MCCD Officially Welcomes New Senior Pastor

FERNDALE –Installation services for Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit Senior Pastor Rev. Roland Stringfellow will take place 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 at the Drayton Avenue Presbyterian Church Main sanctuary. The church is located at 2441 Pinecrest Drive. Rev. Elder Jim Mikulski will join MCC Moderator Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy Wilson to celebrate the installation service. A reception in the church fellowship hall will follow.
Stringfellow earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and a Master of Science degree in Counseling from Indiana University. He later earned a Master of Arts degree in Ministry from Grace Theological Seminary. In 1990 he became a licensed minister in the Baptist Church. In 2005, he was ordained with MCC, and in 2006, he earned his Master of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion with a certificate in Religion and Sexuality. He has worked as a pastor in Indiana and California.
In addition to his work within church, Stringfellow also worked in education as a teacher, guidance counselor, college adviser and vice-principal. Creating dialogue on the topic of LGBT equality with church congregations and in religious institutions was an important part of his role as coordinator of the Coalition of Welcoming Congregations in the Bay Area of California with the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Sexuality on the campus of the Pacific School of Religion.
While working with California Faith for Equality, he wrote an adult Bible study to address theological and scriptural rationales for LGBT inclusion in faith communities. His work for LGBT human rights has included overseeing the statewide effort for faith community organizing post Prop 8.
Rev. Stringfellow "hit the ground running" on March 22, when he received an early phone call asking him to officiate at congregants' weddings at the Oakland County Courthouse during the short window when gays and lesbians could obtain marriage licenses in Michigan.