Civil Partnerships for same-sex and transgender couples, MCC North London hosted The Blessing Tent at London Pride for several years, during which time more than 500 couples were Blessed and affirmed into Holy Union as a public witness and demonstration of the validity of such partnerships.
MCC Today
MCCNL has defined its purpose as 'Setting Lives Alight through the Way of Jesus Christ.' We feel called to be a front-line inclusive church with Spirit-inspired worship, increasing opportunities for building community, equipping faith in action and fostering spiritual growth.
Our small groups programme offers people throughout greater London and beyond the opportunity for fellowship and to engage questions of faith. Our worship is based on divine encounter, and we seek to share dynamic, engaged expressions of Christianity within our multi-cultural, cosmopolitan city.
We host the Camden City Churches Cold Weather Shelter throughout the winter in partnership with our host church Trinity United Reformed Church, and are partnering with Rev. Jide Macaulay and House of Rainbow in Lagos, a newly formed inclusive Nigerian faith community, as they lay the foundations to become a recognised MCC church and leading voice for inclusivity and justice for all in west Africa, especially with regards to LGBTQI people.
Since our previous Senior Pastor Rev Pressley Sutherland took up a new position at Good Hope MCC Cape Town in 2008, MCC North London has entered a new and exciting time of change under the interim pastorship of Rev Sharon Ferguson. Sharon will be working with the Board and Search Committee to prepare the congregation and envision the search for a new pastor.
UNIVERSAL FELLOWSHIP OF
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCHES
Here is a 4 part summary of his story:
The headquarters and mother church of MCC has its own UFMCC website that you might wish to visit.
MCCNL is part of Region 4 which has some dedicated pages there.