Date:         Mon, 20 Mar 1995 10:08:11 -0500
Reply-To: MCCLA@AOL.COM

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METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF LOS ANGELES
P.O. Box 388   Culver City,   CA 90232
Phone 213-460-2911 Fax: 213-460-2913 Internet: MCCLA@AOL.COM
Contact:  Richard T. Davis  - Ivy Bottini - Norman Mason

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GAYS AND LESBIANS IN THE BIBLE
Easter Service to Focus On Bible Characters

March 17, 1995 - Los Angeles CA - Reverend Nancy L. Wilson, senior pastor of
Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles will illuminate the presence of
lesbian and gay individuals in the Bible during Easter Sunday services to be
held at Fiesta Hall in West Hollywood's Plummer Park, Easter Sunday, April
16, 1995 at 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.  Santa Monica Blvd. between Fairfax and
La Brea.  West Hollywood.

"Gay men and lesbians are prominent throughout Bible stories, but have never
been identified as such by conventional theologians and sociologists." say
Wilson, noted lecturer an author.  "Our presence in the culture of the Middle
Ages is undeniable, but has been dismissed for centuries."  "We lesbians and
gays know that we have antecedents in every culture throughout history, that
we have always fallen in love, married, and lived in family units."  says
Wilson.  "To think that we would not appear in Bible stories is ludicrous."

Reverend Wilson has just completed work on a new book to be published by
Harper/Collins which "outs" biblical characters such as Ruth, Naomi, Mary,
Martha, Jonathan, David and more.  A growing number of Biblical scholars are
beginning to agree.  Reverend Wilson will be presenting these stories during
Easter Sunday services at Fiesta Hall in Plummer Park in West Hollywood on
April 16.  Service times are 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.  The public is invited
free of charge.

Celebrating more than twenty-five years of ministry, Metropolitan Community
Church of Los Angeles is the founding congregation of the Universal
Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC).  Established in 1968,
MCCLA is one of over 350 UFMCC congregations world wide which maintain,
support and encourage a Christian outreach to the gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgendered as well as heterosexual community.  MCCLA and the UFMCC
emphasize Christian social action and vigorous opposition to fundamentalist
religious propaganda.

MCCLA weekly worship services are held at Pio Pico Elementary school
auditorium.  Pico Blvd. at Arlington.  Los Angeles.  9:00 a.m. English.
 10:00 a.m. Spanish.  11:15 a.m. English.

Please contact the church office for more information.