Rev. Michael Cooper

The congregation of MCC Illiana is excited to have Rev. Michael Cooper settling in as our new pastor.  Rev. Michael comes to MCC Illiana with a deep passion for the study of the Bible and pastoral care.  With the ability to make our Christian heritage relevant to GBLTQ people of faith, he opens up the teachings of Jesus Christ to a diverse community and challenges our communities for compassionate ministry.  Rev. Michael preaches at our Sunday morning service as well as teaches various Bible Study series throughout the year.

Rev. Michael first entered MCC when he stepped into the doors of St. John's MCC in Raleigh, NC just a few months after graduating from college and coming out as a gay man. In the re-establishing of his own personal relationship with God, Rev. Michael discovered a new type of Christian spiritual home where he felt fully accepted and fully engaged for ministry. After completing seminary at Chicago Theological Seminary, Rev. Michael has served churches in Charleston, SC and Boston, MA.  His was the pastor of MCC Boston for 6 1/2 years before moving back to the Midwest in September 2011 to take on the position of our Pastor.

A few interesting facts about Rev. Michael:

• he has been a vegan for over 13 years
• he enjoys backpacking around Europe and visiting old churches and religious sites
• he has lived on a kibbutz in Israel for a summer
• he loves dogs but unfortunately his lease doesn't allow pets

Rev. Michael is available after our Sunday morning worship service if you need to schedule a time to talk with him.