Roy Birchard UFMCC Collection

roybirchardRoy Birchard: UFMCC Collection, Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, California.

This collection was donated to the GTU Library Archives in 1991 and 1998—before the creation of the Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies.  While it is not the property of CLGS it is located in the GTU Archives with the other CLGS collections. It is listed here with the CLGS Archives because it includes a rich array of correspondence, personal papers, news clippings, periodicals, audio & video tapes and photographs from the early years of the Metropolitan Community Church and other LGBT Christian groups—1961-1998.  Persons researching LGBT religious history will find this to be an extensive and valuable collection.

Adrian Roy Birchard was born July 26, 1943, in Middlebury, Vermont. He received his A.B. from Berea College, Kentucky, 1965, B.D. from Union Theological Seminary, New York. Ordained in June 1969 by the Addison Association, Vermont Conference, United Church of Christ, Roy returned to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin, Madison entering a Ph.D. program in English. During the year, he came out as a gay person and an activist for gay rights.

He returned to New York and became active in the Gay Activist’s Alliance. After the arrival of the Rev. Howard Wells, Metropolitan Community Church missionary to New York, Roy participated in founding MCC New York, served on the Board of Directors, then as pastor, 1973-75. Roy became active in the UFMCC several pastorates and denominational offices through 1994.  Beginning in 1985, Roy’s interest and energies led to work with Asian gay and lesbian issues. Since 1994 he has been living in San Francisco.

The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches was founded October 1968 in Los Angeles, CA by the Rev. Troy D. Perry. The UFMCC has grown into a worldwide denomination with over 300 churches. For a history of Perry and the UFMCC, see: Don’t Be Afraid Anymore: The Story of Reverend Troy Perry and the Metropolitan Community Churches by Troy D. Perry with Thomas L.P. Swicegood (St. Martin’s Press: New York, 1990); BX9896 Z8 P47 1990. See also: Our Tribe, Nancy Wilson (Harper Collins: 1995); BR115.H6 W55 1995.

The finding aid to the Roy Birchard UFMCC Collection is here:
http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt796nc9kv/