Update May 16 – Fundraising for Pastor Dan’s Birthday Bash has topped the $5,000 mark, with donations still coming in. All the money raised goes to support The Met’s ministries. Lee Bowman, minister of administration & communications said, “Though more may still come in, the best figure we have for the fundraiser is ‘just over $5,000.’ Good, eh? And those
funds go to support the ministries of MCCSD.”
Pastor Dan Koeshall was a good sport at his birthday celebration/fundraiser May 14 at the LGBT Center for the Metropolitan Community Church in which a fake Marilyn Monroe sang happy birthday and a silent auction was held for realistic magazine covers with his photos.
Over 100 people attended and dinner was served with two birthday cakes. Approximately $2,733 was raised, but that figure may increase to include tickets that were sold in which the buyer did not attend.
Koeshall received a certificate of recognition from Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins that read “in celebration of your 54th birthday and in honor of your dedication to San Diego’s diverse community.”
One of Atkins’ aides presented it to Koeshall and noted it was the first such certificate since Atkins(D-San Diego) was sworn in as Assembly Speaker last week. Atkins was the second lesbian elected to the City Council in 2000 and was the city’s first gay interim mayor in 2005.
Imaginative church members created realistic fake magazine covers featuring Koeshall’s photo with shocking headlines from “People,” “The National Enquirer,” “Time,” “Rolling Stone,” and “Gentleman’s Quarterly.”
Pastor Dan was also featured on a fake cover from “Modern Bride” magazine which described him as “Easy on the Eyes,” and “Pastor Dan voted top minister for weddings.” A “Time” cover described Koeshall as Person of the Year in “the fight for equality.”
The headline for “The National Enquirer” showed his picture with the headline “Pastor Dan Gay Shocker.” Another headline showed the photo of a penguin who “travels 4,000 miles to find his soul mate.” The covers were purchased in a silent auction that took in $133 total.
The bash was held at the site in Hillcrest where MCC held services for many years before buying a church building in 2009 at 2633 Denver Street near Mission Bay in Clairemont.
