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This Sunday, June 7th, RHUC will be joining with the congregation of St. Matthew's United Church at 333 Crosby Avenue, RH at 10:30 am to celebrate PRIDE Sunday. We are thrilled to announce that the Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes will be our guest preacher that morning. Following the service, lunch will be served and Rev. Brent will be sharing a short presentation on the charity he founded called RAINBOW FAITH AND FREEDOM. All are welcome to stay for lunch and hear about this important organization. We hope to see you there! 

GUEST SPEAKER ~ PRIDE SUNDAY, June 7 at St. Matthew's United Church, RH 10:30 a.m. 

Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes, C.M, is the Founder and Executive Director of Rainbow Faith and Freedom, and Senior Pastor Emeritus of Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. He is a native of Bath, New Brunswick and a graduate of Mount Allison University.  He later received a Master's of Divinity and a Doctorate of Ministry from Trinity College, University of Toronto. He was the Senior Pastor at Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto for over 40 years from 1977-2018, where he was at the forefront of ministry to the LGBTQI2S Community and has helped thousands of LGBTQI2S people and their families come back into a spiritual relationship with God. On January 14th 2001, Rev. Hawkes officiated at the first legal same sex marriages in the history of the world.  He has also served the community at large with distinction, championing several human rights initiatives. He is the recipient of three honorary degrees, and in 2007 he was appointed the Order of Canada for his stand on social justice and human rights within the LGBTQI2S communities, the highest award a country has bestowed on a gay activist. On August 27, 2011 Rev. Hawkes officiated over the state funeral for the Honourable Jack Layton, Leader of Canada's Official Opposition and head of the NDP, at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.  He spoke highly of Layton who had touched the lives of millions of Canadians and had been a vocal supporter of AIDS initiatives and LGBTQI2S rights. In 2015, Rev. Hawkes was appointed to the Order of New Brunswick for his leadership in support of LGBTQI2S rights. He has constantly challenged the church to examine important issues such as prejudice against gays and lesbians, inclusive language as well as ordination of women.  He has also played a significant role in promoting the inclusion of sexual orientation in the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act. 

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