Troy Perry

Troy Perry
Perry preaching in 2006 at an MCC church in Minnesota
Born	July 27, 1940 Tallahassee, Florida
Occupation	Clergy
Known for	Founding the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches
Website	revtroyperry.org

Troy Deroy Perry Jr (born July 27, 1940) is the founder of the Metropolitan Community Church, a Christian denomination with a special affirming ministry with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities, in Los Angeles on October 6, 1968.

Troy Perry is the eldest of five brothers born to "the biggest bootleggers in Northern Florida," Troy Perry and Edith Allen. As early as he can remember, Perry felt called to preach, labeling himself as a "religious fanatic". He was influenced by his aunts, who held street services in his hometown, and who hosted Perry giving sermons from their home. Perry's father died fleeing the police when his son was eleven years old, cementing Troy's resolve to become involved in the church as much as possible. After his mother remarried and moved the family to Daytona Beach, Perry was abused by his stepfather and he ran away from home, to return after she divorced him.

His fanaticism increasing, Perry dropped out of high school, and was a licensed Baptist preacher by the age of 15 years. He married a preacher's daughter named Pearl Pinion in 1959, remembering, "I was always interested in pastor's daughters because I thought they would make good preacher's wives. I didn't love her when I married her, but I did love her after our first year." They had two sons and were relocated to Illinois where Perry attended Midwest Bible College and Moody Bible Institute. Perry was the preacher at a small Church of God, and sometimes had sexual relationships with other men, but considered it just youthful exploration. When he was 19 years old, however, church administrators told him one of the men he had been with had told them what they had done. He was forced to leave the church immediately.

They moved to Southern California, pastoring at a Church of God of Prophecy. Perry's wife found his copy of The Homosexual in America by Donald Webster Cory, that he kept hidden under the mattress and their marriage quickly dissolved. After being directed to pray about being led astray by his homosexual feelings, Perry's bishop told him to renounce himself in the pulpit and resign. Perry worked in a Sears department store, and was drafted for the army in 1965 where he served two years in Germany.