Church celebrates building purchase
RALEIGH, N.C. – St. John’s Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) celebrated its final mortgage payment on its building at 805 Glenwood Ave. in a special Sunday service on Dec. 22. Purchased 20 years ago, an anonymous gift in November paid the final year of mortgage payments for the church, which serves a predominately LGBT congregation.
During the service, church leaders read letters of congratulations from local government officials and other church leaders. Founding member Jay Kelderman burned the mortgage papers.
St. John’s MCC was founded as a small study group in February 1976. The first study material was the Gospel of John. The group continued to meet and in June 1976 voted to affiliate with the national Metropolitan Community Church. The Rev. Willie White pastored the church from 1976 to 1981, followed by the Rev. June Norris, the first heterosexual woman to be ordained in the Metropolitan denomination. She served until 1988.
The church’s building purchase was made in the 1993 under its third pastor, the Rev. Wayne Lindsey. Until that time, the church had met at Community United Church of Christ.
The Rev. Brendan Y. Boone has served as pastor since July 2001.
Wake County tax records show the church’s 9,057-square-foot building and just over a half acre of land was valued at $869,624 in 2008.
info: stjohnsmcc.org.
— Matt Comer
Center’s SAGE group to serve lunch
RALEIGH, N.C. — The SAGE Raleigh Chapter will serve its first free lunch to its members and guests on Jan. 9, 11:30 a.m., at the LGBT Center of Raleigh, 324 S. Harrington St.
Les Geller, who is vice chair of the center’s board and is organizing the event, has said that this will become a regular happening on the second Thursday morning of each month. All are welcome, but he needs a response in order to get a head count for ordering the food by the previous Tuesday (this time on Jan. 7). Email him at lgeller@lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.
Earlier in the day, SAGE Raleigh will have its regular drop-in starting at 9 a.m. Enjoy coffee, bagels, muffins, donuts or whatever is being served while engaging in conversation and programming.
On Feb. 15, the center’s group will host a Valentine’s dance for singles and couples at 7 p.m. Kick it up with a guest DJ while dancing to rock ’n roll and music of the 1960s and 1970s. Food and drink will be provided. A suggested donation of $5 will be collected at the door.
The group used to be the Gay & Gray Initiative until it became affiliated with SAGE, a national organization that serves and advocates for LGBT seniors.
info: lgbtcenterofraleigh.com.
— Lainey Millen
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