MARCH 19, 1993

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE

EMCC opens walls, offers a spiritual community

by Kevin Beaney Emmanuel Metropolitan Community Church (EMCC) occupies a storefront on Lorain Ave. near West Blvd. in Cleveland. From the outside there is little to see except the multi-colored banner which covers the window and a small sign on the door. Inside you'll find a world of outgoing, friendly people who have found what has been missing in their lives--a religious community that welcomes them and embraces all.

Rev. Justo Gonzalez is currently the pastor. A diminutive bundle of energy with handsomely boyish dark features, Gonzalez arrived in Cleveland from Rochester in September 1991 to go back to school and began attending EMCC as a member. During his first months in Cleveland, he saw "a small church, predominantly Anglo, that would minister to you if you would walk in the door, but really didn't have a ministry established to reach out to the community."

It was in April 1992 that he was called to the pulpit and began molding EMCC into a multi-cultural spiritual community. "I've attempted to redefine [Emmanuel's] mission, what we are here for. I'm not big on religious institutions," he said. Gonzalez sought to move EMCC away from being considered just a church. "What I want to see us be is a spiritual community which allows people to be themselves and embraces people for who they are, where they're at, whatever language they speak, whatever their customs and traditions are. .. [blending] the best of the best."

The morning service is now preceded by a 15-minute "Singspiration" that varies from week to week. "Its purpose is so people can feel comfortable with certain aspects of the service. This week was an evangelical music worship. Next week at the same time you may find very traditional gospel music, or African-American gospel music." This diverse implementation can include almost anything, and the congregation seems to like it. Gonzalez says, "That's cool that people are willing to challenge themselves to go beyond their own comfort levels."

The regular service, which starts at 11 am, remains the same format from week to week, but it, too, embraces the traditions and nuances of several different religions. According to Gonzalez, these traditions include turning off the lights for a period of reflection to get into spirit, always having an "opening prayer, a family prayer which gives people the chance to express their needs. There's always formal communion. We've tried to grab from our Lutheran brothers and sisters, our Evangelical brothers and sisters, our Catholic brothers and sisters... and embrace all these things." The goal is to "create an environment where you will be challenged, but at the

same time in that challenge, there will be an area somewhere where you will be comfortable with it."

While the multicultural religious community emerges as Gonzalez' main achievement, he names another critical goal to EMCC--broadening its mission to something beyond its congregation. "We needed to embrace not only our four walls, but the community and make them our four walls." This has already started in the form of a social spiritual ministry. "We're going to minister to you for who you are, where you are, where you're at, not only spiritually but if you're hungry we have a food pantry," Gonzalez explains. "If you're in need let us know. We don't have a lot of resources but we can either help you or refer you to other organizations through our connections."

The Metropolitan Community Church was founded originally as a gay church. Today, Cleveland's EMCC is "predominantly a gay and lesbian ministry, however we are a church for all people, we have straight couples working with us...we will embrace anyone who wants to embrace the goodness and the wholeness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and who will respect our relationship with God and that we have equal access to God," he said.

Expanding on the groundwork Gonzalez and the EMCC board have already laid down, the organization is now implementing specific plans to reach the community. These include amonthly service at Kamana Place; taking Emmanuel to HUGS East and establishing a satellite service from the Unitarian church they use; and opening up the storefront to host different groups. Some ideas that Gonzalez has proposed for this year include a Men in Touch group sponsored by HIT; a quilt making group; a support group for pre-operational transsexuals; an African-American women's group; AIDS healing; and an incest survivor's group. Basically, if the need exists, Emmanuel will help find the facilitator and provide the space.

The pastor admits that it is difficult to reach minority communities, even his own Hispanic culture, largely because of denial about sexual orientation. But he says "we're putting out the word, using the SistahParty newsletter, working with African-American and Hispanics, letting them know there is a safe environment where you don't have to hide, where you can be yourself and God still loves you and cares for you."

Gonzalez was born in Buffalo, and demonstrated a calling to ministry starting as a 13-year old Pentecostal. He has spent time in Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo, serving as a licensed preacher and youth pastor, eventually founding a bilingual Pentecostal church in 1988 in Rochester. His first association with the MCC was after he

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Now 31 and an MCC pastor, Gonzalez spends time in an active role. "[EMCC] is an issues-oriented church. I have some choices and freedom. We have made it our business to get involved in issues that others wouldn't touch. . . .I encourage the congregation to go out and get involved and let people know, by taking a stance and letting justice and equality reign."

Gonzalez is also on the board of the Health Issues Taskforce, and the community advisory board of the Clinical Trials Unit at University Hospitals. He is involved in several other projects including AIDS prevention programs and gay and lesbian issues.

As much as he doesn't see EMCC as a church, Gonzalez doesn't see himself as a minister. "I'm a cheerleader in essence. My job is to love people, embrace people, welcome people into God's goodness and wholeness."

That cheerleading has spawned a new evening service at 6 pm for those who could not make the Sunday morning worship. He calls it a new management style at Emmanuel, by addressing people's needs and then assessing the success. "It's not uncommon for me to review with the leadership team after the service what we did right and wrong." He is not afraid to ask the congregation what they want and then move to provide it. "[We ask] what do you think the format and structure of the church should be; more liturgical, more informal, more evangelical? We are going to allow you to help us design a structure that will meet your needs."

Always reaching out to the community, Gonzalez says "If you know of something we can do, let us know. We'll try. We don't have the answer to everything, but we'll try."

Emmanuel Metropolitan Community Church has started a building fund but for the near future they will remain at 10034 Lorain Avenue; phone 651-0129. Sunday worship services start at 10:45 am and 6 pm.

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