Rev. Bob Jones

Rev. Bob Jones
Rev. Paul Whiting

Metropolitan Community Church

I inherited this bandanna stole from my close friend, Rev. Bob Jones, who died of AIDS in August, 1992. Bob was raised in the United Methodist Church in Kansas, where, in the mid-seventies, he had a same-sex relationship blessing. Shortly after the ceremony, the bishop found out and Bob and his partner were asked to leave the church. In 1978 Bob was licensed as clergy in the Metropolitan Community Church. He moved to Liverpool, England in 1988 where he served the MCC congregation until his death.

I was raised in the Pentecostal Assemblies in Britain. After attending Mattersey Bible College, I began pastoral ministry and was licensed by the Assemblies of God in 1980. The following year I was outed and ousted. After spending several years exploring a vocation in the Anglican Church, I joined Metropolitan Community Church and in 1988 because transfer clergy. My ordination was affirmed by MCC in 1996 upon moving to the USA. I have served MCC congregations in Manchester, England, Des Moines, IA, Gainesville, FL, West Palm Beach, FL, and most recently, London, Ontario.

– Rev. Paul Whiting

This stole was donated to the collection during Metropolitan Community Churches' General Conference in Acapulco, Mexico in June, 2010.

Click here to read Rev. Paul Whiting's biographic profile in the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network's Profiles Gallery.