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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1995)
. »-•» j l l S « ( H it ▼ news i »5 4 . * »•» * V £1 r 15. 1508 ▼ 13 J o i n in a C o m m u n ity C e le b r a tio n for tb e R e n o v a t io n o l The comforts of community ^ M e tr o p o lita n C o m m u n ity C h u rcb The Rev. Roy Cole wants Portland MCC to he a venue for services, plays, youth gatherings and pride ▼ by Inga Sorensen T he Rev. Roy Cole, a spiritual leader within the sexual minorities commu nity, has earthly comforts on his mind. The 39-year-old Cole, who is pas tor of Portland’s Metropolitan Com munity Church, is heading up an ambitious three- year campaign to raise $400,000 to renovate the 86-year-old structure, which is located at 2400 NE Broadway. “When I became pastor of Portland MCC, I vowed to work hard to ensure MCC had a real presence within the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities, as well as the broader Roy Cole community,” says Cole, who became Portland MCC ’ s pastor one year ago. “One of the ways to do that is by creating an environment that is welcom ing and comfortable to people.” MCC, which has churches and missions world wide, has certainly strived to do that in a spiritual sense; in fact, MCC was founded as an alternative denomination that would fully welcome gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people into its fold—something mainstream denominations refused to do. But in this case, Cole is speaking of more pedestrian considerations. “The building should be in good condition in order to attract people and make them feel comfortable,” he says. The structure was built in 1909 and dedicated by President Taft. William Hawkins III, a noted historical renovationist in the Pacific Northwest, has been secured as project architect. According to Cole, Hawkins was instrumental in the renovation of the Calvary Presbyterian Church, now The Old Church, in Southwest Portland. “For a long time the voice of MCC has been muted. I think it is time to move ahead together, and take our beautiful yet crumbling building and turn it into a place where the entire community can come for dinners, plays, special events and, of course, services,” he says. “This building, which is for our entire lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community, is already bought and paid for, and I think the restoration is important to reflect the pride of ownership.” According to Cole, service attendance has nearly doubled (to 100) during the past year, and a handful of groups have used MCC as a meeting space, including the Rose City Freedom Band, Portland Gay Men’s Chorus and Pride Northwest. Included in the renovation plans are the upgrad ing of MCC’s restrooms and the installation of a full-service elevator. “We want the restrooms and the elevator to be fully accessible to people with disabilities. Currently neither are ADA-approved, and we want to bring them up to the new federal standards,” Cole says. Other improvements include a kitchen enhance ment and the reorganization of the sanctuary to increase seating space from 175 to 270 and allow for a stage area for plays, speakers and other events. Among the first tasks is the painting and reshingling of the church’s exterior. Cole says he’d like the painting to be fin ished by October’s end. Though the capital campaign is just get ting underway, MCC has already received more than $175,000 in gifts and pledges; it received an estimated $ 150,000of that when it announced its campaign during a June 29 congregation gathering. Since then, other gifts and pledges have been received, most notably a $25,000 in-kind donation from David Nichols, president of the Portland- based System-Design Consultants, whose company will provide—free to the church— full mechanical and technical engineering services during the renovation project. Cole plans to “move this whole project out to the larger community” with an Oct. 27 fund-raiser featuring Portlander Donna Red Wing, national field director for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation; Christian lesbian songw riter M arsha Stevens; and the Portland Gay Men’s Cho rus. Tickets are $25 and the dinner will be held at the Red Lion Lloyd Center. “This will be our chance to ask the whole community to join us in this effort,” he says. “I’d love for people to think of this as a place where our entire community can gather.” Starting Nov. 3, MCC, with support from Phoe nix Rising, the Metanoia Peace Community and the United Methodist Church, will host a Friday evening coffeehouse for sexual minority youth. The weekly drop-in will run each Friday from 9 pm to midnight. “I’ve already contacted some folks in the gay and lesbian community who have agreed to come in and work with the kids. Some dance instructors have said they’d teach dance and Brian Marki [who owns a framing shop a few blocks from the church] has said he’d bring over some art supplies so the kids can paint.” Marki is the founder of Out on Broadway, a new organization linking nearly 20 gay and lesbian businesses along Northeast Broadway. Out on Broadway members have expressed interested in supporting MCC’s renovation. "The kids who come to the coffeehouse will now have adults throughout this neighborhood that they can point to as role models. The potential is huge,” says Cole, adding that MCC will be the site of an Oct. 31 Halloween Party for sexual minority youth. “This is all so exciting, and we want everyone to feel like they can be part of it,” says Cole. For further information about the Oct. 27 fund raiser or Portland MCC, call 281-8868. TTC» itai Friday, O c t o b e r 27 , 1 9 9 5 R ed L io n Lloyd C en ter ^ A u ltn o m a h R o o m $25 6:30 p .m . S p e a k e rs D onna Red W ing, National Field Director o f GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Roy A. Cole Pastor, M CC Portland E n te r ta in m e n t Marsha Stevens International C hristian Lesbian Songwriter & Performer Portland Gay Mens Chorus Buffet-style refreshments Pledges an d donations w ill he solicited Proceeds from this event go toward the renovation of our building at NE 24th and Broadway. Please cut along dotted line and return to: M CC Portland, 2400 NE Broadway, Portland, Oregon 97232 For more information, please call 281-8868 y Please send m e____tickets to this event. Enclosed is my payment of $25 per ticket for a total of $ __________ . Enclosed is a payment of $25 per ticket, for the sponsorship o f_____individuals who otherwise may not be able to attend due to financial restrictions, for a total of $________ V I cannot attend; however, I would like to make a tax-deductible donation of $ _________ y I would like information about MCC Portland. ^ My check, made payable to MCC Portland, is enclosed. ^ 7 VISA \T MasterCard Exp. D a te ____________ \f Please charge to my: C ard # ____________________________________ Signature________________________________ 1______ Address tickets to: N a m e ________________ _________________ Address____________________________________________ City, State, Z ip ------------------------------------------------ —------
