Although Perry's religious roots are in the Pentecostal church, his vision for the MCC has always been ecumenical. Two of the first clerics to join him in the MCC ministry were Richard Ploen, a Presbyterian who served with him at the Mother Church in Los Angeles, and Arthur Green, the founder of the Chicago congregation, who came from the Old Catholic denomination.

Perry credits Ploen for his help in "gleaning what we needed from other denominations' ceremonies" in order to make members feel comfortable in the new church. The modern MCC, in the words of John Dart, "displays a patchwork of spirituality to people attracted to its congregations." While some churches retain the charismatic Pentecostal tradition, others favor a more metaphysical philosophy, and a San Francisco congregation has been described as "dam [sic] near Unitarian."

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Official Doctrines

The official doctrines of the MCC are, in fact, mostly quite close to those of conservative Christian churches. They set forth beliefs in the trinity, the divine inspiration of the Bible, and salvation by grace.

A doctrinal difference between the MCC and more traditional churches is, of course, their views on homosexuality. The MCC reading of the Bible verses cited as condemnations of homosexuality (Romans 1:26-28, I Corinthians 6:9-10, and I Timothy 1:9-10) is that the texts as written in the original Greek actually condemn temple prostitutes of both sexes and rather than same-sex partnerships or non-heterosexual people themselves.

The MCC also has sacraments and rites similar to those of mainline churches, including baptism, Holy Communion, ordination, and Holy Union. The rite of Holy Union, "the spiritual joining of two people," has been a part of MCC practice almost from the beginning. The MCC has been at the forefront of the fight for legalizing same-sex marriage.

Rejection by the National Council of Churches

The MCC sought membership in the National Council of Churches (NCC) in 1992 but was not admitted. The MCC does belong to several state councils of churches. It has so far been denied even observer status at the NCC, although MCC members meet with gay and lesbian caucuses of NCC member churches, and MCC clergy attend NCC General Assemblies, albeit without official standing. The denomination applied for and was granted observer status by the World Council of Churches in 1991.

The MCC was authorized to provide chaplains for United States Veterans Administration hospitals and other facilities in 2002. Church officials announced plans to apply to provide chaplains to the military services as well.

The MCC Mission

The MCC describes its identity and mission in the statement "The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches is a Christian Church founded in and reaching beyond the Gay and Lesbian communities. We embody and proclaim Christian salvation and liberation, Christian inclusivity and community, and Christian social action and justice. We serve among those seeking and celebrating the integration of their spirituality and sexuality."

Perry says that when he founded the MCC he anticipated a day when the major churches would change their views and teachings about homosexuality, at which point MCC members would "go home to [their] own denominations," an idea that he now calls naïve. The MCC has grown every year, even when AIDS was taking its greatest toll.

Melissa Wilcox calls "the failure of Perry's original dream of assimilation" the most important element in MCC's survival. She describes the MCC as a "hybrid organization," conservative in much of its essential theology and its evangelism, yet radical in its affirmation of glbtq people. The church offers a welcoming community for glbtq Christians who find themselves condemned by mainline churches because of their sexual orientation and at the same time marginalized by many in the glbtq community who regard religion with skepticism or scorn.

In 2003, the denomination was rocked by the decision of its largest congregation, Dallas's Cathedral of Hope, to leave the fellowship. Although the Cathedral's dean was under investigation by the MCC for fiscal irregularities, Cathedral officials credited the decision to sever ties with the denomination to a desire to reach a larger Protestant audience. In 2006, the Cathedral of Hope voted to affiliate with the United Church of Christ, perhaps the most gay-supportive mainline Christian denomination in the United States.

The Future

The most insistent question facing the MCC is that of the transition of leadership upon the retirement of Perry in October 2005. At the denomination's General Conference in Calgary, Alberta, in July 2005, Reverend Elder Nancy Wilson was overwhelmingly elected to succeed Perry as Moderator. Wilson, a longtime leader in the denomination, has served as pastor of several MCC congregations, including a stint as Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles, the denomination's Founding Church.

As Wilcox points out, the MCC has been long concerned with having a good organizational structure and has also taken on arising concerns of the glbtq community such as the AIDS crisis, issues, and the question of same-sex marriage. This combination of stability and the willingness to move with the times, together with the church's provision of a welcoming haven for glbtq (and other) Christians who feel marginalized, suggests that the MCC will prosper even after the departure of its charismatic founder and continue to build on his determination to seek social justice and his message of hope and love.

Evangelical Christians, who tend to be fundamentalists and socially conservative, have not been welcoming to glbtq people.

Spurred by the gay liberation movement of the late 1960s, a number of religious groups--including specifically gay-oriented churches and synagogues--have been formed to address the needs of gay and lesbian believers.

The glbtq history of Los Angeles, the U.S.'s second largest metropolis, is replete with cultural, social, and political firsts.

Marches on Washington in support of the rights of glbtq people have been a significant part of the modern movement for equality.

One of America's most colorful cities, New Orleans boasts a rich tradition for glbtq people and is both a popular travel destination for gay men and lesbians and the home of a diverse glbtq community.

Lesbian and gay couples have been fighting for the freedom to marry since the dawn of the modern glbtq struggle for equality; despite some success abroad, progress toward same-sex marriage in the United States has been slow.

Today's glbtq spirituality movements must be seen as part of a long history in which gender-special people were considered sacred to their tribe or family because of their obvious spiritual gifts.

The United Church of Christ has attempted to make its churches a "place of extravagant welcome" for glbtq people.

Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, the Reverend Doctor Brent Hawkes has worked with fervor and dedication to secure equal rights for glbtq Canadians.

Troy Perry is the founder of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, a Protestant denomination devoted to ministering to the spiritual needs of glbtq people.

An early leader in the struggle for glbtq rights, Los Angeles activist Don Slater was sometimes at odds with others in the movement but never wavered in his devotion to the cause.

Utilizing the principles of relentless nonviolent resistance, Soulforce is an activist organization founded in 1999 to combat the anti-gay rhetoric and polical actions of the religious right

Charismatic performer and activist Robin Tyler has spent much of her life enmeshed in the struggle for gay and lesbian rights, from planning national marches to promoting same-sex marriage.

Mel White spent over thirty years serving the Evangelical Christian community; after struggling with his homosexuality for many years, he broke his ties with anti-gay religious leaders and became a glbtq activist.