Editing Metropolitan Community Church (section)

== Governance and administration ==
=== Leadership ===
[[File:LogoMCC.JPG|thumb|Moderator [[Nancy Wilson (religious leader)|Nancy Wilson]] preaching at an MCC church in Minneapolis in 2008]]
[[File:OrdinationMCC.JPG|thumb|upright|Ordination of clergy by the laying on of hands]]
MCC is led by a Council of Elders (COE) and a Governing Board. The Council of Elders consists of a [[Chairman|Moderator]] and elders appointed by the Moderator, approved by the Governing Board, and affirmed by the General Conference. The COE has responsibility for leading the fellowship on matters of [[spirituality]], [[Mission (Christian)|mission]] development, and Christian witness. The Governing Board is made up of the Moderator, four Lay members and four Clergy members elected by General Conference, and is the legal [[board of directors|corporate board]] of the denomination, handling responsibility for [[financial]] and [[fiduciary]] matters.<ref name="UFMCC">{{cite web|title=ARTICLE V – GOVERNMENT, ORGANIZATION, AND OFFICERS|url=http://mccchurch.org/download/mccbylaws/UFMCC%20Bylaws%20as%20of%20June%202010.doc|work=UFMCC Bylaws as of June 2010|publisher=UFMCC|access-date=29 June 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508034621/http://mccchurch.org/download/mccbylaws/UFMCC%20Bylaws%20as%20of%20June%202010.doc|archive-date=8 May 2012}}</ref>

As of 2016, the Council of Elders includes Rachelle Brown (Moderator), [[Nancy Wilson (religious leader)|Nancy Wilson]], Ines-Paul Baumann, Pat Bumgardner, Tony Freeman, [[Darlene Garner]], Hector Gutierrez, Dwayne Johnson, Nancy Maxwell, Margarita Sánchez de Léon, Candace Shultis, and Mona West.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mccchurch.org/how-we-work/council-of-elders/council-of-elders-bios/|title=Council of Elders &#124; Metropolitan Community Churches|publisher=Metropolitan Community Church|access-date=August 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818231745/http://mccchurch.org/how-we-work/council-of-elders/council-of-elders-bios/|archive-date=August 18, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> The Governing Board includes Rachelle Brown (Interim Moderator and Chair ''[[ex officio]]''), Joe Cobb, Victoria L. Burson, Miak Siew, and Dr. David L. Williams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mccchurch.org/governing-board/about/board-members/|title=Board Members|last=Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches|date=2016|website=Metropolitan Community Churches|access-date=22 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809071437/http://mccchurch.org/governing-board/about/board-members/|archive-date=9 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

The elders serve as official representatives of the fellowship in the areas of public and community relations; provide oversight of and support to congregations; consult with churches on issues related to church development; and fulfill other ecclesial and ceremonial duties.<ref name="UFMCC"/>

In July 2019, a new Moderator and Governing Board were elected at the MCC General Conference in Orlando, Florida. The Moderator is Rev. Elder [[Cecilia Eggleston]]. The Governing Board consists of Rev. Marie Alford-Harkey, Rev. Alberto Nájera, Rev. Elder Diane Fisher, and Rev. Paul Whiting, representing Clergy, and Chad Hobbs, Clare Coughlin, James Chavis, and Mark Godette, representing Laity.

==== Moderators ====

* [[Troy Perry]] (1968–2005)
* [[Nancy Wilson (religious leader)|Nancy Wilson]] (2005–2016)
* Rachelle Brown (2016–2019, interim)
* [[Cecilia Eggleston]] (2019–present)

=== General Conference ===
Internationally, the government of the UFMCC is vested in the tri-annual General Conference, subject to the provisions of the fellowship Articles of Incorporation, its bylaws, or documents of legal organization.  The General Conference is authorized to receive the reports from the various boards, committees, commissions and councils of the fellowship.  Throughout its history the General Conference has met both in and outside of the continental United States, in places such as [[Sydney, Australia]], and [[Toronto]], Ontario, and [[Calgary]], Alberta, in [[Canada]].  The 2010 General Conference was held in [[Acapulco, Guerrero]], with future conferences occurring every three years.  The 2013 General Conference was held in Chicago, Illinois, US,<ref>{{cite web|title=RECORD OF ACTIONS|url=http://mccchurch.org/how-we-work/files/2010/01/Record-of-Actions-General-Conference-XXIV-Business-Meeting.pdf|work=GENERAL CONFERENCE XXIV BUSINESS MEETING|publisher=UFMCC|access-date=29 June 2010}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> followed by Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, in 2016 and Orlando, Florida, US, in 2019.

===List of regions===
The worldwide church is administratively divided into seven regions, each of which are represented by an elder on the Council of Elders.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mccla.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/MCCLA-Membership-Handout.pdf |title=Welcome to Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles' Membership/Inquirer's Class |access-date=2014-01-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130719020900/http://www.mccla.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/MCCLA-Membership-Handout.pdf |archive-date=2013-07-19 }}</ref> Since the 2000s, many are further divided into sub-regional networks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mccchurch.org/connectnow/networks/network-leadership/ |title=Network Leadership |publisher=Metropolitan Community Church |date=2013-04-30 |access-date=2014-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226215356/http://mccchurch.org/connectnow/networks/network-leadership/ |archive-date=2013-12-26 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
* '''Region 1''': Region 1 Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Western Canada (British Columbia, Yukon), China, Micronesia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, North Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Eastern Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Taiwan, Thailand, Vanuatu, Vietnam and the United States (Alaska, California (Northern), Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming).
** Australasia Network
** Pacific Northwest Network
** Valley & Bay Area Network
** Asia & Pacific Islands Network
* '''Region 2''' – Canada (Manitoba and Nunavut), and the United States (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas (Eastern), and Wisconsin).
** Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama Network
** Heartland Network
** North Central US Network
** South Gulf Coast Network
[[File:2019.11.20 Transgender Day of Remembrance, Washington, DC USA 324 03013 (49099844857).jpg|thumb|[[Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, D.C.|Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, DC]] sanctuary during the 2019 [[Transgender Day of Remembrance]]]]
* '''Region 3''' – Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Trinidad, Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands and the United States (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, the District of Columbia (Washington, DC).
** Northeast United States Network
** DC, Delaware, Maryland & Virginia Network
** Carolinas Network
[[File:Stuttgart - CSD 2009 - Parade - Salz der Erde.jpg|thumb|MCC of [[Stuttgart, Germany]], taking part the [[Christopher Street Day]] march in 2009]]
* '''Region 4''' – Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Denmark, Egypt, England, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greenland, Holland, Iceland, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Wales, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
** Western Europe/United Kingdom Network
** African Network
* '''Region 5''' – Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Eastern Canada (Baffin Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec), Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States (Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia), Uzbekistan, Vojvodina.
** Central US East Network
** Canadian, Michigan & Windsor Network
* '''Region 6''' – Antarctica, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela and the United States (Arizona, California (Southern), Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas (Southern).
** Southern California/Nevada Network
** Arizona, New Mexico & El Paso Network
** Southern Texas Network
** Ibero-America & Caribbean Network
* '''Region 7''' – Western Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories), and the United States (Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas (Northern).
** North Florida Network
** Central Florida Network
** North Texas and Oklahoma Network
** South Florida Network

=== Local congregations ===
[[File:Pride London 2011 MCC banner.jpg|thumb|MCC of North London taking part in Pride London 2011]]
Each affiliated member church of MCC is a self-governing, legally [[Autonomous entity|autonomous]] body, is vested in its congregational meeting which exerts the right to control all of its affairs, subject to the provisions of the UFMCC Articles of Incorporation, bylaws, or documents of legal organization, and the General Conference. An ordained pastor provides spiritual leadership and administrative leadership as the moderator of a local church administrative body. In the United States and Canada the local church administrative body is usually called "board of directors". Each local congregation is required to send a [[tithe]] or assessment of income to UFMCC, currently set to reduce from 15% of income to 10% by 1% every two years stating in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|title=Article IX - Church Finances|url=http://mccchurch.org/download/mccbylaws/UFMCC%20Bylaws%20as%20of%20June%202010.doc|work=UFMCC Bylaws As Of June 2010|publisher=UFMCC|access-date=29 June 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120508034621/http://mccchurch.org/download/mccbylaws/UFMCC%20Bylaws%20as%20of%20June%202010.doc|archive-date=8 May 2012}}</ref>  Each local church elects its own pastor from the roster of MCC credentialed [[clergy]].

Each local congregation is free to determine matters of worship, practice, theology and ministry providing they meet certain basic requirements involving open access to communion and subscription to the traditional Christian creeds. Styles of worship include liturgical, charismatic, evangelical, traditional and modern—diversity is an important part of MCC.