Rev. Dan Koeshall Retires: Leaving Behind a Ministry Rooted in Love and Inclusion
by Neal Putnam
Rev. Dan Koeshall’s love and empathy towards others are key ingredients of his effective, longtime ministry at Metropolitan Community Church which comes to a close on October 5.
“What a ride it’s been!” said Pastor Dan.
Koeshall, 65, announced his retirement almost nine months ago and his last sermon will be at the 10 a.m. service with a reception afterwards. (Tickets to a farewell dinner on Oct. 4 sold out within a week of the announcement.)
Dan went through the wringer in his faith, growing up in a fundamentalist family and even went through attempts to become straight at a 20-week so-called “gay conversion camp” when he was quite young. It did not work.
A congregational vote for a new senior pastor candidate, Alisan Rowland, was scheduled to be held Sept. 28. Alisan has held numerous positions at MCC in San Diego and was senior pastor at the New Orleans MCC before becoming a hospital chaplain in Washington. She was ordained in 2013.
Pastor Dan is greatly loved and has been senior pastor since 2008. He became the minister of music in 1999 and served other roles.
MCC sold its building in North Park to another church in the 1990s and for several years met at The Center until securing another church building at 2633 Denver Street under Koeshall’s leadership.
“He is one of the warmest, most welcome people I have ever known,” said longtime member Gregory Ragsdale. “You cannot spend any time in this man’s company without feeling God’s love and warmth all around you.”
“He truly brings the Spirit into every day life, not just from the pulpit but in our home, at a concert venue, a bar, or walking along the Pride Parade route,” said Ragsdale. “He will be missed in his capacity as pastor, celebrated in his role as lifelong friend.”
Dan gave his most personal sermon Aug. 24 and recounted a familiar story how he was tossed from the ministry of a fundamentalist church in North County after they found out he was gay. (Dan asked that church’s name not be used in this story, perhaps in hopes they may one day change their policy.)
“Toxic theology can do such damage to a young soul,” said Dan. “If you really want to mess up someone emotionally, give them shame, wrapped in a prayer. But God never gave up on me.”
Dan said he often felt “you are called” to be a minister. “That message would not leave me,” he said.
He was in his 30s, and working for a fundamentalist church when someone he described as “a former friend” alerted the church he was gay. The denomination held a private rebuke and an employment termination hearing at their headquarters in Orange County.
Dan said he asked the official this question: “You are telling me that God loves me as I am, but you don’t?” A long silence followed. “Yes,” replied the official.
“I thanked him for that clear message,” said Dan, adding that he “felt like Charlie Brown when Lucy pulled the football away.” He added: “I knew God was with me.”
“You will leave this church forever,” the official told Dan sternly, he recalled. “May the slamming of the door behind you reverberate in your ears for a long time to come.”
“A whole new world opened up! Out of the pain came great joy!” exclaimed Dan. “There is room at the table for me, for you, for every queer, for every hopeful, for everyone questioning, every broken person on their journey.”
“I found it here! That message is here at MCC. I found it in you!” said Dan to the congregation. “We exist to bring people closer to God and one another.”
Longtime member Maureen “Mo” McElroy, said Pastor Dan was “definitely going out on a high note.” She said he has “made such a difference in so many lives.”
In a personal letter to Koeshall, McElroy wrote “there surely is a comfy lounge chair in heaven with your name on it.”
A love offering will be taken for the retiring pastor, who will be greatly missed. Koeshall was one of many rotating clergy persons in San Diego who offered prayers at government meetings and was very active in the community.