Robert Wolfe was an American clergyman with the Metropolitan Community Church, most noted as the founding pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1]
Previously pastor of the church's congregation in Sacramento, California,[2] he was assigned to head up a new Toronto congregation in 1973, and performed his first mass at the Toronto church on July 17, 1973.[3]
In January 1974, he became noted for talking a young man out of committing suicide.[4] The teenager, distraught over being gay, had climbed onto a beam outside the observation deck at Toronto City Hall and was threatening to jump,[5] but Wolfe was called in and successfully counselled the young man back to safety.[4] A few weeks later, Toronto City Council presented him with a citation of bravery for his role in defusing the situation.[6] He used his acceptance speech to criticize the Toronto Star for its refusal to print an advertisement for the church;[6] the reaction to his announcement led the Star to reverse its decision and print the advertisement the following day.[7]
Wolfe stepped down as pastor of MCC Toronto in 1978, and was succeeded by Brent Hawkes.[8]
References edit
- ^ "Metro homosexuals find tolerance growing". Toronto Star, November 7, 1975.
- ^ "Pastor sees school staying at MCC". The Advocate, December 20, 1972.
- ^ "MCC Toronto Mission Opens". The Body Politic, Vol. 9 (1973). p. 6.
- ^ a b "Youth threatens City Hall jump, fire chief, minister talk him down". The Globe and Mail, January 16, 1974.
- ^ "Youth talked down from suicide perch". The Advocate, February 13, 1974.
- ^ a b "Ad rejected: Pastor airs complaint at council ceremony". The Globe and Mail, February 7, 1974.
- ^ "Civic Recognition Forces Newspaper to Print Ad". The Body Politic, Vol. 12 (March/April 1974), p. 4.
- ^ "MCC Conference names new Toronto Pastor". The Body Politic, Jun/Jul78, Issue 44, p8.
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