How does MCC fight for economic justice?
Many MCC churches are central to the wider community’s economic well-being and health, providing food pantry and clothing distribution, school supplies for children, and assistance to the elderly. Always responsive to local needs, our churches have equipped vans with showers for the homeless and health clinics for those without insurance, created revolving funds to assist with rent expenses, and distributed necessary supplies to the victims of natural disasters.
The pursuit of social justice is at the heart of MCC’s founding vision.
The pursuit of social justice is at the heart of MCC’s founding vision. In 2005, the Global Justice Team was initiated by The Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson, with The Rev. Elder Pat Bumgardner as its director. That team saw its mission to connect with faith-based activists around the globe to further freedom, dignity, and equality for all God’s children, including the LGBTQI communities. Eventually becoming the Global Justice Institute (GJI) with partners in Pakistan, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Romania, Belarus, Russia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico, Jamaica, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and the United States, the GJI seeks to support the dreams of people on the ground. Women have pursued their dreams of education and independent lives in Pakistan with our support; LGBTQI people in Kenya have found community and safety, and the wider community has found economic security with the digging of a well and the provision of a community garden. Throughout Asia, underground communities have found shelter in the liberating Word of the Gospel. In Central America, refugees have found safe space and the hungry and homeless food and camaraderie through our partnership efforts. Sometimes our work is focused on addressing and changing discriminatory policies that keep our people from pursuing full and meaningful lives, and always it is focused on the founding vision of MCC: salvation for all, community for all, and social justice for all. Visit the Global Justice Institute for more information about how you or your community can be involved.
ABOUT THIS MCC AUTHOR: Rev. Elder Pat Bumgardner is currently the Senior Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of New York, where she has served in various capacities for the past 33 years. Rev. Pat is also the Executive Director of the Global Justice Institute, traveling, writing and speaking on behalf of MCC world-wide, addressing a range of social justice issues, forging on-the-ground partnerships, and supporting efforts to promote an inclusive human rights agenda. She chairs the Moderator’s Public Policy Team and holds a seat on the Council for Global Equality. The Founder of The Sylvia Rivera Memorial Food Pantry at MCCNY and Sylvia’s Place, she has become a leading visionary in the quest of the Queer community to build coalitions and deal with hunger and homelessness, as well as homophobia and other social prejudices. Read More
