The History of Safe Harbour Metropolitan Community Church
Safe Harbour was founded by JJ Lyon, Robert Byers, Bruce Moore and Terry Parker 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
Aids Coalition 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
Manna For Health 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. In December 2008
the congregation of Safe Harbour decided to honor Rev. Darlene Young and renamed the Christmas Dinner the Reverend
Darlene Young Memorial Christmas Dinner. As we approach our 18th annual dinner in December of 2009 we are searching
for a new venue in which to accommodate more people.
In September of 1992 the congregation hired the Rev. Darlene Young to be the first minister of Safe Harbour MCC and
she continued to pastor the congregation until her death on September 12, 2008.
With continued growth and the need for more space for programs and social events the congregation was invited to move
to the Universalist Unitarian Church 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), Bruce Moore and Robert Byers (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
Manna For Health in 1996 for those living with HIV/AIDS and
other life threatening illnesses. The food bank, once located in the
Aids Coalition offices, now has its
own home in Bloomfield Center.
In September of 2004 the congregation moved to its own space in Bloomfield Center. 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 3115 Veith Street in
Halifax's north end where they continue to meet for worship Sunday's at 11am.
Services
The congregation worships Sundays at 11am at 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.
Phone: 902-453-9249
E-mail:
admin@safeharbourmcc.com
Visit our
Contact Page for directions, maps and more!
