Cathedral of Hope (Dallas)

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The Cathedral of Hope is a predominantly LGBT congregation located in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas (USA). The Cathedral claims to be the world's largest "liberal Christian church with a primary outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons",^[1] with a membership of approximately 3,500 local members. Its national outreach programs reaches a further audience nationwide. It recently joined the United Church of Christ.

[edit] History of Cathedral of Hope

2006 - In October 2006, the Cathedral of Hope was granted standing by the North Texas Association of the United Church of Christ as a member congregation of the United Church of Christ (UCC), becoming the fourth largest congregation in the denomination.

• 2005 - On February 6, 2005 Rev. Dr. Jo Hudson is elected Senior Pastor. The Cathedral of Hope celebrates 35 years of ministry, service, and activism by beginning a capital campaign to build the next phase of Philip Johnson’s campus design: an Interfaith Peace Chapel and give birth to a new non-profit organization Hope for Peace & Justice. Rev. Michael Piazza becomes Dean of the Cathedral and President of Hope for Peace & Justice.

• 2002 - On Sunday evening, July 28, 2002 the newly completed 22,000 square-foot Congregational Life Center is dedicated. Featuring new classrooms for children and youth, renovated office space for Hope Counseling Center and expanded office space for Cathedral staff. The close of 2002 sees a local and national membership of nearly 4,000. On July 27, 2003 the members of the Cathedral of Hope vote to become an independent congregation by disaffiliating from the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

• 2000 - In the year 2000 the Cathedral of Hope begins the “Century of Compassion” by donating more than one million dollars in direct assistance and volunteer community support annually. On July 30, 2000 the John Thomas Bell Wall – a National AIDS Memorial is dedicated. August 6, 2000 nearly 100 people attend the inaugural worship service at Cathedral of Hope – Oklahoma City.

• 1998 the membership grows to over 2,300 and the Cathedral serves a rapidly-growing congregation of more than 3,000. In 1999, CoH-TV begins hosting live Internet worship services via the Cathedral’s webpage.

• 1995 - July 1995, the Cathedral of Hope commissions renowned architect, Philip Johnson to design a new cathedral campus.

• 1992 - December 1992, the Cathedral of Hope completes its new church home. The Christmas eve service was broadcast around the world on CNN. The congregation approached 1,000 members. During 1993 the Cathedral grows by a record 300 members.

• 1990 - The Rev. Michael Piazza is elected senior pastor in November 1987. Membership grows to 600. In late 1990, MCC-Dallas becomes the Cathedral of Hope to reflect a new broader mission to reach out LGBT people in small towns everywhere with a message of hope. The church begins its “Pink-Period” quest to build a larger church to accommodate a growing congregation.

• 1976 - On October 4, 1976 MCC-Dallas purchases a former Church of Christ building on 2701 Regan. In November 1977, the Rev Don Eastman was elected as the church’s third pastor. The membership had grown to almost 400.

• 1972 - December 17, 1972 MCC-Dallas moves into its first church home at 3834 Ross Avenue. The building had been originally build as a small private hospital in the 1920s. In 1974, Rev. James Harris was elected as the church’s second pastor.

• 1970 - On July 30, 1970, a group of twelve people gathered at 4612 Victor Street in Dallas to discuss establishing a Metropolitan Community Church. In May 1971, Rev. Richard Vincent is elected the first pastor of MCC-Dallas.

The current senior pastor is the Rev. Dr. Jo Hudson, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and a graduate of Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Hudson was called to the Cathedral in August 2004 and was elected Senior Pastor in February 2005. She succeeded Rev. Michael Piazza, who was elected Senior Pastor in 1987, and retired from that position upon Rev. Dr. Hudson's election. He currently serves as Dean and National Pastor of the Cathedral, as well as President of Hope for Peace & Justice, a non-profit arm of the church that "is equipping progressive people of faith to be champions for peace and justice."

The Cathedral of Hope UCC is currently engaged in a long-range goal of expanding its facilities on its Cedar Springs campus. The architect Philip Johnson was commissioned in 1995 to create plans for an Interfaith Peace Chapel and a new Cathedral with seating of 2,000.^[2][3] The Cathedral continues to raise funds for these projects, and broke ground on the Chapel in 2007.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Cathedral of Hope web site