The first worship service for lesbians, gays and their friends, was celebrated by Fr. Richard Mickley and Rev. Edgar Mendoza in Diliman, Quezon City last May 19, 2001.

The morning worship was attended by people of diverse gender orientation, many of who identified themselves as lesbians. "The ministers for this service are mostly men, but that is only because interested women have not yet stepped forward and identified themselves," according to Father Mickley, founding Pastor of MCC Manila.

The service opened with a touching coming out story, shared by Ging Cristobal of the Lesbian Advocates of the Philippines (LeAP!). The reading of two contemporary verses, as alternative to the Old Testament passages, followed this. One of the readings was taken from a speech by lesbian US congressman Tammy Baldwin. Xeen Nievera of the Society of United Lesbians (SOUL) read the said speech.

The other reading was a poem authored by an anonymous high school student. This literary piece, recited by Pete Rahon of the Co-Multiversity, was about loving one's self.

A tree planting, performed as an earth ritual, also took place to symbolize the beginning of the Diliman faith community. Participants were asked to bring soil to the service.

"When we mix these various kinds of soil together, we have a new ground, with different soil from each of the individual handfuls," said Father Mickley, who is also head of the St. Aelred Monastery in Manila.

Sunday services are scheduled at 11 AM at Teacher's Village, QC, and at 5 PM in Ermita.