Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston

Cecilia Eggleston was the first woman and first lay person to be elected District Coordinator in the European District of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. She became involved in UFMCC in 1989 and was one of the founding co-pastors of Living Springs MCC in Bath, England. She was also one of the founding trustees of Samaritan Education in Europe and was Chair of the Board of Trustees for several years. Prior to her election as District Coordinator, she was active on the Board of Ordained Ministry. Her experience in these two areas supported her work on the Elders Task Force on Education. As District Co-ordinator, she was responsible for our churches in UK, France, Germany and Denmark. This international perspective was important in broadening the effectiveness of MCC’s global ministry.

During this time, she answered the call to ordination and was ordained in 2004. Rev. Eggleston was elected to the Board of Elders in 2003 when UFMCC changed its governance to a Board of Regional Elders rather than Elders and District Coordinators serving as a General Council. She retired from the Board of Elders in 2007 and now is Pastor of MCC Newcastle, a vibrant congregation in the North East of England. She was guest speaker at the UK’s National Holocaust Memorial event in 2007 and has been prominent in local activism around the International Day Against Homophobia. Most recently she served at denominational level on the Strategic Review Team which worked with the Board of Elders and Board of Administration to review and re-develop UFMCC's denominational structure.

Rev. Eggleston is passionate about encouraging others in their faith journey and has undergone training in spiritual direction and faith accompaniment.

(This biographical statement provided by Frank Zerilli & Cecilia Eggleston.)

Biography Date: December, 2010

Know Cecilia Eggleston? Tell us your experience.
(All entries are reviewed by the LGBT-RAN office before posting.)