Pastor of 16-year-old congregation says there’s no longer as much of a need for a separate LGBT church
SHOWING PROMISE | Pastor Jon Haack, right, shown with associate pastor Leonard Dacy, says the UCC affiliation will offer better outreach to the straight community in Oak Cliff. (Courtesy of Barb Nunn)
An Oak Cliff church that had been affiliated with the Metropolitan Community Churches since its founding in 1997 completed its transition to the United Church of Christ this month.
Promise is the second church in Dallas formerly affiliated with MCC — the historically gay denomination — to join the UCC, an LGBT-affirming mainline denomination. Cathedral of Hope went from MCC to UCC in 2005.
But in the case of Promise, no controversy led to the transition. Senior Pastor Jon Haack said the congregation voted unanimously to change affiliations for a number of reasons.
“Better name recognition,” he said. “Outreach to the LGBT community, but also to the straight community.”
Practical concerns also were part of the decision. UCC offers health insurance for clergy as well as property and casualty insurance for the congregation.
Haack said UCC also offers more resources for the congregation that should aid in its growth, including a printing house, colleges and seminaries.
He said there were no disagreements with the former denomination and he and Associate Pastor Leonard Dacy hold MCC credentials, but both are in pursuit of UCC credentials. That happens at a local level, Haack said.
UCC has geographical associations that determine who should be credentialed within the denomination.
“They want the local association to get to know and support local clergy,” he said.
He expects he and Dacy will have their UCC credentials before the end of the year.
“The process has been energizing to our church,” Haack said. “Church members will see a unity and enthusiasm we haven’t seen before.”
But they won’t see a change in services.
“There will be no change in the order of worship,” Haack said, calling it a blended style including contemporary music and traditional hymns. “Our style of worship will remain the same.”
He said many LGBT people in Dallas are comfortable in more diverse congregations, especially younger people who have no trouble openly identifying themselves.
“It’s not as much of an issue as it was for people who came out in the 1970s,” he said. “There’s not as much need to become part of a church that is separate.”
But he said the church will always be LGBT-friendly and welcoming. With UCC, he sees more opportunities to broaden the congregation’s diversity to include gender identity, physical handicaps and race.
Haack said he hopes to partner with other UCC congregations on social justice projects.
“And we’re talking about joining in a Pride parade presence for UCC,” he said. “Each church behind their own banner.”
“This is a day of new beginnings for Promise,” Dacy said. “There is a spirit of unity and excitement flowing through this congregation and we praise God for it.”
Promise UCC, at 2527 W. Colorado Blvd.,
worships Sundays at 10:30 a.m. 214-623-8400. PromiseUCC.org.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 19, 2013.