Have a picture to add? Email us!

Antoinette Pezet was born in Brooklyn, New York (USA) and is currently a resident of Portland, Maine (USA). She became a member of MCC when the church she was attending decided to affiliate after several years of investigation, internal discussion and debate. Although her congregation is quite small, she is certain that its survival for more than a decade says something about the need for the safe space it provides. She identifies as a Christian and a transgender woman and believes that her unique perspective has informed her personal ministry.

Written (Survey) History

This history was collected via online survey.

What do you like to be called by your friends and family?

Antoinette

 

Where were you born?

Brooklyn, Kings County, New York

 

Did you grow up in a church? If yes, which one?

No

 

When did you first discover Metropolitan Community Churches?

1997

 

How did you hear about MCC? Friend, family, advertising, Troy’s book, other? Please describe.

My Church Circle of Hope after several years of debate upon hearing about and sharing information about Troy Perry and the history of MCC decided to affiliate.

 

Describe your first visit to MCC. Please include the church’s name.

I have never been to another MCC Church though I know many who have.

 

How many years have you belonged to a MCC?

About 8 years.

 

Who preached the sermon that you’ve never forgotten? Do you remember the name of the sermon? Where were you when you heard it?

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his Riverside Sermon on the Vietnam War.

 

Who influenced you the most in MCC?

The Rev. Cindi Solomon

 

Describe how this person influenced you.

She visited our small community with her partner and decided to stay and provide pastoral care for our small group. I am grateful as are those of us who were with the group when she was pastor for several years, have learned a great deal about being Gay and Christian in a homophobic world.

 

If you attend a MCC now, please give its name.

Circle of Hope MCC, Portland Maine

 

What do you like best about your local church?

It’s family for me and I think those who enter our doors and stay. WE truly are a caring, loving family of queer Christians and friends–we also have a number of folk who are mentally and physically challenged and we all find our place within this healing experience.

What do you like best about the movement, ministry and community of MCC?

We have encountered so many gay, lesbian, transgender and bi individuals who have experienced such alienation within denominations outside of MCC. MCC provides a safe challenging nexus by which we can explore our faith in Christ–and the fact that we have survived over a decade says something about the need for our small family.

 

What was the moment when you felt most proud to be a member of MCC?

Now as I mature as a Christian and transgender woman I can say that there are many such moments but always when we gather in the larger community and identify ourselves as MCCers in Pride week-end.

 

Have you attended a General Conference? If so please tell how many you have attended.

No but others have from Circle of Hope

 

What do you remember about the Inclusive (Including) Language Project? Or your first encounter with Inclusive (Including) language at MCC.  

My experience of the leadership provided by Rev. Solomon gave me a greater feeling and surety with being queer and loving God as a TG woman; her example remains in my memory even though she and her partner Curly stayed in Maine with us only for several years.

 

What do you remember about the ordination of women and people of color?

I have gay friends ordained within the Episcopal Church and Unitarian church (where I did my supervised ministry while at Bangor Seminary.) Without the influx of women generally within Christian churches–the church would have died out long ago.

 

What do you remember about the beginning of ministry to the transgender and intersexed communities?

My own being TG has allowed me to develop both my ministry as a Christian and provide a role model as a TG woman. That has always been central to my life over the past dozen years since coming out and developing a relationship with Christ through the cross which I carry as a person.

 

What do you remember about the growth of a community of children or a children’s / youth ministry at your MCC?  

We have had children participate in our services, gatherings, celebrations and outings but have no people with younger children who attend.

 

What do you remember about MCC ministry during the beginning of the AIDS pandemic and the transition of that movement to where it is today?

I wasn’t aware of MCC during the later part of the 1970s, yet as a bi-sexual. I have always been involved with the queer community–at least since I was in my mid teens. The fact that AIDS has taken such a toll on queer folk has drawn us together in cooperation, community, life-bonds, and hope. The fact that lesbian, bi, gay, transgender, and intersexed people are taken by the general public as a challenge has allowed us to find many allies within the general population who would not have been so moved with compassion—had the pandemic not occurred.

 

What do you remember about our restructuring from Districts/Global Outreach to Regions?  

Our church was so small that it didn’t affect it much.

 

Please include any other memory or historical moment that you wish to share.
I remember karaoke in Portland with members of our Circle of Hope including our pastor Rev. Cindy Solomon and her partner Curly. One Saturday night when we all went out and just got to know each other.

[end]