Elder Larry Rodriguez served as one of the Elders for the denomination of Metropolitan Community Churches and as Interim Pastor of MCCLA in between the pastoral leadership of Reverend Jeri Ann Harvey and Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson.

Larry gave an inspired exhortation to the congregation of MCCLA Sunday, January 20, 2008, concerning the basic principles he has gathered from his many years of experience sharing in the ministry of MCCLA through most of its moves and all four of the buildings MCCLA has owned.

This word of encouragement and direction comes to us at such a time that the ministry and congregation of MCC Los Angeles is obligated to move from its current location at 8714 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood (where MCCLA has enjoyed 14 years in the heart of West Hollywood’s gay community) at the end of April, 2008 into an unknown future. 

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“When Neil asked me to speak, this morning, I really wasn't sure why he had chosen me.  Maybe it was because of my winning smile, my buffed-up physique, my winning sense of humor... (Laughs)  Perhaps Neil asked me because maybe, just maybe, there might be some basic principles that I could share with you that have helped all of us—and  will help all of us—get through the next transition inn the life of this church.  I'm not the oldest member of this church... (Pause)... close!  But not the oldest....

…but I am in that group of church members who have seen us move through at least 14 different worship places, four buildings that we've owned, seen us burned out of one building, shaken up by an earthquake out of another, we've held each other through church fights that have almost split us apart, worked beside 9 different pastors and interim pastors... We've seen bricks thrown through the windows of this church, felt the hatred when someone tried to burn the altar and the piano.  I'm part of that group that has known times when we averaged two funerals a week for the loved ones that were ravaged by AIDS... And we're still here.

So what are some of the basics that I've learned through the years that might help us through this next transition?

First Basic Principle I've learned…” 

Larry knocks on the pillar beside the lectern three times and looks up.

"Don't you just love these things?  "This..." (He knocks on the pillar again) "is not the church" (looks up at the rafters and all around) "This is a building! It is NOT the church! You..." (Larry points in different directions at the people, toward the choir and band, toward the congregation, then toward the back where the multimedia team is working) "...way back there, too... Hello!  Wave in the back, yeah, they're here, too!   You are the church!  We are Metropolitan Community Church wherever and whenever we gather together in Jesus' Name!  We're not confined to a building, we can meet out in the street—like we did when we met in the shadows of the burnt-out building (in our first building)—and we still will be Metropolitan Community Church.

A Second Basic Principle:  I don't believe it's accidental that our middle name is ‘Community.’  Community does not come out of convenience or out of geographical proximity. People can live in close proximity to each other and not form community.  Look around you.  Look around you!  Go ahead... look, look, look!  You don't have to look at me.  Look around you.  We don't all live in the same neighborhood.  In fact, many of us traveled long distances to get here this morning.  Community grows out of a similar sounding word, ‘commitment.’   Community evolves when a group of people commit to work together for a common purpose.  What makes the ‘Community’ in Metropolitan Community Church is that we are a people, committed to the ministry of Jesus Christ in the GLBT community and beyond." 

Looking over at the direction of the music area, Larry asks, "Choir… instrumentalists... are you committed to the ministry of the church?  If so, say ‘Amen!’”  (Amen!)  Alright, I like that, say it again! (AMEN!)  Okay, ushers, multimedia, sound team, if you're committed to the ministry of this church say ‘Amen!’ (Amen)  Alright, deacons, board members, pastoral leaders, if you're committed to the ministry of this church, say ‘Amen!’ (AMEN!)  Deaf Ministry, if you're committed to the ministry of this church, say ‘Amen!’”   (The deaf ministry responds with "Amen" in sign language).   "Alright, the people on the right and the people on the left, if you're committed to the ministry of this church, say ‘Amen!’ (AMEN!)  Okay, everybody together—Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles—if you are committed to the ministry of this church, say ‘Amen!’ (AMEN).

Alright!  Third Basic Principle:  I'm not here by accident and neither are you.  God has a plan for me, God has a plan for you, and God has a plan for this church. It is no accident that we are in this building, today. We are here in this building--building #4--today, because 14 years ago tomorrow—Martin Luther King's birthday—" (January 21, 1994) “the land shook, and the church building #3 fell apart. We are here today, because over 30 years ago building #1 was torched and burned from hatred.” (1973)  “We are here today, because 40 years ago a young person tried to commit suicide in a desperate attempt to end the pain of loneliness and shame, and in that dark hour God spoke to Troy Perry and this church--this people of God--was breathed into existence. 

As long as there is pain and suffering in the world, as long as there is justice and intolerance in the world, this church will have a ministry and as long as you and I are committed to work in this community to serve as the Christ in the gay and lesbian community and beyond then we--Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles--will still be here.  Amen.

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