Exodus MCC began as a dream of faithful LGBTQIA+ people living in and around Abilene, Texas who gathered together for Bible study in private residences. In 1980, the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches recognized Exodus MCC as an affiliated church.
Exodus grew out of members’ home and moved into its first building at Carpenter’s Hall on South 7th Street. Exodus was ousted from this location when the local media became involved. They temporarily met at the Walnut Street Pub before moving into a small house on Collins Street.
Exodus stunned West Texas and other MCC congregations with a billboard campaign and scriptural TV ads geared to spread the message of a welcoming Christ during 1999 and 2000. In 1999, the church raised $12,000 in three weeks which it used as a down payment to purchase its own property at 1933 South 27th Street holding its first service in the new building on Easter morning 2000. A children’s wing was purchased and moved onto the property later that year to provide more space for the ever-growing children’s ministry.
In 2004 the church was blessed to increase the size of it’s building by 50% to provide a small fellowship hall, classroom and worship overflow.
Service
Locally the church has served as a Partner in Education with Abilene Independent School District and supporter of the Noah Project, a local domestic violence shelter. Additionally, we served as an early supporter of Big Country AIDS Resources, the only AIDS-related body-positive resource center in the area at the time of its founding. We have raised money to fund and build a Habitat for Humanity House.
Though situated in the “Big Country” of mid-West Texas, our ministry reach has extended into Kenya, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Panama, Thailand, Brazil, Zimbabwe, and Latin America. The congregation has provided scholarship funding for Asian Pacific clergy students seeking to become licensed in MCC.
Past Leadership
During our history Exodus MCC has been led by Rev. Ed Paul (1980-1985) Rev. George Allen, Rev. Sherry Hillard, and Rev. Beverly Bennett. Rev. Ed Paul was instrumental in relocating the church to 904 Walnut. Rev. Margaret Walker service as the full-time Senior Pastor in 1998 and retired in 2018.
In 2020, Rev. Marsha Warren joins us as Provisional Pastor, appointed by the fellowship for our continuing journey.
Training Church
Exodus is a teaching church and has served as a training ground for four ordained and credentialed clergy: Rev. Cindi Love (2003, retired), Rev. Connie Mangin (2004) who is Exodus MCC’s Minister of Administration, Rev. Wesley Mullins (2005), who serves as Pastor of St. Louis MCC, and Rev. Mel Martinez (2010), pastor of Wichita Falls MCC.