September 7. 2001
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Metropolitan Community Church pastor sets sail on another adventure
M & M BALLOON CO.
by Jim Radosta
he Rev. Roy A. Cole, who
has served as Metropolitan
Com m unity C hurch of
Portland pastor since the
fall of 1994, announced
his resignation during his morning ser
mon Aug. 12. He plans to pursue a sec
ond doctorate and leadership roles as a
teacher, writer and consultant.
Cole, 45, was horn in San Diego
and grew up along the West Coast. He
graduated from Portland’s W arner
Pacific College in 1983.
He has been a pastor for 17 years,
11 of those with the Universal Fellow
ship of M etropolitan Com m unity
Churches. He returned to Portland in
1994 after a stint in Reno, Nev.
Cole started a doctorate of ministry
program two years ago and conducted
his residency this summer at San Fran
cisco Theological Seminary. His em
ployment contract with the church
was expiring at the end of 2001, so he
had to make a crucial decision about
whether he was prepared to renew it
for the next three to five years.
Cole says he made the decision to
resign after professors encouraged him
to devote his full-time energy to future A fter the Rev. Roy A. Cole completes his doctorate of
career goals. In January he will head to ministry program, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in theology
General Theological Seminary in New
York to complete his dissertation.
that’s relevant to the greater community,” he says.
“I greatly love pastoring, and pastoring the
However, Cole remains humble in discussing
M CC here in Portland has been a joy and a phe his achievements. He says most of it couldn’t
nomenal experience for me,” he says. “But I’ve
have been possible if Portland wasn’t such a pro
always had an attraction for academics.”
gressive place.
In the fall of 2002 Cole plans to apply for a
“It wasn’t so much that I brought any great
Ph.D. in theology at University of Oxford. He
skills to the ministry,” he says. “O ne of the great
eventually hopes to teach at the university or gifts to the ministry was the very positive sup
seminary level and get published in the fields of port from...city leaders.”
theology and ethics.
The board will conduct a national search dur
Cole leaves with a great deal of accomplish
ing the next six to 18 months to find a suitable
ments under his belt. He is given much of the
replacement for Cole. Portland is one of the
credit for increasing the congregation from 55 denomination’s top 20 churches in size and
members to almost 300 and making it the leading
resources, so he is certain many talented people
gay and lesbian church in the Pacific Northwest.
will he interested in the position.
About a year ago M CC
“Losing Pastor Cole will
hx>k the reins of Esther’s
"Pastoring the MCC here be a sad time for us,” says
Pantry, which .provides fcxxl
A nna Brouns, board of direc
in
Portland has been tors vice moderator. “It will
and personal sundries for
people living with AIDS. In
a joy and a phenomenal also be a time of excitement
addition, the church facili
and challenge and allow our
experience for me.
ties have been renovated
church family to see how we
and serve as a venue for
want our ministry to work and
But
I've
always
had
an
community meetings.
face the future as a vital part
Last year M C C was
of
the Portland community.”
attraction for academics.
accepted into Ecum eni
Former vice moderator
cal M inistries o f O regon,
Dave Dishman has been with
M CC Portland for 21 1/2 of its
an asso ciatio n o f 17
C h ristian d en om inations across th e state
25 years. He has nothing but good things to say
th a t work together for unity and justice.
about Cole.
“W e’ve been blessed with seven years of his
Executive director David Leslie says C o le ’s
leadership brought a lot of more conserva leadership, and we will be sad to see him go
tive churches around.
and wish him the very best with his future
“Many of our member denominations have
plans,” Dishman says. “H e’s been a wonderful
changed their understanding about how they
pastor to us.”
can be a catalyst for community building,” he
Cole will deliver his final sermon Oct. 14,
says. “People came to respect Roy because he
the Sunday after O ut on Broadway, a fund-rais
was willing to listen to both the positives and
er celebrating National Coming O ut Day. The
the negatives and to foster dialogue.”
event also will include a special farewell tribute
But Cole is most proud of seeing the church
to the outgoing pastor. JT1
attain greater acceptance during his seven-year
tenure. “The thing that I leave with the greatest
O u t o n B roadway will be held 7 p m. O c t. 11
at the World Trade Center Theater, 121 S.W .
sense of accomplishment is that the congregation
has been able to grow in its ministries and its role
Salmon St. For more information visit the Internet
within the gay and lesbian community in a way site www.outonbroadway .com.
T
— Roy Cole
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