wfn.org | Title: Predominantly Gay Texas Church Target of Vandalism, Arson

[UfmccHq@aol.com]

^From the News Service of
the Universal Fellowship of
Metropolitan Community Churches

Website: http://www.ufmcc.com

Arson At Predominantly Gay Harvest Metropolitan Community Church (Denton, TX)

(Hate Crime Suspected; FBI Launches Investigation)

Feb. 26, 1999 -- Harvest Metropolitan Community Church, Denton, Texas, a
congregation of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches,
has been the target of vandalism and arson.

The vandalism began in January with the theft of a rainbow flag from the front
of the church. In a separate incident, the church's flag was set on fire,
destroying the flag, causing damage to the flagpole and scorching the ground
around the flagpole.

In the most recent incident, an accelerant (believed to be gasoline) was
thrown on the church sign and the front driveway of the church and set on
fire.

The police, fire department and County Fire Marshall have filed reports and
have taken the remains of the church sign for analysis and later use as
evidence.  

Because the vandalism involved fire on property owned by a church, the crime
was reported to the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).  

After confirming that an accelerant had been used in the crime, the ATF in
turn reported the arson to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Hate Crimes
Task Force. An FBI agent has been assigned to the church to investigate the
incident.

According to church officials, there is no evidence at this time to clearly
identify the arson as a hate crime, as the church has not received recent hate
mail or hate phone calls.

However, over the past year the church has faced an organized campaign of
community opposition to their growth and expansion.

The church is heartened that both local and federal authorities are viewing
the three incidents as related, continuing their investigations and looking
for hate crime links.

The Rev. Colleen Darraugh is senior pastor of the Denton, TX congregation. E-
mail messages of love, support, encouragement and prayers may be sent to the
congregation at Harvest@HarvestMCC.org.

Over the past 30 years, more than 20 UFMCC congregations have been targets of
arson and firebombing, and many more have been victims of vandalism and
desecration. In the past year alone, bomb threats were made against the
Cathedral of Hope MCC, the world's largest predominantly gay congregation, and
MCC Bournemouth in Bournemouth, England, and death threats were received
against the MCC pastor and congregation in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

"The recent vandalism and arson against Harvest MCC is sad yet powerful
testimony to the unfinished justice work to be done on behalf of gays,
lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons," said the Rev. Troy D. Perry,
Moderator of UFMCC and a past delegate to White House Conference on Hate
Crimes. "I call upon all people of goodwill to uphold the Rev. Colleen
Darraugh and the members of Harvest Metropolitan Community Church with their
prayers during this time."

"For far too long, hate crimes against predominatly gay houses of worship have
flown beneath the radar of public perception. Far too many have been
overlooked by the civil authorities and the majority have been ignored by the
mainline press," Perry added.

Now in its 30th year, UFMCC is composed of 300 congregations in 15 countries.
Additional information on the church is available at the denominational
website at http://www.ufmcc.com.

(END)

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT:
James N. Birkitt, Jr., UFMCC Communications Department
8704 Santa Monica Blvd.,  2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA  90069

Tel. (310) 360-8640
Fax: (310) 360-8680

E-mail: UFMCCHQ@aol.com

website: http://www.ufmcc.com