[11] MCC sees its mission being social as well as spiritual by standing up for the rights of minorities, particularly those of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) people.

[12] Many local churches are also involved with other national and international campaigns, including Trade Justice[13][needs update] and Make Poverty History.

[14] MCC's founder, Troy Perry, performed the first public same-sex marriage in the United States in Huntington Park, California, in 1969.

Perry lost that lawsuit but launched the debate over marriage equality in the U.S. Today, MCC congregations around the world perform more than 6000 same-sex union/marriage ceremonies annually.

Brent Hawkes and the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto were key players in the legal action that ultimately brought same-sex marriage to Canada.

[15] A notable aspect of MCC's theology is its position on homosexuality and Christianity where it fully embraces and welcomes LGBT people.

[22] In 1969 the congregation had outgrown Perry's living room and moved to rented space at the Huntington Park Women's Club.

Within months of the first worship service, Perry began receiving letters and visits from people who wanted to start Metropolitan Community Churches in other cities.

[23] The church had its final move to a building it purchased at 2201 South Union Avenue in Los Angeles in early 1971.

The denomination continues to grow: In 2010, El Mundo reported that the first MCC congregation in Spain would be established in Madrid in October.

In 2018, the first religiously affiliated same-sex wedding recorded in Spain was performed by a vicar of the Lutheran Church of Sweden.

[26] The Lutheran Church of Sweden and the MCC are in partial communion with each other and the vicar is stationed in Spain on a long term 5-year mission.

[36] As of 2016, the Council of Elders includes Rachelle Brown (Moderator), Nancy Wilson, Ines-Paul Baumann, Pat Bumgardner, Tony Freeman, Darlene Garner, Hector Gutierrez, Dwayne Johnson, Nancy Maxwell, Margarita Sánchez de Léon, Candace Shultis, and Mona West.

[37] The Governing Board includes Rachelle Brown (Interim Moderator and Chair ex officio), Joe Cobb, Victoria L. Burson, Miak Siew, and Dr. David L.

Internationally, the government of the UFMCC is vested in the tri-annual General Conference, subject to the provisions of the fellowship Articles of Incorporation, its bylaws, or documents of legal organization.

Throughout its history the General Conference has met both in and outside of the continental United States, in places such as Sydney, Australia, and Toronto, Ontario, and Calgary, Alberta, in Canada.

Each local congregation is free to determine matters of worship, practice, theology and ministry providing they meet certain basic requirements involving open access to communion and subscription to the traditional Christian creeds.

Styles of worship include liturgical, charismatic, evangelical, traditional and modern — diversity is an important part of MCC.

Pastor Myke Sotero of MCC Baguio stated that the service was a "Christian celebration of love and relationship".

Bishop Donald Soriano of the Bethesda Ministries Calvary Pentecostal Church, said that they will denounce same-sex unions.