The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC) is sometimes called an ecumenical church, because UFMCC include people from different church and religious backgrounds. This makes our worship experience varied but is sometimes confusing to new-comers. We often say that if something in a worship service is unfamiliar, wait a few minutes – something more familiar to you will happen!
But UFMCC is not a church without any theological foundation. There is a theological ground upon which the church is founded. At General Conference 2016, our Statement of Faith was updated. Previously it was to be found in our Bylaws, but it was decided to create a separate Statement of Faith in its own right, drawing on the contributions and ideas of all UFMCC’s members to create a Statement which truly reflects the faith of the church- just as the ancient creeds tried to do.
The 2016 Statement of Faith begins with a ‘Preamble’ explaining how UFMCC sees itself and its mission, and what are the roots and the experience from which our faith has come:
‘Metropolitan Community Churches is one chapter in the story of the Church, the Body of Christ.’
MCC sees itself as one church among the many that make up Christ’s Body, with a specific part to play in the story of God’s people – neither more nor less than others, but called to take our part seriously
‘We are people on a journey, learning to live into our spirituality, while affirming our bodies, our genders, our sexualities’.
UFMCC does not believe itself to be perfect example of God’s love, but one which continues to grow, change, and listen for God’s leading. We believe the work of the church is not yet complete and God has more in store for us. We believe that affirmation of our bodies as good creations of God, and affirmation of the diversity of genders and sexualities, is a specific work to which God has called us.
‘We don’t all believe exactly the same things. And yet in the midst of our diversity, we build community, grounded in God’s radically inclusive love for all people.’
Historically, the Christian Church has been torn apart by theological controversies that have divided us and even caused warfare. Individual MCC members are free to believe any of the varied Christian beliefs so long as they are consistent with and not in contradiction to UFMCC’s basic statement of faith. Such issues as the importance of the Virgin Birth and the debate over transubstantiation in the Communion are left up to the individual believer. The ground of our faith is radically inclusive love, drawing us together in service to each other no matter what our differences.
‘We are part of an ongoing conversation on matters of belief and faith, shaped by scripture and the historic creeds, building on those who have come before us.’
This firmly establishes UFMCC as a Christian church, rooted in the Bible, both Hebrew and Christian Testaments, and rooted in the historic Apostolic and Nicene creeds.
‘Our chapter begins when God says to us: “Come, taste, and see.”’
The Statement itself is in the form of a prayer:
““Come, taste, and see.” Jesus Christ, You invite all people to Your open table. You make us Your people, a beloved community.”
This sentence makes it clear that UFMCC is not just for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (lgbt) people, but for ‘all people’, and that God’s love and grace are available to all, making us one with Christ and with each other.
‘You restore the joy of our relationship with God, even in the midst of loneliness, despair, and degradation. We are each unique and we all belong, a priesthood of all believers.’
We declare our belief in salvation as the restoration of our relationship with God and with all creation, by the free grace of God through Jesus. We are given the chance to become whole and reach our unique potential as children of God.
Baptized and filled with Your Holy Spirit, You empower us to be Your healing presence in a hurting world. We expect to see Your reign on earth as it is in heaven as we work toward a world where everyone has enough, wars cease, and all creation lives in harmony.
We believe that, having put our faith in God, we are filled with God’s Spirit, and that this means actively putting our prayers into action, and seeking God’s reign on earth.
‘Therefore, we will actively resist systems and structures which are destroying Your creation.’
This work of salvation involves not only our personal healing, but also the whole of creation.
‘With all of creation we worship You—every tribe, every language, every people, every nation. We know You by many names, Triune God, beyond comprehension, revealed to us in Jesus Christ, who invites us to the feast.
Amen. ‘
UFMCC here declares that it is a Trinitarian Church, (believing in the Trinity of Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit), but that God can be known and understand through a variety of names and images, none of which are complete in themselves, because God is too great for comprehension. It also declares that God is revealed to us in Jesus Christ, through whom we can draw close to God.
This Statement of Faith is the foundation of Metropolitan Community Church of North London (MCCNL). Other details of the faith beyond this basic statement of Christian belief are up to the individual believer and are between the believer and God
MCCNL draws its members from many religious, liturgical, and philosophical backgrounds. It is our hope that in MCCNL there is room for all Christians.
As part of its faith journey, UFMCC embraces two holy Sacraments:
Baptism
Holy Communion
Also, six Rites of the Church are performed by its duly authorised ministers, these are:
The Rite of Ordination
The Rite of Attaining Membership in the Church
The Rite of Holy Union and the Rite of Holy Matrimony
The Rite of Funeral or Memorial Service
The Rite of Laying on of Hands
The Rite of Blessing
You have perhaps noticed that nowhere in our Statement of Faith is it stated that UFMCC is a Gay and Lesbian Church. Indeed, while we are often referred to as “the Gay Church”, and our worldwide membership is easily 90% lgbt people of faith, we are also very clear that this is a misnomer.
The phrase “Gay Church” seems to focus on sexuality. We focus on Jesus Christ. We are a church for all people. We are very clear that we are a new revelation of God’s love for all people in this age and time. We are an authentic Church of Jesus Christ, for all who would confess and believe. We are a church which tries to be intentional about opening its doors to the marginalised and the excluded. We are a church which tries to be inclusive of all people. We are a church which tries to be especially welcoming of those people whom the historic church has persecuted and denied entrance: Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual people, women, ethnic and racial minorities, trans people, people with disabilities, people who are different from the majority in some way.
And we welcome you, whoever you are. You are welcome to Christ’s table, and thus to this church. Come as you are, believing as you do.
Welcome to MCC
If you would like to speak to someone in more detail about what we believe then please send an email to mccchurchnl@gmail.com or telephone 0844 335 0507 and leave a message and your contact details.