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meeting and paid for the telephone line in their first year of operation. The church has provided office space for various community groups, such as the
Toronto Counselling Centre for Lesbians and Gays, Lesbian & Gay Youth Toronto, and the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights in Ontario.
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In
January, 2024, Rev. Deana Dudley was installed as MCC Toronto's fifth senior pastor. Dudley had previously served as pastor of Christos MCC in Toronto and the MCC congregation in London, Ontario. She joined MCC Toronto's staff as assistant pastor in 2009.
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arrived in the city and the first worship service was held with 12 people on July 17, 1973. Rev. Wolfe, who died in July 2005, worked hard to establish the new congregation. He became best known for talking a suicidal young gay man down from the roof of
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crisis, MCC Toronto hired a full-time person to co-ordinate its AIDSCARE program in 1990. Since then its volunteers have provided home hospice care for hundreds of individuals. MCC Toronto have facilitated support groups for
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people. MCC Toronto was instrumental in changing the law on same sex marriage in
Ontario, when two same-sex marriage ceremonies performed at the church on January 14, 2001 initiated the process leading to the
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refused to register the marriage documents. The church took the provincial government to court and the case was heard in
November 2001. The decision was ultimately in the church's favour, although not until
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in the constitutional question of same-sex spousal recognition under the Old Age
Security Act, which resulted in rights of gay and lesbian couples being recognized and sexual orientation being read into the
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The congregation has continually supported equality for sexual minorities. This support has included significant legislation: in 1986, they supported Bill 7, adding sexual orientation to the
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In the fall of 2000, MCC Toronto began working for the legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada. The church's lawyers developed a strategy that was built on a combination of the
393:, AIDS and other health issues. In 1997, the Church expanded the AIDSCARE program to CommunityCARE and now provides support for clients with a range of illnesses and requirements.
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In 1985, the church bought its first church building, at 2029 Gerrard Street East. This was the first property owned in Canada by a lesbian and gay organization.
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on spousal support provisions in family law, which held that same-sex couples receive equitable treatment under the constitution.
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In 1991, the church moved to its present location at 115 Simpson Avenue, a building that had been occupied by
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MCC Toronto has assisted with the founding of other gay and lesbian groups. It helped organize the first
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as new senior pastor. Rock took over the congregation as of
October 1, following Hawkes's retirement.
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MCC Toronto is now the largest
Metropolitan Community Church congregation in terms of membership. On
592:"Gay pastor 'called to lead people to freedom' ; Puts same-sex marriages on political agenda".
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In 1973, a group of individuals wrote to the head office of the
Metropolitan Community Church in
574:"Appeals court declares same-sex marriage protected: Two Ontario men become legally married".
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While the church has not held any state funerals, Rev. Hawkes was the officiant at the
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requesting that they send someone to
Toronto to start a new church. In July 1973, Rev.
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In 2011, the church received a $ 1 million donation from philanthropists
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On July 9, 2017, voting members of the congregation voted to elect Rev.
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The MCC was also the first organization ever to organize a
622:"Ad rejected: Pastor airs complaint at council ceremony".
693:"A month in the works, Layton's funeral meant to inspire"
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In the early years, worship services were held at the
718:"Rev. Jeff Rock to lead Toronto LGBTQ congregation"
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46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
741:https://www.mcctoronto.com/historic-installation/
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637:"MCC Conference names new Toronto Pastor".
512:Hawkes served as the grand marshal of the
271:(Acting Senior Pastor, 2023–present)
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55:"Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto"
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106:Learn how and when to remove this message
755:Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
418:at Roy Thomson Hall on August 27, 2011.
279:Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
124:Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto
673:"MCC Toronto gets $ 1 million donation"
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494:Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
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479:; in 1999, Rev. Hawkes testified in
44:adding citations to reliable sources
281:is a congregation of the worldwide
691:Bradshaw, James (24 August 2011).
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776:Metropolitan Community Churches
31:needs additional citations for
542:LGBT-welcoming church programs
477:Charter of Rights and Freedoms
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509:legalized same-sex marriage.
283:Metropolitan Community Church
197:Metropolitan Community Church
781:Affirming churches in Canada
498:Registrar General of Ontario
416:state funeral of Jack Layton
398:Simpson Avenue United Church
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643:, Jun/Jul78, Issue 44, p8.
460:; in 1994, they supported
365:Church of the Holy Trinity
458:Ontario Human Rights Code
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118:Church in Ontario, Canada
374:succeeded Rev. Wolfe as
786:LGBT culture in Toronto
466:Supreme Court of Canada
227:July 17, 1973
160:43.667148°N 79.347644°W
295:welcoming congregation
317:Halpern v Canada (AG)
165:43.667148; -79.347644
598:, December 17, 2000.
490:Ontario Marriage Act
337:Church and Wellesley
285:movement located in
40:improve this article
771:Churches in Toronto
628:, February 7, 1974.
613:, January 16, 1974.
565:, January 13, 2001.
309:, heterosexual and
156: /
757:— official website
723:2017-07-19 at the
697:The Globe and Mail
681:, January 9, 2011.
625:The Globe and Mail
610:The Globe and Mail
384:Responding to the
320:decision of 2003.
293:, Canada and is a
358:Toronto City Hall
297:openly affirming
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265:(2017–2023)
259:(1978–2017)
253:(1973–1978)
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29:This article
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701:. Retrieved
699:. Toronto ON
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534:LGBTQ portal
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451:Pride parade
447:parade float
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372:Brent Hawkes
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269:Deana Dudley
257:Brent Hawkes
192:Denomination
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327:and during
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765:Categories
729:RDNews Now
548:References
514:WorldPride
231:1973-07-17
151:79°20′52″W
148:43°40′02″N
66:newspapers
703:25 August
423:Jeff Rock
353:Bob Wolfe
339:village.
263:Jeff Rock
255:Rev. Dr.
251:Bob Wolfe
245:Pastor(s)
721:Archived
520:See also
492:and the
482:M. v. H.
468:case of
462:Bill 167
405:Margaret
307:bisexual
186:, Canada
176:Location
507:Belgium
343:History
299:lesbian
291:Ontario
287:Toronto
229: (
224:Founded
219:History
203:Website
184:Ontario
180:Toronto
80:scholar
376:pastor
239:Clergy
82:
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678:Xtra!
439:PFLAG
267:Rev.
261:Rev.
249:Rev.
87:JSTOR
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705:2011
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407:and
386:AIDS
277:The
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391:HIV
303:gay
208:www
42:by
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