Metropolitan Community Church (MCC)

Eva O’Diam was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1953 to her mother, a school teacher, and her father, an engineer. Growing up in conservative, rural Ohio, Eva lost her father at the age of 12 and moved to Covington, Ohio where she graduated from high school. At Manchester College, where she earned a degree in sociology, Eva was interested in ministry but grew disillusioned with the church during her last year of college and became a probation officer in Wabash, Indiana. About 18 months later, a Church of the Brethren pastor influenced Eva to return to the ministry, and she has since worked at various positions in pastoring, alternative ministry, and HIV/AIDS assistance. She currently lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania with her partner of 23 years, Mary Kelly, and is looking for work as a pastor again. In this interview, Eva discusses her slow personal journey to accept her sexual orientation, the challenge to make her Metropolitan Community Church [MCC] more inclusive of racial, sexual, and ability minorities, as well as her nephew’s unfortunate death that united her family and church community. Regarding LGBT issues, Eva is optimistic for the future but admits that the LGBT community needs to adopt a broader focus, be more inclusive, and address growing challenges for older adults.

Cindy Lou Mitzel was born in April of 1942 in York County, Pennsylvania as the youngest in a big family. Growing up, Cindy knew that she felt attraction towards women but married a man just after graduating from high school and had three children. Throughout her life, Cindy has been involved in the National Organization for Women [NOW], the Lavender Letter, the Lesbian Alliance, and the Central Pennsylvania Women’s Chorus, among other women’s and gay rights activist organizations. Cindy remained married for many years before separating from her husband and, after the age of 40, began dating other women. In this interview, Cindy discusses coming out to her adult children, her involvement in the passage of a gay rights ordinance in York city, and how LGBT-identified individuals practiced safety while community building. She also mentions the importance of coming out, her experiences at the Metropolitan Community Church, and her attendance of the first Central Pennsylvania Pride Festival. Today, Cindy is pleased with the recent affirmative gay marriage laws, which were once thought “impossible” for the LGBT community.

Founded in 1968 in California, the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) began as a Christian outreach to meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. MCC Harrisburg (later renamed MCC of the Spirit) and MCC Lancaster (later renamed MCC Vision of Hope) were two local parishes in the Central PA Area.

The Link, which was previously titled the Gayfolio, was a gay community newsletter published by MCC Harrsiburg. Note worthy items in this issue are: 

• "Market Square arrests prompt action" (pg. 1) 
• "Pennsylvania NOW Lesbian Caucus Update" (pg. 10)
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Founded in 1968 in California, the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) began as a Christian outreach to meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. MCC Harrisburg (later renamed MCC of the Spirit) and MCC Lancaster (later renamed MCC Vision of Hope) were two local parishes in the Central PA Area.

The Link, which was previously titled the Gayfolio, was a gay community newsletter published by MCC Harrsiburg. Note worthy items in this issue are: 

• "San Francico will host Gay Olympic Games" (pg. 1)
• "PL/GSN strives to improve conditions for gays" (pg. 9)

Arlene Ackerman was born in San Francisco, California, then adopted and raised in Lodi, California. Jacquie Bogle Ackerman was born and raised in northern Minnesota. Arlene became licensed as clergy with the Metropolitan Community Church in 1977, and Jacquie has supported Arlene by traveling with her when needed, performing odd jobs such as office work and driving buses in order to help financially. In this interview, the couple discusses their long journey in adopting a child as a lesbian couple while living in Minnesota together. They faced discrimination from their adoption agency, but after approximately nine months, they were finally able to adopt a baby girl named Amanda, and shortly after, moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Arlene and Jacquie explain the challenges of gaining parental rights for both of them and with raising Amanda as an adopted, biracial child of two LGBT parents. Despite that they became married for primarily legal reasons, the couple also discusses the emotional significance of their recent state-recognized marriage in June of 2014. Lastly, Arlene and Jacquie reflect on the gay rights movement and agree that they never thought that gay marriage would have been possible in their lifetimes, but they are grateful to see it happening today.

Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s. 

Created by Lorraine Kujawa, Cindy Mitzel, Mary Nancarrow, and several others in 1983, the Lavender Letter Newsletter was a calendar of events for, by, and about lesbian women to create community in the Central Pennsylvania area. The newsletter was distributed monthly until the mid-2000s. 

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. This was the last newsletter created by the Switchboard, due to the establishment of another gay press in Harrisburg. Notable articles in this issue are:

• "Switchboard '82 Election"
• "God & Gays Part III"
• "Network Elects '82 Team"
• "1981 in the Black $477.31"
• "Harrisburg 'Press'es On"
• "Dignity Elects New Team"
• "CPGA (Central Pa. Gay Alliance) Dissolves

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "New Officers in June" (p. 1)
• "Treasurer Stays" (p. 1)
• "Flea Mrkt. June 6" (p. 3)
• "MCC News" (p. 4)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "Flea Market May 23" (p. 1)
• "Gay Pride Celeb'tn" (p. 2)
• "What's going on?" (p. 4)

The GSH Newsletter is an outreach feature of the Gay Switchboard of Harrisburg. Noteworthy articles in this issue are:

• "Membership?" 
• "[Constitution] Admended Feb. 1"
• "MCC in Hbg."
• "You're Fired!"
• "That Benefit - Apr. 11"
• "New Officer - GSH"

Document created by Jerry Brennan and Richard Hill recording the history and development of Dignity/Central PA as an organization in Harrisburg from July 1975 to June 1985. 

Dinner program put together by Dignity/Central PA for a celebration of the organization.

Keystone is an educational and communication feature of Dignity/Central PA Inc. Noteworthy articles in this issue:

• "From the President" (p. 1)
• "Elections" (p. 1)
• "The Closet as Killer" (p. 5)

Calendar of events hosted by Dignity/Central PA in the Winter of 1981/1982.

Calendar of events hosted by Dignity/Central PA during the Summer of 1981.

Calendar of events hosted by Dignity/Central PA during the Spring of 1981.

Calendar of events hosted by Dignity/Central PA during the fall of 1979.

Letter to members starting the "Summer with Dignity" calendar of events.

Dignity/Central PA and Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) invitation flyer for the Passover meal on April 2, 1977.

Clipboard Calendar of Events created by Diginity/Central PA for January 31 to April 4, 1978.

The Gay Era was a newspaper that reported news of interest from around the United States, with a specific focus on the news surrounding the gay community in Central PA, and provided a central forum for gay communities that were spread out across Central PA. Noteworthy news in this issues:

• "Priest Hired to Launch Gay Rights Campaign" (p. 2)
• "Pre-Election Poop" (p. 6)
• "Election Results" (p. 10)
• "Rural Resouces" (p. 13)
• "Health Care Plan Covers Sex-Change Surgery" (p. 18)

The Gay Era was a newspaper that reported news of interest from around the United States, with a specific focus on the news surrounding the gay community in Central PA, and provided a central forum for gay communities that were spread out across Central PA. Notable news in this issues:

• Bryant Aid Details Gay Dade County "Errors"(p.4)
• School Cuts "Propaganda" Film (p.6)
• Harrisburg Radio Show (p.6)
• Allentown Rights a Political Hot Potato (p.7)