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the pink pastorby Rev. Clinton CrawshawEmail: [email protected]

Exciting Times

A couple of weeks ago I was ameeting in Florida, where MCCministers and leaders were dis-

cussing church planting, and the explosivegrowth we are experiencing in the devel-oping world. I am of course a MetropolitanCommunity Church (MCC) pastor, and yetthings are moving so quickly that I was

ignorant of many of the things going on atthe moment.

MCC (Metropolitan CommunityChurches) are the largest internationalLGBT organization in the world today. Ihave taken a close interest in what wasgoing on at our churches in Jamaica, SouthAfrica and Nigeria because I have friendswho have been working on these projects,

seek the Sovereign; In the night my hand is stretched outwithout wearying. My soul refuses to be comforted.I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints.Selah You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled thatI cannot speak… Psalm 77. 1-4”

”Pastor Pressley, things are bad here…” Those werethe words I had both expected and dreaded to hear from myfriend Reverend Jide Macaulay. From the time he went hometo Lagos, Nigeria to organise House of Rainbow Metropoli-tan Community Church, I had felt like a family member wasin a combat zone. I said a silent prayer of thanksgiving as Ilistened to Jide’s voice. He was shaken, but physicallyunharmed. It transpired that Jide was in hiding and in needof refuge. Members of House of Rainbow had fled two by twothroughout the city after receiving a tip that kill men andofficers were on the way to their meeting place. They left inhaste, leaving the space prepared for Sunday worship—afull cup for communion; a paten of bread for sharing.

House of Rainbow members have been the victims of anegregious and sustained media campaign exploiting theirinclusiveness. Undercover reporters deceived the church byintroducing themselves as members of the rainbow commu-nity seeking an affirming church. They were welcomed andloved by Jide and the congregation. In return for theirkindness, these reporters secretly wrote and published aseries of articles that were sensationalist and reckless. Mycolleague was referred to as ‘the so called’ Reverend, andincendiary language such as ‘evil’, ‘abomination’, ‘un-Afri-can’, ‘sodomite’ and ‘sign of the end times’ was used bypundits, bloggers and religious leaders to slander the goodwork of Jide and House of Rainbow. Photographs frombirthday parties the reporters had attended were published,wrecking the lives of several young people, making themhomeless and vulnerable to abusive attacks in the streetsand markets of Lagos. The papers continued to be self-congratulatory, claiming they had closed House of Rainbow.Because my friend had to hide from their incited violence,they declared that his behaviour was an admission of guilt.These journalists published Rev. Jide’s home address (whichwas robbed that night), listed names of his family members,and began a public relations assault on his father’s BibleUniversity, which has no formal links to House of Rainbow.Lives were nearly destroyed and vulnerable people aresuffering. In a proudly Christian city, the opiate of self-righteousness took effect with disastrous results. Cry aloud,Body of Christ, this story is worth our tears and reflection.

The Big Easy MCC supports MCC’s global efforts throughit’s 13% monthly tithe. We are proud to be a part of the onlyvoice speaking out for our LGBT brothers and sisters in manycountries across the world.

but these churches turned out to be just a portion of the worldwide revolution going on!Many of the stories are wonderful and heartwarming – the 20 new churches that

have sprung up in Brazil in the last two years alone, the 36 churches now in LatinAmerica, the churches growing and forming in The Ukraine, Russia, Singapore, KualaLumpur and the several churches in The Philippines - each one fighting hatred andhomophobia in countries where it is often illegal to be gay, and sometimes results inviolence, murder and imprisonment.

Some stories are heartbreaking. Our churches in Nigeria face especially toughconditions, with frequent death threats and violence aimed at its members and clergy.There are a group of women in Pakistan being sheltered by MCC because their familieshave taken out contracts on them because they have refused marriage and beenidentified as lesbians. All these churches are supported and mostly financed by thework being done amongst MCC churches HERE in the United States, churches like ourshere in New Orleans!

Here is a short piece written by our pastor in Cape Town, South Africa (Rev PressleySutherland) about the danger and struggle being faced by Rev Rowland Jide Macauleyas he has bravely pastured the church in Lagos, Nigeria (Pastor Jide is Nigerian bybirth).

“I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that I may be heard. In the day of my trouble I

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celebrazzi (celebrations-paparazzi)

700 Club owner Mike Cookmeyerpresents $800 donation to Ex-ecutive Director Vicki Weeks for

Belle Reve New Orleans, raised by theFrench Quarter Club.

Wood Enterprises GM Ken Grandpre presents $6,515 to NOCCA Institute'sRichard Reed following the 11th MASCARa Race at Rawhide 2010 inNew Orleans. The Hamster Derby at Good Friends raised $1,620, Ravioli

Wrestling at Lafitte's $590, Crawfish Boil at Rawhide $500 and the contestants $3,805for the NOCCA Institute.The weekend of activities has raised over $80,000 for the pastnine years for NOCCA.

The MASCARa Awards ceremony presented Fastest Time to Glazer's Jerry,Ms. MASCARa to Lafitte's Paul, and both Best Drag and Most Money Raised($1,050) to Wood Enterprises Max. Southern Eagle's Tony won Worst Drag.

The awards were presented at Rawhide 2010 raising a total of $6,515 for the NOCCAInstitute.

JustCircuit.COM owner/publisherVictor Mauro joins circuit starBianca Del Rio at the Bounce

Pool Party hosted at Portofino Island Me-morial Day Weekend in Pensacola pre-sented by Emerald City.

Above: Miss Gay New OrleansAmerica 2009 Arilyn Robertsjoins newly crowned Miss Gay

New Orleans America Amanda RoseAndrews, Miss Gay Louisiana AmericaBambi Bextor and 1st Alternate SableNicole Starr following competition at OzNew Orleans. Both Amanda Rose andSable will represent New Orleans in theMiss Gay Louisiana America Pageant setfor September 23-25 at Sound Factory inLafayette. For additional information, visitMissGayLouisianaAmerica.INFO.

Right: Queen Amon-Ra Count-ess C. Alice is joined by Odys-sey House's Kathleen and Ed

presenting JohnPaul's Paul with a bird-house as a gift following Craftin' & Cock-tails with the Countess raising $2,000 forOdyssey House Louisiana Women withChildren's Program.