SafeHarbourChurch

Founded in 1991, Safe Harbour is a gay Christian church built and run by the GBLT community, in the Metropolitan Community Church family. Halifax's MCC has a lesbian pastor, JenniferPaty, and an almost entirely queer congregation.

The first service in the new space in BloomfieldCentre, 2004-09-05

Services

The congregation worships Sundays at 11am at VeithHouse (3115 Veith St. Halifax). It's an open church and very welcoming. Drop in, check out the service, and meet some people at the social afterwards. Check out www.safeharbourmcc.com under "worship at Safe Harbour" to see what a typical service is like... come and join us as we worship God!

Phone: 453-9249, mailto:safeharbour@eastlink.ca, or visit the official home page: is http://www.safeharbourmcc.com/

History

Safe Harbour was founded by [[JJLyon?]], RobertByers, BruceMoore? and TerryParker in Feb. 1991 after the successful experience of holding an evening of Christmas Carol Singing, where several people expressed an interest in getting together for worship. A dozen or so people began meeting in Feb 1991 in the small Board Room at the AidsCoalition Office on Gottingen St.

In September of 1991 the congregation officially became part of MCC and started to use the name Safe Harbour MCC. It was at this same time that the congregation had out grown the space at the PWA Coalition and started worshiping at Brunswick St. United Church.

Safe Harbour also established and maintains the wonderful MannaForHealth Food Bank -- which supplies food for people facing serious illness and poverty. Safe Harbour M.C.C. is a Christian Church and welcomes everyone, not just GBLT communities.

1991 also found the congregation holding its first Community Christmas Dinner at St. John's United Church where they fed about 100 people. The Dinner continues be a yearly event and keeps getting bigger and better as we approach our 15th annual in December of 2006.

In September of 1992 the congregation hired the Rev. DarleneYoung to be the first minister of Safe Harbour MCC and she continues to pastor the congregation and celebrates 14 years with Safe Harbour and 10 years since her ordination was affirmed in the Metropolitan Community Churches in 1996.

With continued growth and the need for more space for programs and social events the congregation was invited to move to the UniversalistUnitarianChurch on Inglis St. in the Fall of 1992.

In April of 1993 Safe Harbour officially welcomed its first members when 20 people joined the church. Among those who first joined were three of the churches founders, [[JJLyon?]] (who went on to become clergy in MCC in 1996 and pastor a church in Fredericton NB), BruceMoore? and RobertByers (who began Safe Harbour's web ministry through the development of the web space in 1997).

The church also established a special needs food bank MannaForHealth in 1996 for those living with HIV/AIDS and other life threatening illnesses. The food bank, though once located in the AidsCoalition offices, now has its own home in BloomfieldCenter and celebrates its 10th anniversary in November.

In September of 2004 the congregation moved to its own space in BloomfieldCenter. The first service in the new space was on Sunday, September 5th.

After spending two years at Bloomfield Center the congregation then moved to it's latest location at VeithHouse in Halifax's north end where they continue to meet for worship Sunday's at 11am.

On September 12, 2008, DarleneYoung passed away.

NeedsContent : need details on the search for a new pastor, and the 2009 transition to JenniferPaty.

It's one of several gay friendly churches - more can be found on ReligionLinks. Going to church is a great way of MeetingPeople.