Our Church
Rainbow Cathedral Metropolitan Community Church was founded on Easter 1994 as a congregation open to all sexual orientations. We follow Christ and believe in the Bible as the divinely inspired word of God. We seek justice in our community and in the world. We invite you to join us and to grow in God.
Pastor: Rev. William Poores
Blogmaster: Laura May, ldmay7 at gmail.com
You are accepted. You are accepted by that which is greater than you, and the name of which you don’t know…Simply accept the fact that you are accepted. If that happens, we experience grace. —Paul Tillich
The following prayer was written by our founding pastor, Rev. Jane, for our window dedication service. It reflects our church’s shared values and hopes for our community.
Litany of Praise and Thanksgiving –
One: Your liberating voice has called us here
All: And we are counted among your holy people.
One: You have provided sanctuary for us
All: And we worship and pray in your expanding love.
One: You cradle us in palm of your open hands
All: And we are raised up by you.
One: Your spirit quenches the desert of our souls
All: And produces an abundance of gifts for us to share
One: You show us your light in your sun and your reflection in your moon
All: And we are called to bring you light into the darkness of fear.
One: Your bless us with all of the colors
All: And we believe in your rainbow covenant with us.
One: Your gift of community is celebrated in our midst
All: And we freely dance in fire of your spirit.
One: You bless us with the power of your peace
All: And we fall into your love.
One: You call us all your people
All: And we are your home.
Rainbow Cathedral 
Dear Rev. Jane Emma Newall:
Wondeing if you publish any of your sermons on the web-site.Would love to read them. Thank you very much. Have a lovely and a beautiful day. Hope to hear from you.
GOD BLESS
Francine
Just interested to know, I am looking for the MCC in the Tacoma area and I just wanted to know if this was the right one, because there are other sites that bares the same name. We are considering visting this church and I just wanted to know a bit more about it. Do you have a ministerial council, corporate office, anointings and do you have church doctrines that are taught or is it mostly scriptural. I am just curious, as I have been to thousands of churchs of many religions and I come from long history of growing up under well known evangilists and I have been removed from most of the churches that i used to go to due to my orientation and my partner knows about the bible, but he is kind of skeptical and I think something like this may be good for the both of us. Please respond directly to my email eldroma1@hotmail.com or eldroma@yahoo.com, either one. Myspace is mostly for international purposes. Thank you and have a nice day. Peace
do you do same sex cerimonies
yes I do
I dont mean what im going to say in a offensive way but if we bolth read the same bible wich im assuming we do then doesnt the bible say that homo sexuality is a sin i am confused on becoming saved 3 years ago but still would like an answer … ps i have many gay friends just wondering sorry if it came off as a mean gesture
Hi, Anthony.
Not mean at all, and thanks for the question. I think what you’re encountering is that the most dominant interpretation of the Bible (at least, in the church) is (and has been) than same-sex relationships are sinful. But, of course, the most dominant interpretation doesn’t necessariy mean the correct one. One hundred and fifty years ago, the dominant interpretation of the bible was that it supported the enslavement of Africans as “not sinful.” That changed when Christians began to really examine the issue and interpret the Bible with fresher eyes. And so now, more and more, as the issue has been examined more, as Christians have reflected on it more, there are lots of well-respected theologians, biblical scholars, laypeople, and clergy who interpret the bible otherwise.
In other words, until the last 50 years or so, homosexuality wasn’t even a question. It was deemed “sinful” while heterosexuality was deemed “good.” But no one thought about that judgment or where it came from — not until lately, at least. And now, once it’s become an issue, many Christians are questioning the assumption that it is a sin, and are looking at the text with fresh eyes.
So, basically, I would just suggest to you that any assumption that the bible does or does not mean something about some contemporary issue… is just that: an assumption. Until you investigate the question for yourself, you (or anyone — I don’t mean to single you out of course) are just absorbing other people’s views uncritically. And usually when people uncritically absorb other people’s views, they absorb the most dominant view. And right now the still most dominant view (or, at least, the still most well publicized view in the media) is that the Bible says same sex relationships are sinful.
In fact, the question is theologically open. Christians have different views. And, actually, there might even be more books being written by biblical scholars, pastors, theologians — or already having been written — that argue for same sex relationships being neutral (in other words, no more or no less “sinful” or “good” than different-sex relationships) than there are books being written to argue otherwise. I can’t say that for sure, though.
Anyway, I hope this all helps answer your query. And thanks for taking the time to ask!
Laura
(church member, co-blog-master)
hey yeah i was just wondering if i wanted to check this place out if i had to do anything special or what not. i mean i go to a church already but no one knows im a lesbian there, and it is kind of hard. but i mean to i have to bring anything or do i just show up and stuff. wasnt really sure and i would have hated to embarrass myself. lol. ok thats it i guess. thank you for your time.
carla
Hi, Carla.
Nope, nothing you have to do. Just show up. We start worshiping at 6:30p. I hope you come! Do you have the address? It’s 225 N. 2nd Street, Yakima, WA. (Look for our sign or our banner on the southeastern side of the building – around back of the Unitarian Church)
I WAS headed back to Corvallis, OR today (where I’m getting a graduate degree) but I decided to drive there tomorrow — one advantage of which is that I get to attend church here again today. So me and my partner will be there tonight. Hope you are, too!
Laura
well sorry to say i will not be there tonight. but hopefully next sunday. i just got off work, and i have a long drive to southern oregon for my brothers memorial service, will be gone for 6 long days. i am planning on comeing though, as soon as i have some time to get down there. well thanks for the reply.
and corvallis is a great town. i used to live there for about a year. you ever hear of the Childrens Farm Home. yep i lived there. well have a great day.
Hi carla, thanks for letting us know what is happening for you. My heart goes out to you for the loss of your brother. I hope the trip provided comfort for you and your family.
Look forward to meeting you soon.
Rev. Jane
On Feb. 27th, Anthony wrote you a letter asking about the bible’s reference to homosexuality being a sin. I just wanted to note that, while I may be a pagan and not a Christian, I have read the bible very closely and I have never stumbled upon a reference that said being a homosexual was a sin. It mentions if a certain sex lies with the same sex in lust that it is sin. It is also a sin if a heterosexual person lies with someone in lust. It never states that two people of the same sex who fall in love and get married are sinful.
And of course we have the tale of Sodom and Gamora. It never mentions, through the entire story, of a reference to homosexuality. It mentions the people being ignorant, violent, sinful etc. But when it refers to the townspeople, it says both the men AND women came, and of course they were trying to get entry in to the house to rape the male angel. This story is about Rape, violence and Ignorance and has nothing to do with Homosexuality…..unless you want it to be. As the question was very nicely answered, it is all about how YOU personally interoperate things.
There is less than 15 abominations towards homosexuality in the bible. Yet, There is close to 400 abominations toward heterosexuality… Do you see where I am going with this? God has clearly stated the requirements to be granted in to the kingdom of heaven. Love, respect, honesty, faith….etc
Being gay is not a sin, being ignorant is. As long as you are a good person who believes in God and is doing everything in your power to become a better person, then that is what truly matters.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that WHOEVER BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16.
It says “Whoever Believes” Not “Only the Heterosexuals who Believe.”
Sorry I went off on a tangent. I think your church and what it stands for is beautiful.
-Shane Maddon- Gay Author, Artist and Human Rights Activist.
Hello, I am looking for a church that is like this one around the seattle area?
Hi Christy,
There is a small mcc in Seattle, mccseattle.org. For a larger church try University UCC. Any church that lists as open and affirming should be a good place to start.
Rev Jane
Hi me and my partner are planing on having are wedding april 13 2013 we been looking for a church to have are ceremony at and some one to do it for us so I saw on one of the post that u guys do ceremony’s how much is it or how can I find out about what to do hope U could help me thanks
I do not even know how I ended up right here, but I thought this put up was once good.
I do not understand who you’re but definitely you’re going to a famous blogger in
the event you are not already. Cheers!
I thought I would take the time to send a message of hope to the people at your church. It’s taken me a year to finally talk about this and try to articulate it the best that I can. About a year ago I met God for the first time and not in the way you would expect. I literally MET Him and I’m almost positive that I died that night just so that I could see Him. I was laying in bed one night and suddenly the strongest feeling I ever had started from my head and went through the rest of my body. It was like I was struck by lightning but it didn’t hurt and it was like I was “Awake” for the first time and like I took my first breath. Within a second it felt like my soul had been ripped out of my body from my spine. Then I was floating somewhere face down completely paralyzed, and if I could have cried I would have but I don’t think could. It was like I was in two places at once, in my body and also looking down at it and I saw the purple sash of Jesus. Behind him was God and he was made of pure light, he had no body, no face, and everything was white. He asked me if I chose “Love or Death” I can’t explain how he was communicating because I couldn’t hear Him, it was like I knew what he meant without Him speaking a word. He already knew my answer so I suppose that meeting Him was just for my benefit. After that I felt somewhat human again and opened my eyes, man was I shaking….
My partner and I cannot wait to come check out your church! I moved here a little over a year ago and had no idea there was an accepting church in the area. What times are your services and do you have any on any days other than Sunday?
Hi
I happened on your site by chance, as I prepare for a Pride Service. My I have your permission to use content form your web site? It’s awesome!
In God We Trust
Phyllis
greet I was wonderin if there was in home visit I don’t drive so I have no way to get there but I need to talk to someone of thing that’s been happen to me last nite and I see u have moved from before long ago ty truly suzza
I’ve been in Yakima for 2 years and was unaware of MCC Church. My partner and I would like to know more of the church. What is the current times of worship and location.
My partner and I are looking for a pastor to marry us next year and I cannot find a phone number for your church or Reverend. If some one could contact me that would be wonderful.