Following the case!

CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT'S MARRIAGE RULING	TO BE ANNOUNCED ON THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2008

Diane Olson (left) and Robin Tyler (right)*	Phillip Ray De Blieck (left) and The Reverend Dr. Troy D. Perry (right)

CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT MARRIAGE RULING PUBLIC EVENT AND PRESS CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE AT 6 PM ON THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2008!

You are invited to attend an Interfaith Celebration of Thanksgiving with the Los Angeles plaintiffs in the California Supreme Court marriage case, The Reverend Dr. Troy Perry and his spouse, Phillip Ray De Blieck, and long-time activist Robin Tyler, and her partner, Diane Olson -- whom the LA Weekly referred to as "the LA four who stated all the trouble."

The brief celebration will take place at 6 PM at Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles on Thursday, May 15th, win or lose.

The Los Angeles interfaith event will be led by Rabbi Lisa Edwards of Beth Chayim Chadashim and Rev. Neil Thomas, senior pastor of MCC Los Angeles.

An open press conference will follow.

The event is open to the public.

All are welcome.

________________________________________________

WHAT:

Interfaith Celebration of Thanksgiving and Press Conference

WHO:

The Los Angeles Plaintiffs in the California Supreme Court Marriage Case

WHEN:

At 6 PM On Thursday, May 15, 2008, Win or Lose

WHERE:

Metropolitan Community Church of Los Angeles

4953 Franklin Avenue

Los Angeles, California 90027

MEDIA NOTE:

In 1969, Rev. Dr. Troy Perry officiated at the first public same-sex wedding ceremony in the United States -- in Huntington Park, California. In January of 1970, Rev. Perry filed the first U.S. lawsuit seeking legal recognition of same-gender marriages. The case was dismissed before it was heard, but it launched the marriage equality movement. Rev. Perry was the first openly-gay member of the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission and was a delegate to the White House Conference on AIDS and the White House Conference on Hate Crimes. Each year the denomination of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), founded by Rev. Perry, performs more than 5000 same-gender marriages.

For Additional Information

Or To Arrange Media Interviews, Contact:

Jim Birkitt, MCC Communications

Tel. (310) 625-4177

E-Mail: info@MCCchurch.net

*PHOTO CREDIT: Photo of Robin Tyler and Diane Olson by Dr. Paula Schoenwether

Press release by Jim Birkitt of MCC Communications Department

May 12 -

Still awaiting the Supreme Court decision. We will let you know as soon as possible when the decision is reached.

Stay tuned and please continue to pray for the Court as they consider this case.

click here for more photos.

April 17-19 - PAD conference in St Louis

March 9 -

The New York Times published a great photo by Jim Wilson on page A12, as seen below.

Call Me Troy

Call Me Troy documents Rev Perry's life and the founding of Metropolitan Community Churches. Click here to see YouTube trailer for the film "Call Me Troy" from Tragoidia Moving Pictures.

Contact Scott at Tragoidia@aol.com for more details or to arrange for a showing of the film at your church or event.

UPDATE(5/12): Rev Perry was at the May 3, 4th The Miami, Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival showing of "Call me Troy" where the film and it's director, Scott Bloom, were honored.

Rev Perry was also at a screening of "Call Me Troy" at the People of African Descent (PAD) Conference in St Louis, Missouri April 18th. Click here for pictures from the conference and the screening.

After 37 years of life changing and world changing ministry, Rev Elder Dr Troy Perry retired from his role as moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches. But not from his roles of preaching, public speaking and striving for social justice for GLBT people and all people around the world.

Welcome to Rev Perry's website, where we will explore the past, present and future of this exciting world leader's life, through photographs, stories and ongoing events.

Rev Perry's spouse, Phillip DeBlieck, contributes to this web site's photos. To see Phillip's photo works, visit his flickr.com site.

Those wishing to understand more about the history of battle for gay rights and justice may want to visit our expanding photo section which includes photos from the very beginning of Metropolitan Community Churches through current events and coverage of Rev Perry's activities in the present.

We are pleased to be able to offer you actual recordings from 1973 where Rev Perry recounts some of the events from those times.

Anoter feature of the web site: Recollections. These are recaps of events that happened at your church or at a church event where Rev Perry played a role. There is a new Recollection from October, 1968. When can we add yours?

Please drop us an email and let us know what you think and visit often. We live in exciting times.

Amen!

Mark S Hahn,
Web Manager

April 12, 2008 Update

Still no news as yet for the CA Supreme Court ruling. Rev Perry at the People of African Descent Conference in April.