25 Years of Affirming Love
MCC Toronto’s 25th Anniversary of the World’s First Legal Queer Marriages
On January 14, 2001, love made history at MCC Toronto when two same–sex couples were married by Senior Pastor Emeritus Rev. Dr. Brent Hawkes C.M., using the ancient tradition of reading the banns of marriage. This bold act, years before same–sex marriage was legally recognized anywhere else in the world, sparked the legal challenge that led to civil recognition in Ontario in 2003 and across Canada in 2005.
In January 2026, we gathered to celebrate this historical 25th anniversary and launch our year-long campaign: 25 Years of Affirming Love. This campaign honours our past and renews our commitment to equality. You can view photos above to see just how joyful our campaign kick–off event was.
Help Us Shape The Next 25 Years
Your donation does three things:
• Honors the past: Celebrating the courage of our couples and legal pioneers.
• Protects the present: Funding advocacy, counselling, and community care for 2SLGBTQI+ people
• Builds the future: Keeping MCC Toronto a beacon of hope and justice for the next 25 years and beyond
Make your gift today, or deepen your impact by joining the 25 Years of Affirming Love Leadership Circle which currently includes:
Legacy Guardian – $10,000
• Brian Rolfes & Brad Berg
Equality Champion – $5,000
Steadfast Ally – $1,000
• The Mark S. Bonham Foundation
• Bruce Lawson
• Kevin Willcock
Loyal Supporter – $500
• Jennifer Alexander & Lori Boyce
• Rain Geiger
• The Kong Kaasa Family
Love made history once. Together, we’ll make it again.
With Heartfelt Appreciation,
MCC Toronto
Categorized in: Featured News, News