Cathedral of Hope (Dallas)

The Dallas Cathedral of Hope is said to be the world's largest inclusive "liberal Christian church with a primary outreach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons",[1][2][verification needed] with a membership of over 4,000 local members.

The current building, built in 1993, is complemented with the 78-foot tall John Thomas Memorial Bell Wall commemorating HIV/AIDS victims.

The physical building, symbolic of the liberal Christian faith that it hosts, is found in a considerably more conservative surrounding area.

Dr. Neil Thomas has been the cathedral's senior pastor since May 2015 and has expanded the church's outreach to include a food pantry that serves over 300 people every week.

On July 30, 1970, a group of twelve people gathered at a home at 4612 Victor Street in Dallas to discuss establishing a Metropolitan Community Church congregation.

In 2000, the Cathedral of Hope began the "Century of Compassion" by donating more than one million dollars in direct assistance and volunteer community support annually.

[7] On August 6, 2000, nearly 100 people attended the inaugural worship service at the Cathedral of Hope – Oklahoma City.

In 2003, a group calling themselves the Cathedral of Hope Reform was formed, led by church member Terri Frey.

In April 2003, Frey filed a complaint with MCC that prompted the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches to open an investigation against Michael Piazza.

It launched a capital campaign to build the next phase of Philip Johnson's campus design, an interfaith peace chapel.

The church launched a new non-profit organization, Hope for Peace & Justice, with Michael Piazza as president.

[11] After a year long search process, Neil Cazares-Thomas became the new pastor on May 24, 2015,[12] after active service in the Metropolitan Community Church of Bournemouth, England, and Founders MCC, Los Angeles.

[14] Cathedral of Hope provides niche spaces for church members in the event of their death, if they so choose, at an on-site columbarium.

Church members can elect not to take advantage of this service, but are remembered upon their deaths with their name displayed on a side wall of the columbarium area.