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Page2 2 August 2014
A Message From Reverend Greg Smith
I welcome everyone here tonight, as we join
together to celebrate 40 years of ministry by
MCC Sydney. Forty years ago a small group of
Christian men and women had a dream. Like
many dreams it often felt that the path was
just too rough; but here we are today a living
testament to God’s awesome ability to remove
obstacles and empower the most unlikely and
often most rejected. Many said “it will not
last!” Some said “we will destroy it!” Well, we
are still here, and it is time to look back at
what we have achieved.
Through the struggle of law reform MCCS was
there demanding justice and equality. When
GLBTQI folk were being thrown out of mainline
churches we embraced them into a welcoming
faith community. Through the horror of HIV/
AIDS, MCCS was fighting for our brothers and
sisters when others were silent. We cared for
them, we fed them, we supported them and
we buried them. Today MCC cries out for marriage equality and social justice on many different fronts. We are not going away, our job is
not finished yet!
Tonight is also tinged with a some sadness as
we recall our own saints who are no longer
with us. Let us take a moment to remember
them and also others from various denominations and non-church communities who have
walked with us and supported us on our journey.
MCC Sydney is very different today than it was
40 years ago and that is a good thing. We must
move forward or be left behind but let us never forget that three pronged message first
preached by Rev Troy Perry - a message of
Christian Salvation, Christian Community and
Christian Social Action.
Enjoy tonight, catch up with old friends and
hopefully meet some new ones. I invite you to
join with us for worship tomorrow.
Guest speaker at the 10am service of
thanksgiving will be Rev Dorothy
McRae-McMahon and at 6.30pm we
will have a service of celebration.
Many blessings , Rev. Greg Smith.
A Message from Rev Lee Carlton
First Pastor of MCC Sydney
Dear Saints: Happy Anniversary!
It is with joy in my heart that I greet you on this
occasion of your 40th Anniversary! What an
achievement in faithfulness to
the heavenly vision instilled in
you from your foundations. I
am so proud of you, MCC Sydney! Wow! 40 years already!
A little over Forty years ago
you set out on a journey toward a rainbow land
of promise and you always came back to God’s
unchanging hand. Hands in which I had asked
God to place you. I was only twenty eight years
old then and, for 12 months I had wrestled with
God and because of you I knew that God had included you in the book of life and given you a
destiny rich with meaning and purpose. I knew
that the Holy One had written your name into
divine hands and would never forget anyone of
you. I knew in my heart of hearts that God desired to provide a place of welcome for all and,
through you, into the world. I held a vision of a
place where hurting people may come and find
healing, comfort and spiritual renewal; a place
from which the love of God for the ‘least of
these’ would always be proclaimed. To that, you
are my witness and my ongoing testimony. I
prayer that all the brilliance of God’s Rainbow
may shine eternally through you. I ask you to always ‘give God the glory’, always. Think of all
the souls who have come through your doors
over 40 years and found renewal and experienced spiritual growth through your faithful pastors and the embrace of your loving fellowship.
You who are present today will face new challenges. Remember, the Lord ‘began a good work
in you and will bring it to completion.’ As you
journey ever onward realize how God still chooses the outcast, the rejected and those with little
standing in the world: that through you and
them Christ may continue to confound the wisdom, systems and structures of this world. Go
on, transforming the world, even as we are
transformed by God’s grace, through the power
of the Holy Spirit!
Rev Lee J Carlton
A Brief History of MCC Sydney
On July 11th 1974, Rev. Troy Perry (the
Founder of MCC) and Rev. Lee Carlton
arrived in Sydney from the USA after
first visiting Brisbane. Sponsored by the
Gay Catholic Group Acceptance, it was
their first visit to Australia. On July 15th 1974
Rev. Perry and Rev. Carlton held the
first MCC worship service in Sydney at
the home of Graeme Donkin
(deceased) in Campsie. Rev. Perry
asked the 12 attendees “Those who
would like to see an MCC established in Sydney
raise your hands.” These 12 formed the nucleus
of the first MCC Study Group in Sydney.
The first Study Group service was held on August
25 that year at Don Rankin’s home, and was conducted by Ray Griffin. 25 people attended. The
name of the Church at that time was Christ Community Church (CCC). When Rev. Carlton returned in March 1975 he was asked to Pastor the
CCC. He agreed but only if was as held an MCC
Study Group. The first service was held in the
Quakers Meeting Hall, Devonshire St Surrey Hills
with 30 in attendance. It was with much excitement that on July 6th 1975 at 3pm at the Quakers Hall, MCC Sydney became a Chartered Church
of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches with Rev. Lee Carlton as pastor.
113 people attended the service, and a great
journey was begun.
By August of 1975 MCC Sydney was
sharing the worship space of The Village Church, Paddington thanks to
the friendship of Rev. Russell Davies
and support of Rev. Rex Matthews. Another great
friend of MCC was Rev. Clyde Dominish who led
many services until he became Moderator of the
Uniting Church. In 1976 MCC Sydney hosted the
Australian District conference with Rev.
Perry returning from USA to attend. Following Rev. Carlton’s return to the USA,
the position of pastor was filled in succession by Rev. Ron Burcham, Rev. Cliff
Connors and eventually by Rev. Don
Johnson who returned to the USA due
to illness in January 1983.
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A key change in MCC Sydney’s focus
occurred when Rev. Jim Dykes arrived
to replace Rev. Johnson. This coincided with the sudden growing of the
HIV/AIDS pandemic, and under Rev.
Dykes leadership the church stepped forward
to provide much needed care and support for
people with AIDS. During this time MCC Sydney was involved with the founding of key
AIDS care organisations such as Community
Support Network, Ankali and The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation. Rev. Dykes also served as
the Australian District Coordinator. During this
time MCC Good Shepherd and MCC of
the Southern Cross were founded led
by Rev. Cliff Connors and Rev. Gary
Walker respectively.
In July 1988 following Rev. Dykes sudden resignation, Greg Smith, who was completing his ministry studies, was elected as
Worship Coordinator. Rev. Smith then went on
to become the Australian District Coordinator,
and after his move to Mudgee Rev. Gary Walker took over as Pastor of MCC Sydney. It was
during this time under Rev. Walker’s leadership
that MCC Sydney made its next big move when
if left The Village Church in Paddington to take on full time tenancy of the Heffron Hall in Darlinghurst.
Rev. Walker retired in 1993 and
Rev. Greg Smith was elected as
pastor. This period saw further
outreach and growth within the
church. The MCC welfare shop
“The Out of the Closet Emporium” was
opened on Broadway in 1994 by Rev.
Perry. Sunday lunches were provided at
Heffron Hall for people living with HIV/
AIDS and their carers. The first Christmas Eve
Service was held and an extra Sunday morning
worship service in addition to the Sunday
evening service was added. Each year, MCCS
entered a float in the Mardi Gras, and continues to do so to this day.
In 1997 the UFMCC Worldwide General Conference was held in Sydney.
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This was the first time in the history of
the Fellowship that the conference had been
held outside the USA.
In 1998 Rev. Shelagh Zincke was ordained as MCC clergy. Rev. Zincke became Assistant Pastor of MCCS and
remained so until she moved to the
Central Coast to establish NewCoast
MCC.
In 1999 an event occurred that
changed the history of MCC Sydney. A
church member, Barbara Bikasi, noticed
a church building for sale in Petersham.
She excitedly informed Rev.
Smith, and several Board members went to Crystal St to have
a look. This started a mammoth and determined effort by
the entire congregation to become the first
MCC outside North America to own their own
church building. Once the commitment was
made and the property purchased, work began on the old
building, which had been last
used as the Mastertouch Piano Roll Factory. The first service at the ‘Crystal St Cathedral’ took place on May 21st
2000. The Dedication Service
was held the week after, and
the first Holy Union (Sarah &
Lee’s) took place the week
after.
In August 2001 Rev. Jonathan
Jones (the youngest ordained
MCC Minister) began the first Youth
Ministry in Australia. This saw the formation of Crave Youth Ministry. Rev.
Jones left Australia in 2004 to take up
a Calling as Pastor of MCC Anchorage,
Alaska.
Another major change occurred in
2005 when Rev. Smith followed a Call
to work in Cambodia with vulnerable
children. Without a Pastor the Board of MCC
Sydney undertook a valiant effort to keep the
church running smoothly. In 2008, Rev. Karl
Hand was appointed by UFMCC as
Interim Pastor, a position he held until
he left MCC Sydney to start a new Crave
MCC in Paddington in 2008.
Then in 2009 Rev. Gavin Ward was
elected as Pastor. He continued in
this role until 2010 when Rev.
Smith returned from Cambodia
and was, once again, appointed Pastor. Rev.
Smith continues as Pastor of MCC Sydney in a
part time role with the support of Rev. Ward as
Minister of Congregational Life.
Over the 40 years of the history of MCC Sydney,
countless numbers of people have had theirs
lives changed as they have discovered the inclusive love of God. Many have stayed for many
years and even decades, and have developed a
deep love and commitment to the Church, her
people and her ministry. One fact that has held
true each and every day of the 40 years of ministry of MCC Sydney is that everyone is welcome.
We thank you all for attending this very special
40th Anniversary celebration. We have been
blessed with 40 years of incredible ministry
and, by the Grace of God, look forward to 40
more. Whether you have been part of MCC
Sydney or not, you have become a part of the
rich tapestry of our history tonight. To all the
members and friends, past and present, we say
“Thank You” from the bottom of our hearts for
supporting the ministry of MCC Sydney through
good times and bad times.
From our humble beginnings 40 years ago, we
now have 3 MCC churches in Sydney that have
shown that they are here to stay. Thank you to
all involved for your faith and dedication to the
growth of MCC.
We invite you all to join us tomorrow for our
Morning and Evening services where the celebration continues as we gather together in worship and around the Communion table to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ, in whose name we meet.
Sunday Worship Services:
10.00am Morning Service (Traditional)
6.30pm Evening Service (Contemporary)
2 July 2015
Dear Rev. Greg Smith and MCC Sydney:
Hearty congratulations from our Governing Board, Elders, and Senior Leadership Team on
your 40th anniversary!
God has blessed and used MCC Sydney to change lives and history over these last 40 years.
I remember the tremendous excitement of those early days, when the idea of MCC was so
revolutionary. And, then, during the challenging years with so much loss from HIV/AIDS -your courage and faithfulness, and your compassion set a high mark for what faith in action
really means.
MCC Sydney has been the fountain of leadership, clergy and lay, over the decades. You have
hosted MCC denominational events and conferences; you have marched and paraded for
justice and inclusion!
We bless you for every worship service that has drawn people closer to God; for every
baptism, wedding and memorial service; for all the counseling and comfort; for every social
event, for the laughter and tears that have been shared in this congregation. We bless you
for the daily work of being the church in challenging times.
You are not finished yet! Jesus is still calling, the Spirit is still nudging a new generation to
step up and say yes to the many ways MCC Sydney is needed, today, in your city, in your
country, and in the world.
Thank you for your service and for your profound witness to the unconditional love of God.
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy Wilson
Moderator, Metropolitan Community Churches
Office of the Moderator • 3293 Fruitville Road • Suite 105 • Sarasota • Florida • 34237 • 866 HOPE MCC • www.MCCchurch.org
Dear Saints of MCC Sydney, Congratulations on your 40th anniversary! Your church as been a part of MCC's history since it's early beginning and we are so grateful for your leadership and example over the years. The Office of Formation and Leadership Development wants to thank you for the ways you have nurtured a generation of leaders in MCC by providing a place for student clergy to complete their supervised ministry. You have also encouraged your young adults to make a difference in the world and in MCC by supporting them in attending Young Adult Gatherings, and you have encouraged the continued growth of your laity through programs such as LEAD and CLM. As you reach your "mid-­‐life" as a congregation, my prayer is that your vitality and wisdom will grow even stronger in the next forty years of your ministry! Grace and Peace, Rev. Elder Mona West -­‐-­‐ Peace, Mona Rev. Elder Mona West, Ph.D. Director, Office of Formation and Leadership Development Metropolitan Community Churches www.ofld.mccchurch.org