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Barb Sagat says that as she sat crying during her first MCC worship service in 1982, she knew she was experiencing a life changing moment. In her survey responses Barb speaks of marching with MCC in her first Gay Pride Parade, of battling to help a community understand the importance of inclusive language, of helping to lead children’s programs in the Southwest, and of the heartache of AIDS in the early days of the pandemic. Barb is currently working to build a church in central Maine (USA).

Written (Survey) History

This history was collected via online survey.

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

Barbara or Barb

 

Where were you born?

Chicago, Illinois, USA

 

Do you have a life partner or spouse?

Yes

 

If you have a partner or spouse and feel comfortable doing so, please provide their name below.

Sharon Stover

 

If you have a partner or spouse, we would be honored to make note of any anniversary you celebrate. You may enter your anniversary date below.

Holy Union-September 24, 2002, Canadian Wedding September 24, 2003

 

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

Episcopal

 

When did you first discover Metropolitan Community Churches?

August, 1982

 

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

I had recently gotten sober through a 12 step program and a friend from meetings wanted me to visit her church.

 

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

I came in with a friend, sat in the back row, started crying almost from the first song, and didn’t stop until after the service. Rev. Jane Carl was pastor- I had never seen a woman preach. It was amazing. I knew, somewhere in the midst of my tears that my life was changing from that point on!

 

How many years have you belonged to a MCC?

25 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?

I do not recall the title but a sermon preached by Rev. Jane Carl on August 20ish 1982. I have no idea what she said, but whatever the words were, through it, I was convinced for the first time in my life that God loved me and that it was a good thing to be loved by God.

 

Who influenced you the most in MCC?

Moderator Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson

 

Describe how this person influenced you.

I have known Nancy Since 1984 when she served as the faculty member on an independent study I was dong through Samaritan Seminary. Nancy has seen me though major life trials and major healings and growth. She has radiated grace to me through personal trials, shared amazing and deep spiritual knowledge, encouraged me to be my best, and blessed me in so many ways. She is my mentor and is truly of God’s Spirit.

 

What do you like best about your local church?  

We are working to build a church in Central Maine. We are in the midst of meeting the people who will one day form the core of the church. It is a blessing to meet such wonderful people.

 

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

I love our ministry to the disenfranchised- to the outcast. I believe Christ is among the people who have been thrown away by others. I love that we are carrying our hope to the GLBT people around the world that really need our message.

 

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

I found most proud when I marched with MCC in my first Gay Pride Parade in Los Angeles in 1986. I felt amazing pride when we marched by the people that were there to condemn the GLBT folks, because I knew that God was very present on BOTH sides of the protest site.

 

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

All of them since Miami Beach (except Australia).

 

What do you like best about General Conferences?

The best part of General Conference is joining together with all of my colleagues and friends. The worship is also vital.

 

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

I have heard many stories of the first language battles. I am fascinated and frustrated that language continues to be an issue for many of our newer people. The Seminary I attend does not use inclusive language, and so I am once again in the midst of trying to help a community understand why it is important. I am grateful that MCC has embraced inclusive language for so long and is still in the forefront of teaching others the importance of inclusion in every way.

 

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

I remember being astonished and delighted when Freda Smith read her poem “Dangerous Dora Diesel Dyke” to my orientation class in 1984! The poem had been the rallying cry of my pre-MCC Lesbian separatist days! In contrast, I also remember days of great pain as we struggled to be more affirming of people of color and of women. We lost some beautiful people in the 1980′s and early 90′s because of our inability to move fast enough around our racism.

 

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

We struggled. We still struggle. We have much to learn!

 

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

I remember Rev. Karen Gregg and a few others grabbing a table and setting up a make-shift children’s area in a corner of the Miami Conference. I served as the Southwest District Children’s Pastor from 1990-1996 and facilitated Children’s conferences at all District events. It was a struggle, but we got some funding, and a small grant from outside sources for resources and supplies. Along with Jane Syftestad and Jeanne Currier I designed and facilitated the first multi-age level, staffed Children’s program at the Atlanta General Conference with a $3000 budget. In Los Angeles the budget doubled and I facilitated a program for close to 50 children in three age groups. I also facilitated the program for Toronto, which was the first time we had a separate youth program. It was a wonderful ministry and it was an amazing blessing to participate in a program the proved to be life-changing for some of the children.

 

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 remember when MCCLA was doing 2-4 funerals every week. I remember marching in the first Los Angeles Aids Walk (a candlelight march at the time) along Santa Monica Blvd. and being interviewed by the Los Angeles Herald. I was in my mid 20 ‘s and I knew more people that had died than my grandparents. I also remember the awful feeling of fear as General Conference came around, not knowing how many of my friends and colleagues would be missing because they had died in the intervening 2 years. I remember the awful grief that never got expressed because there wasn’t time.

 

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

It was a time of trust! This structural change, for me, was more a time of maturity for MCC. It was the first time I saw us as a denomination decide to trust our leadership to make a huge change in how we operated, and to trust that the things that we didn’t know yet, or didn’t fully understand would, with God’s help, work out as intended. Rather than choose to shelve the changes, and debate them endlessly, we took action realitivly quickly and trustingly.

 

Please include any other memory or historical moment that you wish to share.
Samaritan College, when it was a school in Los Angeles was central to my MCC experience. I graduated with a BA in Theology from Samaritan and still believe it was the best educational experience of my life. I learned about Christianity from some of MCC’s most learned people. My graduating class (I believe in 1994?) had 4 people- Rev. Susan Dietrich, Rev. Lonnie Allen, Rev. Marcie Wexler and myself. Rev. Elder Moderator Nancy Wilson received an honorary Doctorate. I also attended the first Orientation to Pastoring class- a 6 week program held in the basement of the LA Church on Skid Row in Los Angeles. It was truly an intensive with classes 6 days a week and Church visits on Sundays. We had the MCC Best as teachers- Rev. Jimmy Brock taught preaching, Deloris Barry taught Evangelism, Rev. Don Eastman taught administration, Rev. Founder Troy Perry took us on a bus tour of MCC’s history in Los Angeles. The instructors also included, Rev. Freda Smith, Rev. Nancy WIlson, Rev. Sherre Boothman and many others. It was a truly life changing 6 weeks. It remains one of my favorite life memories.

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