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Breaking barriers: Teens dance the night away at first ‘Equality Prom’

By CHAD GILLIS

Originally published 09:22 p.m., May 20, 2011 in Naples Daily News
Updated 11:25 p.m., May 20, 2011

NAPLES — Laser lights, sparkling bow ties, super-short skirts, hit dance tunes pumping over the speakers.

The southeast corner of Airport-Pulling and Radio Road sure felt like a party zone Friday night as about 75 local teenagers and 20-somethings gathered at Celebrations Metropolitan Community Church for Equality Prom, a dance and celebration organized by members of the Gulf Coast High School Gay-Straight Alliance.

The event, which started at 7 p.m., was not sanctioned by the Collier County School District, although district spokesman Ryan Schwartz said school policies do not prevent gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or transgendered couples from attending school-sanctioned events together.

Juan Ortiz,a 17-year-old junior at Community School of Naples, attended the Equality Prom with a friend, Finn Shultz, a 17-year-old a bi-sexual student at Barron Collier High. They went as friends, but Ortiz said he would feel perfectly comfortable attending a more traditional prom with another male.

“My school is well aware of my sexuality,” Ortiz said, as Far East Movement’s ‘Like a G6’ played. “I’ve been to proms in the past with friends, but I’d love to bring a guy to the (Community School) prom if that’s the way it works out.”

Mason King, 18, is a senior at Gulf Coast High School and a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance there. Although he’s straight, King thought it was important to organize a prom that was open to anyone.

“We view it as an alliance,” King said. “It’s not just gay students. We’re a part of society that believes in equal rights for everyone.”

Lauren Gonsalves, also 18, helped King and others organize the Equality Prom.

“At (other) proms, going as a same-sex couple isn’t looked upon all that well,” Gonsalves said, “not so much by the administration, but by other students.”

Gonsalves said most of the students attending Friday night’s prom were from Gulf Coast, Naples, Barron Collier and Lely high schools. Gulf Coast faculty member Thom Croce helped organize the Equality Prom.

“They wanted to do a dance where everyone felt comfortable,” Croce said.

Metropolitan Community Churches focuses on community outreach for lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered members. The church started in 1968 and is now located in more than 22 countries with a total membership of more than 46,000.

The group also requested a Collier County Sheriff’s officer to be on the grounds to ensure safety.

Rebecca Seals, 15, an open bi-sexual who is working on her high school diploma online, called the prom a great way to incorporate a variety of teenagers in a comfortable environment.

“A lot of people don’t know how to accept this even though times have changed,” Seals said. “This is a very positive experience that brings people together.

“It’s like pushing a barrier.”

 

Photos courtesy of MarcoNews.com

 

 

'I'm not alone': Crowd shows support at vigil to protest swastikas vandalism
14 a.m., Sunday, June 21, 2009

Vigil held for hate crime

More than 100 people showed up for a candlelight vigil to urge tolerance and to show their support for Dorfman, who is Jewish and a leading voice for the Naples chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

With the sound of waves gently lapping against the shoreline providing the soundtrack, various demonstrators took turns reading prayers and literature excerpts, including passages by Walt Whitman.

In the middle of the huddled mass just north of the pier sat a misty-eyed Dorfman in a wheelchair, an oxygen tube strapped into her nostrils. Asked what the show of support meant to her, Dorfman’s voice cracked with emotion.

“It means that I’m not alone,” the 64-year-old Dorfman said. “I just feel so loved. It reminds me of a Perry Como song that goes something like, ‘When you close your eyes and go to sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep.’”

Dorfman said the scene outside of her house last Tuesday morning was surreal.

“I was so frightened, so shaken,” she said. “I didn’t want to come out here tonight. I didn’t want to leave the safety of my house, but if I hide, then they won.”

Dorfman said she didn’t want that to happen, no matter how strong the temptation.

“I can’t let hate win,” she said. “If I could say something to the people who did it, it would be to ask them why. Why didn’t you come to talk to me about it instead? I didn’t come paint things on your house.”

No one has been arrested for the vandalism at Dorfman’s home.

The Rev. Rick Sosbe, pastor of Celebration Metropolitan Community Church in Naples and a gay man said the vigil was an vital step in teaching about respecting others’ beliefs.

“It’s important so many people came out tonight so others will understand and realize that everybody has the right to believe what they want to believe, whether it’s religion or no religion or whatever,” he said. “It’s a disgrace that people would go to that length (painting swastikas on Dorfman’s garage). It’s ridiculous, it’s absurd.”

Demonstrator John Boettjer of Naples agreed.

“I was horrified to hear what happened, and to think that it happened here in Naples, where we’re supposed to be an enlightened and educated city,” said Boettjer, who serves on the board of PFLAG’s Naples chapter. “It’s just shocking and atrocious.”

Cynthia Seymour of Naples echoed those sentiments.

“There are a lot of different ways to handle differences of opinions, but painting swastikas on people’s garages is not one of them,” Seymour said. “I was saddened to hear it happened. You would think people would have a greater degree of respect for one another.”

On hand with Seymour, Dianne Rhodes of Naples said she, too, was upset to hear what happened to Dorfman.

“It really frightened me,” she said. “Hopefully by showing our support in a peaceful way, these kind of incidents will come to a stop.”

Margie Wankoff of Bonita Springs was also on hand Sunday night.

“I’m very saddened something like this could happen here,” said Wankoff. “I’m also saddened there are no ‘official’ people here — no mayor, no police…thank goodness everyone is well-behaved tonight.”

E-mail John Osborne at johnaosborne@hotmail.com.

Ruth Dorfman, right, receives a hug from Rev. Richard Rogers of Unity of Naples after a vigil North of the Naples Pier on June 21, 2009. The vigil was held in protest of swastikas being painted on the garage door of East Naples resident, Dorfman, who's an active member in the Naples chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). Dorfman recently wrote an article for the Naples Daily News about the second annual PFLAG Interfaith Convocation recently held at Unity of Naples Church. Greg Kahn/Staff

Area demonstrations held to support same-sex marriage

By JOHN OSBORNE (Contact)
Originally published 12:29 p.m., Saturday, May 30, 2009
Updated 5:54 p.m., Saturday, May 30, 2009
---------------------------------------------------
NAPLES — While much of Southwest Florida ducked for cover from black and stormy skies on Saturday afternoon, a small group of gay-rights activists stood up and demanded equality at a busy street corner in East Naples.
The demonstration in front of the Collier Government Center at the corner of U.S. 41 East and Airport-Pulling Road in East Naples was held in conjunction with a second protest in Fort Myers in front of the old courthouse on Main Street.
The gatherings from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. were in response to the California Supreme Court’s decision earlier this week to support a state amendment that forbids same-sex marriage.
Rainbow flags snapped in heavy winds while rainbow umbrellas kept about 20 demonstrators reasonably dry in East Naples.
Passing motorists either honked their horns in support or signaled their disagreement through more aggressive gestures.
“One guy leaned out the window and flipped me the bird,” demonstrator Mike Dias said.
“Still, many, many more people are giving us the ‘thumbs-up’ sign,” countered Dias’ partner of 31 years, Steve Goldenberg.
Dias and Goldenberg were married five years ago in a civil service in Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage is legal.
“It’s not a question of marriage, it’s a question of basic civil rights,” Dias said. “But getting married is certainly important. That’s why we got married, because it’s important to us.”
Goldenberg – wearing a rainbow-striped hat reading, “Got Pride?” – expanded on his partner’s comments.
“The issue is broader than marriage,” he said. “Gays and lesbians are part of the fabric of America, and that’s a really serious thing to consider.”
Twenty feet away and decked out in a colorful tie-dye shirt, Florida State University junior Edward Marti-Kreng led the demonstrators in a chant with his tiny Yorkshire terrier, “Arjay,” strapped across his chest.
“What do we want?” Marti-Kreng shouted into a bullhorn.
“Equality!”
“When do we want it?”
“Now!”
Marti-Kreng, who describes himself as an “LGBT activist” (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgendered), said the time had come for the country to put away the politics of the past.
“I’m sick and tired of politicians and people in power using divisive tactics to get their way,” said Marti-Kreng, who is majoring in political science and international affairs. “It’s time for the people to regain control of our government.”
Elissa and David Goldstein of Naples said they were on hand Saturday to show support for David’s daughter, a lesbian and single mother of an 11-year-old boy.
The Goldsteins’ daughter was impregnated via artificial insemination.
“I think the whole California Supreme Court decision is nonsense,” Elissa Goldstein said in her distinctive New York accent. “Same-sex marriage doesn’t affect my marriage in the least, and we’re a very happy heterosexual couple.”
David Goldstein said that without equal rights for his daughter, he would have been denied the greatest joy in his life – his grandson, David.
“I’ve never had a greater joy in my life than I’ve had with that kid, and but for my daughter, I never would have had a grandchild,” he said.
The event organizer, the Rev. Rick Sosbe, pastor of Celebration Metropolitan Community Church on Napa Woods Way, has been together with his partner, Mike Rehn, for about a year and a half.
“We were disappointed with the California Supreme Court’s decision, so we decided to stand up and be heard,” Sosbe said. “It’s not fair that taxpaying Americans are being denied equal rights. It’s not a religious issue at all.”
Rehn echoed those sentiments.
“It’s about human rights,” he said. “I think the whole fact that we’re not allowed to get married or share same-sex partner benefits is discrimination.”
Sosbe said that kind of discrimination could hinder his ability to be with Rehn in the event of a medical emergency.
“His parents – not that they would – could deny me access to his hospital room if they really wanted to make an issue of it,” he said.
Demonstrators Doug Ball and Frank Dowd of Naples, a couple for 27 years, were married in a civil service in Toronto in 2007.
Holding a sign reading, “Human Rights Now,” Ball said same-sex marriage is an issue near and dear to his heart.
“I think gays should have the opportunity to marry, just like anyone else,” he said. “It can be a civil matter. In no way is it telling churches what to do.”


E-mail John Osborne at johnaosborne@hotmail.com.
Earlier
***Two non-violent demonstrations will be held in Southwest Florida this afternoon to protest the California Supreme Court ruling this week supporting the state amendment which forbids same-gender marriage, according to the Rev. Rick Sosbe of the Celebration Metropolitan Community Church in Naples.
"Demonstrations are taking place all over the country in support of same-sex marriage and equality as a whole," Sosbe said.
Both local demonstrations, one each in Naples and Fort Myers, will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. today.
In Naples, a demonstration will be held in front of the Collier Government Center at the corner of U.S. 41 East and Airport-Pulling Road. In Fort Myers, the demonstration will take place at the old courthouse, 2120 Main St.
 

 

Guest commentary: Amendment 2 would write discrimination into constitution

By REV. RICK SOSBE – Naples, Pastor, Celebration Metropolitan Community Church
5:30 p.m., Sunday, September 14, 2008

Amendment 2 is known as the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment. My question is: How will voting yes on this amendment on Nov. 4 protect marriage? I didn’t know marriage was in danger and in need of protection.

From my understanding, the argument is that God and/or the Bible endorses marriage as between one man and one woman. When we consider the times in which Jesus walked the Earth, marriage looked quite different from our modern view of the “sanctity of marriage.” Men owned the women as pieces of property and it was permissible to have more than one wife.

Society has evolved and changed since that time.

My college degree is from an extremely conservative, fundamentalist university, where I was taught that one must properly interpret the Bible in order to understand its meaning. The interpreter must understand the language in which a passage was written, the audience to whom it was written and the cultural beliefs of the time period. It’s dangerous to take God’s sacred word literally. Doing so causes extreme confusion and oppression.

Allow me to give an example: It was Jesus who said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. ... And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away” (Matthew).

Shall we take this verse literally and out of context? Would Jesus endorse the mutilation of one’s body? This same chapter of scripture includes the beatitudes. The point being, if one is going to interpret the Bible literally, one cannot pick and choose what passages to follow and what ones to discard. All must be interpreted using the same criteria.

The Bible was once used to support such ghastly practices as discrimination against women and to promote slavery. I would suspect Sarah Palin is thankful the United States of America has shifted its biblical views on women remaining silent and that women are nothing more than pieces of property owned by their husbands.

I would also suspect that African-Americans are thankful that in 1865 the 13th Amendment, which states, “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude ... shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction,” was officially adopted into the U.S. Constitution. I am thankful on both accounts and for all the other times freedom has been written into our Constitution.

America is the land of freedom for all people, including gays. The gay population is quite similar to our straight counterparts. We love our partners, families and friends; we go to work; we shop for groceries; we complain about the rising cost of gasoline; we own our homes and we pay our property taxes. Why should we be denied equal rights that all Americans should enjoy?

I see the proposed Amendment 2 as fear-based — fear that gays will marry and that marriage will go down the tubes. It’s important to note that whether or not this amendment passes, gay marriage will still be illegal in the state of Florida.

Furthermore, even where gay marriage has been legalized, has marriage suffered? Those in support of this amendment give us gays way too much credit.

Maybe we should propose an amendment to make divorce illegal. Maybe that would preserve the sanctity of marriage. Jesus spoke about divorce, but he didn’t say a word about homosexuality. How should we interpret that passage of scripture? Literally?

Amendment 2 allows for discrimination to be written into our state constitution. As a proud American, it grieves me to think our society would support discrimination on any level. Aren’t we all created in the image of God? Whether or not one agrees with or understands a particular way one lives his or her life, our constitution should never be used to discriminate against any American. Would Jesus discriminate?

As human beings, aside from religious beliefs, how can we permit discrimination to be written into our state constitution — not to mention the hundreds of thousands of heterosexual people who are in domestic partnerships (where permitted) that will run the risk of losing income should this amendment pass.

Let’s call the proposed Amendment 2 what it is: discrimination. Most fair-minded Americans, whether or not they are Christian, would have to agree that our state constitution should never be used to deny rights, only to grant them.

I’m voting “no” on Amendment 2 and I encourage others to do the same.

Celebration Metropolitan Community Church of Naples (Celebration MCC) worship is every Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Facility, 6340 Napa Woods Way (formerly 10th Avenue Southwest), Naples; phone 732-0092; www.mccnaples.com.


"Rick Sosbe doesn’t fit the stereotypes many people hold ..."
1/22/2006

© 2006 Naples Daily News and NDN Productions. Published in Naples, Florida, USA by the E.W. Scripps Co.
reprint from: naplesnews.com

Pastor splits with religious community
over issue of gay unions

By Larry Hannan

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Rev. Rick Sosbe doesn’t fit the stereotypes many people hold when it comes to a man of God.

The image of most ministers is that of a conservative. Sosbe, pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Naples, is politically liberal and gay.

His congregation has about 40 worshippers, most of whom are also gay. They meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church in North Naples.

“We believe in everything the right wing churches believe in,” Sosbe said. “But we’re not narrow-minded and we don’t believe the Bible condemns us.”

With an ongoing push to enact a constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage within Florida, Sosbe and other progressive ministers are in an interesting position: Much of the push for the amendment is coming from the religious community.

But Sosbe is not standing with most churches on this issue.

He supports the legalization of gay marriage and is opposed to a constitutional amendment that would ban it.

“Whether you agree with the gay lifestyle is irrelevant,” Sosbe said. “It’s a matter of civil rights.”

Time has almost run out for the Florida amendment.

Monday is the mailing deadline and Feb. 1 is the final legal deadline for signatures. Supporters still are optimistic, but acknowledge they’ll need to generate a lot of signatures in the next few days to have enough to get it onto the ballot.

Opposition to gay marriage has been a cause célčbre among Christian conservatives ever since the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled the state cannot deny marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Nineteen states already have passed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

Florida has had a law on the books prohibiting people of the same sex from marrying since 1977. But conservatives worry that a court could overturn that law, so they are pushing for amendments to the state and federal constitutions.

Sosbe is part of a group of pastors that dubbed itself the Coalition of Progressive Religious Voices. They are trying to be a counterpoint to conservative religious leaders.

He expects speak out against the amendment if it makes it onto the ballot.

“I don’t know what heterosexual people do behind closed doors and I don’t care,” Sosbe said. “I don’t tell heterosexuals what they can and can’t do.”

All local Metropolitan Community Churches are members of The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. This fellowship of churches addresses the spiritual needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community around the world.

The constitutional amendment could end up creating some strange bedfellows. Last summer it appeared that the Lee County NAACP was throwing its support behind the effort to ban gay marriage.

Lee County NAACP President Carletha Griffin sent an e-mail out under the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People name that indicated the organization supports the constitutional amendment. The e-mail asked people to sign the petition to help put it onto the ballot.

Griffin later said that e-mail was a mistake. She declined comment last week when asked about the NAACP stance on the gay marriage amendment.

The national NAACP hasn’t taken a position on gay marriage, although its chairman, Julian Bond, has gone on record as supporting it.

The California NAACP has endorsed same-sex marriage. The Florida NAACP hasn’t taken a stance.

John Stemberger, chairman of Florida4Marriage.org, the group that is pushing for the amendment, said he expects to meet the deadline.

“I am very optimistic,” he said. “The signatures are now coming in droves.”

They have to come in fast to get the more than 600,000 verified signatures required to get it onto the November ballot. As of Jan. 19, about 196,000 signatures had been turned in to the state.

Stemberger said a lot more have been collected and are now being turned in.

“I was talking to one of the people who did the Michigan constitutional amendment (banning gay marriage) and he told me 40 percent of their signatures came in the last week,” Stemberger said. “We’re getting thousands of signatures a day now.”

Most of the signatures are coming from churches that are encouraging their parishioners to support the amendment, Stemberger said.

Jerry Mount of Sales Consultants of Lee County in Fort Myers supports the constitutional amendment. His name and company are listed as supporters on the Florida4Marriage.org Web site.

“I believe that marriage as it was originally designed was supposed to be between a man and a woman,” Mount said. “Recently there has been an effort to redesign this issue.”

Mount said he supports the issue because of his Christian evangelical beliefs.

“It’s a very hotly contested issue right now,” Mount said.

Sosbe will be ready if the issue goes to the voters. But he hopes the effort fails due to a lack of signatures.

“It boils down to education,” Sosbe said when asked how he’d help fight the amendment. “When that happens people understand that this is wrong and unfair.”

A constitutional amendment in Florida must get onto the ballot statewide. It then has to be approved by a majority vote in an election.

The Rev. Kathleen Korb, pastor of the Unitarian Universalist church in North Naples and another member of the Coalition of Progressive Religious Voices, said people sometimes do a double take when she speaks in opposition to the gay marriage amendment. But she believes her actions help defend the sanctity of marriage.

“I support marriage in general, whether it’s gay marriage or heterosexual marriage,” Korb said. “It really bothers me that marriage has become an almost unimportant thing among heterosexuals.”

Her church supports the stand, Korb said.

“I think even people in more conservative congregations believe in what we believe when it comes to the separation of church and state,” Korb said.

But Korb doesn’t deny that it can get tense when dealing with more conservative churches. Her position is in direct contradiction to what many of them believe.

Korb recently got a letter written by the pastor of a conservative church in Collier County. It called for all the pastors to throw their support behind the constitutional amendment.

“I’m about to write back telling him not only am I not going to stand with him, but I’ll be opposing him,” Korb said.

Opponents fear the amendment could cut off other rights for gay couples, such as health-care benefits.

The amendment also would ban civil unions that offer identical rights and benefits as marriage.

Stratton Politzer, South Florida director of Equality Florida, a gay rights organization, believes this is an issue that is losing popular support.

“We had a moment of hysteria in 2004,” Politzer said. “But I think people now understand this hurts families and takes away their rights.”

Stemberger disagrees.

“This is one of the largest citizen initiatives that has ever been done,” he said. “We’re getting support from churches throughout the state.”

Most citizen initiatives have organizations pushing them that spend millions of dollars. This issue is being supported primarily with volunteers who feel passionate about the issue, Stemberger said.

 
 
Celebration MCC News
 
Celebration MCC Rev. Rick Sosbe is Making History!

 

Rev. Rick Sosbe of Celebration MCC joined other gay positive clergy around the world to stage protests Thursday, April 29, 2004 to support same-sex marriage.  Metropolitan Community Churches called for the International Day of Clergy Support for Same-Sex Marriage -- a day in which clergy from many denominations around the world officiated at public weddings for same-gender couples. 

Following an expected denial of a marriage license from the Sarasota County Courthouse, two lesbian couples were publicly married in the courthouse courtyard anyway. The ceremony was conducted by Rev. Rick Sosbe who in addition to being the pastor at Celebration MCC is an associate pastor at Church of the Trinity MCC in Sarasota. 

The story of Sosbe's marriage event in Sarasota has already appeared in more than 19 different newspapers in over 14 states. The widespread news coverage of Sosbe's action was described by Rev.Elder Nancy Wilson, Senior Pastor at Trinity as "Simply amazing'! 

You can read about the event in the Bradenton Herald by logging on to:  

Global coverage of the event can be seen by logging on to: 

We at Celebration MCC are so very proud of our pastor!  Be sure to attend church at Celebration MCC at 5 pm this Sunday May 2nd to get  the inside scoop of this newsworthy event.

Naples Daily News


Lexey Swall/Staff
The Rev. Rick Sosbe leads the Metropolitan Community Church of Naples congregation in prayer at the beginning of service on Sunday evening. The church, located in Positive Outreach Services building, is a congregation of mostly gay members and will be celebrating its one-year anniversary this month.
 

God and the gay community

Church that supports gays celebrates first anniversary in Naples

By JENNIFER GRANT, jlgrant@naplesnews.com
February 7, 2004

The church service starts as any other: Participants file in and find their seats among the folding chairs. Everyone's wearing a name tag and each person goes out of his way to hug and recognize one another.

The difference is the political discussion that ensues just after the songs and prayers that ask Jesus, "May you lead and guide us."

That's when the Rev. Rick Sosbe steps in and talks about current events, specifically the anti-gay adoption ban. He even reads from a recent newspaper article that says Florida is the only state in the nation with a complete ban on adoption by gays, whether married or single. The law has withstood several challenges in state court.

The article discusses four gay men who lost the challenge to adopt the children they are foster parents to.

Sosbe goes on to say that the article says that Florida argued the state has a right to legislate its "moral disapproval of homosexuality" and its belief that children need married parents for healthy development.

"That just flies all over me," Sosbe tells his congregation. "Well, we'd better let all the single or divorced (parents) know."

"It's a ridiculous statement. It's an ignorant statement," he adds. "I want us to pray tonight on this situation."

This situation is so near and dear to Sosbe's heart because he is gay. Much, if not most of his congregation is gay. He is the leader of the Metropolitan Community Church Naples, a church of about 30 people that is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month.

All local Metropolitan Community Churches are members of The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches which was founded in 1968 by the Rev. Troy Perry. According to its Web site, UFMCC has grown into a denomination of over 400 Christian churches in 22 countries throughout the world. Worldwide membership is more than 46,000.

This fellowship of churches addresses the spiritual needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community around the world.

"I normally don't like to take church time to voice my political view," Sosbe says during the recent Sunday evening service in a small room at Positive Outreach Services off Davis Boulevard, but adds it's a critical situation. It's his job to address the needs of his flock, and this is one need that by far surpasses others. "We have the power to at least make our voices heard."

There's some chatter in the congregation and nods of agreement. Then as quickly as he voices his opinion, Sosbe has the group clasp hands and pray.

"Rally us to let us do what we can," Sosbe prays. Then the service continues as any other Christian house of worship, with the gospel lesson.

Much of the service is like any other. Sosbe even looks like any other spiritual leader. He wears simple black pants, a black shirt with a white clerical collar and a long, gold cross hangs around his neck and hits mid chest. It's a gold hoop earring dangling from his left ear that's the only modern fashion statement, and a little out of the ordinary for a pastor.

But that's Sosbe. He's like others, but not.

He started his call as a man of God in the Assemblies of God Church. He earned his four-year degree and then went on staff as administrator of music at a Florida church.

 

"I've known I was gay since I was a little kid," he says. And that's what finally made him realize in order to be who he really was, to grow into the person he was meant to be, he had to be truthful about it.

Sosbe says he knew his being gay wouldn't be accepted in his church and he resigned. He then bought his own cleaning service, getting out of the church biz altogether.

It was a friend that told him about the MCC churches and told him he'd be great there. After soul searching and researching, he finally realized "My sexuality doesn't separate me from God," Sosbe says.

That's now his job, to make others realize the same thing.

Watching him at work on a Sunday evening, it's easy to see he's living that message. He stands in front of a tapestry of Jesus and a sparsely decorated alter and speaks to his congregation as more than a friend, as family.

He shares insights to his own life and offers his time and counsel where needed. He doesn't even live in Naples. He lives outside Sarasota (where he works in a parish there part-time) and makes the drive south once per week. He stays two days or more, depending on the need.

"We're really lucky to have him," says Denny Paterno, who has been attending the Celebration MCC church with his partner since moving here from San Francisco a few months ago.

The church and Sosbe have been a long time in coming, but both worth the wait, says Mike Federau, one of the steering committee members that helped establish the church.

He and his partner, Curtis Mellon, and their son Austin, used to attend the MCC church in Fort Myers and knew that a church needed to be established closer to home.

It was hard, at first, with only guest speakers and the like, but now "I've gotten to know all these people," Federau says and they have someone who can lead their church and help them grow.

Sosbe knows it won't be an easy task, but "I feel very passionate about new churches." As a matter of fact, he says "God's prompting me to do it."

Copyright 2004, Naples Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

CelebrationMCC@aol.com
 

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