San Diego Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) Senior Pastor Dan Koeshall was really surprised and shocked June 19 when a community service award he thought was going to someone else was actually presented to him.
Koeshall was about to praise a gay couple at the MCC whom he thought would get the award but was interrupted by Pastor Emeritus David Farrell.
Farrell announced, “Our pastor who personalizes community service” was the winner of the Rev. David Farrell Community Service Award that is presented every Father’s Day.
Farrell, who pastored MCC in San Diego for 20 years, said Koeshall goes to community events, holds religious services in jail for inmates, makes visitations and other duties.
“He personifies (the award),” said Farrell. “He makes a big difference.”
Koeshall, who has been senior pastor for eight years, got a standing ovation at both services.
MCC Vice Moderator Al Smithson humorously said there was “a giant conspiracy between the staff and me” to pull it off. The award, which had Koeshall’s name on it, was never in his hands to view. Farrell already had a microphone activated for which he could step up from the audience and interrupt Koeshall, said Smithson.
“We let Dan think it was going to be for a couple, who were in on it,” said Smithson. “We knew Dan would never permit us to give it to him. He’s too modest. Dan would have been too humble to let us do that.”
“Dan had to back off and let (pastor emeritus) David start talking,” said Smithson.
“He was so shocked,” said member Pam Raptis.
“He is a community leader,” said Auny Rogers, who attends MCC and who was at The LGBT Center June 13 when people gathered to mourn the loss of 49 people at an Orlando gay nightclub.
Koeshall gave the invocation at the event. “His prayer Monday night at The Center was beautiful and perfect for the occasion, a unifying prayer,” said Rogers.
