The end of an era

In an afternoon of music, dance, poetry and praise, more than 150 members of the Union United Methodist Church on May 17 paid tribute to their beloved pastor, the Rev. Martin McLee, who will be leaving the congregation on June 30.

"Today we mark and celebrate ... what is truly the end of an era," mistress of ceremonies Stephanie Anderson told the crowd at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Norwood, "as Rev. Martin D. McLee prepares to assume his new role as the district superintendent of metropolitan Boston."

Effective July 1, McLee will become the district superintendent for the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church's Metro Boston Hope District, which means he'll oversee 75 United Methodist congregations in a wide geographic area that stretches from Boston, north to Peabody, south to Brockton and west to Wellesley. New England Conference Bishop Peter Weaver appointed McLee to the position in January.

Recalling McLee's arrival at the historic Columbus Avenue church eight years ago, congregant Sheryl Goodloe, who headed the committee that organized the tribute to McLee, said the pastor "brought energy to our church, which woke us up. Hallelujah."

McLee assumed the leadership of Union church in 2000, shortly after the congregation had voted unanimously to become a Reconciling and Inclusive Church, meaning one that welcomes LGBT worshippers fully into the life of the church. Union was the first historically black church of any denomination in the country to take such a step. During his tenure the church opened its doors to a number of LGBT organizations and events, including last year's Boston Pride Interfaith Service - marking the first time a black church hosted the annual event. McLee initiated an HIV/AIDS ministry at the church and collaborated with HIV/AIDS advocates to get local black churches more involved in fighting the disease. LGBT people of all racial backgrounds have joined the congregation as a result of the church's welcoming atmosphere.

David Wilson, the board president of MassEquality, an LGBT political organization, attended the celebration to thank McLee for his courage in standing up for the LGBT community, which has been at odds with the denomination over United Methodism's official church doctrines that bar the ordination of openly gay clergy and call homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching."

"We all take risks," said Wilson. "And certainly as a black man in this country, I'm always at risk wherever I am. And then you take it one step further ... as a gay black man and further think about what is at risk. So then you have a man like Rev. McLee, who is clergy, African American, always questioned by the church as to what he's doing, and you think about the risk that he's taking - and it's not for him, it's for others.

"The risk I've taken is for me and for my family, but he's taken this for others," said Wilson, who was one of the plaintiffs in the historic lawsuit that made it possible for same-sex couples to marry in Massachusetts.

The Rev. Charles Stith, a former Union pastor and U.S. ambassador to Tanzania, delivered a keynote address in which he called McLee "authentically Christian."

"He is faithful in his embodiment of the core values of our religion, of our church," said Stith. As evidence, Stith told the crowd to take a look around at the diverse group that had assembled in McLee's honor. "My God, what a testament, what a testament to the quality and character and faithfulness that he's demonstrated that we are here across color lines, across community lines, across class lines, across gender and generation lines."

Stith also praised McLee for his dignified style in this "era of TV preachers."

His voice rising, Stith said, "It is good to have a preacher, a pastor, who comports himself with the kind of dignity and character that our young people will aspire to walk in his image." The crowd drowned him out with applause.

McLee was presented with citations from both the Massachusetts House and Senate in recognition of his leadership of Union church. "Rev. McLee has always been a person who has embraced our community and the issues in our community," said state Rep. Gloria Fox of Roxbury, who presented the House citation to McLee. Fox made a point of bringing onstage with her Larry Day of AIDS Action Committee and the Rev. Franklin Hobbs, founder of the HIV/AIDS ministry Healing our Land, "because the doors of [Union] church have always been open to all people."

Before the crowd tucked into an afternoon meal, McLee got to have the last word. He used the opportunity to thank the congregation for the gifts they had given him. "One of the joys of pastoring this congregation," he told the crowd, "has been the unique relationships and learning that I've gotten from each of you. I've been blessed to be at good quality churches; when I got to Union that did not change. But what was different - I had moments with each of you that impacted my ministry," he said, noting the congregant who schooled him on the finer points of buying sneakers. "I can buy sneakers like nobody's business.

"I could go around the room but I won't. So many of you in individual conversations blessed me and embraced my ministry." McLee related that when he was appointed to lead Union church, Stith told him, "Go to Union and be yourself."

"I want to thank you for letting me," he said, and stopped to let the crowd complete his thought. "Be myself," they called out, and burst into applause.

McLee will be succeeded on July 1 by the Rev. LaTrelle Easterling, who will become Union church's first woman pastor.