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Pride Month - Celebrating Our History: The New Church |
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June 1, 2003By Marc Minardi & Dennis Edelman Opening (Denny)Thanks Penny for the opportunity to speak this morning. What Newness Looks Like (Marc)Many of us may think of the 34th anniversary of Stonewall, which we will be celebrating in a few weeks, as a removed or distant historical event. For Denny and I, who lived as a couple through Stonewall, the significance of that event, in a place not more than 20 feet from Herald Square where I played as a child, changed our lives dramatically. Before Stonewall, there were very few examples of gay couples in the media, not to mention a "gay liberation movement." Fear of being discovered, led Gay and lesbian people to be isolated from one another and not well connected as a community. We knew there were bars where you could go to meet other people, but generally these were cruising places and not places where friendships could be developed or serious relationships formed. Stonewall, however, made all things new. For Denny and I, it let us know community was possible. That gay people didn't have to tow a straight line to be themselves. Just a year before Stonewall in 1968, Denny and I were concluding our final year at Princeton Seminary where we met. The Seminary had discovered that I was gay and required that I see a psychiatrist to cure me of my "deviant" behavior before I could graduate. Needless to say, I had to keep my relationship with Denny secret. During my therapy sessions, the psychiatrist told me that by the time I was 40 I would find gay relationships impermanent and I would wind up being a lonely old man. I am glad that after Stonewall, I had the foresight to reject that advice and reaffirm my relationship with Denny. It was the best decision I ever made in my life! This morning's reading is by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran theologian who was imprisoned by the Nazis for suspicion of conspiring to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Bonhoeffer was a profound moral thinker who believed that the price of personal and spiritual freedom involved integrity and commitment to action. As the Nazis began to discover more and more about his own personal involvement in the plot, Bonhoeffer's days in prison became darker and more ominous. The Second Lesson describes how Bonhoeffer saw the Church of his time - weak and undermined by Nazi forces, and incapable of speaking any message of relevance to society. Bonhoeffer saw a need for a truly new church, invoking new spiritual language along with the theme of personal liberation. As a prisoner, he imagined how the release from bondage (physical freedom, societal repression?, addictions? homophobia?) could transform human beings and give them great power. Personal liberation is amazing stuff and it mirrors exactly how Denny and I felt during those first years at MCC. It was the thrill of being at a place that puts no barriers between one's gay or lesbian life and spirituality, and requires us to exercise our faith with passion, and live out spirituality in community. Community at MCC (Denny)When we arrived at MCC we found ourselves encircled by community in ways we had never experienced before. We found ourselves encircled by others wanting to hear our story and eager
to tell us theirs. By the first few weeks at MCC, we were assigned to a
neighborhood MCC social group. Here we heard incredible life stories of
joy and tragedy and ultimate gay transformation. It was in this group that
we connected with Lynn Jordan and Richard O'Dell and others from the church
that have been friends now for 20 years. It was all very good. We found ourselves involved in political activism. Michael Denton, a firebrand Democrat, involved us in the Alice B. Toklas Club. Through MCC, and through Alice, we participated in the election of many qualified gay officials and passed gay positive propositions that led to furthering the progressive movement in this City. We found ourselves communicating more with the larger community of our
families, old friends and colleagues at work about our lives and how they
were changing. Our Coming Out Letter (Marc)In 1988, after 5 years of sensational life in San Francisco and at MCCSF, the changes happening in each of us during the period could no longer be contained. We decided to write a letter to our classmates at Seminary about what happened to us. It was a major coming out for us. Here is a portion of that letter: "Dear Friends, The letter goes on to describe what we were doing up until that time and then continues… "Gradually, however the pressures of work and a desire for change began to grip us. We experienced the joys of Fire Island following Stonewall, and what the potential of gay community could be like. Having known no gay people in New Jersey, it triggered contrasts that we began to think about more and more as the years passed. Even regular trips overseas did not help to ameliorate the sense that we were missing something very important in our life. The opportunity for Marc to transfer to Berkeley opened and we both seized upon it as a chance to start again, this time focusing on gay relationships as a key objective to what we wanted. Unchurched during this time (the rejection of the Presbyterian Church's recommendations on homosexuality proved to be the last straw for us), we happened upon the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco one Sunday in June. We loved it and haven't missed a Sunday since. Our church has proven to be a haven for former clergy, but laity exercise profound and talented leadership and we see ourselves as supporters and contributors to this process. With the homeless, poor, disenfranchised and AIDS, there is a great deal that needs doing in this City. We have made intense and deep friendships during this time working on these problems and have found a level of spiritual commitment to each other and to our friends that we never anticipated or thought possible in this age. We really feel ourselves part of something new that reminds us most of what New Testament Christianity is all about." This letter, I think, puts into context what has happened to us since we arrived in San Francisco and at this church in particular. We didn't know it then, but the "something new" we were looking for resulted in new energy between each of us, new understandings about our relationship with our Higher Power, new dynamics in friendship, new social and political commitments and new ways of exploring the great possibilities of life. The Significance of APS (Denny)Some of you may have heard one of us say to the other inexplicably "APS." Long before Stonewall, in the midst of a Presbyterian Seminary education, beginning in 1965 Marc and I shared a growing commitment for one another. It was impossible to speak of it anywhere. During these years we were studying classical Greek and Hebrew languages together. Out of those studies during that first year or two in school we developed a secret code word to express at any time our growing love and commitment for one another. That code word was "APS." It comes from the Greek for "I love you". Although the need for secret codes has long past in our lives, we continue to use it affectionately daily. Over the years it has increased in meaning for us since only we knew of it then, it protected us for a long time, allowed for important communication between us and today it carries the added treasures from each of the last 37 years together. The point is - however - it developed out of our religious training and was transformed to something new and spiritual between us. Ceremonies and Symbols at MCC (Marc)As former history majors, Denny and I have always been interested in the way events are connected to each other, what themes can be distilled, and how we can improve our life experience based on what has gone before. So it is natural that both of us would gravitate toward politics, Denny toward domestic issues and me toward international concerns. We both have taken an interest in symbols as well - me through hobbies such as flag and beer label collecting, Denny through more symbolic thinking by connecting the dots toward political strategizing. For us, ceremonies and symbols are important. They serve as markers and measures of roads traveled (or not). That's why we felt it important to share with you our anniversary today of 20 years at this marvelous place. We look back at all those who have gone before, both living and deceased. We celebrate clergy who have had an impact on us: Michael England, Janie Spahr, Rick Wetherly, Michael McManus, Kit Cherry, Conni Staff, Dan Geslin, Jim Mitulski, Karen Foster, Jim Glyer, Bill Lowell and of course current clergy and staff, Penny, Terri, Lea, Paul, Joe and Eric and Steve. We celebrate friendships we have made here, among them Carlene Ames, Tim Babbage, Glen Baker, Don Bradley, Greg Brown, Michael Berry, Les and Diane Brabetz, Richard Brabham, Lloyd Burton, John Calabrese, Don Chambers, John Cortez, Bob Crocker, Georgia Davis, Richard Davis, Gordan Deegan, Virgil Dixon, Kevin Fong, Robert Geibert, Jan Gerritsen, Michael Gilbert, Charles Gohmann, Tovah Green, Michael Haigler, Harry Harkness, Patrick Horay, Bob Havens, Jack Hubbs, Kathryn Hetzner, Ken Ho, Peter Ho, Paul Holton, Jim Huey, Ted Johnson, Herb Levy, John Lira, Lynn Jordan, Greg Jurin, Diane Kalliam, Bob Lawrence, Carl Lawrence, Earline Leppert, Audrey Lockwood, Michael MacRae, Jim McCrea, Max Mason, Drew Metcalfe, Ross Morgan, Hal Nathan, Fran Peavey, Sylvia Perez, John Pritz, John Ribaudo, Jeff Robinson, Michael Robinson, Gail Seneca, Jim Sizemore, Bonnie Smith, Dan Smith, Pierre Sollier, Paul Stratton, Yew-hoe Tan, Linton Stables, Ken Theriault, Roger Tinsman, Ken Tipton, Cees van Aalst, George Voigt, Steve Warren, Scott Weldon, Edward Wu, Brad Yost and many others too numerous to name, but with a history of many memorable moments shared together. We remember loved ones who have been a part of this place and passed on: Fred Reeves, Kurt Stutzman, Bill Knox, James Sandmire, Scott Johnson, Rick Wetherly, Wayne Mielke, Richard O'dell, Ric Hand, Michael Denton, Paul Francis, Nicholas Carter, Howard Wells, Les Bates, Ron Russell Coons, Patrick Sigfried, Shelby Topp, Michael Redding, Greg Wherry, Bruce Bunger, Scott Galuteria, Roger Spiecher, Floyd Ohler, Roberto Galindo, David Castagna, Jesse Odin, Joel Payne, Doug Wolfe, Cory Lowther, Jeff Alons, Bill Pugh, Enrique Bragayrac, Sam Blazer and Margaret Minardi among many, many others. And finally, we note events in the life of our church which were important firsts: The Membership Committee of the National Council of Churches takes communion, their first time together, and in our church! Passage of California's first major domestic partners legislation is celebrated by a marriage ceremony (including ours) at a morning service. Our first successful capital drive resulting in the installation of our church organ. Our first major estate gift by Chuck Rozema, which enabled us to own our own building and pave the way for future financial viability. The beginning of Q-Sangha that allows us to broaden our ministry and make us truly "a house of prayer for all people." The decision by this congregation, after years of discussion, to commit to a new church building. Continuing Newness and Surprise (Denny)Everything about this church is new! Church is fun. Within reason we can do anything here without judgments. 2000 years ago Paul wrote to the Corinthians "so…in Christ…everything old has passed away, see, everything has become new." 60 years ago Bonhoeffer wrote to the infant, "the new church will have a new language, perhaps quite non-religious, but liberating and redeeming." 18 years ago Marc and I wrote to our classmates "we really felt ourselves part of something new that reminds us most of what New Testament Christianity is about." On our first Sunday here 20 years ago today, you baptized us into a very new idea of faith and community. It is amazing that MCC is as new and exciting to us today as it was during those first intoxicating months here in 1983. We love you! |
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