MCC DETROIT PASTORAL STAFF

Guided by love and inclusion, our pastors bring warmth, wisdom, and a deep commitment to our LGBTQIA+ family.

Rev. Dr. Roland Stringfellow

Senior Pastor

​Rev. Dr. Roland Stringfellow earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and a Master of Science degree in Counseling from Indiana University.  He later earned a Master of Arts from Grace Theological Seminary and in 1990 became a licensed minister in the Baptist Church.  In 2005, Roland was ordained with the Metropolitan Community Church and in 2006 he earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Pacific School of Religion with a certificate in Religion and Sexuality.  In 2011, Roland became licensed with the United Church of Christ and The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries (TFAM).  And in 2016, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree also from the Pacific School of Religion.    
 
Roland has worked as a pastor in Indiana, California and currently in Michigan.  In addition to his work within church contexts, he has also worked in the field of public education in a variety of capacities – teacher, guidance counselor, college advisor, and vice-principal.  In 2010, Roland created the “Umoja Project” that focuses on creating dialogues with pastors and lay leaders in the Black church to openly include LGBTQ people into their congregations. In June 2011, he was elected with the most number of votes to become a Grand Marshal in the San Francisco Pride Parade.
 

Rev. Dr. Stringfellow is the Senior Pastor and Teacher of the Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit and serves as board president of Inclusive Justice – Michigan area clergy committed to inclusion within congregations throughout state. He is continuing his work in creating dialogs on the topic of LGBT equality with church congregations and in religious institutions in his role as the Director of Ministerial Outreach with the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies with the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA.  He has conducted multiple workshops on the topics of race, religion, class and sexuality. He has been consulted by media outlets regarding his work on marriage equality and religious liberty and the role people of color and communities of faith play in this national debate.  

Pastor Karen Dillaman

Congregational Care

Pastor Karen Dillaman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Administration and Youth Leadership from Michigan State University.  She worked on the executive staff for the Girl Scouts in Pontiac, Michigan for 8 years, serving as Program Director and Resident Camp Director. In her second career, Pastor Karen worked in Information Technology supporting General Motors for the next 32 years, in roles including Leadership and Professional Development instructor, PC Help Desk team leader, Mainframe Security team leader, Systems Engineer, IT Project Manager and IT Program Manager. She is currently semi-retired.

Pastor Karen has been a member of Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit since 1985. Roles she has held at MCCD include Board Member, Lay Delegate, Bylaws Chair, Program committee chair, and Choir member. For 5 years she served as the leader of Excel of the Lakes, coordinating Excel weekend retreats throughout the 6 state Great Lakes District.  She and her late partner founded a ministry for those with life threatening illnesses and their caregivers, and she has continued this ministry for the last 15 years.  Karen is currently serving as a Pastor coordinating Congregational Care. 

Elder Hattie
Alexander-Key

Community Connections

Elder Hattie Alexander-Key studied at Ohio State University toward a degree in Education. She left Ohio and returned to Detroit, Michigan with her young son where she became a single parent and Licensed Practical Nurse. She served as a nurse in hospitals and long-term facilities in the Detroit area for 30 years.

Elder Hattie, as she is lovingly called by her church family at Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit, has served in many different roles. Of the many ministries at the local church, she has served as Children’s Church Assistant and Teacher; Lenten Bible Study leader; with the Pastoral Care Team, Prayer Ministry Team, Alter Guild, Christmas Elves, and as Leader of Christian Education. Pastor Hattie is currently Lay Delegate, representing the local church in regional and national meetings and carrying the vote of the people to those meetings.

​In addition to her church work, Elder Alexander-Key has served as friend and mentor to many in the LGBTQA community, serving with LGBT Detroit- formerly KICK, Hotter Than July- Detroit’s Black Gay Pride Association and LGBTA Kwanzaa Celebration-Detroit.

Pastor Roland Smith

Online Worship Coordinator

Pastor Roland Smith Roland Smith earned his two-year Associate’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Michigan in 1982. In 1990 he was ordained as a deacon with the Mt Sinai Missionary Baptist church, under the leadership and pastorage of Rev. Rufus Calvin Pope. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix in 2004. In 2015, he was recognized as a Deacon and met the requirements of training for Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit. In April 2019 he developed the Care Ministry, the Power of Visitation for lay members at MCC of Detroit. In 2019 he earned his Certificate in Christian Ministries from Ashland Theological Seminary.
​
Roland Smith currently serves as Pastor, connection group bible study teacher and worship coordinator at Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit. He is recently retired from being a full-time employee of the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan and served as the Executive Director of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for children in and out of foster care. He has been married since 2014 to his wonderful husband Deacon Paul Mattson. In addition to his work within the church contexts, he provides oversight for the court dealing with LGBTQ challenges and cultural competencies and is on the grief management council for the Third circuit court. In 1995 he wrote and published a self-help workbook “Starting Over Again” for same-gender-loving men looking to move forward when the relationship ends.

Join Our Family

Sign Up for Our Newsletter to Get the Latest from MCC Detroit Sent Right to Your Inbox