Metropolitan Community Church of Edinburgh facts for kids
The Metropolitan Community Church of Edinburgh, also known as Holy Trinity Metropolitan Community Church, was the Edinburgh congregation of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), an international Christian denomination founded in 1968 to serve the LGBT community, from 1995 to 2009. The church has now ceased worshipping independently and has merged with Augustine United Church.
Foundation
On 17 June 1995, the first Pride Scotland March and Festival was held in Edinburgh. Reverend Jim McManus, a pastoral team member of MCC Newcastle, Reverend Roy Beaney, European District Coordinator, and other MCC members visited Edinburgh and organised a stall at the festival, followed by a small worship service in the LGBT Centre in Broughton Street.
McManus tried to use contacts made at this event to form an MCC group in Edinburgh. An article appeared in The Scotsman and Michelle Russell was interviewed on BBC Radio Scotland. At a meeting on 15 July 1995 in the LGBT Centre, the dozen or so attendees decided to form a congregation, with a first worship service taking place at the centre the following day. On 2 August 1995, during the MCC General Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, an Interim Development Group was formed, with McManus appointed as Pastor.
Campaigns
The church was active in several social justice campaigns, including the campaign to repeal Section 28, the campaign for same-sex marriage, and Make Poverty History. The Church gave oral evidence and lodged a Petition to the Scottish Parliament when legislation was being considered on civil partnerships in the United Kingdom, and also sought the right to constitute civil partnerships in a religious context, unsuccessfully.
In 2001, at the MCC General Conference in Toronto, Reverend Troy Perry awarded MCC Edinburgh the Founders Award for their work on social justice issues.
